“I once sold a home without a kitchen…I think the stove was in the living room. And windows — I don’t remember any windows.” — Liz Cronin, a broker with Realty Trust Group.

Some homes need little help to become attractive, livable spaces: A few cosmetic touches, and it’s good to go. Others need a major overhaul, like the one described above.

If your home straddles the neighborhood between awful and great, replacing windows and doors is one way to improve your outlook.

“We help design what the homeowner is after, by focusing on the details that will make the window look right for the home,” says Kevin Betker, one of the partners of Classic Sash & Door, a Portland, OR-based company dedicated to updating the city’s classic homes. Betker and his partner Mark Bell personally oversee every project, from design to installation.

Photo courtesy of Milgard Windows and Doors

The goal of any window replacement is to ensure it “fits all the home’s details, like the molding and baseboards.” Betker’s and Bell’s designing eye extends to the choice of wood used in the project.

Because classic homes were built with old-growth timber, using similar woods on the windows is important, Betker says. Ponderosa pine has been a staple in window frames for years, but now that is changing. “Here in the Northwest, the trend is towards using native species, particularly fir. Mahogany, oak, and cherry are also popular.”

Classic homes — dating from turn-of-the-century to the early 1920s — are not the only candidates for window replacement. Mid-century dwellings and homes built in the last three decades of the twentieth century also need new windows. If, for example, your home was built in the mid-century, chances are it has very basic openings. In keeping with the lean and clean look of this era, the space was designed with lower ceilings and boasts minimalist details, which can make the space feel flat and ordinary. Some of today’s new-construction homes follow the same pattern. In this case, updating the windows is worth considering, not only for aesthetics, but for the home’s ultimate re-sale value.

Regardless of its age, if you don’t like your home’s existing window footprint, it is possible to transform a dark corner into a dazzling den. Moving walls, installing custom windows, and encouraging the owner to consider trim details throughout the house, “is the kind of work we do for most of our clients,” Betker says.

One of the little-known but possibly most frustrating secrets is this: “Homes built between 1910 and 1920 were designed by glass size, not opening,” Ball says. “If you walk through any older neighborhood in Northeast Portland, you can see 200 windows, all of different sizes. There could be 12 different sizes on one block.”

For these homeowners, “One size does not fit all,” Bell adds, making a custom job a necessity. “There are so many variations, so many different scenarios as to how a room and window can be re-designed.”

This is why window replacement is such a huge market, and one that is aggressively pursued by manufacturers such as Marvin, Milgard, Pella, and Andersen.

“We use Marvin products about 80% of the time,” Betker says. “When it comes to all-wood windows, they’re like one big custom shop. We can custom order a window if we need something that is not part of their regular product line. This gives the homeowner complete flexibility in creating their dream windowscape.”

Timing Isn’t Everything
When do people replace windows? There is no set time of year, Bell says. “Cold weather spurs people on, but most have their own rhythm” for when they tackle different home improvement projects. “There is no time of year we can’t replace a window or a door,” he adds. “The work is not that invasive. We’re only in one part of the house. It’s a very clean in-and-out process.”

People might be reluctant to replace windows during colder months, but it’s nothing to fear. “We never take out what can’t be filled back in the same day,” he says.

That said, window replacement is a tricky job and one best left to the experts, say Bell and Jan Cunningham, office manager for Truax Builders Supply. “It’s a weather barrier,” she says, “and best left to professional installation.”

Seasons change, and so do budgets. It is becoming more common for homeowners to stagger their window replacement projects, Cunningham adds. “We see people doing it one room at a time, in smaller projects.”

She says homeowners tend to replace windows in the front room for aesthetics, then the kitchen and bath for comfort, with the bedrooms done last, “unless it’s cold.” Staggering the project allows them to invest in higher quality products.

For homeowners taking the long-term approach, Bell suggests using products that have been on the market a long time. “This protects you from choosing a product that might be discontinued. You want to be able to finish your job with a ‘like’ window,” he adds.

A Door to Adore
This holiday season, try stuffing the stocking with a traditionally styled all-wood screen door. “We can build a custom screen door to a specific size and design. It makes a great gift,” Cunningham says.

She’s not joking: “These luxury screen doors are made from kiln-dried fir and come with decorative hardware. A lot of parents are buying these for their children; it’s a nice way to dress up the front door. The wood tone softens the look of the home, and the look is reminiscent to the era when the home was originally built.”

A hand-crafted wood screen door is attractive, but it still has to be latched at night. “For families who prefer security over the timeless look of wood, a steel security door is probably the best choice,” she says.

Truax offers one such door that is self-storing, meaning the glass panel that blocks cold winter air slides out of the way to reveal a permanently placed summer screen. This design offers “a simple transition from winter to spring. This easily converted door is practical for all families, especially seniors,” she adds.

More options abound behind the screen door. “When it comes to entry doors, fiberglass and steel are still the most popular” because they are energy efficient and low maintenance. Plus, the steel holds up well under severe climate conditions, Cunningham adds.

“Purists of course choose wooden doors, embracing the rigorous care they need, and monitoring them for warping, cracking, and splitting. Wooden doors need to be painted yearly or bi-yearly,” she says.

Fiberglass doors are becoming increasingly popular. The latest innovation: Replacing hemlock door jambs with composite (plastic) materials. The composite won’t rot or deteriorate. It can be painted or stained. A fiberglass door with composite jambs can last upwards of 20 years, she says, making it a low maintenance option.

Another major improvement is that these doors now come pre-finished in a good selection of colors and finishes. Previously, Cunningham explains, this was either a DIY project, or one that Truax handled for its customers. Door manufacturer Codel recently introduced pre-finished fiberglass doors in eight colors; Milgard currently offers five, she says.

Some of these finishes feature a weather-worn look, best used on coastal homes, Cunningham notes. “The environment has a lot to do with the door’s color, and how the door will look on the home itself,” she said. “A visit to the showroom is a must, but so is understanding how doors enhance the look of a period home.”

Interior Doors
There has been a resurgence in the popularity of shaker-style doors, Cunningham notes. “People like the look,” despite its relatively high price tag: A solid fir paneled door costs about $250, not including the frame or hardware. A molded door starts at about $50, frame and hardware extra, she says.

For many homeowners, it’s not practical to front every room with a solid wood door. Mixing and matching solid and molded doors is a budget-saving option. Or, she suggests, “You can change out one door at a time,” starting with the rooms that get the most use, like the bathroom.

Susan Rich is copywriter and editor based in Portland, OR. She writes regularly about home improvement and health and fitness. She can be reached at susan@richwriting.com