We feel extremely privileged to have the Bournville Village Trust conservation area located on our doorstep. Throughout our 37 years of trading we have always strived to work alongside and support Bournville Village Trust (“BVT”) in their goal to preserve the area whilst recognising the need to develop properties to modern standards.

We take the view that it is our responsibility to advise potential clients as to the guidelines that they are expected to follow, and we always offer to take care of the entire process of making applications directly to BVT for any proposed work – taking all of the burden off our clients in the process.

We would be delighted to speak to you if you are considering any home improvement projects this year to ensure your projects meet guidelines; as part of our design consultation we would take in to consideration the following important aspects:

• Design: When designing the new installation it is likely that you will need to closely replicate what you are replacing. E.g. If you currently have windows that feature a Georgian bar design then it’s often the case that this will be a requirement of the new installation too.
• Finish: It’s also likely that any new installation will have to match exactly or closely resemble the original finish. i.e. if you currently have wooden windows then it’s likely that a standard white UPVC window may not suffice as a replacement. The good news is that there are a number of excellent replica UPVC and composite materials on the market today which can replicate the original finish of wood and tick all the right boxes as far as planning authorities are concerned.
• Functionality: It is crucial to remember that modern windows are designed so that they offer excellent means of escape in case of fire and also feature excellent security and energy efficiency features. Sometimes these modern features are not in line with the planning authorities wishes but it’s often the case that a compromise has to be found that satisfies both parties.

Every installation needs to be carefully designed and sometimes it’s necessary to tweak a client’s original proposals should BVT decide that any special requirements have to be considered during the process. We are very happy to liaise with both parties to ensure that the best result is achieved for everybody concerned.

Here at Finesse we see it as our responsibility to play our part in the conservation of the history of the buildings in Birmingham but also wish to provide our customers with the best products in terms of aesthetics, security and warmth! Therefore, we are always on hand should you require advice about the best way to approach your replacement window or door project.