Sash windows repaired and restored across London
Established 1980
We repair and restore timber sash windows in period and listed homes across London.
Most windows are worth saving: the timber in a Victorian sash is better than anything you can buy now. Send us a few photographs and we will tell you what yours need.
How we work
Here is how a job usually runs, from the first photographs to the last window.
- 01
Digital survey, free.
Send us photographs of your windows through the form or WhatsApp. We assess them, tell you which need work and which don't, and quote from what we see. We confirm everything on site before work starts.
- 02
Written quotation.
Itemised by window and by task, so you can see where the money goes and take things out if you want to.
- 03
Overhaul.
Sashes out, old paint and putty off, cords, weights, pulleys and beads replaced or repaired. Rotten timber spliced with new, matched to the profile.
- 04
Upgrades.
Draught-proofing, slimline double glazing or new glass, fitted while the window is apart.
- 05
Finishing.
Primed, undercoated and hand-painted, or left for your decorator if you prefer.
- 06
Sign-off.
Every window opened, closed and checked with you before we leave.
What we do
We restore original windows wherever we can. Where the timber is past saving, the replacement is made to match by the group's own joinery studio.
- 01Sash window restorationFull overhaul of the original window: cords, weights, beads, timber repairs, glass and finish.
- 02Sash cord repairsBroken cords replaced, weights checked and the sash rebalanced, usually in a visit.
- 03Draught-proofingBrush seals routed into the existing sashes. Stops rattles and draughts, cuts noise. Five-year guarantee (conditions apply).
- 04Slimline double glazingSlim sealed units fitted into your existing sashes, keeping the original sightlines.
- 05Replacement sashesNew sashes or whole windows where the originals are beyond repair, made to the original profile.
- 06Casement windowsTimber casement windows restored, repaired and draught-proofed. Rot cut out and spliced, hinges and stays renewed, glazing repaired, period detail kept.
- 07ShuttersOriginal panelled shutters freed, repaired and made to work again. Replicas where they are missing.
- 08DoorsOriginal Victorian and Georgian front doors and internal doors restored: rot spliced out, doors eased and rehung, fanlights repaired, draught-proofing fitted.
- 09Painting and glazingPeriod-correct finishing, and like-for-like glass including crown and cylinder, acoustic glass and stained glass encapsulation.
Where we work
We work across central and north London, and south of the river as far as Balham and Wandsworth. Four of our busiest areas are below, and the full list is on the areas page.
Why homeowners choose us
Repair first
Most sash windows are worth repairing. The timber in a Victorian window is slow-grown and dense, better than anything available now, and rot is usually confined to the bottom rail and cill. If a window is genuinely past saving, we will tell you at the survey.
Less disruption
Sash window work is done from inside the room, so most jobs need no scaffolding and the house stays usable while we are there. Casement windows are different. They open outwards and have to be reached from outside, so they need a tower or scaffold, which we arrange and include in the quotation.
Conservation approved
Our methods are accepted by conservation officers across London boroughs. Article 4 streets, conservation areas and listed buildings are normal work for us, and we know each borough's guidance. Where an application needs drawings, we can prepare them, quoted separately.
One group, one answer
If a window really is beyond repair, the replacement is made by Barnsbury Joinery, our group's own joinery studio. You deal with one team from survey to sign-off.
Selected work
“Exceptional craftsmanship. We were over the moon with the new draught-proofing system in our sash windows.”
“Amazing service from Dean, James and the team. Professional, hardworking and a pleasure to have around.”
Common questions
Can my sash windows be repaired rather than replaced?01
Almost always. Rot is usually confined to the lower rail and cill, which we cut out and splice with new timber. The rest of the window, often 150 years old, is sound. Replacement is the exception, and we tell you at the survey if it applies.
How much does sash window restoration cost in London?02
It depends on the condition and size of each window, so we quote per window after a survey rather than from a price list. The quotation is itemised, so you can see what each part of the work costs and choose what to include.
Do you work in conservation areas and on listed buildings?03
Yes. Repair and draught-proofing rarely need consent. Double glazing and replacement sometimes do, depending on the borough and whether the building is listed. We advise at the survey. Where an application needs drawings, we can prepare them. That is separate work and we quote for it.
How long does the work take?04
It depends on the property and on what each window needs, and we agree the timing with you before work starts. We sequence the work room by room so the house stays usable.
Do you guarantee the work?05
Draught-proofing carries a five-year guarantee, provided the seals have not been damaged by a third party, adjusted or tampered with. The guarantee on other work is set out in your quotation.
A studio of The Barnsbury Group
Sash Restoration London is the restoration studio of The Barnsbury Group, a London heritage joinery house established in 1980. New windows, when they are needed, are made by Barnsbury Joinery, the group's manufacturing studio.
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Book a survey
Send us photographs of your windows and we'll tell you what needs doing and what doesn't, with a written quotation. The digital survey is free.