One of the many West Hills homes on stilts.

Another upgrade from the original aluminum windows to wood-clad windows.

Loewen brand wood-clad windows are another of a number of top-shelf wood window companies from which you may choose.

They are based out of Canada and offer the distinction of offering FIR wood species as their standard product. To learn more about Loewen Windows, go to www.loewen.com

Our client wanted a back-splash under the new window, so we ordered a shorter window and modified the rough-opening.

Looks like it’s always been that way.

The original aluminum windows are removed.

The new wood-clad Loewen windows and doors are installed.

We’ve been doing this well on into our third decade now, so at the risk of sounding immodest…

…we’ve gotten fairly good at it.

As you can see, it was a foggy day when we initially went to inspect this project up on a hill in Wilsonville. Clicking on the photo to enlarge it will allow a slightly better view.

A 16′ wide Marvin sliding door and transom assembly.

This was one of those situations where the client already knew that the transom picture windows above the door assembly needed to be replaced. In fact, our client ordered the new window assemblies himself.

Apparently having retained an ongoing relationship with the building material supplier who provided the original windows when the house was built, we weren’t even asked to measure them.

Having previously worked for this client, we were simply asked to provide the skill and expertise to complete the project correctly the first time.

The disassembly is well on its way, and for the uninitiated, we’d like to point out the blue covering shown in the above photo beneath the horizontal mull-post covers we’re removing. This was among the first self-adhesive flashing membrane materials that emerged upon the market place,…

…maybe 20 or so years ago, and frequently called “blue-skin.” Please note above…as Steve Hilt is pointing out, that the structural components of these openings still sustained water damage, which further points out the critical nature of proper flashing technique.

As happens fairly often in our microclimate known as the Willamette Valley, the weather turned wet and so the tarps are brought out to facilitate the continuance of our project. Above, Phil & Eric ready one of the new window assemblies for installation.

All the new windows are installed, properly flashed and ready for the mull-covers and fascia boards to be re-installed.

Eric is shown here putting the finishing touches to the windows by cleaning the glass.

Skyline area just east of the Forest Heights area.

Our client had already had some of his windows replaced, and so he knew already that he wanted Eagle Wood-Clad Windows to match the others he had previously replaced. Go to: http://www.eaglewindow.com/Home.aspx if you’d like to read more on this product.

Eagle Windows, which has been acquired by Andersen Windows, is a Canadian company that has historically offered “Fir” as their entry level wood species, as opposed to pine like so many other wood window companies. Eagle Windows are among the number of top-shelf wood windows available today.

As it would happen, our client already knew he had damage issues beneath his siding and wanted it all repaired and his cedar siding replaced. He was what we might call a “dream-client.”

In our experience, less than 1 percent of home-owners possess a reasonable sense of the condition of their home’s exterior envelope. Although, in defense of the 99+ percent, this gentleman’s insight was likely due to his previous remodeling experiences on this property.

In any event, his number one priority seemed to be that it would be done correctly. As you can see from the photos, much of the wall had need to be opened up and some structural wall components were replaced due to water damage.

This was a particularly satisfying project because our client seemed to have complete confidence in our work. We don’t know for certain, but we suspect that his confidence in our company may have stemmed from our reputation for extensive…

…water remediation and exterior envelope flashing work. Many contractors know what we’re talking about when say that there is nothing like work that comes by means of referral.

So many hurdles are usually cleared before you even begin the job. There is nothing like having a client who is on your side rooting for you.

Someone who has a reasonable basis for believing his expenditure will result in what he wants it to result in. In this case…a finished product that is among the best that money can buy.

A Classic House in N.W. Portland with the troublesome removable grids on the interior side of the wood windows that have already been replaced at least once before.

Fine-Tuning the Fit of the new replacement Marvin Sash. You may notice that these new windows have SDL (Simulated Divided Lites)

An improvement over the removable grids for those who esteem the aesthetic value of the classic divided-lite sash.

WARNING: These window sash were not “clad,” and believe it or not, subsequent owners have already hired us to come back and repair some…

…water damage on these windows that we installed in 2000. So you can see that Willamette Valley weather is the gift that keeps on giving.

We do not mean to seem cavalier about the financial demise of folks who have to pay for new windows. In fact, you may have noticed a preoccupation with the subject of “water damage” in our portfolio of projects here.

We are trying to promote education on this subject, so folks might protect their investments. Please note the general lack of eves or any other type of overhang or protection from the elements on this residence.

We’ve been asked many times, how come “new wood windows don’t seem to last as long as the old original windows.”
One of the answers is the elimination of lead-paint in 1978. Lead-paint, though toxic, was an effective covering.

Don’t forget, you can click on any photo to view things in a little more detail if you want. This is the Street of Dreams 2012.
Water remediation work has become a substantial percentage of our business over the past 20+ years.

This project does NOT involve remediation work of course, because flashing windows correctly precludes the need…

…for water damage remediation work. The point being that we have been formally trained by window manufactures to properly…

…install & flash windows & doors. In our experience, improper flashing is behind 98% of all residential water leak problems.

Home Builders are on the hook for defective workmanship for 10 years in the state of Oregon.

But if the evidence doesn’t show up for a number of years, which it frequently does not, allowing water to access the wall cavities…

…undetected, the bill to effect the repairs on an exterior wall can be the size of a remodel. We know this of course, because…

…we’re on both ends of the equation. We are hired to install windows correctly to help builders avoid lawsuits, such as on this project…

…and frequently hired to affect the repairs when someone installs the windows or doors incorrectly.

To view some examples of the consequences of improper flashing, you might check out our water damage remediation page (https://www.adwm.net/list_projects.php?cat_ID=8&subcat_ID=5), which can also be found under the residential WINDOW REPAIR section of this portfolio.

A modest, yet exquisitely laid-out and continually improved upon and exquisitely maintained home up on the Burlingame area hillside.

Time for a well thought-out touch of architectural personality right across the prominent face of the home.

More cosmetic, or architectural than utilitarian, our client wants to replace the existing window assembly…

…with a new Marvin wood-clad sliding patio door assembly with flanking Marvin Double-Hung windows. We also replaced several other window assemblies with new Marvin wood-clad windows, but this was the centerpiece of the project.

Everything being thought out and carefully ordered with the help of Portland Millwork’s Brian Dana, we were able to stay within the constraints of the original rough-opening width.

An important part of the project included our installation of structural blocking being installed into the walls that provided the…

…necessary anchorage for the installation of our wrought-iron Juliet Balcony. Remember, you can click on the photos to enlarge them.

Due to the expertise & skill of David Schlicker Art Glass, we were able to install art-glass inserts into the top-sash of the flanking double-hungs that replicated the same design as some glass in the original overhead garage door directly below. Go to www.davidschlicker.com

Unfortunately for our “After-Shot” photos, the original cloth awning structure somewhat hampers the light that might otherwise shine through to highlight this classy architectural detail. As well as somewhat hiding it from view on the exterior (see next photo).

Nonetheless, this was a classy improvement that proportionately reflects the classy client who patiently worked with us as we researched the various options with her as she figured out what her preferences would be.

A relatively large house with many windows and doors.

It was probably something as innocuous as a painter pointing out that an exterior piece of trim had suffered some degree of water damage. So the property owners had the opening covered with plastic and gave us a call.

We were brought in to figure out just how extensive the water damage was, and as it would happen, the damage extended on into the jamb assembly.

There are more reasons to repair damaged window components other than saving money. For example; sometimes we will repair a window even though it would be less expensive to replace it, if the replacement window wouldn’t match other nearby windows.

But this window was up high, around the back and relatively isolated from other windows. It was also a relatively small non-operable window, so it wasn’t all that expensive of an assembly. And so it was proposed that the entire assembly be replaced with a Jeld-Wen version of the same model.

Jeld-Wen wood windows are made in the same eastern Oregon plant in Bend where Pozzi windows were made before Jeld-Wen bought them out.

So it’s not too surprising the learn that some similarities do remain at this point. While Pozzi acquired a seriously checkered reputation among certain circles & building developments in Oregon…

…we contend that any early non-pressure-treated pine windows from any of the top-shelf manufacturers would have garnered the same reputation if they had become as prevalent in Oregon as Pozzi once was. Most folks who know about the history of these products know Pozzi was so popular for a season…

…in Oregon because of the whole “Made In Oregon” thing. So when Willamette Valley weather was brought to bear upon so many housing developments outfitted with these windows installed into openings devoid of the benefit of eves, such as this window was…well the rest is history.

But many other brands of these early non-pressure-treated wood windows enjoyed seasons of popularity in various parts of the U.S. with climates similar to ours, and suffered the same unfortunate outcomes. Thus it is that they all (as far as we know) now employ the use of pressure-treated wood components.

Our client here presumably sought to save some money by going with another contractor, but after seeing the caliber of work on the main-floor windows & the set of doors…decided to pull the plug and call us in the finish the project.

Our mission was to install the 2nd story windows and provide & install the interior trim around the windows and door assembly installed by the previous contractor. The windows in this case were Sierra Pacific. If interested in learning more about this product, go to; www.sierrapacificwindows.com/

If you click on the above photo (enlarging it), you may be able to see that the original wood windows had been replaced with Vinyl windows with the internal grids.

Our client had hoped to not only regain the value and beauty of wood windows, but to also restore the interior window surrounds from these sterile dry-walled openings to the beauty and warmth of wood products that match the era of the home (see below).

Our technician Sean Miller installing the window into the nursery opening.

Obviously, the “importance” of properly flashing the windows with this type of exposure to the elements (no overhang), in our type of climate probably couldn’t be overstated.

Exterior trim and even a fascia-type of protruding sub-sill that is more in keeping with the original look of the original windows is installed. Phil McNair is shown here refastening some of the siding.

This is the living room window that was installed by the other contractor who was chased off before they could do any more damage. So our client had us install the interior trim on all the other windows and the door assembly, as well as the windows we installed.

For reasons of economy perhaps, the interior trim around the upstairs windows was slightly simpler.
As you can tell by the above photo, our crew pulled a long day finishing up this project.

Long days are par for the course when you work on exterior envelopes for a living.

Defective flashing techniques and water damage are no respecters of property value.

We also feature this project in our “construction defect/water leak remediation” category with many of the photos showing the water damage remediation work to the wall.

We had to rebuild a significant amount of the structural components before we could even install the new windows.

The structural damage to the support beams was so severe, that we had need to employ the services of a structural engineer to ensure that the repairs were engineered adequately.

And as you can see (remember you can enlarge the photos), we also provided and installed all new Pella Wood Clad Windows.

A modest bungalow.

New Marvin Wood Clad Casements to be installed directly into original jambs.
This installation involved plowing the sash for Whitco Hinges, very similar to the hinges on the original sash.

Jambs for the Casements are kerfed for Silicone compression weatherstripping.

Because the sash are clad in aluminum, the key to this type of installation lies in skilled measurements being taken and ordering the sash correctly, because there is absolutely no trimming the sash down to fit the jambs.

Installing Marvin Tilt-Pacs where the original windows were double-hungs. The Tilt-Pacs come with their own factory applied weatherstripping & balancer systems.

Marvin does now make a complete retro-fit casement package, called the Ultimate Casement Window. Like the double-hungs, they come with Marvin hardware & complete weatherstripping.

Our client was tired of dealing with the maintenance of the original wood windows.

But he did not want to disturb any of the original jambs or trim.