1. Understand what the existing windows contribute Windows are part of an old house’s architectural record. Their proportions, joinery, glazing bars and glass can help explain when the building was made and how it changed. Even a window installed after the house was first built may belong to a significant chapter of its history. Before […]
Author Archives: Jamie Grimshaw
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Sep
1. Identify the dark part of the plan An extension often gains daylight at its outer edge while leaving the original rooms behind it darker. Before choosing roof glazing, it is worth locating the part of the plan that most needs help. The answer may be above the new dining table, but it may equally […]
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Sep
Sep
1. The room and garden before the door system A glazed opening should begin as a question about the room. Where will people sit? Which part of the garden should they see? How will they move between the kitchen, dining table and terrace? Until those relationships are clear, choosing between sliding doors and bifolds is […]
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Sep
Sep
1. Begin with the building, not the frame The first question is not whether aluminium or timber is the better material. It is what the building asks of its windows. A new extension may call for broad panes and a restrained frame that lets the garden hold attention. An older house may depend on the […]
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Sep
The First Warning Is Usually Visual The first sign that a glazing decision was wrong is often not a technical failure. It is a feeling that something in the room or elevation is visually heavier, busier or less balanced than expected. Frames that looked refined in a sample can appear more dominant once repeated across […]
29
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Sep
The Hall Is Not Just the Space Between Rooms Entrance halls are easy to underestimate because they are rarely treated as destination spaces. They are passed through rather than occupied for long periods, and their floor area is usually modest compared with kitchens, living rooms or extensions. Yet architecturally, they do far more than simply […]
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Sep
They Make the Difficult Decisions Earlier One of the clearest differences between a first renovation and a second is the willingness to make consequential decisions sooner. On an initial project, it is easy to assume that unresolved details can be dealt with later, once the build is further advanced and the choices feel more tangible. […]
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Sep
There Is No Single Definition of the Perfect Window The idea of the “perfect” window is appealing because it suggests that glazing can be reduced to a simple hierarchy: the lowest U-value, the slimmest frame, the largest pane or the most technically advanced glass. In reality, architectural glazing is defined by several competing demands, and […]
28
Sep
Sep
The Render Was Never the Room A good render can feel remarkably convincing. It brings the architecture, furniture, lighting, materials and landscape together into a single image, often with enough realism that it becomes easy to imagine the finished room will feel exactly the same. But a render is still one controlled interpretation of the […]
28
Sep
Sep
The Extension Is Usually Not Ruined by the Big Idea Most extensions are judged first by their largest gestures. How much glass should there be? Should the new structure contrast with the original house or feel more continuous? Where should the main opening sit, and how should the room connect to the garden? Those decisions […]
28
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Sep
The Photograph Is Showing You a Moment, Not the Window A window can look almost perfect online because the photograph is doing more work than we realise. The viewpoint has been chosen carefully, the light is flattering, the room is styled and the landscape beyond the glass may be doing as much to create the […]
28
Sep
Sep
The House Does Not Feel Like Your House for a While One of the strangest parts of living through a window or door installation is how quickly familiar rooms can stop feeling familiar. A space that normally feels settled can become temporarily dominated by protective coverings, tools, access routes and the movement of people working […]
22
Sep
Sep
It Is Not Really About Choosing the Windows The decision that keeps a homeowner awake during a renovation is rarely just which windows or doors to choose. It is the possibility of reaching the end of a long, demanding project and discovering that the finished home does not feel quite as they imagined. The glazing […]
22
Sep
Sep
I Would Start With the House, Not the Windows If I were choosing windows again, I would begin by looking more carefully at the house itself. It is easy to spend weeks comparing frame styles, saving photographs and researching manufacturers without first deciding what each window needs to contribute to the building. The research feels […]
22
Sep
Sep
What Are the First Signs That Your Glazing May Be Failing? The first signs of a glazing problem are often changes in appearance or comfort that were not previously noticeable. A window may develop persistent misting, visible damage to the glass or moisture around its frame. It may also begin to feel draughtier or less […]
22
Sep
Sep
Do More Expensive Windows Actually Block More Outside Noise? More expensive windows can provide better sound insulation, but a higher price does not automatically mean a quieter home. The cost of a window may reflect its size, frame material, finish, opening mechanism or architectural detailing, none of which establishes how effectively it will reduce a […]
21
Sep
Sep
Is It a Problem to Leave Old Windows in Place? Leaving old windows in place is not necessarily a problem. A window does not become unsuitable simply because it has been installed for many years, and age alone provides little indication of how well it continues to serve the building. Its condition, construction, exposure to […]
21
Sep
Sep
Can You Change the Colour of Existing Windows Without Replacing Them? Changing the colour of existing windows is sometimes possible without replacing the frames or glazing. Where a window remains structurally sound, operates correctly and has a surface suitable for refinishing, a new colour may offer a way to alter its appearance while retaining the […]
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Sep
Sep
Why Do New Windows Feel Colder After Sunset? New windows can feel noticeably colder after sunset, even when they are performing exactly as intended. During daylight hours, sunlight passing through the glazing can contribute warmth to a room, while solar radiation may also increase the temperature of the glass and surrounding surfaces. As daylight fades, […]
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Sep
Sep
Is Replacing Windows One Room at a Time a Sensible Approach? Replacing every window in a property at the same time is not always necessary, nor is it necessarily the most appropriate approach to a renovation. For homeowners managing a limited budget, living through building work or improving a property over several years, replacing windows […]
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Sep
Sep
Making a Window Bigger Is Not the Same as Replacing It Replacing a window and enlarging a window opening may sound like variations of the same project. Architecturally, they are quite different. A straightforward replacement generally begins with an opening that already exists. The proportions of wall and glass remain broadly established, and the new […]
18
Sep
Sep
Winter Is a Season, Not an Installation Condition Winter sounds like a single condition. In reality, it describes several months in which the weather can vary considerably from one day to the next. A settled winter morning and a period of severe wind or persistent rain belong to the same season, but they do not […]
18
Sep
Sep
There Is No Useful “Windows Per Day” Rule It is tempting to measure a window installation by asking how many openings should be completed each day. The problem is that openings are not interchangeable units. Installing a series of relatively modest windows with straightforward access is a different proposition from working with large glazed elements, […]
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Sep
First, Decide What You Mean by “Add Value” When homeowners ask whether new windows add value to a house, they are usually asking a financial question. If I spend this much, will the property eventually be worth more? It is understandable, but it compresses several different kinds of value into a single number. There is […]