Listed Building Sash Windows Edinburgh

Cat A/B/C · LBC handled · Heritage materials

Listed building sash windows in Edinburgh are a specialist scope. Category A buildings (Edinburgh has around 600) accept almost no change to glazing; Category B (the bulk of New Town and the Old Town World Heritage Site) accept slim-line glazing with a hand-blown outer pane on a case-by-case basis; Category C (most Victorian and Edwardian listings) accept a wider range. We handle the Listed Building Consent application, the heritage statement and the case-officer liaison as part of every project.

Sash and case work on Edinburgh's listed buildings — paperwork, materials and case-officer liaison handled end-to-end. Call 0800 193 1505 or request a fixed-price survey.

Knowing your listing grade

Edinburgh has around 4,700 listed buildings — the highest concentration in Scotland. Category A is the highest grade (around 13% of listings); Category B is the largest (around 50%); Category C accounts for the rest. Each grade has different consent thresholds. Before we quote, we check the Historic Environment Scotland register for your address and tell you exactly what is and isn't possible.

What's allowed on each category

Category A — like-for-like timber repair only, original glass retained, no glazing upgrade except where a sash is being completely replaced through unavoidable rot. Category B — like-for-like repair, draught-proofing, slim-line double glazing with hand-blown outer pane case-by-case, secondary glazing always permitted. Category C — wider tolerance; slim-line double glazing usually approved, secondary glazing always permitted, like-for-like timber replacement on rotten sashes routine.

Listed Building Consent — how we handle it

A Listed Building Consent application requires drawings, a heritage statement, a method statement and (for major work) a structural engineer's report. We produce all of these in-house and submit to City of Edinburgh Council on your behalf. Decision period is 8 weeks for straightforward applications, 12–16 weeks for complex ones. Application fee is paid by us and included in the project price.

Materials and methods we use

Seasoned European redwood softwood matched to the original timber grain. Cylinder-blown restoration glass for the outer pane of slim-line units. Linseed-oil paint system, breathable, applied in primer and two top coats. Lime-putty bedding. Solid braided cord or waxed cotton cord — case-officer's preference. Cast-iron sash weights re-used wherever possible; new ones cast to match where missing.

Areas with most listed sash work

New Town (most of which is Category B within the World Heritage Site), the Old Town tenements, Charlotte Square (Category A), Moray Place, Heriot Row, the West End, Royal Circus, parts of Stockbridge, and the early-Victorian terraces of the Grange and Bruntsfield. We've delivered listed sash projects across all of these areas.

Frequently asked questions

Can sash windows on a listed building be double glazed?
Often yes on Category B and C buildings — using a 12–14mm slim-line unit with a hand-blown outer pane that matches the original glass. On Category A buildings it's rarely approved; secondary glazing is the usual alternative.
How long does Listed Building Consent take in Edinburgh?
Straightforward like-for-like applications: 8 weeks. Complex applications involving glazing upgrade or material change: 12–16 weeks. We submit the application as soon as you sign off the scope so the council clock runs in parallel with your decision-making time.
Do you charge a separate fee for handling consent?
No. The drawings, heritage statement, application fee and case-officer correspondence are included in the project price. There's no separate planning fee on top.
Do you work across all Edinburgh postcodes?
Yes — every EH postcode from EH1 to EH17 plus EH28, EH29 and EH30. We also cover Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian for sash and case work.
Is Heatscape the joiner, or do you sub-contract?
Heatscape manages the project: we survey your sashes, write a fixed-price scope and the work is carried out by vetted heritage joiners, glaziers and window installers from our partner network. You always know who's working on your property before they arrive.

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