DIY – How to Add a New Window to an Old House (Curb Appeal)

Sharing all the tips & tricks of how to add a new window to an old house with vinyl siding in order to add curb appeal & natural light to your home.

Before & After Pictures Included for How to add a New Window to an old House.

DIY – How to Add a New Window to an Old House

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Tucker finally has a new window or an actual window for his bedroom.  Woo Hoo! 

2 Reasons to Add a New Window

His new window has solved two problems. 

Reason ONE – Add Natural Light

The first one being obvious natural light. 🙂 

After all, Tuck’s room is a former closet & had no windows so no matter what time of day it was we always had to have a light on in the room. 

It is amazing how much light flooded the room when Jason opened up the wall. 

Reason TWO – Add Curb Appeal

The second problem the window solved was curb appeal. 

Farmhouse Before We Added a New Window

We choose to put the window on a spot in the house that was completely bare of any interest. 

It was a long sad section of siding, right between the two chimneys you can see below. 

We purposely centered the window above the first floor window & made it as big as possible. 

See the difference adding the new window made!

We did this not only to ensure that it broke up that section of our home but also that it is big enough for a fireman with his air tank on his back to climb in. 

Jason & I wanted to make sure our little man is as safe as possible & having survived a major house fire as a girl I always make sure there are multiple exits to escape! 

Now he has a window as well as two doorways.

The New Window we Chose & Cost of Adding it

The window we chose is a Marvin one with a red exterior to match the rest of the windows. 

Unfortunately, Marvin windows are expensive but quality windows. Our new window cost close to $1500..

If we didn’t need a custom size & could have bought a window that was a standard size it would have been much cheaper.

If I had to chose a window I would never have chosen red but it was important to us that all the windows looked the same & Marvin windows in my opinion are the best.

The new window we added will last our lifetime in this house. 

Another thing Jason did was to add white trim to the new window.  

If you look at our house now you will notice that we have basic aluminum trim around our windows and doors.  

We are contemplating putting white trim around all the windows.  

When our house was built originally over a hundred years ago  it would have had bulky trim around the windows & doors.

It also would have had grids in all the windows.

I found the rest of the grids around the house & painted them red to match our red windows.

Its important to us to try to have the house look as true to the time it was built as we can. 

I think that helps give a house an identity and helps give a house more character & curb appeal.

Step by Step Instructions for How to Add a New Window to an Old House

Step ONE – Frame out the Inside Header & Sills

The first thing we needed to do for how to add a new window was frame out the inside header & sills to put the window on.

Here is the interior wall before & after.

See ALL that beautiful natural light!

Step TWO – Cut out the Opening to Add the New Window

Then he cut the opening out with his circular hand saw on the exterior first.

Taking off the vinyl siding first, then the foam insulation.

Next, he used his saw-zaw to cut the wood opening out.

Step THREE – Insert the New Window & Waterproof

He put the new window in & waterproofed it.

Step FOUR – How to Add a New Window Trim

Jason added the white trim to button up the outside of the window. 

In the next few weeks Jason is going to add a window seat & two bookcases on either side of the window.

I can already envision Tucker sitting at the window looking out onto our driveway looking through his picture books.

Here is what the window looks like today finished and the trim painted to red to match the rest of the house.

Here’s what the inside of his bedroom looks like now:

I hope this inspires you & answers all your questions for how to add a new window to an old house.

by Tara Lehman

To follow this boys bedroom from the beginning… (see the Plan HERE)

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