Free in-home measure and quote - PGT, CGI and CWS impact lines compared on your actual openings, style by style
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Before
AfterBay & Bow Windows in Lighthouse Point, FL
Bay and bow windows in Lighthouse Point, FL typically run between $2,800 and $7,500 installed, depending on unit size, glazing type, and whether the framing requires structural modification. Most jobs are completed in one to two days, and every project begins with a written price – the same document you keep – before a tool is lifted. At Sightline Windows & Doors Lighthouse Point, we’ve installed bay and bow windows across more than 18,000 openings since 2012, every one governed by the Haven Standard and every one leaving a documented photo record when the work is done.
If you’re exploring this page, you’re probably weighing whether a bay or bow unit is worth the added cost over a standard replacement window. That’s a fair question, and we’ll answer it plainly here. Bay and bow windows project outward from the exterior wall, creating a recessed interior ledge and – in Lighthouse Point’s modest-footprint homes along NE 26th Court or Bayview Drive – a measurable gain in natural light without a room addition. The structural difference matters: a bay unit typically has a fixed center lite flanked by two angled casements or double-hungs, while a bow spreads the curve across four to six equal panels. Both require a load-bearing header, proper flashing against South Florida’s wind-driven rain, and – if you want them to perform in a named storm – impact-rated glazing that meets Miami-Dade NOA standards.
Sightline draws from product lines including PGT and CGI, two manufacturers with deep South Florida track records in impact glazing. We specify by what the opening demands, not by what’s easiest to pull from stock. Call (754) 600-8907 and a live person picks up, 24/7 – no voicemail queue, no callback window. Or read on for pricing, process, and the answers to the questions we hear most often from Lighthouse Point homeowners. You can also review our full Window Installation in Lighthouse Point page for context on the broader project scope.
When You Need Bay & Bow Windows
Not every home is a candidate, and we’ll tell you straight if it’s not. But these are the scenarios where a bay or bow replacement makes clear sense in a Lighthouse Point home:
- A flat or picture window that’s failing at the sill. Older single-pane picture windows on the east-facing walls of homes near the Intracoastal take a beating from afternoon humidity and salt air. When the frame is deteriorating and the sightline is already compromised, replacing with a projecting bay unit solves two problems – the failed seal and the lost light.
- A living room or dining room that reads as dark and cramped. In Lighthouse Point’s 1960s and 1970s ranch homes, standard 3-over-3 double-hungs rarely let in enough indirect light. A bow unit spanning the same rough opening width but curving outward can increase glazed area by 40 to 60 percent without touching the roofline.
- An existing bay window with a leaking roof section. The small shed or hip roof over a projecting bay is one of the most common leak points in Lighthouse Point homes. If you’re already opening the wall to re-flash, the right time to upgrade the glazing to impact-rated is during that same mobilization.
- A home where you’re adding or restoring a reading nook or window seat. The interior ledge created by a proper bay unit – typically 16 to 24 inches deep – is structural when framed correctly. We size the knee wall and seat height to your floor plan, not to a catalog template.
- Windows that no longer meet current Miami-Dade wind-load requirements. If your home was built before 2002 and the windows haven’t been replaced since, they almost certainly don’t meet current FBC Chapter 16 standards for wind-borne debris regions. A bay or bow unit in impact-rated glass solves the code gap and the aesthetic one simultaneously.
- A remodel where the exterior elevation needs to change. When Lighthouse Point homeowners are updating curb appeal – new roof, new paint, new landscaping – a bay or bow window on the street-facing facade is one of the highest-visibility changes available at a fixed, documentable cost.
Our Bay & Bow Windows Process
Every step below is part of the Haven Standard. Nothing here is optional, and nothing costs extra unless we find a structural condition in the wall that wasn’t visible from the exterior – in which case we stop, document it, and give you a revised written scope before continuing.
- Measured Survey and Written Scope. We measure the rough opening, assess the header depth, check the exterior wall construction (CBS, frame, or hybrid – all three appear in Lighthouse Point), and photograph the existing window from both sides. The survey you receive is the quote. If the final invoice differs from that document by a single line item that wasn’t disclosed in writing, Haven Clause 1 – Have It In Writing – requires us to absorb the difference. That’s not a promotion; it’s how we’ve operated since 2012.
- Product Specification and Order Confirmation. Based on the opening dimensions, your glazing preferences (impact-laminated, low-E, SHGC target), and the structural requirements, we specify the unit from the appropriate manufacturer line – typically PGT or CGI for impact-rated applications in Lighthouse Point. You review the spec sheet before we place the order. Lead times for custom bay and bow units currently run four to eight weeks depending on the manufacturer’s production schedule, and we give you the honest date, not a padded estimate.
- Permit Coordination. Bay and bow window replacements in Lighthouse Point require a permit through Broward County Building Division when structural work is involved – which it almost always is, given that the unit projects beyond the existing plane of the wall. We handle the application, the product approval documentation (Miami-Dade NOA or Florida Product Approval), and the inspection scheduling. You don’t chase permits.
- Installation Day. Our background-checked, uniformed technicians arrive within the scheduled window. Haven Clause 2 – Arrive On Schedule – is in the written scope. The existing window comes out, the rough opening is squared and shimmed, the knee wall or seat framing is built to spec, the bay or bow unit is set and fastened per the NOA installation instructions, and the exterior is flashed and sealed. In Lighthouse Point’s climate, we use EPDM membrane and closed-cell backer rod at every joint – not foam backer alone, which degrades in UV exposure within three to five years along the coast.
- Inspection and Photo Record. Before we leave, we photograph every connection point, every sealant joint, and the finished interior and exterior. That photo record is yours – Haven Clause 4, Evidence On Every Job. It’s also your documentation for the insurance carrier and for any future buyer’s inspection.
- 365-Day Done Right Promise. If anything about the installation – the seal, the hardware, the finish trim, the flashing – isn’t right within the first year, we come back and make it right. That’s the Haven Standard in writing, stamped on your job record, not a verbal assurance.
Before
AfterBay & Bow Windows Pricing in Lighthouse Point
Bay and bow window installations in Lighthouse Point cost more than standard replacement windows because the unit itself is larger, the structural work is more involved, and the permitting is more complex. Here’s what the numbers look like in today’s South Florida market:
| Scope | Typical Installed Range |
|---|---|
| Small bay unit (up to 6 ft wide), non-impact, frame replacement | $2,800 – $3,800 |
| Standard bay unit (6-9 ft wide), impact-rated glazing, CBS wall | $3,800 – $5,200 |
| Bow unit (4-panel, 8-10 ft wide), impact-rated, full framing | $4,800 – $6,400 |
| Large bow unit (5-6 panel, 10-14 ft wide), impact laminate, seat framing | $5,500 – $7,500 |
| Structural header upgrade (if existing is undersized) | $400 – $900 additional |
| Exterior re-roofing of bay shed/hip (if existing is failing) | $600 – $1,400 additional |
These ranges reflect what we’ve been quoting for similar projects in Lighthouse Point and the surrounding Broward coastal communities over the past 18 months. Your number could land anywhere in that range or outside it – the only honest answer is the one that comes after we’ve measured your opening. Permitting fees are included in our quotes unless a structural condition requires a separate engineering letter, which we flag before the order goes in.
What moves the price up: impact-rated laminated glazing (required in any Lighthouse Point home that files an insurance claim under Florida’s wind-mitigation credit system), a CBS or concrete block wall that requires different anchor and sealant protocols than frame construction, a larger unit with more panels, or a deteriorated existing frame that needs full-buck replacement rather than insert installation.
What keeps the price at the lower end: a frame-construction wall with an accessible header, a standard bay configuration (three panels), and an interior that doesn’t require custom seat or knee-wall carpentry.
Every window installation estimate from Sightline is free, and if you have a written quote from another installer, we’ll review it at no charge – that’s our Free Second Opinion, available on any written estimate. Call (754) 600-8907 to schedule a measured survey. You’ll have numbers on paper before anyone touches the wall.
Why Impact Glazing Matters for Bay and Bow Windows in Lighthouse Point
Lighthouse Point sits at roughly 6 feet above sea level, directly adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway. During a named storm, the exposure here is not hypothetical – the city has documented wind events exceeding 90 mph in the last decade, and a projecting bay or bow window presents more surface area to wind-driven debris than a flat replacement window of the same width.
Impact-rated glazing for a bay or bow unit means laminated glass in each panel – typically two plies of tempered or heat-strengthened glass bonded to a PVB or SGP interlayer. If the outer lite breaks, the interlayer holds. The unit stays in the wall. The pressure differential inside the house – the condition that lifts roofs – doesn’t develop. That’s the physics behind the Miami-Dade NOA requirement, and it’s why we specify impact glazing by default for Lighthouse Point installations rather than treating it as an upgrade.
From an energy standpoint, impact laminated glass also carries a lower SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient) than standard clear glass, which matters in a home where the west or south-facing bay window is absorbing direct afternoon sun for five to seven hours a day. A low-E coating on the interior surface of the outer lite reduces that solar load without darkening the glass visually. We note the U-factor and SHGC values on the written spec so you can verify them against the product approval documentation.
Bay vs. Bow: Which Configuration Fits a Lighthouse Point Home
The distinction isn’t primarily aesthetic – it’s structural and spatial.
A bay window uses three panels: a fixed center lite and two flanking units (typically garden windows or casements) set at 30 or 45 degrees. The projection depth runs 16 to 24 inches. It suits narrower wall sections – the 10- to 12-foot living room wall common in Lighthouse Point’s post-war ranch homes – and creates a deep, flat-bottomed interior seat. The angled flankers open for ventilation, which matters in the months when you’re running the AC less.
A bow window uses four to six panels of equal width arranged in a gentle curve. The projection is shallower – typically 10 to 14 inches at center – but the unit spans wider. It works better on homes with 12-foot or wider wall sections and gives a softer exterior profile. The interior ledge is shallower, so it reads more as a window treatment feature than a true seat.
On the water-side elevations of homes along Lighthouse Point’s canal streets, we typically see bow configurations specified for the rear facade because the curved glass reduces direct glare off the water in the early morning. On street-facing facades near Sample Road or NE 24th Court, Horizontal roller windows and three-panel bay units in impact-rated CGI frames are the more common choice – partly for the deeper interior seat, partly because the angled profile reads well against the horizontal lines of CBS construction.
Neither is universally better. The right answer comes from the rough opening, the wall depth, and how the room is actually used. We’ll tell you which one makes sense after the measured survey.
Key Takeaways
- Bay and bow window installations in Lighthouse Point run $2,800 to $7,500 installed, with impact glazing included in most quotes for coastal properties.
- Every Sightline quote is a written document – the measured survey and the final invoice are the same record, per Haven Clause 1.
- Structural permits are required for most projecting bay and bow installations in Lighthouse Point; Sightline handles the application and inspections.
- Impact-rated laminated glazing is specified by default for Lighthouse Point homes, not priced as an add-on.
- The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers every installation in writing, not as a verbal assurance.
- All technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and identified by license number before arrival – Haven Clause 3, Verified Crews.
FAQs – Bay & Bow Windows in Lighthouse Point
How much do bay and bow windows cost in Lighthouse Point, FL?
Bay and bow window installations in Lighthouse Point typically cost between $2,800 and $7,500 installed, with most coastal residential projects landing in the $3,800 to $5,500 range for a standard impact-rated bay unit on a CBS wall. The variables that move the number are unit width, number of panels, glazing specification (impact laminate versus non-impact), and whether the existing header is adequate or needs to be rebuilt. Sightline provides a written price based on a measured survey before any work starts – call (754) 600-8907 and we’ll schedule a survey at no charge.
Do bay and bow windows require a permit in Lighthouse Point?
Yes. Any bay or bow window installation that involves structural modification – which includes virtually all projecting bay and bow replacements, since they require a load-bearing header and exterior wall penetration – requires a permit through Broward County Building Division. Sightline handles the permit application, product approval documentation, and inspection coordination as part of every installation. You don’t file anything separately. The permit cost is included in your written quote unless a structural engineering letter is required, which we disclose before the order is placed.
What’s the difference between a bay window and a bow window, and which is better for my home?
A bay window has three panels – a fixed center and two angled flankers – and projects 16 to 24 inches from the wall, creating a deep interior seat. A bow window has four to six equal panels in a gentle curve and projects 10 to 14 inches, spanning a wider wall section with a softer exterior profile. Neither is categorically better. In Lighthouse Point’s ranch-style homes with narrower wall sections, the three-panel bay is more common because the depth of the interior ledge is usable. On wider rear-facing elevations near the Intracoastal, bow configurations appear more often. The right choice depends on your rough opening, wall construction, and how the room is used – we’ll give you a recommendation after the measured survey.
Can I get impact-rated glazing on a bay or bow window in Lighthouse Point?
Yes, and for a Lighthouse Point home it’s what we specify by default, not as an upgrade. Impact-rated laminated glass in a bay or bow unit meets Miami-Dade NOA requirements for wind-borne debris regions, qualifies your home for Florida wind-mitigation insurance credits, and performs better thermally than standard clear glass because the laminate interlayer and low-E coating reduce solar heat gain. PGT and CGI both manufacture impact-rated bay and bow configurations with documented Florida Product Approvals. We include the NOA number and product spec sheet in your written quote so you can verify the documentation before signing anything.
Contact Sightline Windows & Doors Lighthouse Point
If you’re ready to get numbers on paper for a bay or bow window in Lighthouse Point, call (754) 600-8907. A live person answers, 24/7. We’ll schedule a measured survey at no charge, and you’ll have a written price – the same document that becomes the final invoice – before anyone opens a wall. If you already have a quote from another installer, bring it. The Free Second Opinion review costs you nothing. You can also learn more about the full scope of what we do on our home page.
Written by Sonia Raman, Owner at Sightline Windows & Doors Lighthouse Point, serving Lighthouse Point.