Double glazing in Islington takes more planning than in most places, and Inspired Glazing is set up to help with it: we survey, make and fit aluminium windows and doors, UPVC windows, composite doors, secondary glazing and conservatories for houses and flats across the borough. Our aluminium frames come from our own workshop in Fifield, near Windsor, and are installed by our own team. We have no north London showroom. Islington is around 29 miles from Fifield by road, usually an hour or a little more, and our surveyors and fitters drive in from Fifield for every job.
Get a free, fixed-price quote in Islington
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.
Three questions to settle before you choose windows
1. Is the house in one of Islington’s 42 conservation areas?
Islington Council has designated 42 conservation areas, a remarkable number for London’s second-smallest borough. They range from Barnsbury, Canonbury, Highbury Fields and Clerkenwell Green to Tufnell Park, Hillmarton, Newington Green, Stroud Green and Whitehall Park. In some of them the council has also made Article 4(2) directions, which mean that minor works such as replacing external windows and doors, or painting the outside brickwork, can need planning permission. The council publishes an online map showing which properties are covered. Check it, and check with Islington Council, before ordering anything for a front elevation.
2. Is it a house or a flat?
Islington was the most densely populated local authority in England and Wales at the 2011 census, and its council estates, purpose-built blocks and subdivided terraces hold a great many flats. Flats have no householder permitted development rights, so window changes on a flat can need planning permission wherever it is. Leaseholders also need the freeholder’s written agreement in most cases.
3. What will the street see?
Council design guidance for areas such as Barnsbury and Canonbury treats original windows, especially to principal rooms, as part of the character to be kept, and lists timber among the traditional materials for windows and doors. Rear elevations, basements and later extensions usually leave more freedom.
Islington’s houses, street by street
Barnsbury’s character comes from formal late-Georgian and early-Victorian terraces and squares in brick and stucco, with details such as the sphinxes on Richmond Avenue. Canonbury was built mostly in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries on the old Elizabethan Canonbury manor, centred on Canonbury House and its tower; Canonbury Square is one of the earliest and finest squares in the borough, and many surrounding streets are lined with mid-Victorian semi-detached villas. Holloway, by contrast, was largely rural until the late nineteenth century and urbanised quickly, leaving Victorian terraces alongside council estates such as the Andover estate and newer developments.
Which of our products fit
Listed or Article 4 frontages. We do not make timber windows. Where originals must stay, secondary glazing fitted inside the existing sashes or casements is often the most practical upgrade, and it helps with noise from Holloway Road, Upper Street and the railway lines.
Rear extensions and garden flats. Reynaers ConceptPatio 130 sliding doors, Smart Visofold or Cortizo bifold doors and roof lanterns bring light into the long, narrow ground floors typical of terraced houses.
Modern and post-war homes. Aluminium windows, including the Reynaers SlimLine 68 casement and the Cortizo and Alunet ranges, suit contemporary infill and later conversions. UPVC windows on the Selecta Advance 70 system and composite doors are cost-effective where planning allows.
Houses with a decent garden can also take one of our conservatories or orangeries, subject to planning. For a timber appearance without timber, we offer woodgrain-finish UPVC and aluminium, and composite doors.
Neighbourhoods we serve
We work throughout the borough, including Angel, Barnsbury, Canonbury, Highbury, Holloway, Archway, Tufnell Park, Newington Green, Clerkenwell and the Islington side of Finsbury Park. Neighbouring boroughs: Camden, Hackney and Haringey.
Getting it done from Fifield
The south of the borough, below Pentonville Road and City Road, sits inside the central London Congestion Charge zone, so we plan fitting days carefully. A surveyor visits first to measure, photograph and discuss the design, then you receive a written quote. Aluminium windows start from £400, lead times start from 10 days, and all our work carries a 10-year guarantee. Read our double glazing cost guide and our guide to planning permission for replacement windows before you decide.
Free survey
To book a free survey in Islington, ring 01753 965 005, message 07934 152 343 on WhatsApp, or request a quote. Someone is on the phone from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out if my Islington house is covered by an Article 4 direction?
Islington Council publishes a conservation area Article 4 map online showing which properties are affected. If yours is covered, replacing external windows or doors, or painting the brickwork, may need planning permission. With 42 conservation areas in the borough, it is worth checking before you order. Contact Islington Council's planning team if the map is unclear.
Can you fit double glazing in a flat in a converted Islington terrace?
Often, yes, once the consents are in place. Flats have no householder permitted development rights, so planning permission may be needed, and your lease will usually require the freeholder's written consent. If the building is in a conservation area the council may also want windows to match the originals. We can quote once you know what is allowed.
Is secondary glazing a good option for a Georgian house in Barnsbury or Canonbury?
It can be. Council guidance for these areas encourages keeping original windows, especially to principal rooms. Secondary glazing sits inside the existing frames, so the street view is unchanged, while draughts and road noise are reduced. If the house is listed, check with Islington Council, as internal works can also need consent.
Does the Congestion Charge zone affect fitting work in Islington?
Only the southern part of Islington, below Pentonville Road and City Road, is inside the central London Congestion Charge zone. We take that into account when planning survey and fitting days, and the written quote you receive after the survey sets out the price for your job. Aluminium windows start from £400, and the final figure depends on size, glass and the number of windows.
How long does it take your team to reach Islington?
Our team is based at our workshop in Fifield, near Windsor. Islington is around 29 miles away by road, usually an hour or a little more depending on traffic. We have no office in north London, so we agree survey and installation dates in advance and travel in from Fifield.