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FreeBear

AskAsk said:  i will get some windows people round to discuss and get quotes.

Find someone that specialises in wooden frames rather than the run of the mill uPVC. Alternatively, a decent carpenter.

uPVC frames are going to be quite bulky, and it may be difficult to retain the internal wooden section in its current form and still have uPVC on the outside.

shinytop

If you're going for wooden then you need to shop around because it might be more expensive.  We got a quote to replace 2 timber windows like for like and also got some UPVC quotes for the whole house.  The 2 timber windows were nearly 1/2 the price of the whole house in UPVC.  We have 14 windows and the 2 rotten ones are amongst the smaller ones. Timber is nice but can be expensive; hand made vs. factory I suppose.    

Jeepers_Creepers

Sorted: https://www.amazon.co.uk/BURAN-Porthole-Window-Transparent-Durable/dp/B08DCPP3W4/ref=asc_df_B08DCPP3W4/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=460219424548&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12859889057098890988&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045292&hvtargid=pla-950263716852&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=106446578063&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=460219424548&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12859889057098890988&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045292&hvtargid=pla-950263716852

Jeepers_Creepers

AskAsk said:

You could easily replicate that leaded design on the portholes - it would probably be more 'star'-shaped, starting from a central point. You could even do this yourself as a hobby with stick-on lead strip :-)

You need a competent handyman/ builder/ window-fitter. Either will do, but they need to look at what you want and say "No problem..." A 'normal' window-fitter might not be the best person. 

Have new unit made up, either with PVC or new wood frame (no insects = birds will leave it alone...). To replace, the whole old wood frame comes out, is sliced to make it thinner by the amount needed, and the inner timber ring goes back, new glass unit with frame and all sealed properly into place.

There's no complexity to this. The most difficult part is deciding on the design.

Jeepers_Creepers

AskAsk said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

AskAsk said:

You could easily replicate that leaded design on the portholes - it would probably be more 'star'-shaped, starting from a central point. You could even do this yourself as a hobby with stick-on lead strip :-)

You need a competent handyman/ builder/ window-fitter. Either will do, but they need to look at what you want and say "No problem..." A 'normal' window-fitter might not be the best person. 

Have new unit made up, either with PVC or new wood frame (no insects = birds will leave it alone...). To replace, the whole old wood frame comes out, is sliced to make it thinner by the amount needed, and the inner timber ring goes back, new glass unit with frame and all sealed properly into place.

There's no complexity to this. The most difficult part is deciding on the design.

that is interesting.  are the leaded lines stick on then?  i thought they were part of the window.  didn't know they were stick on!

the inner wooden frame can not move.  it has to stay where it is.  a handyman can't build the double glazed unit.  do you mean i order the double glazed unit and get a handyman to insert it into the existing wooden frame?

Proper leaded lights are made up of individual sections held together with lead channels and soldered together. Almost all 'modern' leaded lights are stick-on lead strip. You can buy this yourself. 

Yes, the inner timber frame will be as it currently is, but I'm suggesting it might need removing temporarily so's it can be cut down in thickness to allow the DG unit + plastic frame to fit to its outside. 

Are you certain there's insects in that frame?! It looks pretty solid to me. Who told you the birds were pecking for bugs? It's been known for them to peck at putty for some crazy reason, or at spiders who have made their webby homes along the edges, but I haven't heard of them chasing insects inside a frame; I'd expect the frame to be pretty rotten before this happened.

Easiest thing - either stick with single glazing or go for a thin - 10mm - DG unit. Get it frosted or lightly textured. Buy some lead strip and have a ball. Then just get someone to remove the old glass and replace it with the new. The 10mm DG unit will just mean the glass will be slightly further out on the outside, by around 6mm - that's all.

stuart45

I've had the Blue tits having a peck at some of the new linseed oil putty I put in this year when repainting all the windows. 
Wish I hadn't put a couple of houses for them on the side of the house now. 

bob_a_builder

In a normal DG  window the stick on lead is usually stuck on BOTH side of the outer pane of glass - otherwise you would end up seeing the sticky tape rather than the led from inside the house
of course the inside of the outer pane is inside the sealed unit - so you wont have access to that    - Don't know  if or  how bad that might look, but if its obscure glass that probably won't matter

Jeepers_Creepers

Good point, Bob. In AskAsk's case I think they'd fit the lead on the outer surface of the inner pane - the outside look doesn't matter that much.

greenface2

are you thinking of just the glass replacement . surely for a single glass and double glazed unit that size the price isn't much . . Make sure your rebate is wide enough to take a DG unit (min 14 mm ) or a stepped unit can be put in . thermally isn't much in a glass that size between double and single . Replacing a cracked to a unbroken will be around the same . If youre thinking of replacing the frame to PVCu then it would make a bit more of a difference but look more at your fireplace and floorboards for cold spots . gaps in doors too , I'm in the r trade and a single figured 480mm is arounfd £20 to buy and 50 max for double add another 50 on for glazing . if there are more than one it should be less

FreeBear

AskAsk said:  i don't know if you can buy double glazed glass?  i thought they only come with a frame, but if i can get a double glazed glass only that would be the best option and the cheapest option as there is nothing wrong with the wooden frames.

You can buy sealed units (just the glass) in various thicknesses. The standard ones are 14mm, 24mm, and 28mm thick. It is possible to get ultra-thin units less than 10mm thick, but they are darned expensive, only made in a few locations globally, and subject to a minimum order value. Just getting the glass (as I mentioned in an earlier post) saves quite a bit, not just the frames. You also save on building regs compliance (the fees and paperwork), and get to retain the original timber frames. But it is not a simple case of "just knock out the old glass and whack a sealed unit in". There will need to be some carpentry done on the frame to make the rebate large enough to seat the glass in.