TOPIC: That's One Strapping Bay Window!

Any roundish window here is called a bay, but it is probably vernacular and popular usage more than the proper construction name. So both Casey and Joe are right!  The straps are used by everyone in VA and have been for some time.  They even vertically strap tall walls with double stacked windows between the separation under and over the windows, if I am describing it right.  And outside corners are also strapped.  When I was in MD I saw none of that and it threw me because of all the years I have been seeing it.

Yeh Casey , your talkin about the good old fashion way of doing it. Your from the land of the great Anderson windows. Back in 1990 ish they took a big group of texas builders up their and wined and dined us for days. Big dinners , out on the river boat, etc. I remember even playing racketball somewhere. They really took care of us. But unfotunately here in texas especially the san antonio area people just do not want to put their money into the high end windows like Anderson , Pella or Marvin. I guess because of the better climate. Here aluminum windows are pretty much standard with vinyl as an upgrade and I'm not talkin about the vinyl clad wood windows like an Anderson. Usually if someone in these parts wanted an Anderson or Pella product it was someone moving in from up north. Here double glazed is max, don't ya'll have triple glaze up north. 25- 30 years ago a double glaze window was an upgrade here.

Yes, you can get triple paned windows up here.  They're a great, beautiful product, and the first thing you notice (or the client notices) is the sound/noise reduction.  Amazing...but, I can tell you this; for as great as they are, those companies are pricing themselves right out.  Or should I say, pricing the small guys out, then selling a poorer quality window through the big box stores and having poor installations. 
We do high end work; pull and replace siding, reuse trim if we can, make sure client doesn't have to paint if they don't want to...watching some of the work that's out there now, it just makes you wonder why people pay for shoddy performance. 

Because they think they are saving a buck.  They are not.

Sorry if I am a little late on this one, but that is great David. I would go in the direction you are already. Home safety and maintenance logs. There is no better way to get your home into shape than to make a master list, and start logging the maintenance you are performing, as long as you are actually doing it. Good luck with your article, and I also think it is a good idea to let some of the guys read it over. I am sure it will  be great.