Photo Credit: Alessio Cesario, www.pexels.com
If you own a listed property, then you’re probably well-aware that you constantly seem to be replacing and updating parts of the house. As these parts go, the windows are fairly important. Not only do they help keep the cold out, but they also feature heavily in the aesthetics of your home. While beautiful old window frames do a lot for maintaining the looks of a listed property, they can easily become rundown and inefficient. Naturally, you want your new windows to be in keeping with the looks and traditions of the house, but what options do you have when it comes to upgrading your windows?
Be Aware of Restrictions
The first thing you need to consider when replacing or renovating windows on a listed property is the fact there could be restrictions on what you can do. In some cases, you might be limited to what changes you can make, so it’s worth double-checking before you commit to changing anything. Speak with your local planning authority and find out if you might need permission to make changes or whether there are restrictions on your house.
Go with Quality
It can be easy to underestimate the role your windows play in the aesthetics of your house. If you do decide to replace your heritage windows, then make sure you’re using quality materials that are befitting of the rest of the house. The reason many listed properties have restrictions on what building work you can do on them is because there is a responsibility to continue the traditions and styles that define the house. By using trusted specialists to carry out your work, you know you’re going to end up with windows that are compliant with the house’s history.
Do Your Research
When you’re renovating the windows on a listed property, there are many more considerations than when you’re working on a new house. Not only do you have to take into account the history of the house itself, but you also have to consider the history of the area. By carrying out some research on your property and the surrounding area, you can get inspiration and better understand the options for your windows. You might find that certain aspects of your windows can be renovated rather than replaced. There are some amazing examples of craftsmanship and old materials that have stood the test of time that go into these windows, so the more you can preserve, the more value you can keep in the house. Your windows might need some attention from an expert, but they don’t necessarily need a complete replacement.
Replacing Replacement Windows
You may find during your research that the windows in your listed property aren’t actually originals, but replacements that don’t necessarily fit the history of the building. In this case, you have a great opportunity to return the house to a look that is more appropriate to the period when it was built.
Traditional windows can add so much to the look and feel of a house, but you don’t have to sacrifice when it comes to practicalities like insulation.