Galvanised wire rope sash cords

One of our handymen is replacing sash cords for a customer in N4 today. Changing sash cords is a basic task for a Silver Saint and probably not blog worthy but today's job is replacing sash cords on some of the heaviest sash windows we have encountered, so heavy that even the thickest sash cord breaks after 3 months under the windows weight.

The solution is to replace the sash cords with galvanized wire rope. Much thinner than sash cord but much stronger and it also gives the sash window a surprisingly luxurious feel when they are opened and closed. Originally we did this job about 9 months for customer that was so impressed he recommended us to all of his neighbours who have the same windows and thus the same problem and one of those neighbours has booked us in for today.

What better time than the start of summer to have your sash windows working as they should.

For most other windows normal sash cords will suffice and we offer a fixed price for replacing sash cords:

Replace one inner sash window cord - £65+VAT
Replace one outer sash window cord - £75+VAT
Replace both inner sash window cords - £75+VAT
Replace both outer sash window cords - £95+VAT

Change sash cords for the summer

What better time to have a fully functioning, easy to use Sash Window than in summer. It is a time when you want to be opening your windows to let the summery sun and light breeze in without having to battle with a sash window new or old that has a broken sash cord and is not running smoothly.

Silver Saints - London handyman service are pro's at changing sash cords. In fact we are so confident in our ability to quickly and efficiently change sash window cords that we offer a fixed labour price.

Replace one inner sash window cord - £65+VAT
Replace one outer sash window cord - £75+VAT
Replace both inner sash window cords - £75+VAT
Replace both outer sash window cords - £95+VAT

The above charges don't include the the new cord but sash cord very rarely costs more than five to eight pounds per window.

Why not also take advantage of our draught proofing service in preparation for next winter. Seal the draught and cold out and the heat in for an extra £60+vat per window if done at the same time as changing your cords. (Normally £95+vat per window if done on its own).

We hope this summer lives up to expectations and there is good reason for you to want your sash windows working properly.

Silver Saints - London's handyman service - 02070999199.

Replacing sash cords

Silver Saints - London handyman service takes on a huge variety of jobs around the office and home. One of the more specialist tasks we do on a regular basis is replacing broken sash cords and spring balances.

Changing a sash cord or spring balance is a simple task for one of our multi skilled handymen who have changed thousands of cords between them. A spring balance is mainly used in modern PVC windows and is a neat alternative to a sash cord. The function is identical though having a spring balance as apposed to sash cords eliminates the need to have weights in the window frame as the balance is a tensioned spring.

Below is the range of piece if mind fixed prices we offer for changing sash cords:

Replace one inner sash window cord - £65+VAT
Replace one outer sash window cord - £75+VAT
Replace both inner sash window cords - £75+VAT
Replace both outer sash window cords - £95+VAT

Spiral balances are just as easy to change as sash cords though to supply the correct replacement balances we need a few key measurements from the sash window the balances will be going into. We can either send one of London handymen to measure the window for which the charge will be our minimum charge of £40+vat or if you are confident with a tape measure we have a neat form we can email you that shows the a diagram with the required measurements.

Lets do it! Give our friendly and knowledgeable operations team a call on 02070999199 or visit our london handyman website to book a saintly handyman.

Picture glass and fragile windows.

On Friday I attended a job with one of our handymen that was to change sash cords and re-weight about 6 sash windows. The office was in Piccadilly in a quite and old building that still had the original glass in the sash windows.

In times gone by the glass manufacturing process has changed somewhat and modern glass is far thicker and more robust than the glass used say 50 years ago. This particular building still had the original glass in the sash windows which is 2mm thick (As apposed to 4mm modern glass) and extremely fragile and unfortunately one of the glass panes broke while we were attaching the new sash cord. This is a very rare thing to happen for one of our guys as we always take as much care as possible but these things do happen and the important thing is how we handled the miss hap.

I got on the phone to Seamus in our office and asked him to source a glass cutting shop within walking distance that I could pop along to get a replacement piece of glass and some putty to hold it is place. Five minutes later Seamus had texted me the address of a place nearby and with in thirty minutes I was back at the property with the replacement glass. We obviously did not charge for any of this time and the customer was pleased with how we handled the situation with the minimum amount of stress or inconvenience to her.

Changing Sash or Spiral Balances

A job we come across regularly is changing sash or spiral balances. A sash balance is a modern alternative to a sash cord and made up of a spring inside of a thin pvc tube that is set to a certain tension when fitted to take the weight of the window.

I quite like spiral balances as an alternative to sash cords mainly because once you have fitted sash balances for the first time it becomes a doddle and having sash balances also means that when it comes time to change them it is much quicker, simpler job because you don't have to dismantle the window as much.

Don't get me wrong sash cords are a tried, trusted and effective technology and all of our London handymen can change both sash cords and sash balances.

I'm of the opinion that someone who can change sash cords should also be able to change sash balances. It is generally a very straight forward job and there are even a few video tutorials available on the web that demonstrate how to change sash balances but because they are less common than their sash cord cousins, people (Even some handymen I have heard of) tend to shy away from them and would rather get someone else to do it.

It appears Silver Saints handymen have become somewhat renowned for changing sash balances, just today I had a call from a property renovations company that have never spoken to or used us before that would like us to change the sash balances on three windows at property they are renovating. It turns out we were recommended to them by another company that had heard about us through the web and used us for much the same thing.

I think the only down fall to having sash balances is that they are made to size for each window which means they are not something you can easily source off the shelf. You have to take some measurements of the window and identify what type of glazing the window has and then order the balances online. This means it is two visit job, one to take the measurements and order the sash balances and another to fit the balances. Our handymen have done this many times and can take the measurements and identify the glazing for numerous windows in a matter of minutes so you are normally only looking at paying our minimum half hour charge of £40+vat. Most customers usually get us to do something else while we are there to fill the half hour and once we have the price of the replacement balances we can usually give you fixed price for the job of fitting them.

If you know you have sash balances or even if you are unsure but know your sash window is not working the way it should be why not give us a call on 0207 0999 199and one of our friendly and experienced operation team member will advise on what is required to repair your windows.