Pick every window with total confidence
From casement vs. double-hung to U-factors, frame materials, and final quotes — this is the practical, no-jargon guide that walks first-time custom home builders through every window decision before a single dollar is spent.
"My job isn't to impress you with window jargon — it's to make sure you never have to feel confused by it again."
— Straight from the Slab with Duane Holloway
What you'll learn
What you'll be able to do
- Identify the key window styles (casement, double-hung, awning, fixed, slider) and know exactly when and where to use each one in a floor plan
- Decode U-factor, SHGC, and Energy Star ratings so you can compare window performance specs without confusion
- Choose the right frame material — wood, vinyl, fiberglass, or aluminum — based on your climate, budget, and maintenance preferences
- Avoid the 5 most costly window-placement mistakes that hurt natural light, ventilation, and resale value
- Read and negotiate a window quote, understanding what's included in rough opening, installation, and warranty terms
- Create a complete window schedule for your custom home that aligns style, performance, and budget across every room
How it works
A school that adapts to you
This isn't a set of static videos. Every lesson is generated live and tuned to where you actually are.
We learn your level
A quick placement check tailors your starting point so you're never bored or lost.
Lessons adapt as you go
Each lesson is written for your pace and your goal, adjusting as your skills grow.
Your AI coach keeps you moving
Checkpoints, feedback, and gentle nudges turn progress into a real result.
The curriculum
What's inside your school
6 modules · 25 lessons
Window Basics: Styles, Anatomy, and Where They Belong
Covers the core window styles and their anatomy so you can confidently match each type to the right room and function.
- 1.1How a Window Actually Works: Parts, Terms, and VocabularyIncluded
- 1.2The Big Five Styles: Casement, Double-Hung, Awning, Fixed, and SliderIncluded
- 1.3Matching Window Style to Room FunctionIncluded
- 1.4Reading a Floor Plan Through a Window LensIncluded
Performance Specs Decoded: Energy Efficiency Without the Confusion
Breaks down U-factor, SHGC, and Energy Star ratings so you can compare windows on performance — not just price.
- 2.1U-Factor Explained: What It Means and Why It MattersIncluded
- 2.2Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: Keeping Heat In or Out on PurposeIncluded
- 2.3Energy Star, NFRC Labels, and Other Ratings You'll See on Every QuoteIncluded
- 2.4Comparing Windows Side by Side: Building Your Performance ScorecardIncluded
Frame Materials: Choosing What Lasts in Your Climate
Compares wood, vinyl, fiberglass, and aluminum frames across durability, maintenance, cost, and climate suitability.
- 3.1Wood Frames: Beauty, Performance, and What You're Signing Up ForIncluded
- 3.2Vinyl Frames: The Budget-Friendly WorkhorseIncluded
- 3.3Fiberglass Frames: Premium Performance and When It's Worth the CostIncluded
- 3.4Aluminum Frames: Modern Looks, Trade-Offs, and Best Use CasesIncluded
- 3.5Matching Frame Material to Your Climate, Budget, and Maintenance ToleranceIncluded
Smart Placement: Light, Ventilation, and Resale Value
Teaches the principles of window placement so your home maximizes natural light and airflow while protecting long-term value.
- 4.1How Sun Angle and Home Orientation Drive Window PlacementIncluded
- 4.2Designing for Natural Ventilation: Cross-Breezes and Stack EffectIncluded
- 4.3The 5 Costliest Window-Placement Mistakes — and How to Avoid ThemIncluded
- 4.4Privacy, Views, and Curb Appeal: Balancing the Inside-Out and Outside-InIncluded
Quotes, Contracts, and Negotiation: Protecting Your Budget
Equips you to read, compare, and negotiate window quotes so you know exactly what you're buying and what's excluded.
- 5.1Anatomy of a Window Quote: Line Items, Inclusions, and Hidden CostsIncluded
- 5.2Rough Opening, Installation, and Lead Times: What to Confirm Before You SignIncluded
- 5.3Warranty Terms Decoded: What's Covered, What's Not, and for How LongIncluded
- 5.4Negotiating with Suppliers and Contractors: Leverage, Timing, and Questions That Save MoneyIncluded
Your Complete Window Schedule: Bringing It All Together
Guides you through building a room-by-room window schedule that aligns style, performance, material, and budget across your entire home.
- 6.1What a Window Schedule Is and Why Every Custom Home Needs OneIncluded
- 6.2Room-by-Room Decision Checklist: Style, Size, Performance, and MaterialIncluded
- 6.3Balancing Aesthetics and Budget Across the Whole HouseIncluded
- 6.4Finalizing and Submitting Your Window Schedule Before Breaking GroundIncluded
Who it's for
Is this you?
The first-time owner-builder
Managing their own custom build without a general contractor, they need to understand windows deeply enough to buy smart and not get taken advantage of.
The design-forward homeowner
They know exactly how they want their home to look but need the technical vocabulary to translate their aesthetic vision into real window specs and a supplier quote.
The budget-conscious builder
Stretching every dollar on their custom build, they want to know which performance and material trade-offs are worth making — and which ones come back to bite you.
The energy-efficiency researcher
Deep into building science and sustainability, they need to decode U-factors, SHGC, and Energy Star ratings so their window choices actually deliver on their efficiency goals.
The rural or climate-edge builder
Building in an extreme or mixed climate — hot desert, cold north, humid coast — they need frame material and glazing guidance that's specific to their real conditions.
The informed spouse or co-decision-maker
Their partner is running the build, but they want to be a genuine contributor to the window decisions — not just approve what's put in front of them.
Questions
Frequently asked
Your teacher
A note from your teacher
Straight from the Slab with Duane Holloway
Window decisions seem simple until you're staring at a quote full of U-factors, SHGC ratings, and rough opening specs you've never seen before. I built this guide to give custom home builders a straight-talk education on every window choice — before it's too late to change them.
— Straight from the Slab with Duane Holloway
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- 6 modules, 25 lessons
- AI-adaptive lessons tuned to your level
- Quizzes & checkpoints to lock in progress
- Your own AI learning coach
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