Home improvement on the cheap

•  Little ways to save big on a remodel

Peruse the catalog of just about any window manufacturer and you'll see all sorts of gorgeous, made-to-order picture windows for $4,000 and up.

But you can achieve much the same results for about $2,000 by simply ganging together stock double-hungs, which come as large as 4 by 7 feet and are offered in an array of divided-light configurations to match your home's existing windows.

"You'll get the same view and the same natural light," says New York City architect Dennis Wedlick. "Plus, you'll be able to open the double-hungs to get fresh air," he points out, which you can't do with the nonoperable sash in most picture windows.

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