which windows for extension?

[Anonymous]

Hello, we're hoping to extend/fix the back of our cottage. The house is about 200 years old and still has wooden sash windows at the front - which we've lovingly stripped and restored. At the back however is a block extension (built in 1972) and a dormer - both with leaking flat roofs. We hope to rebuild this part and top it witha gabled roof. I was thinking that it would be nice to have sash windows to match the front but the planning dept have asked for detailed drawings of the windows. What are they looking for? - will they need to be double glazed or have a certain energy rating? I noticed some double glazed sashes have the bars stuck on to the glass. Which is the best type? I assuming they won't have a problem with them being timber.
Thanks for any help.

 

[Anonymous]

Is your cottage listed?

That may make a difference!

 

[Anonymous]

Your 1972 extension is not going to qualify for any historical merit and round the back there won’t be a planning problem unless you are creating new windows that overlook the neighbours, but you will need to meet Part L of the Building Regulations. In practice this probably means that you will need at least double glazed sealed units with low-e glass and an argon filled 16mm space to get a U-value below 2. Your council wants drawings to check that this is what you intend. Wood is not an issue and the council won’t care about glazing bars. Dg units generally need glazing bars that are at least 30mm wide. This can look a bit thick if next to a Victorian window. Stick on bars are only for the fake lovers, IMHO.

 

[Anonymous]

Well - if it's in a Conservation Area the council may have policies, and if it's listed they still may have policies... even for a 1972 extension.

It's worth checking out.

 

[Anonymous]

This is great - exactly the info I was looking for, thanks. The house isn't listed - but it is in a conservation area. How will that affect things?

If you're really keen you can have a look at the house here...



http://www.pbase.com/smarjoram/our_house_project

 

[Anonymous]

It's great to see how eell it's coming on! Those windows have repaired beautifully.

However, you aren't going to be able to replicate them with DG without thick glazing bars - which IMHO will look ungainly.

I'd consider if you have to have something DG not having sashes in that case but simple casements - many houses had different windows on front and rear elevations.

However - the local authority Conservation Officer is the person from whom to see advice in the first instance. It may be that there are local adopted policies regarding the Conservation Area, and it's also possible that you may not have to have DG, but that depends on the local authority concerned and individual buildings.

 

[Anonymous]

Lovely house, lovely diary. Congratulations on doing the job so carefully and sympathetically to the property.

 

[Anonymous]

What a brilliant web page Stefan. Well done.

Yes, I think you'd better have an informal chat with the Conservation Officer to see what window designs you are going to be allowed, but my betting is that the Building Control Officer's Part L will be the winner at the back of the house. If that is the case it will be a question of designing a window that both looks and functions well. It can be done.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the kind comments - it means a lot that you approve of what we've done. I read a lot of books and posted a lot of questions here and couldn't have done it without your excellent advice - you certainly saved me from a couple of close scrapes - the main one being lime render (but with a little cement to help it go off quicker)

I added a photo last night that shows the lime render - it's still drying so it's quite patchy. We added some yellow sand to give it some colour as we thought we might not limewash it. We'll see how it weathers - if it looks to be eroding we'll limewash it too.

There's still plenty to do - the extension and lots of decorating. We've been using a lime paint inside which seems to work quite nicely - it's got a bit of texture, is nice and matt and is good at filling small cracks.

I'll ring the conservation officer now.

 

[Anonymous]

Was very interested in your web page, particulary your original paint colours. My house looks similar in terms of status as yours and we also have discovred similar limewash colours. After removing hideous artex in my inner hall I found the same red painted to dado level (like your landing) with a green above. My house also has lots of blue lime wash, especially in less important rooms. I have recreated the inner hall scheme with farrow and ball paint - are you doing something similar?

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

I thought about it but the colours really are rather strong - especially the red and blue mixture. I washed the blue off before painting upstairs. We haven't done downstairs yet but there's the remains of quite a nice golden/ochrey/yellow colour - we might use something similar there. I'd like to see what your re-creation looks like.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll post some pics of the hall and kitchen when I have finished (still a work in progress).

I must admit we found a similar blue to your house on the landing and as I am not a lover of blue and it was on all the walls and ceiling I felt it was bit dull. I wallpapered it instead. But I love Victorian green/red colour schemes (i have been told I am obsessed with the two colours!) so I was delighted to find this. Strangely, I used a similar colour in the adjoining hallway (which had been replastered years ago) before I found these original colour scheme, I must be psychic!