The Property

A huge extension to a period property in Oxted, Surrey, presented Claire T and her family with the perfect opportunity to replace the metal windows in their Arts and Crafts-style home.

The original windows looked beautiful, but they let in draughts and allowed heat to escape, resulting in astronomical energy bills.

Claire needed to replace the windows in the original part of the house while using the same product throughout the new 1,000 sq. ft extension.

The Challenge

Claire began looking into companies that specialised in manufacturing metal windows while delivering both attractive designs and strong thermal performance.

However, it was proving difficult to find a product that offered both, and she feared she would need to compromise on either appearance or efficiency.

A friend who was undertaking a major building project recommended Met Therm Windows, having previously used the company for a project of her own.

The Consultation Process

The Met Therm team were soon on site and ready to begin the project, which started in 2017.

Regular consultation took place throughout, allowing Met Therm to share its expertise and guide Claire through the product-selection and installation processes.

“The process of working with Met Therm was brilliant and easy,” explained Claire. “They came out equipped with samples, carried out a site survey and took measurements from the plans.

“They were also really helpful and gave us some great recommendations when it came to decisions such as how many window openings to have.”

Meeting Project Deadlines

The project involved replacing windows in the existing home while also installing matching windows throughout a newly built extension.

This meant that key construction deadlines had to be met, including making the property watertight at the correct stage of the building work.

“Because we were both replacing windows and installing windows into a new build, there were definite deadlines that had to be met,” Claire said.

“Met Therm happily liaised with our builder and pulled out all the stops to ensure this happened.”

The Finished Installation

The extensive project included 17 black powder-coated windows with rectangular leading and a striking three-metre-wide aluminium French-style door.

The French-style door was installed within the newly extended 80 sq. m kitchen.

The original oak window subframes were retained at the front of the house.

At the rear, the metal window frames were fitted directly onto the brickwork to allow as much natural light as possible into the home.

Benefits Of Metal-Frame Windows

“The original windows looked beautiful but were inefficient,” admitted Claire.

“What I love about our new Met Therm windows is that we were able to maintain the style and detailing of the original windows, so they are almost indistinguishable from them.

“I chose the RTD matt handles, which look amazing against the black frames. I also love the thermally efficient frames and glass, so we don’t have to tape up our windows anymore to keep out draughts.”

A Warmer Family Home

The thermally efficient frames and glazing have helped Claire’s family retain more heat while removing the need to tape the windows to prevent draughts.

The slimline frames also allow plenty of natural light into the extended kitchen while preserving the period appearance of the original property.

A Fantastic Company To Work With

Claire reflected: “Life with our new windows is wonderful. Everyone who comes to the house comments on how amazing the windows are.

“Met Therm was a fantastic company to work with: very efficient, helpful and thorough.

“My friend who recommended them believes that it’s all about who you use, and she was right. I will be recommending Met Therm too.”