Tradition redefined
Heritage windows were once a specialist product; today they’re an important part of most installer’s product suite. Roseview director, Mike Bygrave, describes how they have become an integral part of an evolving glazing industry.
The heritage window is market growing, and that growth is accelerating. There are more heritage products from a wider range of manufacturers than ever before.
The expansion in product choice, a focus on design detail and the remarkable growth of colour and foiling options have all helped drive the heritage market from niche to trend, and now from trend to mainstream. At the heart of this is a classic British window style that epitomises tradition – sash windows.
Resolving the dilemma of choice
Owners of older properties used to face a dilemma over replacement windows. They could opt for cost-effective convenience and performance, but at the cost of traditional appearance. Or they could pay more for windows made from traditional materials only to be faced with regular and costly maintenance.
Since 1985, when Roseview produced its first PVC-U sash window, we have been systematically removing that need to choose between appearance and performance. Through constant development and innovation, our goal has always been the same – to produce truly authentic timber-alternative sash windows that offer all the benefits of modern materials and manufacturing techniques. By focusing on three key areas – appearance, performance and quality – and delivering them in a single package, we ensure that our customers can sell the benefits of authentic yet modern high-quality sash windows.
Market forces
Roseview and a handful of other manufacturers have always focused on heritage. Now a wider spread of systems and manufacturers are following suit. The market – and homeowners – are changing, and in doing so they’re creating the right environment for heritage-style windows.
House prices are high and continue to rise, and while there’s constant pressure to build more new homes, they’re not being provided quickly enough. Homeowners increasingly choose to renovate and upgrade rather than move, and we all saw the effect of this during the pandemic.
Windows, doors and glazed extensions have joined kitchens and bathrooms as the most popular upgrades, and modern timber-alternative heritage windows have been in the right place at the right time.
We’ve also seen a subtle shift in attitudes towards conservation, again relating to the balance between aesthetics and performance. Aesthetics remain critical, but there’s also more willingness to consider the benefits of modern materials and techniques, especially when it comes to energy efficiency and acoustics.
It marks a more pragmatic approach to heritage and acknowledges that the very best modern timber-alternative windows provide the complete package of authentic looks, superior performance and – crucially – affordable prices.
Homeowners are on-board
While products and market conditions are in a good position, the last piece of the puzzle is homeowners themselves.
Homeowners today do their research; they’re more knowledgeable than ever before. That’s great for the industry, as customers come to us knowing what they want and how it will perform. It also means that homeowners themselves are dispelling some of the myths and pre-conceptions surrounding PVC-U. There’s noticeably less bias against PVC-U in a heritage setting than there used to be.
A bright future
The market today is very different to that of a few years ago, and it’s a clear change for the better. Not too long ago we had to spend our time developing authentic PVC-U sash windows and then educating homeowners – through installers – about their benefits. Now customers come to us.
They know the product detail, the skill that goes into manufacturing and installing truly authentic PVC-U sash windows and – most importantly – the benefits that they deliver. They recognise that in all respects high-quality timber-alternatives don’t just match original windows, they can improve on them.