Bay & Picture Windows in Cumberland, Maine

Cumberland gives homeowners a range of views to frame: Casco Bay and its islands from the Foreside, the farmland and open parcels of West Cumberland, and the woods of Twin Brook, Knight's Pond Preserve and the Town Forest. A large fixed picture window gives the clearest view, and casement or awning units on either side supply airflow.

Bay and bow windows extend beyond the wall, so they need structural support and their own small roof. That roof must be flashed into the siding and should shed snow cleanly, since a pile sitting on it through a Cumberland winter can force meltwater behind the trim. The seat and the support below need insulation, or the bay becomes the coldest spot in the room. Bay-facing glass on the Foreside should have a durable clad exterior to handle wind and salt, while south-facing windows in the Center and West Cumberland can gain winter sun if the low-E coating is chosen for that orientation. Enlarging an opening means a new header and framing, which the Code Enforcement Office reviews under the 2021 residential code, so plan for a permit on that kind of job.

Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 put Cumberland at about 3,300 housing units, with a median year built of 1984. About 15 percent predate 1940, roughly 24 percent were built between 1960 and 1979, about 26 percent in the 1980s and 1990s, and about 29 percent in 2000 or later. Around 91 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, and about 82 percent of units are single-family detached houses; only about 60 are held for seasonal use. The town's 2025 draft comprehensive plan counts 27 houses built before 1800 and another 190 built during the 1800s, about 7 percent of the stock. Most recent building has come as conservation or cluster subdivisions, such as the 72 homes of Mineral Springs in West Cumberland, plus condominiums and apartments near Route 1.

Cumberland split from North Yarmouth in 1821. Its town charter divides it into three areas: Cumberland Center, the largest, along Route 9 and Tuttle Road, with the Prince Memorial Library, the MSAD 51 schools and the Congregational Church, founded in 1793; Cumberland Foreside, where the Foreside Community Church building dates to 1811 and trolleys ran along Route 88 from 1898 to 1933; and West Cumberland, with its 1848 Methodist church and farm fields. Chebeague Island left in 2007, leaving Basket and Sturdivant Islands. The Cumberland Fair has run every September since 1868.

The Cumberland Code Enforcement Office handles building permits and inspections, which it schedules Monday through Thursday, and applications can be sent by email. Construction must meet the 2021 International Residential Code, the 2021 International Building Code and the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code under the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code. The Shoreland Overlay District generally reaches 250 feet from rivers, streams, saltwater and associated wetlands, and 75 feet from certain streams; any building permit there needs a Shoreland Zoning Permit first or alongside it. The town has no historic preservation ordinance, though the draft comprehensive plan asks the council to consider one.

Picture windows are large fixed units that frame a view and pour light into a room. Bay and bow windows project out from the wall, adding floor space and light from three or more directions. Both are heavier and more exposed than an ordinary window, so the structure, support, roof and flashing around them matter. The Cumberland Center colonial on this site received Andersen 400 Series bay, double-hung and picture windows.

• The opening, header and framing are checked; widening an opening may need a new header.
• Bay and bow units are supported with cables, brackets or a framed seat so they do not sag.
• The small roof over a bay is flashed into the wall and roofed or capped to match the house.
• Insulation goes into the seat and head so the projection is not a cold spot.
• Interior seat boards, casing and exterior trim are finished to match.

• A view you want to see more of from the main living space
• An old bay that sags, leaks at the roof, or feels cold at the seat
• Fogged glass in a large fixed unit
• A dark room that needs more daylight

• Size and configuration: picture, bay or bow, number of units
• Whether the rough opening changes size
• Support method and seat or roof finish
• Glass package and brand
• Interior finish carpentry

Every job is priced from a free on-site visit. Typical ranges for the trade are on our window replacement page, and the details of this service are on the bay and picture windows overview.

Back to the Cumberland exterior services overview, or see every town on our Cumberland County service areas page.