When it comes to timber windows, not all are made equal. We recently interviewed Westbury Garden Rooms customer, Mrs D, to learn more about her experience with our bespoke casement windows.

How did you first hear about Westbury?

‘I found Westbury from a little advert placed in the back of Homes and Gardens Magazine.’ Mrs D explains, as she begins to tell us about the story of how she came to own a breathtaking Orangery for her farmhouse property. ‘I had an image in my mind already of what I wanted to be built. I simply called to arrange a visit from one of the designers, which is when we were first introduced to Alex.’

After working together to design the perfect orangery, Mrs D began the process to building her new home extension. ‘We were so impressed with the windows in the orangery, the quality and the fact that they don’t need painting constantly, so I said we’ll go speak to Westbury about the windows. We reached out again and after measuring up, we bought 4 more timber windows’.

What were the two rooms like before we installed new timber windows?

‘We renovated an old part of the house, the owner previously had put in some new side hung windows but they were already rotten. They were in the oldest part of the house, dating back to the 16^th Century with the original timber frame. It was just built on earth effectively and it had no damp course. No cavity, freezing cold, smelly, not pleasant at all.’ Mrs D explains, telling us that the previous timber windows were only 10 years old and already rotten.

‘I said we need to do something about these windows. They were not effective, and they were also single glazed, and in the winter there was a lot of condensation running down them.’

‘It was just so awful, we never used the space at all’

Working with Westbury Windows and Joinery

Mrs D opted for our Classique windows, with shaped head fillet, and finished in Westbury White. The Classique range boast thin double-glazed units with deep internal mouldings. Mimicking the appearance of older single glazed windows but their Krypton gas filling enables each unit to perform as well as our standard 28mm Argon-filled glazing.

‘We went for the Classique range which were slightly thinner, and it has absolutely transformed those two rooms, upstairs and down. I know that these windows will last longer than the ones that they have replaced.’

‘The original windows had monkey tail closings, but we had the choice of a more modern design in a couple of colours’ Mrs D details, explaining to us her process of choosing the hardware for her new timber windows. ‘I chose my handles and Trevor said you don’t want those ones, you want monkey tails. So I asked if it was possible and he said they are what you have now, that’s what you like, so that is what you shall have. Don’t worry – leave it with me, you will have monkey tails. Later on beautiful monkey tails arrived and they matched the rest of the house perfectly!’

‘Rather than having some modern metal that would not have looked quite right, nowhere near as nice, and they absolutely finish the windows off beautifully. So everybody is trying to do their best at Westbury, to give you a product that is exceptional.’

Would you use Westbury Windows and Joinery again?

‘I wouldn’t have any hesitation’ In fact Mrs D has exciting plans for the future. ‘After having the house valued, and looking around at what we could buy, I couldn’t find anything half as nice as this. So the next part of my plan – I’ve drawn plans to build a new house here, and we’re ready to put in for planning permission to have a timber frame – farm building style – built adjacent to the house.’

‘The idea will be to sell this house with the garden and move to the new building, which will be just like our Westbury Orangery; Double glazed with underfloor heating – all the things we enjoy about that room incorporated into this house. The heating will be eco-friendly because it will be ground source heated, but I will still be next door to my house and lovely orangery – I’m not leaving it!’

‘We won’t have the permission for an orangery, but the entire building will be very glazed. One gable is intended to be completely glazed with bifold doors. It is going to be my dream house, low maintenance with quality products – were not getting any younger so we don’t need the hassle of too much maintenance’.

‘So I may be back to Westbury…’

Watch this space.