South Hertfordshire
Sash windows in St Albans.
Georgian and Victorian streets and several conservation areas, with many listed period homes. I repair, restore and draught-proof timber sash windows throughout St Albans, with 25+ years’ hands-on experience and the same honest, repair-first approach on every job.
The houses in St Albans
St Albans has one of the finest collections of period housing in Hertfordshire: Georgian and earlier houses on Fishpool Street, George Street and around the Abbey, Victorian terraces and villas around the city centre, the station and Clarence Park, and Edwardian houses in Fleetville and along the Hatfield Road. A great many still have their original box sash windows.
What usually goes wrong
Georgian sashes in the city centre need careful joinery: slim bars, old glass and shutters to work around. The Victorian and Edwardian houses have the usual cords, pulleys, painted-shut sashes and rot at sills and bottom rails, particularly on exposed elevations. Draughty, rattling windows in winter are the most common reason people get in touch.
Planning and conservation
The St Albans conservation area covers the historic centre, and the city has a large number of listed buildings. Some streets are also covered by Article 4 directions, which can remove permitted development rights for windows. Repairs and draught-proofing of existing sashes need no consent. Replacement sashes on a listed or conservation-area house should be checked with St Albans City and District Council first.
How I help in St Albans
Whether it’s one sticking sash or a whole house of period windows, here’s what I can do.
Questions from St Albans
Sash window questions in St Albans
Yes. Repairing and draught-proofing existing sashes on a listed house is like-for-like work and I keep original timber, bars, glass and fittings wherever they are sound. Anything beyond repair I flag so you can check with the conservation officer.
More answers on the FAQs page.