Most sash windows in Camden can be repaired rather than replaced. We overhaul, re-cord, draught proof and re-glaze box sashes across NW1, NW3, NW5 and nearby districts. Every job starts with a free site visit and a written quote. We also guarantee our labour for five years, because we expect the work to last.
Camden’s housing and its windows
Camden runs from the hillside at Hampstead down to King’s Cross and Bloomsbury. As a result, the homes are very mixed. In Camden Town, Kentish Town and Gospel Oak you will find many terraces with tall box sashes. In Belsize Park, larger villas often have bigger and heavier windows.
Old sashes in these streets take a lot of wear. Paint builds up over the years, so many windows stick. Cords snap because the old cotton or hemp has dried out. Sills rot where water sits behind failed paint.
However, the frames are usually sound timber. That is why repair tends to make more sense than replacement. A new window rarely matches the glazing bars or the shape of the original. Repair keeps the look of the street, and it often costs less.
Common sash problems we see in Camden
The most common call is a window that will not open or will not stay up. Usually a broken cord is the cause. Our guide to broken sash cord replacement explains what to check first. Then our sash cord replacement service fits new cords and rebalances the weights.
Draughts come next, because gaps open up around the sashes as the timber shrinks. A proper sash window draught proofing system closes them without changing how the window looks. It also cuts noise from busy roads around King’s Cross and Camden Town.
If the whole window is tired, an overhaul of the sashes is the better choice. First we take the sashes out. Then we repair the timber, re-cord, repaint the beads and refit everything. Our overhaul and draught proof price is £188 per window.
Conservation areas in Camden
Camden Council’s heritage planning guidance says it will only permit work in a conservation area that preserves or enhances its character. Check your street with the council before you plan any work, because the rules can change what you may do to your windows. For example, a house under an Article 4 direction needs planning permission for window changes.
Our guide to sash windows in London conservation areas explains what councils tend to expect. In short, they prefer original timber sashes to stay. Repair helps your case because it keeps the original window.
Listed homes need extra care, so we handle them case by case. Our page on listed building sash windows shows how we work. However, we still repair original timber wherever we can.
Glazing and comfort
In addition, many Camden owners want warmer rooms without losing the original windows. Our double glazing for existing sashes service fits Pilkington low-E sealed units into your own sashes. It costs £480 per sash. In a conservation area, check the rules before you choose it.
What happens on a visit
First we look at every window you want help with. While we check the cords, the sill, the joints and the glazing, we also test how each sash runs in its frame.
Then we send a written quote that lists the work window by window. As a result, you can see what each repair costs before you agree. Nothing starts until you say yes.
Getting a quote in Camden
Prices are on our costs page, so you know the range before we visit. A small splice repair is £80. A bottom-rail repair is £120. A replacement sash is £190, and more for ornate or multi-bar designs.
Also, we cover every Greater London postcode, including all of Camden. We work Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00. To book a free site visit, contact us through the form. Please tell us your postcode, how many windows you have and what is wrong.
Since Camden borders several boroughs, we also handle sash window repairs in Islington and sash window work in Westminster.