New Windows - New Look....

We needed new windows !! No doubt about it - they were rotten, cracked and looking very sad, and of course, being on the front of the house, very obvious to see. Here - I can't say, here in France as I don't know about elsewhere - but locally, the windows on the houses are very unlikely to be on the north facing walls, and are often quite small for the size of the rooms inside. There was at one point, a Window Tax too, which precluded the poorer habitants from opening up the spaces or adding extra. It does mean though, that the rooms are often quite dark and gloomy, which in the Summer is not a bad thing, but in the Winter months, means that the lights are often on all day.

However, we had to ask to replace the windows as part of the 'Planning Permission' process. Any work on the front/visible part of the house appears to need authorisation - from demolition to renovation to construction, even a 'like for like' swap. To help with the light inside too, we asked to have extra windows on the back, which in time, when complete, will make a huge difference to us.

Before we were here full time, it was easy to contemplate decisions like style etc, based on the choices we had in the UK. Once here though, we find that choices are much more limited. The windows open inwards too, which did appear very strange to us, but I have got used to them like this now, and actually find it very useful. It is so much easier to clean them - no hanging out of the window, or climbing ladders ! The draw back though, is that you can't put too much on the windowsills, and you have to make sure that the curtains allow for the opening inwards too. We have been told that they open inwards to make it easier for the Emergency Services to gain access if necessary, but I'm not sure if that is right, as most houses have security grills, shutters or external blinds. The other occupied houses in our hamlet have shutters/blinds, which means that when you are out in the evening, there is no visible light from the houses (and no street lamps either!), and it appears very very dark !

BEFORE......

Anyway, once the style was chosen, the windows sourced, and Craig had varnished the frames, the work needed to be started. Craig decided that he would change the two downstairs first as he could practice on them without balancing up a ladder at the same time !


ON OUR WAY..........

 

 

The downstairs windows were replaced in one day, and the top three took another couple of days. None of the openings were exactly the same size, and in parts, chunks of granite had to be chiselled out to allow the new frames in !

 

Never mind, all done and dusted, and what a huge difference it makes to the frontage.

 

 

AFTER..........

 

Next stage......a flushing toilet.............