Godstone based Govette Windows was understandably proud to have won the Best Domestic Project category at the inaugural Steel Window Association Awards in 2024, but the accolade has brought the company wider acclaim and more recently led directly to it securing a contract for another residential client in the same Surrey town.
For when the owners of a six-bedroom Edwardian house in Weybridge asked if there were any nearby examples of Govette Window’s expertise at producing door screens using the iconic W20 steel sections, the SWA member was able to show them another elegant home where project architect, Concept Eight had designed a wraparound extension. Across the three elevations, Govette’s installation opened the kitchen and dining room to views of the rear garden: impressing the award judges.
Completed last autumn, the work on this three-storey detached property saw Govette design, manufacture and glaze high performance doors and windows for a total of five openings, achieving a BFRC ‘B’ rating. As well as relying on very accurate fabrication for airtightness, the make-up of the doors and windows offers a centre pane U-value of 1.1 W/m2K, with the 18mm thick Krypton filled IG units also featuring warm edge spacer bars. The W20 frames are hot dip galvanised to ensure an extended, low-maintenance working life and are finished using a RAL 9004, ‘Signal Black’ powder coat paint system.
Of the three door screens, two are 3600mm wide by 2400mm high, while the narrower third set features an apex top section. All three pairs of doors are protected by multi-point, five bolt locks on the primary opening leaf. Fellow SWA member company Steel Window Fittings supplied the Rose handles for the doors and opening lights atop the two windows.
The client, Gerry McGurk, project managed the job himself as a series of packages and reflected: “The work was split up between a builder, a kitchen contractor and Govette to supply and fit the fenestration, with it all working out very well. We were primarily seeking the characteristic look of steel windows which we think is superior to aluminium and suits the Edwardian style of the house: with the slim profile as well as the strength and security aspects.
“Then in terms of choosing Govette there were two main aspects – firstly being able to view images and had a call the owner of the property nearby which had won them the Steel Window Association award. Then visiting the factory, it was very interesting to be able to talk to the guys who make the doors and windows, to understand their work. Rather than just dealing with a sales department, first and foremost you get to see the pride they take in the build – you’re dealing with people who own and run the business and work on the tools.”
Collectively the SWA’s membership is able to undertake detailed restoration and ‘Replica Refurbishment’ work as well as the manufacture of new window systems achieving and even exceeding the latest requirement to Part L of the Building Regulations, to suit all styles of architecture.
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