Inspired Glazing fits double glazing in Ely and the surrounding Fen villages. We fabricate aluminium windows and doors in our own workshop at Fifield, near Windsor, and install them with our own fitters. We also supply UPVC windows and doors, composite doors and conservatories. Aluminium windows start from £400, with lead times from 10 days and a 10-year guarantee. Ely is a long way from our base, so we are upfront about planning the work around the journey.
Get a free, fixed-price quote in Ely
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.
The Isle of Ely and its brick
Ely sits on raised ground above the flat fen, and its buildings tell the story of the city in layers. The streets around the cathedral, Palace Green and the High Street keep a medieval plan, with many timber-framed buildings hidden behind 18th-century brick fronts. Gault brick is the common material across the city, with red brick on some early high-status houses and on mid-Victorian Gothic buildings, and slate or plain tile roofs. The railway arrived in the 1840s and brought terraces to streets such as West End and St John’s Road. After the Second World War, large housing estates spread to the east and north-east, followed more recently by new development across the edges of the city.
Ely Conservation Area
East Cambridgeshire District Council is the planning authority. The Ely Conservation Area was designated in 1975 and extended in 1981, 1995 and 2007. It covers the cathedral precinct, the High Street and Market Place, the riverside at Waterside and Quayside, and residential streets including St Mary’s Street, Cambridge Road and West End. The council’s appraisal asks that new windows respond to the host building and its neighbours, with attention to glazing patterns and the balance of wall to opening. It also prefers flush conservation-style rooflights, rarely on front slopes.
If your home is inside the conservation area, listed, or a flat, check with East Cambridgeshire District Council before you commit. Our planning guide for replacement windows sets out the right questions to ask.
Weather on the fen edge
The open, flat land around Ely gives wind a long run at houses on the city’s edges and in villages such as Prickwillow and Little Downham. Well-sealed modern frames make a real difference to draughts here. The Great Ouse runs past Waterside, so homes on the lowest ground may be in a flood zone; if yours is, let us know before survey.
What we would suggest for different Ely homes
- Gault-brick terraces and cottages: slim aluminium windows or woodgrain-finish UPVC to keep a traditional profile. We do not make timber windows.
- Post-war estates: Reynaers SlimLine 68 outward-opening casements, or UPVC windows and doors on the Selecta Advance 70 system where cost matters most.
- Newer family homes: Reynaers ConceptPatio 130 sliding doors, Smart Visofold or Cortizo bifolds, and a composite front door.
- More living space: conservatories, orangeries and roof lanterns.
Waterside and the riverside streets
The council gives the riverside around Waterside, Quayside, Annesdale and the Cresswells its own design guidance because of its historic setting and views. If you own one of the older cottages here, expect closer attention to how new frames look from the street and from the river, and talk to the council early.
Fen villages we cover
Besides the city, we work in Littleport, Soham, Stretham, Witchford, Little Downham and Prickwillow. Littleport, Soham, Stretham and Little Downham each have conservation areas, again run by East Cambridgeshire District Council. Nearby town pages include Cambridge, Newmarket and St Ives.
How we handle the distance
Ely is roughly 100 miles from Fifield by road, typically around two and a quarter hours via the M25, M11 and A10. We do not have a showroom or office in Cambridgeshire. Instead, we plan surveys and installations in advance around the journey and give you firm dates.
The process is simple. A surveyor visits, measures and talks through frame styles, colours and glass. You receive a written quote, and our double glazing cost guide explains what drives the figure. Aluminium frames are made in our Fifield workshop, then our own team travels to Ely, removes the old windows and fits the new ones.
Request a free survey in Ely
Call 01753 965 005 or send a WhatsApp to 07934 152 343. We are available Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm. You can also request a free quote online.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Ely Conservation Area mean for new windows?
The council's appraisal asks that windows respect the building and its neighbours, including glazing patterns and proportions. Whether you need permission depends on the property: listed buildings and flats always need approval of some kind. Check with East Cambridgeshire District Council before ordering, and we will supply product details for any application.
Will new double glazing help with draughts on the fen edge?
Modern sealed frames reduce draughts noticeably compared with old, warped or poorly sealed windows, which matters on exposed sites around Ely. Our aluminium and UPVC windows have multi-point locks and weather seals. At survey we also check the gaps around existing frames, because draughts often come from the surround rather than the glass.
Do you cover Soham and Littleport?
Yes. We cover Soham, Littleport, Stretham, Witchford, Little Downham and Prickwillow as well as Ely. Soham, Littleport, Stretham and Little Downham have conservation areas, so check with East Cambridgeshire District Council if your home is inside one. Surveys and installations are booked in advance around the journey from Fifield.
Can I get windows that look like timber for a gault-brick cottage?
We do not make timber windows. The timber-look options are woodgrain-finish UPVC and slim aluminium in heritage colours, which suit pale gault brick well. At survey we look at the existing openings and suggest the closest match. Composite doors also come in woodgrain textures for the front door.
How far is Ely from your workshop?
Ely is roughly 100 miles from our Fifield workshop by road, a drive of around two and a quarter hours. We have no local office, so we plan surveys and fitting days well ahead and keep the number of trips to a minimum. Aluminium windows have lead times from 10 days once the order is confirmed.