Marianne Suhr: Going Steady

The project: Turnpike House, a Grade II listed, 17th-century, three-storey timber-framed house.
This month's challenge: To complete the roof to the new kitchen extension and fit bespoke oak-framed windows.

At every dinner party I have ever been to, the subject of dodgy builders invariably crops up. It has become ingrained into the British psyche that builders are unreliable and that, generally, we should expect the worst.

Maybe this is why every time I visit the kitchen extension in progress at Turnpike House, owner Kerry greets me with a look of utter amazement and announces that everything is in on budget, on schedule and all is going rather well.

Of course getting the right builder is critical to any project, one who is experienced, with organisational skills and, naturally, honest. Kerry and Nick have really struck gold with theirs – and they are certainly appreciating the experience.

It is always fun to see a kitchen extension going up. In a relatively short period of time, the layout is radically altered. The oak frame is like building out of Lego; everything slots together perfectly. It is a modern take on the ancient timber frame that the rest of their house is constructed of.

Having lived with what was often a dark kitchen for seven years, Kerry craved light. Two walls of windows and glazed doors fitted between the timber posts will help illuminate the new kitchen. The oak frame is ‘green’, and will shrink and move as it dries out over the next few years. The window and door frames, however, are constructed of kiln-dried oak, which is more stable with minimal movement, essential for tightly fitting joinery.

Insulation tactics
The roof had to meet building regulations for heat loss, and therefore needed insulation. In order to expose the oak roof structure, the roof was insulated above the rafters, rather than below. To achieve this, they used Triso-Super 10, a quilt of multi-layered foils with sheets of insulation between. This is very thin compared to other insulation products, allowing them to lay it over the rafters, but it is expensive.

While I had hoped to report on a minor crisis to spice up this month’s column, readers will have to be content with steady progress and a happy homeowner. I sense however that Kerry’s relaxed state may well be the calm before the storm. We have to remember that, so far, all the building works have taken place outside the house, with minimal impact on her immaculate interior.

Next week she heads off on holiday, and her builder John will be taking the opportunity to break through the existing wall and combine the old kitchen with the new extension. A temporary kitchen will be cobbled together in the utility room. Dust, noise, chaos and inconvenience are on the horizon – let’s hope Kerry is prepared.

ABOVE (clockwise from left): The multi-layered insulation quilt; the new roof joins the old one with a secret lead-lined gutter; the new roof is insulated from above using a multi-foil insulation quilt.
BELOW (clockwise from left): Joiner Andy assembles the bespoke oak windows; the new double-glazed units are carefully fitted; close up of the new frames.

Marianne's Checklist: Restoring and replacing windows

• Cherish old windows A new window will never look quite so ‘right’.
• Cut down draughts Consider secondary glazing or draughtproofing.
• Be accurate If making a new window to match with the old, take care to copy the section sizes, particularly of the sill.
• Buy timber wisely If you plan to paint the windows, then good quality softwood with no ‘sapwood’ content is best. Try to avoid knotty timber, especially on the south side, as the knots will weep in the sun.
• Repel water When you are replacing a rotten sill, make sure a ‘drip’, or groove, is machined along the underside to shed the water.
• Consider hardwood A hardwood sill, though not traditional, may prolong the life of the window. Use a suitable primer over hardwood.
• Care for oak For oak frames intended to be left unpainted, choose either to leave the surface untreated and allow the timber to mellow to a silvery grey, or finish with Danish oil to bring out the colour.

Focus on Glazing
Undoubtedly old glass gives period properties real character. Cylinder glass can still be bought to replace broken panes in old windows – try a stained-glass supplier and ask for Cordele or P1 glass.

Today’s building regulations insist that if a window is being replaced, then it must comply in terms of insulation. While there may be room for negotiation with a listed building, most new windows in old houses have to be fitted with double glazed units. These require a rebate in the glazing bar of 12mm to cover the seal around the edge of the unit. As a result, modern windows tend to look heavy in comparison to the original.

While I’d never recommend replacing gorgeous old glass, one alternative is Slimlite (0131 557 2121; slimliteglass.co.uk). It requires a rebate of just 7mm, compared to 12mm, allowing new windows to be machined to match the original profiles.

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS MARIANNE SUHR
Featured in the November 2009 issue of Period Living