Changing a stained glass window to a standard one.

[Fandyman]

Hi,

We have a rear staircase window that is stained glass. AFAIK if the window is not front or side facing there is no issue with replacing it and under the Permitted Development Rights we can change the window to a standard one.

Does anyone know whether I am correct?

Assuming it's not listed. Have a word with your council build regs dept, you might need building regs.

Such a shame to get rid of stained glass - have you looked into getting it encapsulated so you have double glazing but keep the glass also?

I think it would be fine, I can’t see what the issue would be. A window company should be able to do it with no problems. I hate those stained glass windows too, especially those with horrible flowery patterns!

We did this years ago. the landing window is huge - bigger than a door - and we couldn’t afford the specialised double glazing. We have always regretted losing that window.

What a shame to get
Rid of a original feature

We kept our windows and relocated them to another place in the
House internally But
I'd Never rip out any
Fireplaces or original doors or
Floors. If you want an old
House keep the details.

Don't do it. My friend had a stained glass window on his stairs. It was replaced with plain glass when double glazing was installed. No privacy any more.

I was assuming the house wasn’t old and this wasn’t an original feature. There was a spate of awful ones put in with double glazing. Doesn’t really matter if it is original, if the OP doesn’t like it why would they want to live with it. Sometimes you have to pick the house you can afford and make it your own rather than follow the period it was built in. You wouldn’t expect people who bought 90s houses to decorate it Changing Rooms style?

You can make an old house look beautiful and modern without stripping it bare of all character though. And the 90s is hardly a favoured period of construction.

I once looked at a 70s built home and the decorative details were so cool. It was modern but had fabulous pictures of 70s icons and little details that made it one of the coolest houses I'd ever been In.

Think very carefully before you do this. There must have been a reason why that window was stained. A friend lost a sale because there were two houses in the same street on the market at the same time and the othere one had kept the original features and that appealed to buyers. In the end their house did sell, but for a noticeable lesser amount.

When we bought the house it has a lot of old features removed already like fireplaces blocked up and plasterboarded etc.

Thing is this window needs replacing as it is rotting (it is an old 50s style window). It has very ugly looking pattern that obscures the beautiful garden view.

The new window would match up with all the already replaced windows in the house (about 3 years ago before we moved in) and for some strange reason only this one was left rotting. These new windows follow like for like replacement for the old flush sash wooden heritage style ones the house originally had.

I have already replaced one circle/porthole window with a like for like upvc replacement and that is fine but the other window would really benefit from not being stained glass.

AFAIK if we use FENSA/CERTASS aproved installer we do not need building control.