Survey and Renovation in Belgravia – Restoration of Windows and French Doors
Original features are at the very heart of a heritage property. Unfortunately, many property owners rush to replace period features when age starts to take its toll. At Fortis & Hooke, we think there is a better way.
When our client, Mr. F, contacted us to help out on the full renovation of their listed home, we were very excited to seize this opportunity to restore such a wonderful home. Mr. F’s house in Belgravia is a listed property strategically located between Hyde Park and the Buckingham Palace. It is a building of immense size which has lasted for over two centuries, and thus home to many historic windows and doors. Together with our team, we set out to help Mr. F in restoring their wonderful home through our comprehensive methods: from inspection to restoration.
Window and French door survey
Prior to restoration, we surveyed Mr. F’s property to check the problems with the doors and windows. Several issues were encountered with the windows and doors within the property degrade its aesthetic and functionality.
Dirt and grime can be seen settled on windows and doors which may cause further issues to the door, such as the opening and closing of casement windows. Cracks and chipped wood were also visible in the frames of the windows, with the paint flaking as well. Presence of cracked glass was also observed. These gaps and glazing issues make the windows less energy-efficient, making the room draughty. Old components such as sash window cords and rusty metal components also cause functionality issues to the windows and doors, and some simple restoration projects were needed to ensure that they work at their full capacity.
Most windows and doors are at disrepair; however, they are not rotten. Thus, most of them only needed to be stripped, strengthened, painted, and repaired.
Resolution to the problem
Primarily, we overhauled the windows and doors to further examine them and decide on the necessary steps after. We opted to go for the full restoration of these structures, to ensure it becomes longer-lasting with better energy-efficiency. Basic restoration tasks such as stripping, strengthening, and painting of the wooden material are done on the doors and windows. Repairs on different components were also necessary especially for broken or deteriorated components.
As an additional and more intensive approach, it is also critical to ensure that these windows will work at its full capacity. Windows and doors were draughtproofed to make it more energy-efficient and sash windows cords were replaced by new ones for it to work smoothly.
These necessary fixes are not only oriented to aid the functionality but to ensure that it is worthy of its heritage status. With the help of Boulton and Boyce, Mr F not only saved money for longer-lasting windows and doors but is also assured that the character of the property is retained.