Project Overview

This listed thatched cottage in Sidlesham, just south of Chichester, still has its original Crittall steel windows. They are a big part of the character of the house and the owners wanted to keep them, but single glass in steel frames lets a lot of heat out, and the rooms were cold.

Because the house is listed, replacing the windows wasn’t the answer. Secondary glazing was: a slim second window fitted on the inside, which leaves the Crittall windows exactly as they are, inside and out.

What We Fitted

We made and fitted horizontal sliding secondary glazing in slim white aluminium frames, measured to sit neatly inside each window reveal. The panels slide past each other, so the owners can still open the old Crittall casements for fresh air and reach the glass to clean it.

White frames were chosen to blend in with the painted steel windows, and because the frames are slim the view out of the cottage is barely changed.

We also fitted secondary glazing on the inside of an old timber plank door, so the door itself stays as it is while the draughts around it are kept out.

The Result

The rooms are warmer and the draughts from around the old steel frames are sealed out, while the Crittall windows that make the house what it is are untouched. The secondary glazing is fixed so that it can be removed cleanly in the future, which is why it is so widely accepted in listed buildings.