Owning a listed property inherently instills a sense of pride in the owner; there is a desire to keep the original features but there is also the duty of care to ensure the building is maintained according to current building standards and legislation. Replacing windows or doors in a grade 2 listed building is becoming commonplace due to the benefits of having modernised fittings in terms of energy efficiency and also an improvement in the skill and craftsmanship in the work that takes place, as well as a changing shift in attitude that believes restoration is, in fact, an act of preservation, rather than one that serves to destroy the authenticity of the building.
A listed building is a property that is part of the National Heritage program for its Historical Interest. All of theses amazing architectural structures must be maintained to a certain standard and it is solely owners responsibility and duty to ensure that it is kept to the standard required by the NH
In total there are approximately 376,000 listed buildings in England and Wales and they fall under three types of listed status:
Grade I: Only 2.5% of listed buildings fall under this category and are all buildings of exceptional interest.
Grade II*: Are particularly important buildings of more than special interest and these total around 5.5% of the total amount of listed buildings across the country.
Grade II: buildings that are of special architectural or historic interest, therefore warranting every effort from the owner to preserve them. These buildings make up the other 92% of listed buildings.
Replacing the Windows in your listed building is not as difficult as you would imagine, and the Glass Rooms project management team are here to help you at every step of the journey.
The first part of the process is to arrange for one of our specially trained project managers to visit you at your property and understand exactly what the options are.
The second, is to apply for consent from your local council who would initially need to make the decision whether or the not the character of the building will be affected because it is paramount all listed buildings are maintained under strict aesthetic regulations meaning the physical look must not be altered whatsoever.
When considering passing the works the council will want to ensure there is no negative affect towards the Special Architectural or Historic interest of the building or its surroundings. In addition, they will want to guarantee is replacement in terms of the materials being used, design and details to help avoid any loss of the historic fabric of the building.
