Choosing the right windows for your home

Claire Small
Authored by Claire Small
Posted Thursday, January 2, 2020 - 6:06am

Whether you are renovating an existing property, building a new home from scratch, or simply upgrading the windows in your own home, it’s crucial to think about the style, design, materials, and costs involved. The right designs can have a significant impact on the overall look and feel of your home and can also have a huge impact on light, heat and energy efficiency. In this article, we’ll take a look at a few of the important factors involved in choosing the right windows for your project.

Planning your project

The first things to think about and put on your project planning list are:

Window style: Explore the different types of windows available and make a considered decision as to whether or not it fits with the overall aesthetic of your home.

Window design: There are so many window designs to look at, with both classic, contemporary, and heritage home styles all catered for.

Materials and glazing: One of the most critical parts of future-proofing your window project is considering the materials you use. Look at energy efficiency and thermal performance as priorities and always compare the quality against the cost.

Quotes and lead times: It’s always a good idea to get several quotes from reputable professionals so you can make a sensible decision and get a fair idea of the costing scale for your project. Quotes can also provide you with predicted lead times so that you know whether a supplier can fit in with your project schedule.

Contemporary or traditional windows?

Of course, you need to get the overall style choice right depending on the style of the building you’re working on. If you are building a traditional style home or perhaps you’ve taken on a period renovation, then you certainly need to explore traditional style, timber windows. There are plenty of window manufacturers out there who will attempt to color and style match with PVCu windows. However, they aren’t able to truly replicate the grain and texture of real wood. This is equally important if you need to soften the rendered exterior of a contemporary or minimalist style modern house. Always seek out an expert who is used to working with timber window casements, such as sash windows London so that you know the advice and final product is going to be appropriate for your project. This is especially crucial if you are working on a Victorian or Georgian property, in which case sash windows are likely to be an essential part of the look.

Keeping your windows well maintained

When you have invested your hard-earned money in some beautiful windows, it will certainly pay you dividends in the long run to take good care of them and avoid any costly repairs down the track. A bit of preventative maintenance can go a long way, so make sure you regularly keep your windows clean and free of dust, dirt, and moisture to prevent jams, mold or rot building up unseen. Ensure that you inspect them regularly for sun damage, peeling paint, signs of rot, or gaps in seals that might reduce the energy efficiency of your home. It pays to spend a little time looking after your windows and keeping them in tip-top condition.

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