What windows for a Period Property?

Long story about to commence …

18 months ago we moved to a chalkstone farmhouse in the Yorkshire Wolds. Pretty old, but not listed (or listing). However, it has had cement render & masonary paint slapped on outside and hard cement render inside so – inevitably – damp is a problem.

So, we’re getting the rubbish off the outside and lime work done instead. Whilst we’re about it we might as well get the windows done (and a load of other stuff too), but can’t decide what to put in.

General layout of the frontage – 3 windows upstairs, 2 downstairs plus door. Problem is that sometime in the 60s the downstairs windows were taken out, the window spaces enlarged and bow windows put in. Wider aperture is good for light so we’re not keen on reducing the size to make it match the upstairs windows.

Final challenge – apertures are not “traditional” and so sash windows would be a challenge (to do as well as to the budget as apertures are quite “fat”). Downstairs we have 2 240cm x 150cm apertures, above each is a 135cm x 145cm. In the middle upstairs (above the door) is a 100cm x 145cm window; all measurements width first then height.

So, anyone with a period property or a professional in the field your free advice would be appreciated!! Failing that, anyone know anyone really good at this sort of thing to help me out?

Cheers

Xp

Only 25 seconds!!

No one took that in the sweepstake – 1 minute was the shortest guess.

Would have been quicker but I had to log in on my phone and couldn’t post. 😀

Safestyle.uk

Ya buy one, ya get one free…

They’re waiting for your call…

Can’t you tell it’s Saturday night.

Yes, strangely enough.

Are you in a conservation area?

Are you in a conservation area?

No, thankfully. But still want to have wood frames, good quality etc. but main thing I can’t fathom is the design – what would look good and appropriate?

Age?

Budget?

I’m 49, the house is about 300.

Budget comes later; for now I want to work out what would fit in and look in keeping (not necessarily in a purist restoration sense).

Ummm… this thread is useless without pictures?

Fair cop.

Picture here

What’s your problem with the current designs?

Is there something that offends you aesthetically?

Rotting wood, looks don’t really work – panes too small etc. Plus bow windows would be difficult to do double glazed.

The old conundrum: Upvc is maintenance free (for as long as the UV inhibitor works, 30 years?)but looks boggin’. Softwood windows work if they are factory finished with a micro-porous paint and the installer remembers to put a DPC membrame in under the cill. Hardwood will last better with less maintenance.
If you want traditional Sash and Case windows (with sash weights rather than springs as counter-weights) then you require a “reveal” in the stone/brickwork: The stonework opening inside the house is larger than the external one (to conceal the weight boxes), which is why sash windows have such neat frame profiles.

Oh. What windows you have!
I’d suggest casement windows to the first floor – for maximum versatility and they add some (to my mind much need verticality to the elevation). I’d also think about recessing the new windows as they’re installed too close to the exterior face of the building.
The ground floor bays are more difficult, unless you want to dramatically change it’s current appearance substantially you’d have to keep something similar.
As an option which everyone on here will undoubtedly hate why not look at Crittal windows. This type of window will give you thin transoms and mullions and last a long time too.

I drive past this place every day, I like the colour of its windows.
Might be completely useless to you… but who cares. 😀

mmmmmm windows

mmmmmm windows

Looks completely out of keeping imo……..chapel/public school study windows in a cottage ? 😕

The openings aren’t really right for traditional sash (in my v. limited experience). Probably do have space to recess them upstairs (suspect the previous windows, or ones before them, were recessed).

Hadn’t heard of Critall before … not convinced but worth considering anyway.

Still struggling to “see” what it all might look like.

Yeah, but the colour ernie… they have a matching gate now. The wood looks really nice in early morning sunshine.

?
to give

sort of effect.

Won’t break the budget either but is (non-gopping) Upvc. I have a load of them in my 1901 house and the conservation officer was first disbelieving they weren’t wood, then complimentary. If you did go for wood, I might investigate Yorkshire sash (the name for horizontally sliding units) though.

Midlifecrashes – Now that looks nice! Mind me asking who did the windows? PM me if you prefer – addy in profile.

Oh. That really wasn’t what I was hoping to see on a quiet Saturday evening.

That pic isn’t my house, awful guttering and not enough detail to the brickwork, fence like a Young Offenders Institute!

Anyway, the windows are Quickslide, who are in Brighouse. We ordered them direct, then me and my joiner mate fitted them. My house was built with sliding sashes, but someone threw the sashes away in the seventies, jamming aluminium frames into the boxes, so UPVC was a big improvement. A big single wood sash was costing £1200, plastic £350. They’ve been in at more than five years now and have been great. Email in profile if you like.

Found their site, thanks.

C’mon aP – any pictures of the sort of thing you’d recommend for me then?

How about guttering? Was thinking of cast (from Longbottoms) but the prices are pretty steep; then saw Brett Martin plastic look-alikes. Any experiences / thoughts?

If you want the look, but not the price, go with formed alloy. Comes on a roll as flat, and each run is pressed to shape on site with a fancy machine, end caps popped on a and outlets drilled where necessary. Pre-powder coated at the factory. Go the whole hog on the look by using cast hoppers where you can.

How about guttering? Was thinking of cast

I’m impressed with your commitment. I would go for plastic though, much cheaper to buy and install. If you really can’t live with it (and I doubt you’ll have a problem) then you can have it replaced later at no great loss.

Something from Always or Tampax?

Don’t give up the day job for the comedy circuit just yet, Sandwich.

I’m impressed with your commitment.

Or impressed by my naivety? Reality kicks in when the dreaming stops and the costs hit home. Some of the guttering is cast (incl. the section that broke this winter) but most is plastic. But if I’m having lime work done I might as well get the guttering sorted too whilst the walls are being sorted out.

Or impressed by my naivety?

No really – I’m impressed with your commitment. I just wish there were more people with your attitude. It breaks my heart sometimes when I see what people do to attractive and original houses.

I think not having cast guttering is probably a misdemeanour that I can tolerate though – specially considering the costs involved. But if you can afford it then why not ?

The truth is that often the grotesque things which people do to their houses has nothing to do with cost – you can spend a lot of money **** up a house. And the more acceptable alternative doesn’t necessarily have to be dearer.

I’d listen to aP and Ernie’s advice here.

aP is a proper architect, and knows about architectural stuff and that. He’s very clever although he occasionally forgets his spectacles.

Ernie, like Jesus, is a carpenter. He is actually quite messianic in his appearance and manner, although he has appalling taste in socks.

But hey, no-one’s perfect.

Those windows in that pic midlife posted of that house look crap.

Oh. That really wasn’t what I was hoping to see on a quiet Saturday evening.

Me neither.

It is an incredibly boring looking house, too. Gravel drive? No imagination, some people. I’d rather concrete over it.

In fact it’s so bad, it makes me want to destroy Surrey.

Window company

These guys have a 350k window making machine can make you any spec window within a week
Very good company to deal with

Thanks all for advice / comments so far. Feel free to post piccies of styles of windows you think would look good in my house – clearly I need help before I make it look like it’s been transported to Surrey.

Hiya,

with regards the dimensions of the apertures sashes might look out of place, IMO.

For the ground floor you would really have to lose the bowed effect, and perhaps have a venetian style window (2 smaller fixed sashes at the side of one large opening window in the centre)

For the first floor either one large sliding sash in each opening, or perhaps pairs of sashes in the two larger ones.

With regards the brickwork, this is most likely not going to be an issue, as the windows would be best hung using spiral balances which negate the need for recessed brickwork.

The new sashes would be quite heavy, so using lead to balance them might restrict the amount they open, whereas spiral balances have a 90% opening.

Hope this give you some ideas….

Gary.

English Heritage may be worth a call they pointed my old boss in the right direction for supplies as they themselves have cottages they own that people live in that they maintain, I guess for that advice then perhaps National Trust too????

A thread revived – many thanks Gary & bagpuss72 🙂

with regards the dimensions of the apertures sashes might look out of place

Agree that sashes might not look right as the apertures seem too “squat”. Plus I suspect sashes will be quite a bit more expensive, especially as Mrs F. would insist on “proper ones” (lead-weighted). But Yorkshire sliders (think sash on its side) might work better?

English Heritage may be worth a call they pointed my old boss in the right direction

I’ve thought about EH and the local conservation officer but am a bit reluctant in case they decide to list the place – probably escaped so far as the front looks like a pebbledashed monstrosity. But might be worth a call provided I don’t give any details away. Not averse to it being listed, but only once I’ve got some of the work done.