In essence, my plan to replace the kitchen has just gone out the window - quite literally. I had hoped that a bit of TLC would be enough to get the windows up to scratch, but on closer inspection I've realised that I will have to replace them all, including the front door.
It seems the house started life with fairly nice wooden, single-glazed windows. Then, when the craze for double glazing arrived in the late 70s and 80s, these were replaced with aluminium windows, but they were set into the old wooden frames. Unfortunately aluminium is a great heat conductor, so the frames are as cold as the outdoors and a magnet for condensation. Not only don't they keep the cold out, but they create a damp problem while reducing air circulation. As this photo of the kitchen window shows, water is just streaming down the window and dripping off the frame. Not surprisingly, there are signs of mould all around and some of the wooden frames have been affected. It's a testament to the quality of those old frames that the wood isn't in worse condition - modern equivalents would probably have crumbled by now.There's nothing for it but to replace the lot with modern uPVC windows. That will set me back over £3000. I've got 3 quotes from reputable fitters, now I just need to schedule the work. That's taken a big chunk out of my kitchen budget, so no new units, just a clean-up and paint.
One stroke of good fortune is that the old wooden sills appear to be hardwood and can stay in place. I need to sand and seal them, of course, but I think they'll be a real feature. This one, on the bay window in the living room, has also been covered with an odd faux-wood effect paint that I'll have to strip off. What were they thinking! Luckily the others have been left natural or varnished.
As for the front door, sadly I shall be fulfilling the old cliche of a new owner putting their stamp on a place by immediately replacing the door. Mind you, when the door is as ugly as this one, that is forgiveable.
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