Bay & Picture Windows in Gorham, Maine

Gorham houses on larger lots often look out over woods, yards or the river valleys of the Presumpscot and Stroudwater, and a picture window turns that outlook into the focal point of a living room. A single large fixed pane has no sashes to leak air, so it can outperform the smaller operable windows it replaces, and pairing it with casements or awning windows on each side keeps some ventilation.

Bay and bow windows project from the wall and bring light in from three directions, which suits a dark north-facing room in winter. Because a bay has its own small roof, it collects snow and needs flashing and ice-barrier underlayment like the main roof; bays that sag or leak usually lack proper support below or flashing above. Safety glass is required by code in large panes close to floors and doors. On the historic houses of Gorham Village, a new bay on a street-facing wall changes the house's appearance and may require historic review, while a rear elevation usually has more freedom. Cardinal installs picture, bay and bow units in vinyl, wood and clad materials.

Gorham counts about 6,800 housing units in the 2020 to 2024 Census estimates, with a median year built of 1988. Roughly a third of homes, about 33 percent, were built in 2000 or later, and about 29 percent date from the 1980s and 1990s, so most of the town's houses are under 45 years old. The older layer is substantial: about 14 percent of homes predate 1940 and about 21 percent predate 1960, including the wooden 19th-century houses of the Gorham Village historic district. Another 17 percent or so went up between 1960 and 1979. About 80 percent of homes are single-family detached and about 82 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. The estimates show essentially no seasonal housing, so nearly every house here is lived in year-round.

Gorham was first settled in 1736 and incorporated in 1764. Gorham Village is the town center, with South Gorham, West Gorham, North Gorham, Little Falls and White Rock beyond it. The Gorham Historic District, listed on the National Register in 1992, covers about 25 acres and 42 historic buildings, mostly wooden houses in the Federal, Greek Revival and Italianate styles, with brick commercial blocks on School Street; the First Congregational Church dates from 1797. Next door, the Gorham Campus Historic District holds the University of Southern Maine campus, which grew from Gorham Academy, founded in 1806. The McLellan House, Baxter House and Stephen Longfellow House are also on the Register.

Permits in Gorham are handled by the Code Division of the town's Community Development department, and applications are now filed online through the SmartGov system. The town lists a Building Permit for Minor Projects that covers decks, sheds and pools, so a new deck or a deck replacement is permitted before construction; ask the Code Division whether a roofing, siding or window job needs one. Lots along the Presumpscot and other rivers fall under shoreland zoning and need a Shoreland Zoning Permit for work in that zone. Gorham also has a Historic Preservation Commission, which issues Historic Preservation Certificates for designated historic properties and districts.

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