wooden sash windows

[SueRichards1980]

Hi,

We recently had a lovely wooden front door fitted by Cotswood Doors. We are now looking to replace our wooden sash windows with double glazed wooden new ones. Has anybody used timberwindows.com? Does anybody have a good recommendation? We want them made and fitted.

do your old ones really need replacing? WE have just fitted some original Victorian ones in our cottage - new ones never look quite the same. WE had them professionally draft proofed and they work like a dream. The old wood used in original windows is far superior to t hose made today. Otherwise my advice would be to check out some local carpenters who make replacement windows as I think they can be a lot cheaper than some of the bigger companies - probably depends on where you are in the country?

Hi bilbodog, I think that they need changing. The wood is now quite rotten. . We would also like to fit something that improves thermally. We are in London.

You can have wooden sashes refurbished (they can be surprisingly rotten and restored very well) and/or retrofitted with slimline double glazing. I would second that working with what you have is a better bet. We have wooden sashes and are trying to decide if we just overhaul and draft proof, or do that and add the double glazing (e.g. slimlite). All the people I have spoken to have said retrofitting and overhauling is better and cheaper (old windows are made from the best wood) than making wooden sashes with double glazed units (about double the cost of a retrofit). Also, unless you are rolling in spare cash, the original outlay costs of fitting new wooden sashes and even retrofitting will never be covered by energy bill savings. You would probably have to live in the house for 30+ years for the windows to 'pay themselves off' IYKWIM. Just to give you an idea we have 20 windows (a window is an upper and lower sash, so a box bay has 4 windows) and have been quoted around £20 000 to retrofit slimline double glazing and overhaul (and have to add decoration costs on top) and between £8000 -£10 000 to overhaul and draught proof. We are also in London.

Not sure about the old wood argument.

True, years ago the Windows may have been made from the more exotic hardwoods but these days decent hardwood iwith good treatment is a much better material.

They will probably made to accept the more modern glass, which is much more thermally efficient.

On a side note, I was speaking to our window cleaner about PVC windows. he says most the the stuff put up 20 years ago -the stuff with 'lifetime guarantee' is falling to bits - cracking, glass falling out etc etc. Wood is a much better material for the long run.

Try local joiners
We had ours done last year 20 huge sashes with individually matched carved surrounds, in mahogany with top spec double glazing, chrome catches, sash locks up stairs and all had to have toughened glass as we have very low cills. £27k - local joinery company - real craftsmen and much cheaper than the national companies. We're up in the NE so there is no point in giving details but I would recommend getting a few quotes as the prices that came in were wildly different.
BTW although it was hugely expensive I am extremely happy with the result and we have a lovely toasty house.

We used Epping Forest Joinery, as did my neighbour and have been impressed with the quality. We were replacing falling apart pvc and metal windows, so totally worth it for us. We paid 10k for 8 windows and a set of French doors.

Sue - how did you find Cotswold doors? We are thinking about using them for our front door. Also - if you don't mind me asking how much did it cost with them. I got a quotation from London Door company for about £5k which seems too much for a front door - albeit a lovely one.

Sorry meant cotswood - spell check!!

If you're anywhere near Kingston upon Thames, try Woodland Windows. I used them to replace the wooden sash windows in my previous house. They were less expensive than the national chains we had to quote.

It's normally the bottom bar and cill that goes...not the whole frame.

We have had several of ours refurbed, repaired, adjusted - they now fit and operate smoothly, draughts reduced, no more rot or water ingress.

It was just under a couple of thousand.

We just had ours refurbed, so fitted with draught proof brushes and any rotten wood replaced. They look amazing - £5.5k for 8 windows, including painting. If you're in South London and want the company name let me know.

Dear Sue,

I had some lovely windows fitted by Cotswood.

Jane

Hi, has anyone had slimlite panels installed in their windows. We are planning to do the same and I would be interested in some feedback from you about how these panels are faring yrs down the line? Internet discussions talk about early break down in the installations and early problems with condensation.
Would be most grateful for feedback. Thanks