Design Buy Build Issue 40 2019 | Page 50

The Complete Heritage Window Solution When it comes to windows and doors, new homes are split into two distinct groups: modern and traditional. For those designing and building modern architecture, there is plenty of choice, but for traditional styles the options are more limited. If you’re building a traditional home, it can feel like you have only one choice – timber windows. However, they are generally expensive, require regular maintenance and in many cases don’t match traditional sightlines as well as you may expect. Fortunately there are other options, and one Buckinghamshire-based business has thrived by offering a solution to exactly these issues. Founded in 1977, Olney window manufacturer Roseview Windows is the first name in UK timber-alternative sash windows. In 1985 the firm was involved in creating Britain’s first genuine uPVC sash window product. In the subsequent three decades it has worked tirelessly to perfect that formula. The result is the three models in the Rose Collection - widely regarded as the highest performing and most authentic sash window suite in the UK. Competitively priced and highly versatile, the entry-level Charisma Rose works well on everything from cottages and country dwellings to modern townhouses and villas. Heritage Rose has been designed from the ground up to replicate the style and features of original timber sash windows. Because of this it is accepted in conservation areas across the UK. But Roseview’s Ultimate Rose is the standout model, as it is the most authentic timber-alternative sash window ever created. With slim, timber-like profiles, a 35mm midrail, joinery-style butt joints and run- through sash horns, no other uPVC sash window has the same level of original authenticity. Put side-by-side with a modern engineered timber sash window, Ultimate Rose will look at least as authentic as the timber version, and yet it costs significantly less. Timber-alternative sash windows clearly look the part and offer a host of benefits over their timber cousins. Excellent weatherproofing and energy efficiency, high security and – in urban environments – excellent acoustic performance are all features of a timber-alternative window. But perhaps the most significant benefit is that they are virtually maintenance-free and never need repainting, saving homeowners both time and money. 50 Roseview director Mike Bygrave explains how attitudes to timber- alternative windows are changing: “Many people baulk at the mention of uPVC windows, and we understand that. In the past it had a poor reputation. But that reputation came from poor design and implementation, generally not from the material itself. uPVC is strong, versatile and—a surprise to many—highly sustainable. uPVC windows have the same life- expectancy as modern engineered timber and are fully recyclable up to ten times. That gives the material a lifespan of around 400 years! “As a result, modern materials and manufacturing techniques allow us to make windows that look better than modern timber equivalents while offering excellent security, energy efficiency and acoustic protection, all in a sustainable, low-maintenance package. “So while we understand that many people have a poor impression of uPVC, we simply ask that they look at our sash windows with an open mind. See the windows, understand the benefits, get the costs and then make your decision.“ To find out more visit sashwindowsuk.com or call Roseview on 01234 712657.