Large period homes that deserve the proper job.
Sevenoaks has some of the most substantial period housing anywhere in my working area. Large Victorian and Edwardian villas, generous Georgian houses in and around the town, and a great deal of it in conservation areas or individually listed.
Big houses mean big windows, and big windows are where the difference between a specialist and a general builder shows most clearly. Tall sashes carry serious weight, they are more exposed at first and second floor level, and they need to be balanced correctly or they will never work properly no matter how good the timber repair was.
This is the sort of work I most enjoy. It rewards taking time over it, and the result lasts decades rather than years.
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High Street, Sevenoaks. Photo by Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The characteristic Sevenoaks problem is exposure. Large houses on open plots, often on higher ground at the edge of the Weald, catch weather from every direction, and the upper floor windows take the worst of it. Decay at second floor level is common and frequently unnoticed, because nobody looks closely at a window they cannot reach.
The second is balance. A tall Victorian sash weighs a great deal, and if past repairs have replaced the original weights with whatever was to hand, or removed them altogether, the window will always be stiff or will drop. Getting the weights right is unglamorous work that transforms how a window feels to use.
Every job in Sevenoaks starts the same way: a free survey, an honest conversation about what your windows actually need, and a written quote with no pressure attached.
Complete restoration of original timber sashes, done the traditional way.
Find out moreDecayed sections cut out and matching new timber spliced in.
Find out moreSnapped cords and unbalanced sashes put right so windows glide again.
Find out moreCracked panes, failed putty and slimline double glazed upgrades.
Find out moreOn a large house, access is a real part of the cost. That is a good argument for doing the job thoroughly while the access is there rather than patching one window this year and another the next. When I survey I will set out clearly which windows need attention now and which can reasonably wait, so you can plan the work properly rather than in a hurry.
It is also an argument for a proper paint system rather than a quick coat. Stripping back, treating, priming and finishing with Zinsser systems as an approved applicator costs more on the day and far less over ten years, particularly on windows that are difficult to reach.
Yes, Sevenoaks and the surrounding villages including Riverhead, Otford, Kemsing, Seal and out towards Tonbridge, Eynsford and the Darent valley.
Yes. Larger properties are a normal part of the work. I survey every window individually, quote them clearly and can phase the work across a house if that suits you better.
Yes, and I frequently do. There is no benefit to me in selling you work you do not need, and an honest survey is the main reason people call me back years later.
Yes. Like for like repair, matched mouldings, reversible upgrades, and clear flagging of anything that is likely to need listed building consent before we start.
Based between Blackheath and the Medway towns, covering South East London, Kent and Essex. Not on the list? Get in touch anyway, I can often help with specific projects.