Sash Window Restoration Edinburgh

Listed buildings · Conservation areas · End-to-end

Sash window restoration in Edinburgh takes a tired or partly-rotten sash and case window back to a window that performs as well as it did the day it was built — often better, because we add modern draught-proofing and the option of slim-line double glazing inside the original sash. Our vetted heritage joiners strip, repair, re-glaze where needed, re-paint and re-hang every sash on site.

Full restoration that keeps the original character of your Edinburgh home — warmer, quieter, painted to last. Call 0800 193 1505 or request a fixed-price survey.

What restoration includes

A full restoration is a different scope from a single-fault repair. We remove both sashes, take the parting beads and pulleys out, dismantle the box where the timber has gone, splice in new sections, renew all cords, clean and re-grease pulleys, rout in brush-pile draught seals, re-glaze any cracked panes (matched glass on heritage properties), re-paint the whole window in a breathable linseed-oil system, and re-hang. The result is a window you'd struggle to tell apart from a new one — but with all the original timber and ironmongery still in place.

Slim-line double glazing inside the original sash

Most Edinburgh sash windows have a 19mm glazing rebate, which takes a 12–14mm argon-filled slim-line double-glazed unit without changing the streetscape appearance. The centre-pane U-value drops from around 5.8 to 1.2 W/m²K — close to a modern casement window. This is the option we recommend for cold front-facing rooms where draught-proofing alone won't get you to where you want to be.

Conservation areas and listed buildings

On a Category A, B or C listed property, restoration with original materials and slim-line units with a hand-blown outer pane is the route most Edinburgh case officers prefer over replacement. We handle the Listed Building Consent application as part of the project. In conservation areas, like-for-like restoration is usually permitted-development; replacement on a road-facing elevation triggers the May 2024 prior-approval rules and we handle that too.

Paint system that lasts 12–15 years

Most Edinburgh sash repaints fail in 4–6 years because the paint is acrylic-based and seals moisture in. Our restoration paint system is breathable linseed-oil primer, two coats of linseed-oil paint and a final wax coat on the meeting rails. It looks the same from the street, lasts 12–15 years on a south-facing elevation and 15–20 years on a north-facing one, and is fully compatible with what was originally specified.

Areas we restore most often

New Town and Stockbridge Georgian sashes, Marchmont and Bruntsfield Victorian tenements, Morningside and the Grange Edwardian villas, Polwarth and Dalry conservation tenements, and West End and Dean Village category-B listed terraces. We bring sample sashes, paint cards and slim-line glass samples to every quote — you see and touch the finish before you commit.

Typical full-restoration prices per window (Edinburgh, 2026)

ItemPriceNotes
Restoration — single sash window (pair of sashes), no glazing change£885
Restoration + brush-pile draught-proofing£1,065
Restoration + slim-line double glazing in original sash£1,395
Restoration + secondary glazing internal panel£1,265
Listed Building Consent handling (per application)IncludedNo separate fee

Frequently asked questions

How long does sash window restoration take?
Per window, around two days on site. A typical Edinburgh tenement flat with six sash windows takes 8–10 working days for a full restoration, painting and re-hang. Slim-line glazing adds 5–10 working days for unit manufacture.
Is restoration cheaper than replacement?
Restoration is almost always cheaper than like-for-like timber replacement, and it keeps the original character that makes Edinburgh tenements valuable. Replacement only wins on price when the existing window is more than 60% rotten and the box itself has gone.
Will I lose the original glass?
Only the cracked panes are replaced. We match heritage glass — slightly wavy hand-drawn cylinder glass on listed buildings, modern restoration float glass elsewhere. Original wavy glass is reused wherever it's intact.
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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