Before You Approve the Order: A Real-World Lesson in Custom Home Windows

The windows arrived for a custom home I’m building, and several of them were not what I expected.

Some windows I thought would be twins had been ordered as singles. A horizontal window had been ordered in a vertical configuration. And the bathroom windows had an opening style I had overlooked when reviewing the plans.

I’m sharing this because it is a good example of how assumptions can get past people—even people who work in construction every day. I made assumptions. The supplier made assumptions. And we did not catch every difference before the order went through.

Before you approve something for your custom home, make sure you understand the actual product being ordered—not just what you think the drawing shows.

That sounds like common sense. Here is what it looks like in practice.

I Saw a Twin Window. The Supplier Saw a Single.

This was a house plan I had not built before. Looking at the exterior elevations—the drawings showing the outside of the house—some of the windows looked very much like twins to me.

By twins, I mean two window units beside each other, joined into an assembly. Joining window frames together is called mulling. (Marvin)

The lumberyard reviewed the plans and prepared the window order. But the person doing that review interpreted those openings as single windows.

When we discussed it, he explained that unless the plans specifically say “twin,” he assumes they are singles. That was his approach to reading the plans. It was not the assumption I had made.

We were looking at the same drawings and picturing different products.

In this case, the elevations alone did not make the distinction clear enough. I thought the appearance communicated what we wanted. He was looking for a specific written designation.

The lesson is not that the homeowner should somehow know more than the builder or supplier. It is that an unclear detail needs a clear answer before it becomes an order.

A useful question would have been: “Show me exactly what window assembly you are quoting for this opening.”

That would have brought our different interpretations into the same conversation.

A Fixed Window Still Has a Correct Installation Orientation

Another window was intended to be a horizontal transom: four feet wide and two feet tall.

What arrived was a vertical fixed window: two feet wide and four feet tall.

At first glance, the obvious question is, “Why not just turn it sideways?”

A fixed window does not open, so there is no moving sash to make the mistake immediately obvious. (Pella) But on the window we received, turning it sideways would have moved its drainage openings from the bottom of the frame to the side.

Those little openings are easy to overlook. They are commonly called weep holes, and their purpose is to let water drain out of the window’s sill or frame cavity. They are not simply vents for letting the window “breathe.” (Pella Pressroom)

For this window, laying it on its side would not have been an acceptable solution. The glass would have looked horizontal, but the drainage openings would no longer have been where they belonged.

That is the kind of detail I want a homeowner to know to ask about. A window can look right at a glance without being installed in the orientation it was designed for.

During a walkthrough, ask your builder to show you how the fixed windows’ orientation has been checked against the manufacturer’s instructions, including where the drainage outlets belong. On a window like the one we received, those outlets should be at the bottom—not turned up the side.

There is an important qualification: window designs differ, and some products have concealed drainage rather than obvious exterior holes. Not seeing a hole does not automatically mean something is wrong. The check needs to be specific to the window being installed. (Pella)

The point is not to judge the installation by appearance alone.

Does That Window Open—and Did You Intend for It To?

The bathroom windows brought up a different issue.

The architect had specified awning windows above the shower. An awning window is hinged at the top and opens outward from the bottom. (Pella)

These were the only awning windows in the house, and they were not a type I had worked with before. I had not stopped to question that detail before the order was placed.

In this case, the window type was on the plans. I had overlooked it.

There is nothing inherently wrong with choosing an awning window for a bathroom. But I think that choice deserves a conversation, especially when the window is above a shower.

Do you want it to open, or do you primarily want natural light? Will you be able to reach the operating hardware comfortably? Do you expect to use that feature, or do you prefer keeping your windows closed because of pollen, dust, or other concerns?

Those are questions about how you will actually live in the home—not just how the window looks on paper.

As it happened, these windows were also ordered in white, which was not the correct color. The supplier has agreed to credit me for them, giving us an opportunity to revisit the selection.

I’m glad we have that opportunity. But one ordering mistake giving us a chance to address another overlooked detail is not something to depend on.

The better approach is to make the choice deliberately before ordering.

Review the Actual Order, Not Just the House Plans

What this delivery reinforced for me is the value of putting the plans and the supplier’s actual window order beside each other and reviewing them opening by opening.

Not just checking the total price. Not just confirming that the number of windows sounds right. Understanding what each item represents.

For a homeowner, I would ask your builder to walk through three things:

• What will it look like? Confirm whether each opening gets a single window or a joined assembly, along with the intended color and appearance.

• What will it do? Confirm which windows are fixed, which open, and how the operating windows work.

• What exactly is being ordered? Confirm the width and height explicitly, the orientation, and which opening each item belongs in.

You do not need to become fluent in every product code on a supplier’s quote. Ask for those codes to be explained in plain language. A product drawing can also give everyone something concrete to review.

Then, when the windows arrive, I recommend comparing the delivered products with that approved order before installation begins. Approval and delivery are two separate opportunities to catch a mismatch.

The installer still needs to follow the instructions for the specific product. Manufacturer installation guidance addresses much more than fit, including fastening, flashing, sealing, and water management. (Andersen Windows) A homeowner’s walkthrough is an additional conversation—not a substitute for that technical responsibility.

The Bigger Lesson Goes Beyond Windows

For me, this is not just a window story. It is a reminder to slow down whenever a selection depends on something that has not been clearly discussed.

“I thought that was included.”

“I assumed it came that way.”

“That’s what it looked like on the plans.”

In this delivery, those assumptions were exactly where our understanding broke down.

As a builder, part of my responsibility is to recognize those gaps, ask questions, and address problems rather than simply finding a way to make the wrong product fit. Sharing this experience is also a way to help a future homeowner ask a question they might not otherwise know to ask.

You should not have to become a construction expert to build a custom home. But you should understand the choices you are being asked to approve, and you should feel comfortable asking your builder to explain them.

Before an order is placed, make sure the home you are picturing and the products being ordered are the same thing.