Highest-value upgrade · Fixed price
Sash window draught-proofing in Edinburgh removes around 80–90% of the perimeter air leakage through a traditional sash and case window — without touching the original glass or timber. Routed channels carry siliconised brush pile along the meeting rail, the parting beads, the bottom rail and the staff beads. The sashes glide more smoothly afterwards than they have in decades, and the room is noticeably warmer the same day.
The single best-value upgrade for a cold Edinburgh sash window — original character intact, draughts gone. Call 0800 193 1505 or request a fixed-price survey.
On a typical Edinburgh tenement sash window, around 35% of the total heat loss is conduction through the single glass; the other 65% is air leakage through the gaps. That's why a £185 draught-proofing job often delivers more comfort improvement than a £1,200 slim-line glazing upgrade — and why we recommend doing draught-proofing first, then deciding whether glazing upgrade is needed at all.
Both sashes come out. The parting beads are removed. A small router channel is cut along the meeting rail, parting beads, bottom rail and staff beads, and siliconised brush-pile carrier is set into each channel. The sashes are re-cord-balanced (since the new brush pile adds a tiny amount of friction), the pulleys cleaned and re-greased, and the window re-hung. Whole job per window: around 3 hours. Dust contained on site.
Same day: the cold draught coming over the bottom rail is gone. Within a week: condensation on the inside of the glass on cold mornings reduces noticeably. Heating bills: typically 8–12% lower in a flat where every sash has been done. Acoustic improvement: 4–6 dB. The sashes themselves glide more smoothly because the cords have been replaced and the pulleys cleaned at the same time.
Brush-pile draught-proofing uses no visible external components and is permitted-development on every category of listed building and across every Edinburgh conservation area. No prior approval, no Listed Building Consent. We can do a whole flat in 1–2 days with no council notification required.
If the room is still too cold after the draughts have gone — usually a front-facing room on a corner exposure in Marchmont or Bruntsfield — that's when slim-line double glazing or secondary glazing becomes the next step. Doing draught-proofing first is the cheaper way to find out whether you need glazing at all.
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brush-pile draught-proofing per window (pair of sashes) | £185 | |
| Whole flat of 6 sash windows | £995 | |
| Add new sash cords at the same time (per window) | £75 | |
| Add pulley overhaul (per window) | £95 |
Listed-building paperwork sorted for us, original sashes saved, and the front room is no longer a wind tunnel. Brilliant from quote to completion.
James & Catriona R., Stockbridge EH3 — Sash & case restoration + secondary glazing · 5/5 ·
Quietest the house has ever been. Bay windows look stunning, and the survey caught a lintel issue two other firms missed.
Rachel B., Trinity EH5 — Triple glazing — full house · 5/5 ·