Billingshurst window questions, answered plainly
Planning, building regulations, glass and fitting
Will new windows on my house need planning permission?
Usually not, if the house is unlisted and free of any Article 4 direction: swapping windows for ones of a similar appearance counts as permitted development. Listed houses are different, because every window change needs listed building consent. Depending on the building (listed, conservation area, Article 4), there can be rules on the glass you're allowed and on the exact glazing-bar layout. Check with the council; Billingshurst Windows can help with that process.
What about the windows in a flat?
Flats have no permitted development rights for windows. Changing the look of a flat's windows (material, style, opening) usually needs planning permission; an exact like-for-like replacement may not. You also need the freeholder's consent, so check with the council.
Are replacement windows covered by building regulations?
They are, for heat loss, safety glass and means of escape. An installer registered with FENSA self-certifies the job, and a certificate follows once it is logged. File it with the house papers; it comes up when you sell.
How well must new windows keep the heat in?
In England a replacement window has to lose heat at a rate of 1.4 W/m²K or less across the whole unit (its U-value), or carry a Window Energy Rating of B or above. Modern double glazing normally beats it.
What is an escape window?
An upstairs bedroom or living room window that doubles as a way out in a fire. Its clear opening should be 0.33 square metres or more, at least 450 mm in each direction, and its lowest edge should sit 1100 mm or less from the floor. Casements reach this with special escape hinges.
When does a window need safety glass?
Where someone could fall or walk into it: panes in or next to a door, and window glass whose lower edge is close to the floor, normally under 800 mm. Toughened or laminated glass is used there, and the visit notes which panes need it.
Should I choose a uPVC or a timber sash?
On most Victorian and Edwardian houses a well-made uPVC sash looks the part and never needs a brush. Timber is for houses where the planners require it, listed ones above all. Budget for repainting timber yourself, the first time around three years after it goes in.
Do you take on jobs as small as one window?
Of course. A lone window is priced the same way as a bigger order, plus a call-out charge to cover the trip out for one frame. At three windows the normal daily rate takes over.
Will I need scaffolding for the upstairs windows?
Rarely. Fitters normally reach first-floor windows from a wheeled tower. Where a tower is needed, this may add around £150. Scaffolding is kept for spots a tower cannot reach.
Is aluminium dearer than timber?
No. It costs more than uPVC, but timber costs more again. Being strong, aluminium gets away with thinner frames and therefore more glass.
How many days will the fitting take?
A whole house normally takes between one and three days; more windows, bays and sashes all add time. No opening is left boarded overnight, because each old window comes out on the same day its replacement goes in.