Looking back at the state this house was in when we moved in, first we, and latterly I, have done a great deal to improve it. But there always seems to be a never-ending list of things that need doing. Take the windows, for example. In the extension, the windows are all modern, bespoke double-glazed wooden units, easy to open and with minimal draughts and condensation. Just what you want windows to be, in fact. Unfortunately, the same is hardly true of the original part of the house!
The previous owners had clearly suffered with both noise and/or condensation, as they had fitted rather draughty secondary double glazing to almost all the windows. All but one – the exception was a single-glazed window in a tiny little room off the kitchen – probably once the coal hole, but pressed into use as a little office. There was a rather horrible metal and glass porch directly outside, so the window didn’t in fact open onto the outside, and single glazing wasn’t a problem. But when we had the extension built, the porch was one of the first things to be knocked down. We opened up the barely-used little office, and turned it into a very heavily used utility room. But now there was a single glazed window directly next to the washing machine and tumble drier. The condensation was unbelievable!
Clearly, I needed to put a double-glazed window there, but I really didn’t like the idea of a standard PVC replacement window. This cottage isn’t in fact a listed building, but I do think it’s important to make sure that any changes or improvements I make are in keeping with the spirit of the building. And, for me, PVC windows would be too unsympathetic, no matter how convenient and low-maintenance. So I found myself a joiner who specialised in renovations to period properties, and got a surprisingly affordable quote for a new wooden hand-made double-glazed window. I was impressed with how the company took care to match the style of my existing windows, and at the neat job they did of the replacement. The condensation stopped overnight, and I have been very pleased with the results. That was the year after Christopher died, and was the first time I had used the company that have since become my regular builders. They’re not necessarily the cheapest out there, but they do a very thorough job and are extremely reliable.
