Pricing your windows can involve a lot of options and choices, from location, style, budget and performance. This price guide provides a simple example of price comparisons that can help you understand the differences between retro glazing options.
The Villa (1880s to 1910s)
The beautiful Villa has the wonderful double hung windows that are a stand out feature of these homes, but also the biggest problem when it comes to keeping them warm and draft free.
Double Hung windows are often opening top and bottom panels and suffer from broken ropes, drafty gaps and getting painted closed. The quickest way to devalue a Villa is to replace the timber double hung windows with aluminium windows and destroy the character. So what other options retain the character?
Most retro glazing companies will offer this solution, where the top window is fixed and the bottom one is double weighted to support the load of the new double glazing. This system is still drafty with mohair draft seals the only option to minimise drafts around the edges.
Recently a new option was developed to provide a full air seal by making a awning frame that would allow for a clamp tight closure. The system uses a hidden frame that is set into the existing slots and supports a hidden awning hinge. When closed the window looks like the original double hung window,and retains its original character.
The top awning can be applied to the EVS system which allows the same benefits of air sealed windows and retaining the character but at a reduced cost. The EVS method utilises the existing glazing which saves time and cost, while providing a high performance result.
The bottom opening Awning opens inward and is more suited to windows that have high top panels that are out of reach. They allow for ventilation and can be easily opened and closed. They have little visual impact and retain the character of the original window style.
The bottom awning can be applied to the EVS system which allows the same benefits of air sealed windows and retaining the character but at a reduced cost. The EVS method utilises the existing glazing which saves time and cost, while providing a high performance result.
The Bungalow (1910s - 1930s)
The humble bungalow is filled with loads of character from textured panels in astragals through to ornate lead light windows, which all make maintaining character an expensive business.
The bungalow has the favourite retro fitting window due to their nice size and uniform sashes that are easier to work with when retro Glazing. Unfortunately this doesn't always translate to more affordable due to the additions of leadlight panels and astragals that increase the cost of retro glazing.
For dedicated home owners it's a great point of pride to maintain their home complete with their leadlights, so retro fitting requires the Leadlights to be carefully removed, repaired and restored then encapsulated back into a double glazed panel. This is expensive and take up to six weeks. They look amazing when completed.
There is significant cost to encapsulating your leadlights so may home owners are simply replacing their special features with clear glass to maintain the insulation and sacrifice the character. Up until now there has been no other permanent solution and the inside secondary glazing options have their own problems from fogging and falling off.
The idea that you double glaze one part and not another reduces the efficiency of the ones that are done. You will lose a lot of heat from the top windows as well as attracting condensation. While it is the cheapest option, it is also false economy and will cost more in the long run.
EVS x 3 provides a simple solution that provides a high level of thermal performance but is a lot more affordable and doesn't alter the original timberwork. EVS x 3 provides triple glazing with high UV protection and noise reduction. It is a lot quicker to install and can be painted to match your existing colour scheme.
EVS x 2 provides the best price for a permanent retro glazing system, with good thermal performance and doesn't alter the original timberwork. EVS x 2 provides double glazing that has no thermal bridge which prevents condensation around the edges. It is a lot quicker to install and can be painted to match your existing colour scheme.
The Art Deco (1930s & 1940s)
Art Deco style fanlight timber windows with narrow opening transoms and delicate astragals pose challenges for retro glazing and maintaining the original character.
A lot of 30's art deco and 50's bungalow homes featured timber windows with fanlights and narrow astragals. It is difficult and expensive to retrofit double glazing to this style because there is not enough timber thickness to fit the new panels. EVS provides a simple solution that maintains the original timber work.
Most retro glazing companies will offer this solution, where a new sash is manufactured to replace the Fanlight and remove the astragals. This could modernise the home, or it could result in losing the original character. If you want to maintain the character then the following options are available.
Sash thickening is an option that allows more supporting timber to be added to make the fanlight carry the new double glazing unit. This is slightly more expensive than sash replacements as there are four windows to retrofit rather than three as shown in the previous example. This price doesn't include astragals.
This used to be as good as you could hope for if you wanted to maintain your original window character. Along with the thickening sash you can also get fake plant on astragals with matching spacer bars inside the double glazing panel. This option is more expensive and ultimately more fragile with the astragals held on by tape and silicon.
EVS x 3 provides a simple solution that provides a high level of thermal performance but is a lot more affordable and doesn't alter the original timberwork. EVS x 3 provides triple glazing with high UV protection and noise reduction. It is a lot quicker to install and can be painted to match your existing colour scheme.
EVS x 2 provides the best price for a permanent retro glazing system, with good thermal performance and doesn't alter the original timberwork. EVS x 2 provides double glazing that has no thermal bridge which prevents condensation around the edges. It is a lot quicker to install and can be painted to match your existing colour scheme.
Phone: +64 (0) 3 455 0957
Email: info@evsglazing.nz
RetroWood Joinery and Glazing
85 Hillside Road
Sounth Dunedin
www.retrowood.nz
info@retrowood.nz
Phone +64 (0)3 4550957
Email: info@evsglazing.nz
Phone: +64 (0) 27 4346 912