Not "lately'. Twenty years now. Pulled the original side-by-side pair of double-hung winders, 72" wide, total. Cut sill out clear down to floor level, re-framed the opening with stock sized materials. Set a 72" "Pella" Atrium door, one side fixed, other side normal door hinged.
All stock parts, and about $700 at the time. Less than half a day's labour, go-fetch, lockset and trim included, frame & vinyl siding house. Brick or block, I'd need another full day and a rented diamond saw is all.
Stock parts, bit of jiggery on the opening and/or filler's at intervening mullions, either side or "chin" under if need be, - I say again STOCK
PARTS - you should be able to have all-new for mebbe $3,000 and in a frame not likely to rot. Outside of mine is vinyl-clad, hasn't needed paint, either.
Setting windows ain't Rocket Science. Family has been DIY'ing that since 1763.
First settler West of the Allegheny's had no choice, y'see. Second family to move in were many miles away, weren't winders salesfolk anyhoo.
Had to wait for the need for whores, cattle rustlers, horse thieves, highwaymen, crooked politicians, feather-merchants, whisky drummers, and flatland inch-hoorance peddlars to be filled,
first.
THEN came winders salesfolk and cold-call telemarketers for Diesel-powered a**-dildos.
The winders folk are the ones as come to the door, not call on the phone.
The arse-reaming is all part of their service. Kinda neat, as it dasn't leave yah smelling of diesel fuel. Just bleeding.
Yeah,. I know . ."DIY"...the very insult of hands meant to work the sacred METAL ever touching sawdust is embarrassing.
But if you know how to use glaziers putty, have a router and a power saw, this don't need anything store-bought but sheet glass. We can all be hoors for that sort of savings.
Big window is really like having a big hole in the wall, considering the massive wooden beams needed inside the wall, etc.
