Replacing windows without getting permission straight away.

Hi all - bit of a long post here but I think it's all relevant

I’m looking for advice about how to go ahead with a window replacement project.

The situation is this; we have a horrid old aluminium DG window (I think 1980s) where the seal has broken down on the main panel of glass making it misty and mostly useless, so we want to replace it. I have bought second hand a beautiful window frame and set of matching casements made of solid white oak, I think it’s 10 years old (there appears to be a date stamp of 2005 in the glazing but I can’t say for sure, it’s faint). It’s all in very good nick. I bought the oak window because it fits perfectly sideways (222cm) – but it’s a little deeper, it needs 2 courses of bricks removed below where the present window goes.

So my problem is this; I can’t find out what the U value of the dg units in the oak casements is. I know they are BS6206 because they have that stamped on them (and they need to be for building regs) but I won’t be able to get them past building regs because the U value can’t be shown to be at 1.6 or less. But we are on a really low budget so I don’t want to pay to get a load of replacement dg units put in the oak casements when the present ones are a huge upgrade on what is now in the window.

My proposed solution is to get a general builder to put in the frame, put in the casements as they are and just not bother to get approval. At some point in the future when the DG units get old and misty, I will upgrade them with the latest thing and then ask for retrospective approval – but this might be some years (we’re not planning on selling).

Can anyone tell me any obvious problems with this plan? EG Would a builder be obliged to notify building control that they are putting in a window?

Any advice gratefully received

The responsibility to get approval falls strictly on the building owners shoulders so a builder won’t care. If it were me I would just fit them and not worry about getting approval. The worst that is ever likely to happen is that you would have to pay for a pointless and worthless indemnity insurance (approx. £100) when you come to sell to satisfy the numpty solicitors and allow them to make a tidy monetary commission on the insurance.


Just remember though when choosing a fitter/builder, that even a really good window can end up being a right cock up if it’s poorly fitted!

freddymercurystwin said:

The responsibility to get approval falls strictly on the building owners shoulders so a builder won’t care. If it were me I would just fit them and not worry about getting approval. The worst that is ever likely to happen is that you would have to pay for a pointless and worthless indemnity insurance (approx. £100) when you come to sell to satisfy the numpty solicitors and allow them to make a tidy monetary commission on the insurance.


Just remember though when choosing a fitter/builder, that even a really good window can end up being a right cock up if it’s poorly fitted!

Click to expand...

I second this. It's what I did (apart from the indemnity bit because I haven't sold my house).

Cheers
Richard

Thanks for the advices, I used to be quite keen on sticking to regs but they seem borderline daft in this case since they stop me putting in a much nicer frame which would also have much better u value than what's there. And in terms of greenness using a second hand locally sourced hardwood frame is waay better than new plastic.

RobKett said:

Thanks for the advices, I used to be quite keen on sticking to regs but they seem borderline daft in this case since they stop me putting in a much nicer frame which would also have much better u value than what's there. And in terms of greenness using a second hand locally sourced hardwood frame is waay better than new plastic.

Click to expand...

Absolutely. What they should have done is require *planning permission* for replacement windows, then apply some taste when granting it.

Cheers
Richard