Bromley Street E1, design, manufacture, and installation of box sash windows

The properties are owned by a housing co-operative, made up of tenants as members. The properties are Grade II Listed and therefore, the new windows needed to be manufactured sympathetically with the existing features.

The windows were manufactured in Accoya. Accoya is one of the latest high technology advances in timber. The accoya process takes sustainably sourced, fast-growing softwoods and treats them using a non-toxic natural process. This results in a durable and stable product with glowing environmental credentials.

The windows were spray finished in Teknos paint, glazed with 8.8mm acoustic glass and putty fronted. The sash windows were a mixture of one over one, two over two and six over six, all manufactured with real dividing bars and mouldings sympathetic with the existing design. Manufacture of the windows was conducted at our Harlow workshop.

Mark Skinner, the Workshop Manager of the Harlow branch, had to ensure perfect organisation of his workforce to maintain the required production levels to keep the project on track. We generally manufacture double glazed windows, so producing single glazed with real dividing bars and in this quantity was a challenge, but a challenge our machinists and joiners were able to overcome.

Installation was conducted over a 12-week period by our employed installers. Working on a project in thirty separate properties in which the clients are living, presents challenges, especially with the project being installed over the summer months when tenants/clients are away on holiday, and others are working from home. Our installers had to be considerate of the needs of tenants, especially those that were vulnerable. Our Installation Manager James was in constant contact with the Contracts Manager and various members of the board of the housing co-operative to ensure everything was carried out on time, smoothly and with as little disruption to the lives of the tenants as possible.

At the time of manufacture, sourcing the requisite Accoya was not easy, but our procurement team overcame hurdles to ensure manufacture could continue unhindered. Similarly, stocks of 8.8mm acoustic glass were hard to come by, but we kept our glass cutters and glaziers busy through the arduous work of our office staff.

The client was delighted with the finished result, and so were we!