What to do when replacing old windows

[cosmarchy]

Hi,

I have old wooden sash windows which I'm replacing with newer UPVC windows.

The house was built in the early 1900's and as such has solid brick walls around 9" thick.

There is an excessively large section in the old sash windows where the weights were located:

When I remove the sash and come to put in the new UPVC windows, I'll have a large gap to fill in:

I do want to keep the location of the windows from the outside rather than fit the new window further towards the outside.

What is the normal procedure for filling the gap shown in green? I was contemplating bricking it in but I'd have to wait for the brickwork to set before installing the new one and that means having a window out overnight (not a good idea around here) and it does seem overkill especially if there is a simpler way...I cannot imagine I'm the first to do this so wondering how window installers deal with this.

Thanks

 

[crank39]

I used to run 2 lengths of treated 4x2 screwed together down each side top to bottom, single one across the top, the side bricks will be somewhat jagged so timber will need plumbing up before screwing, position it so that with plasterboard it just catches the edge of the window, fit a new window board, foam any gaps and then plaster board

 

[cosmarchy]

Thanks @crank39 Sounds like a good plan to me

 

[mrrusty]

I hope it's a fairly ordinary nondescript house where changing the windows doesn't matter. I always think it is sad when you see attractive victorian/edwardian houses altered to take modern windows, which IMHO, always look out of place. Personally, given a choice of two houses at the same price, it would be the one retaining original features every time.

In our our own 1902 I fitted new box sash windows to an original style, but modern specification, and have received several compliments from Villagers about how nice it is to see traditional appearance maintained.

On the other side of the coin, a beautiful double fronted, nori brick fronted edwardian detached house down the road has just had grey aluminium windows fitted by a developer and looks absolutely awful.

My 2p. Others' views will undoubtedly differ.

 

[cosmarchy]

@mrrusty unfortunately they house has already been refurbished (to a degree) previously and has lost much of the original features already.

Whilst I am putting UPVC in at the rear where it faces new builds, I am being careful to use something sympathetic to the house itself. I will be putting some of the original features elsewhere back in where they have been lost.

I have seen some very good modern doors and windows which not only add to the energy efficiency of the property but also look original.

The property used to be a shop long long ago, so I have a wonderful frontage to maintain too.

 

[opps]

I recently finished painting the exterior of a victorian property in Ealing. It originally had side opening casements and fan lights above. The customer had the rotting timber replaced with uPVC. From an aesthetics angle, I am not fond of uPVC but his replacements looked really good. I was surprised to discover that they were a new Everest range. The rails and styles were very close in size to the original timber.

 

[mrrusty]

I am being careful to use something sympathetic to the house itself

 

[cosmarchy]

I recently finished painting the exterior of a victorian property in Ealing. It originally had side opening casements and fan lights above. The customer had the rotting timber replaced with uPVC. From an aesthetics angle, I am not fond of uPVC but his replacements looked really good. I was surprised to discover that they were a new Everest range. The rails and styles were very close in size to the original timber.

Rot is the biggest problem we've found with the doors and windows. They're probably not original but certainly the condition of something of that age!!

UPVC At least has the advantage of rot resistance albeit having other issues...