remove all rotten wood cutting the ends to an angle selecting a bit off timber 2mm bigger
treat with stabalising solution
countersink glue and screw in the peice off splice remove the last 2mm till flush fill in holes with water resistant filler

if there is insuficient timber to affix the new to you will have to buy or reproduce the moulded shap reform any part components or replace complete components

@ Joiner - it is in some sort of conservation area, but other houses have PVC windows, so it cannot be that strict.

They're sash windows with a double-glazed pane - I have no idea how old as we only moved in about a year ago.

@big_all - thanks for the advice.

Had the damage not been as extensive as you suggest I'd have agreed with Al, but from the sound of it I'm inclined to go with Londonman and opt for replacement. The choice then is whether you do the right thing for the building and your pocket, or go with your neighbours and fit upvc.

When conservation areas were established residents were given notice. That's when there was a rush to fit plastic before the conservation area order came into being, often those bloody awful top-hungs with the opener-over-fixed, followed by those even worse fixed-over-opener (to comply with fire escape regs) monstrosities, which the upvc boys sold as "looking like a sash window".

You're right, conservation area status actually doesn't give much protection to the whole building because a conservation area is concerned with maintaining the character of THE AREA, so it's what can be seen from a public highway that matters. You are obliged to inform planning of your intentions, asking them for an opinion on upvc or timber, and if planning doesn't pass your application on to the conservation officer for consultation then that's their problem.

Depending on their response - if the conservation officer is involved they'll stipulate like-for-like replacement - you could go ahead and fit upvc, although in that case I would strongly reccomment that you fit upvc vertical sliding sashes, which actually look very good and have a far superior action to those crap top hungs and will maintain the character of the building. In fact, if you specifiy the upvc sliding sashes at the outset you may find they'll go through without objection.

As to the part of the house that can't be seen from a highway (which is defined as anything along which people can pass) - fit anything you like.

Although recently retired, I've been asked to do some drawings and specs for a house neighbouring the last job I did, in a conservation area. Eight windows, but the guy has had five upvc things fitted to the rear and side of the cottage, but has to fit wooden one to the front. He's replacing 70s single-glazed casement windows with wooden double-glazed sliding sashes.

As for your pocket? There is ample evidence to show that prospective buyers are attracted to properties that retain original features. I've had a number of jobs that involved the removal of upvc and aluminium windows and their replacement with wooden vertical sliding sashes. for which some councils used to give generous grants, for one job of £11,500 a grant of 60%!

If you want proof of how damaging insensitive fitting of totally unsuitable upvc windows can be to a neighbourhood, take a look up your street.

Quote:


It's usually either the putty joint failing letting water down behind it and the glass ...over many many years....and/or poor decoration underneath allowing water to wick up any endgrain.

londonman wrote on Apr 17^th, 2010, 10:30am:


Thanks.  I'll have a look for anything like that.  I guess it would be hard to be sure though.

@joiner:  We're not mentioned draft proofing.  Isn't that a really small job anyway?  Ta.

Joiner wrote on Apr 20^th, 2010, 8:05pm:


Thanks for that.  I'm looking through.