No Scaffold · 4m Cleaning Compliant · From £1,395 per window
Top-floor Edinburgh flats sit above the 4-metre Scottish Building Standards threshold, so any replacement window must be safely cleanable from inside the flat — that means fully reversible sashes or tilt-and-turn casements. Heatscape's installers work entirely from inside the flat using internal sash-removal jigs, with no external scaffold, no platform licence and no carpet lift.
Scottish Building Standards Section 4.8 requires any window opening more than 4m above the adjacent ground or floor level to be cleanable safely from inside. Almost every top-floor tenement flat in Edinburgh crosses this threshold. The two compliant solutions are a fully reversible sash (traditional look, conservation-friendly) that rotates 180 degrees on a pivot for cleaning, or a modern tilt-and-turn casement that opens inward on a side hinge. Standard sliding sashes do not meet the rule on a new install — the council building warrant will be refused.
A fully reversible sash looks identical to a traditional Victorian sash from the street: same astragal pattern, same proportions, same paint colour. The difference is hidden inside the box — a sealed bearing assembly lets the whole sash rotate 180 degrees once a safety catch is released, presenting the outer face of the glass to the inside of the room. Cleaning takes 90 seconds per sash and you never have to lean out of the window. Conservation-area-friendly and approved on most listed buildings.
If your flat sits outside a conservation area, tilt-and-turn is the most cost-effective compliant option. The window tilts inward 100mm at the top for ventilation, or rotates fully inward on a side hinge for cleaning and emergency escape. U-values of 1.0 W/m2K, triple-locking espagnolette hardware, and standard 28mm double-glazed units. From £1,195 per window installed.
Edinburgh council platform licences for upper-floor scaffold can take 4-6 weeks and cost £400-£900. We avoid both by using internal sash-removal jigs — every component comes in and out through the flat's front door. Old sash is removed inside, new sash is presented inside, sealed and finished without anyone ever working from outside. Two-day install per window, full dust containment, carpets covered.
Many Edinburgh top-floor flats have dormers — lead-clad or slated boxes projecting from the roof. Dormer cheek timber, lead flashing and cills suffer most from weather exposure. Our scope often combines a new sash with dormer cheek splicing, new lead flashing and cill repair in a single visit, so you don't pay for the same access twice.
From £1,395 per reversible sash, £1,195 per tilt-turn casement, both fixed including survey, manufacture, install, all internal protection and waste removal. Add £350-£650 for combined dormer/cill repair. Lead time 6-8 weeks from survey because frames are made to template per opening. 10-year workmanship guarantee, 10-year sealed-unit warranty.
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 ·
Door is solid, locks beautifully, and matched the listed-building colour the council insisted on. Faultless fitting.
Hugh M., Newington EH9 — Composite door + side panel · 5/5 ·