Questions about windows in Brighton

It depends on the building. A house outside a conservation area can normally have new windows of similar appearance as permitted development. In conservation areas with an Article 4 direction, which covers much of central Brighton, Kemp Town, Brunswick, Preston Park and the old villages, changing the look of street-facing windows on a house needs permission. Listed buildings need listed building consent even for like-for-like windows.

A flat or maisonette carries no permitted development rights for its windows. Changing how they look, whether the material, the style or the way they open, usually needs planning permission, though a window identical to the old one may not count as development. Confirm with the council, and get the freeholder’s consent too.

Yes. We quote for a single window. Three or more windows make a day’s work at the normal rate, and a single window carries a call-out charge on top.

Every job is priced on its own: the figure depends on the sizes of your windows, how many there are and where they sit, the access, and the materials, colours and hardware you pick. A free home visit gives you the exact price for yours. You get your price before any survey, once the free home visit is done. Windows that must be made specially for the house, rather than from a standard product, cost more.

Yes, aluminium is cheaper than timber. Real timber windows also cost noticeably more than timber-look uPVC, which is why most people choose uPVC or aluminium unless the building calls for timber.

Usually not. Most upstairs windows are fitted from a mobile tower, and where a tower is needed this may add around £150. Scaffold is kept for the buildings that genuinely need it, such as the upper floors of a tall Regency house.

The first repaint is due after about three years, then regularly after that, more often on a house facing the sea. Repainting is the homeowner’s job; the installer does not offer it.

Yes. New timber sashes take slim double-glazed units, and heritage uPVC sashes are double glazed as standard. On a listed building the council may ask for a different approach, so check before ordering.

When you send an enquiry or book a call, you will hear from a FENSA-registered window and door company that supplies and fits the windows itself, with a local showroom you are welcome to visit. They arrange a free consultation at your home, give you a quotation, and carry out the survey if you decide to go ahead.

Replacement windows must meet building regulations. The installer is FENSA-registered, so it certifies its own work and you receive a certificate when the job is done.

They do, with the right specification. Salt air is hard on hardware and finishes, so ask for stainless or marine-grade fittings and a coating suited to coastal exposure.