Inspired Glazing supplies and fits double glazing in Bishop’s Stortford, whether you live in a Victorian house in Hockerill, a newer home at Bishop’s Park or St Michael’s Mead, or a period property in the town centre. We fabricate aluminium windows and doors in our own workshop at Fifield, near Windsor, install them with our own team, and also offer UPVC windows and doors, composite doors and conservatories.
Get a free, fixed-price quote in Bishop’s Stortford
Made in our own Fifield workshop and fitted by our own team. Aluminium windows from £400, lead times from 10 days and a 10-year guarantee. Tell us what you need and we’ll book a free survey.
Living with Stansted next door
Stansted Airport lies roughly 4 km east of the town centre, just beyond the M11. For many households, especially those under or near the flight paths, the first question about new windows is how much quieter the house will be. Good double glazing with well-fitted seals usually makes a clear difference compared with old or failing units, and our surveyor can talk through glass options for bedrooms and rooms that face the noise. If you are close to the airport or the M11, mention it at survey so we can plan the specification around it.
The town’s homes
Bishop’s Stortford grew up at a ford on the River Stort, and the Stort Navigation, opened in 1769, brought industry and growth. The historic centre is a conservation area with many listed buildings, including the Grade I St Michael’s Church and the 1828 Corn Exchange. East of the river, Hockerill developed after the railway arrived and has Victorian and Edwardian streets. The town became a major commuter centre after the war, helped by the M11 and the airport, so there are large areas of post-war and late twentieth-century housing, while Bishop’s Park, St Michael’s Mead and the Thorley side of town have newer estates. Thorley homes were moved into the town in 2019.
Planning and the Article 4 directions
East Hertfordshire District Council handles planning here. The Bishop’s Stortford conservation area covers the historic centre, and the council made two Article 4 directions in 2017 that remove some permitted development rights there, so certain minor works visible from the street need planning permission. If you live in the conservation area, check with East Herts Council before changing windows or doors, even like-for-like. Nearby Sawbridgeworth also has its own conservation area.
Outside those areas, replacement windows on houses are normally permitted development. Flats, including the riverside apartments, have no householder permitted development rights and usually need freeholder consent too. See our planning permission guide for the basics. Homes on low ground near the Stort are worth checking against the Environment Agency flood map before an extension.
Choosing products
- Hockerill’s Victorian and Edwardian houses: outside the conservation area, woodgrain-finish UPVC windows on the Selecta Advance 70 system and a composite front door can give a traditional appearance with little upkeep. We do not make timber windows.
- Post-war semis and detached houses: UPVC or Reynaers SlimLine 68 aluminium windows, an outward-opening casement, along with Cortizo and Alunet ranges.
- Newer estate homes at Bishop’s Park, St Michael’s Mead and Thorley: often the first upgrade is the rear door. A Reynaers ConceptPatio 130 slider or a Smart Visofold or Cortizo bifold makes a bigger opening; compare them on our patio doors page.
- Extra room: conservatories, orangeries and roof lanterns.
Nearby areas
We cover Bishop’s Stortford, Thorley, Sawbridgeworth, Stansted Mountfitchet, Much Hadham and Little Hadham. See also Harlow, Saffron Walden and Ware.
Planned visits from Fifield
Our only premises are at Coningsby Farm, Fifield. Bishop’s Stortford is roughly 65 miles away by road, usually around an hour and twenty minutes via the M25 and M11. We do not pretend to be local: surveys and installations are planned in advance around the journey, and fitting days are grouped together.
The surveyor measures every opening, brings samples and checks for planning points such as the Article 4 directions. You receive a written quote; aluminium windows start from £400, and our double glazing cost guide explains what affects the price. Aluminium frames are made in our own workshop with lead times from 10 days, then our own team installs them. Every installation carries a 10-year guarantee. We are a listed Reynaers at Home installer partner and hold Constructionline Silver.
Arrange a free survey
Call 01753 965 005 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm), WhatsApp 07934 152 343, or request a quote online.
Frequently asked questions
Will double glazing reduce aircraft noise from Stansted?
New double glazing with good seals usually reduces noise noticeably compared with old or failing windows, although no window removes it entirely. The glass specification, frame and quality of fitting all matter. Tell our surveyor which rooms are affected by aircraft or M11 noise and we will discuss glass options for them.
Do the Bishop's Stortford Article 4 directions affect window replacements?
They can. East Herts Council made two Article 4 directions in 2017 that remove some permitted development rights in the Bishop's Stortford conservation area, so certain works visible from the street need planning permission. Check with the council before replacing windows or doors there, and let our surveyor know your address.
Can you replace the patio doors on a Bishop's Park house?
Yes. Many newer homes have a standard rear door or narrow French doors. We can fit a Reynaers ConceptPatio 130 sliding door, a Smart Visofold or Cortizo bifold, or a UPVC door, depending on the opening and your budget. Widening the opening may involve structural work, which our surveyor will flag.
How far do you travel to Bishop's Stortford?
Our only base is in Fifield, near Windsor, roughly 65 miles from Bishop's Stortford by road, usually around an hour and twenty minutes via the M25 and M11. We plan surveys and installations ahead around that journey and bring samples to your home, as we have no local showroom.
Do you fit windows in Sawbridgeworth and Stansted Mountfitchet?
Yes, we cover Sawbridgeworth, Stansted Mountfitchet, Thorley and the Hadhams as well as Bishop's Stortford. Sawbridgeworth has its own conservation area designated by East Herts Council, so check with the council before changing windows on older properties there. Call 01753 965 005 to book a free survey.