Window fitters in the East of England

Across the East of England the land is flat and open, so wind-driven rain reaches windows that would be sheltered elsewhere. Norfolk flint cottages, Suffolk timber-framed houses and Cambridge's Victorian terraces each call for different frames, and some villages and the Broads have their own design expectations. Fitters are spread over long distances, so ask how far they travel and whether that is in the price.

The east splits into two housing worlds. Around Cambridge, Peterborough and Chelmsford most homes are post-war or recent, with standard casements. In rural Norfolk and Suffolk, older flint, brick and timber-framed houses have irregular openings and frames that call for a careful survey before anything is ordered.

The Broads has National Park status, and market towns and villages across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire have many listed buildings and conservation areas. Cambridge and Norwich both have extensive protected streets. Where a house is listed, replacing windows usually needs listed building consent, not just permission from the fitter.

Flat, open land and a long coast leave little shelter from wind, and the east is among the driest and coldest parts of England in winter. Draughts and cold glass are more noticeable here, so exposed rural and seaside homes should check the seals and hardware as well as the glass.