If your windows rattle, leak or let in the cold, winter is when you notice. Before you order replacements, check whether you need permission. In a conservation area, or for a listed building, getting it wrong can mean an enforcement notice and the cost of doing the work twice.
Houses, flats and listed buildings
- Houses. Under the General Permitted Development Order 2015, many houses can have windows replaced without planning permission, provided the new windows are of similar appearance. In a conservation area that test is applied closely, and swapping timber sashes for a different style or material may well not pass.
- Article 4 directions. Many conservation areas have directions that remove these rights altogether, so planning permission is needed even for a house. Check with the council before assuming anything.
- Flats and commercial buildings. These do not have the same householder rights. A change that materially alters the external appearance needs planning permission.
- Listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for any work that affects the character of the building, inside or out. Under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, doing such work without consent is a criminal offence.
Repair before replacement
Many old timber windows are far better than they look. Rot is often limited to the bottom rails and sills, which a joiner can splice in new timber. Overhauling sashes, renewing cords and fitting draught seals can transform performance at a fraction of the cost of replacement, and historic glass can often be kept.
Improving warmth
Where more is needed, discreet secondary glazing fitted inside is often acceptable on listed buildings where new double glazed units would not be. Slim double glazing set into existing frames may be possible in some cases, but needs early discussion with the conservation officer.
Before you order
- Check whether the building is listed and whether an Article 4 direction applies.
- Have the existing windows surveyed to see what can be repaired.
- Draw up a specification that matches the original pattern, sections and glazing bars.
- Obtain any permission or consent before work starts.
Our Planning and Heritage service advises on consents and specifications for historic buildings. See how we handled external repairs to a Grade II listed stucco terrace.