Sash Window Repairs in London
We repair and restore timber sash windows across London. We are a small, family-run firm of joiners and decorators, and sash windows are the whole of what we do — box sash and spring-balance, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian, painted softwood and hardwood. Most of the windows we are called out to can be repaired rather than ripped out, and that is nearly always the cheaper and better course.
A sound old sash window is worth keeping. The joinery in a Victorian box sash was made to be taken apart and mended, and with the right repairs and a coat of paint an original window will usually outlast a modern replacement and look a great deal better on the building. We are not double-glazing salesmen; we do not turn up to sell you new plastic windows. Where a sash has stuck, dropped, rotted or started to rattle, we put the original window back into good working order.
Repairs, not replacements. We cover all of Greater London and give free, no-obligation estimates. Tell us what the window is doing and send a photo or two, and we will let you know what is involved and what it will cost.
What we repair
A box sash window is made up of a good many parts, and most of them can be mended on their own. Our work includes:
- Broken sash cords — the commonest job of all: renewing the cords so the sashes lift and hold again
- Sash weights and pulleys — re-balancing the sashes, replacing worn axle pulleys and missing weights
- Rot repair and timber splicing — cutting out decayed timber in sills, stiles and bottom rails and letting in new to match
- Draught-proofing — brush seals routed into the sashes and frame to stop draughts and rattles without spoiling the look
- Sticking and painted-shut sashes — freeing sashes that have been painted or swollen shut so they run properly again
- Re-glazing and cracked panes — new glass and re-puttying, including slim units and crown-effect glass for period windows
- Staff beads, parting beads and stops — renewing the beads that hold the sashes in and guide them
- Rattles and loose sashes — easing, packing and draught strip so the window sits tight and quiet
- Fasteners, sash lifts and locks — new furniture and discreet locks where a little more security is wanted
Sash cord replacement
When a sash cord snaps, the sash either drops shut or will not stay up on its own. It is the most frequent fault we see and usually a straightforward repair: we take the sash out, renew the cords — both sides, since the second is rarely far behind — and re-hang it to the weights so it balances and holds at any height. Where the pulleys or weights have worn or gone missing we sort those at the same time. See our sash cord replacement page.
Draught-proofing sash windows
Old sashes rattle and let in draughts because there is a gap around them for the window to slide. We close that gap with a discreet brush-pile seal routed into the sash and frame, so the window still runs freely but the draughts and rattles stop and the room is warmer and quieter. It is usually done alongside an overhaul of the cords and beads. More on our sash window draught-proofing page.
Rot repair and timber splicing
Rot tends to start where water sits — the sill, the bottom rail of the lower sash, and the foot of the frame. Unless the timber has gone right through, there is no need for a new window: we cut back to sound wood, splice in new timber or a two-part repair resin to match the section, and make good the mouldings so the repair does not show. For repairs we use good softwood, oak, sapele or Accoya, primed and painted so the work lasts. See rot repair and restoration.
Double glazing for sash windows
You can keep an original sash window and still cut the cold and the noise. Where the sashes are sound we can rout them to take a slim double-glazed unit, or fit discreet secondary glazing behind the existing window — both far less disruptive than a full replacement, and both allowed on most period properties where new plastic windows are not. We will tell you honestly which suits your windows. See double glazing for sash windows.
Box sash window restoration
Where a window has been neglected for years, we carry out a full restoration: the sashes come out, cords and beads are renewed, rot is cut out and spliced, the sashes are draught-proofed and re-balanced, and the whole window is rubbed down and repainted so it works and looks as it should. Most of the windows we restore have already stood for a century or more, and a proper overhaul sets them up for many years yet.
Sash window repairs in conservation areas and listed buildings
A good deal of our work is on period houses in London's conservation areas and on listed buildings, where the original sash windows must be kept and repaired rather than replaced. We match the original joinery, glazing bars and glass, use the right timber and paint, and can help with the consent side where it is needed. The aim is a repair that looks right on the building and that a conservation officer is happy with. We work regularly on Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian sash windows throughout the capital.
Areas we cover
We cover the whole of London and the near suburbs, including Islington, Hackney, Camden, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham, Wandsworth, Lambeth, Southwark, Greenwich, Richmond, Ealing, Barnet and Haringey, and the streets of period terraces in between. If your property is just outside London, ask us — we can often still help.
How we work
We start with a look at the windows to see what is sound and what has gone, and give you a written price for the work. Much of the joinery is prepared in our own workshop, so the time spent on site — and the disruption to the house — is kept as short as we can. When the repairs are in, we rub the windows down and repaint them. We work clean, cover the floors, and take the mess away with us.
What does it cost?
Costs vary with the window and what is wrong with it. A single pair of sash cords is a modest job of a few tens of pounds; a full overhaul of a window — cords, beads, draught-proofing, minor rot and a repaint — runs to more, and a large bay or a badly rotten window more again. Splicing rot and scaffolding, where it is needed, add to the price. We give a firm quote once we have seen the work, and there is no charge for the estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Can old sash windows be repaired, or do they need replacing?
In nearly every case they can be repaired. Sash windows were built to be taken apart and mended. Unless the timber has decayed right through, we can renew the cords, splice in new wood where it has rotted, draught-proof the sashes and put the window back into good order for years to come. A full replacement is rarely necessary.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a sash window?
Repair is almost always cheaper than replacement, and on a period or listed property it is usually the only option allowed. Repairing keeps the original joinery and the character of the house, and a well-maintained sash window will outlast a modern one.
Can you stop the draughts and rattling without replacing the window?
Yes. Draught-proofing with a brush-pile seal closes the gap the sash slides in, so the window stops rattling and letting in cold while still opening and closing freely. It is one of the most worthwhile things you can do to an old sash window.
Can sash windows be double glazed?
Often, yes — either by routing the sashes to take a slim double-glazed unit, or by fitting secondary glazing behind the existing window. Which is right depends on the windows and whether the property is listed or in a conservation area. We will advise honestly.
Do you work on listed buildings and in conservation areas?
Regularly. Repairing and restoring the original sash windows is exactly what is wanted on these properties. We match the original detail and can help with consent where it applies.
Some of our work
For a free, no-obligation estimate, please get in touch with a short description of the windows and a photo or two. We cover London and usually reply within a day or two.