What would you do - Windows

[AlexJ66]

Greetings all,

We are about to start renovating sections of our house ourselves, including the bedrooms. A couple of the tasks we want to address are installing new windows and built in wardrobes. My question is, currently the window is installed centrally in the room. Once the wardrobes go in the window will no longer be central. I know it would be easier to slot the new windows into the current gaps but then they wouldn't be in the middle. Should we save ourselves all that extra work and put up with them not being central, or go the extra yards to mke it aesthetically pleasing?

Thanks in advance,

Alex

[bitingmidge]

Alex,

There's an awful lot of work to move a window and unless there's something really strange going on in the house it really won't matter a jot when you have the room furnished.

Is it an old Qldr with double hungs, or a later model with sliding glass windows?

My answer remains the same, just curious.

Cheers,

P

[silentC]

I'd leave them where they are. When I think of the amount of work it would take to remove cladding and plaster, adjust the frame and put it all back again, and not have it look as though a window has been moved...

That is unless you are stripping the walls anyway...

[AlexJ66]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Bitingmidge, the house is a 1920s QLDer with some sort of double awning windows. The top and bottom ones both push outwards pivoting at the tops (excuse my technical description there ;) )

SilentC, yep, we are going to plaster all of the walls too, so the inside walls wouldn't be an issue, as I can hide my work with plasterboard :p.

My main problem is in my head. I am fretting over this decision already and just know I will look at it after it is done and wish I did. After the wardrobes are installed it will be 1450mm one sode, and 800mm the other side :( .

Cheers,

Alex

[bitingmidge]

Don't fret Alex,

I'm guessing that if it's a 20's house, the awning windows were put in at some stage to replace double hungs.

You have to furnish it somehow, and 1400 plus 800 (my guess for the window width) is only a tad over the length of a bed, so it will look as though you've set it up just so!

It will be fine... truly!

P (trust me, I know about these things.)
:cool: :cool: :cool:

[silentC]

Is the cladding weatherboard? That's going to be your next biggest problem after altering the frame. A horizontal row of joins from outside wont look too flash. You end up having to pull full boards off and recutting them so that the joins are random. You'll most likely need a lintel over the new window opening too. I'd imagine all external walls are load bearing in those houses...

[silentC]

Yeah, Midge is right. Trust him, he knows about these things... ;)

[AlexJ66]

SOLD!

The windows will stay where they are :p

Thanks very much for the responses guys, it has been a great help. I have just wasted several hours sitting at a client site trolling through these forums, as i only stumbled upon them today.

Expect more questions ;)

Cheers,

Alex

[HJ0]

Should just rip the window out and put a new one in 650mm longer.


HJ0

[bitingmidge]

Should just rip the window out and put a new one in 650mm longer.

But don't forget to reframe it from the floor frame through to the roof if it's a T&G lining, and to put in an appropriate head as well.

Of course that would completely bugger up the proportions of the place from the outside so don't do it!


Cheers,

P

[echnidna]

Ahhh takje the easy way out.
Leave the window as is.
Hang curtains so it looks like the window is central

[bitingmidge]

How much time does the average person spend outside their house looking at it. the widow could be at the side/rear of his house, facing a river lol

More time than the average person spends outside their car looking at it, but they still need mag wheels and shiny paint. :rolleyes:

It doesn't matter if the house is two feet from a brick wall, you either want to preserve its character or you don't.

If you don't, then maybe you should go and read a book or two and have a good lie down for a bit while you think about it.... because in 30 years time you might regret your actions!

Cheers,

P

[AlexJ66]

Once again..I appreciate EVERYBODY's comments and suggestions, I doubt we will all ever agree :) Good to see some differing opinions though and very hard for people to comment really without seeing the environment I am talking about ;)

I am definately replacing the window, but it was just a matter of how big and whether to move it. If I make the window bigger I will have to also replace the awning over the outside of it, plus it may be too big for the bedroom size, plus the neighbours might get an eyefull of something they don't want to see :eek:

We are keeping the outside character of the house in the 1920s style, but making the inside modern clean lines with plasterboard etc. We are originally from Melbourne and aren't as keen on VJs as Queenslanders :D

Thanks again all.

Alex

[bitingmidge]

Ohhh dear, I won't go on much, but I'm tired and have to get something off my chest:

The question was about what was "aesthetically pleasing", and it was relating to the inside.

I didn't have to write a thesis on why it's important to try to keep the fabric of the place intact because Alex had said he'd decided not to change the proportion of the window, prior to your post.

I decided to add a warning in case he was reconsidering.

For your info, very few Qld houses of that era have internal linings as such, as they were made from solid VJ boarding, although many have been stuffed up completely by successive renovations over the years.

I do think it's far more important to preserve some of the context of the suburban fabric, ie to at least be sympathetic in external renovation.

Internally, unless the house has historical significance, then trust me, they didn't know too much about sewerage, showers or built in cupboards or kitchens in 1920, and most of those can be installed without serious damage to the "bones" of the place.

No, I'm not a rabid greenie, but people often buy houses of that vintage because of their charm, and immediately proceed to "renovate" blissfully unaware that changing the shape of the windows for instance will immediately impact on the character of the place.

Alex, think hard about changing the proportion of the windows... you won't have a "Queenslander" at the end of it. There again, neither will you if you sheet over the vjs!

Cheers,

P

[AlexJ66]

There is one overriding point here to remember. It is not what I want to do, it is what she who must be obeyed wants ;)

Alex