Sash cord replacement in London
Silver Saints replace broken sash cords on traditional box sash windows across London, so a sash that drops or will not stay up holds wherever you leave it. Fixed prices by cord.
Experienced handymen we know, not an app of anonymous bidders.
When one cord snaps, its partner is the same age. Doing both, or all four, is usually the better value.
No call-out fee. Saturday at the weekday rate.
What we fix
A box sash hangs on cords that run over pulleys to cast-iron weights hidden in the frame. When a cord snaps the sash drops, and when a weight has rusted light the sash drifts even on sound cords.
A broken sash cord
The classic snap, with the sash dropping or slamming shut.
A sash that will not stay up
Slides back down once you let go, a cord gone or a weight out of balance.
Replace all four cords
Every cord in the window done in one strip-out, which is the best value per cord.
Frayed cords before they snap
Replaced while the sash still works, rather than after it drops.
Rebalance after secondary glazing
Extra glass adds weight the original counterweights were never sized for.
An underweight period sash
Cast-iron weights lose mass to rust over a century, checked and corrected.
A stuck or painted-shut sash
Cut free and eased, with the beads lifted in one piece.
Noisy or grating pulleys
Freed off and serviced so the cord runs smoothly.
Beads refitted cleanly
Staff and parting beads pinned back so the window looks untouched.
We work on traditional box sash windows, counterweights and pulleys, staff and parting beads, and timber sashes and period joinery, fitting waxed cotton cord with a nylon core or a solid nylon braid.
Modern window with no cords? See sash balance repairs. Different job? See draught proofing sash windows, easing a swollen or sticking sash or fitting sash fasteners and window locks, all of which can be done in the same visit.
What it costs
A fixed price set by which cords need doing, not an hourly rate. Because a snapped cord means its partner is the same age and not far behind, both cords on a sash, or all four in a window, is usually the sensible choice.
Prices exclude VAT. Rebalancing after secondary glazing, or correcting an underweight sash, is checked as part of the job.
How a cord is replaced
Dust sheets go down, then the staff bead is eased off. On a London period window it has usually been painted over many times, so it is cut free and lifted gently to keep it in one piece.
The lower sash comes out, the parting bead is removed, and the weight pockets are opened so the old cord can be taken off and the weights inspected.
New waxed cotton cord with a nylon core, or a solid nylon braid, is tied back to the weight at the correct length so the sash balances, then the beads are refitted and pinned and the window tested.
Where we cover
We cover all London boroughs plus the TW, KT, CR and BR postcode areas. Original cord-and-weight sashes are everywhere in the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian housing of Islington, Camden, Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth and Hackney. In conservation areas and on listed buildings the original box frame usually has to be kept, and repairing the cords keeps it working without altering how it looks. Engineers cross central London by motorcycle and scooter, which means faster arrival and easier parking.
Landlords and letting agents
A sash that will not stay up is a safety issue as well as a nuisance, and one tenants report quickly.
On a single-cord call it is usually worth approving all four at £185 plus VAT: the other cords are the same age and the window is already stripped out.
Account invoicing and pre-approved spend limits are set out on our landlord services page.
Why do all four
The expensive part of a sash cord job is getting the beads and sashes out, not the cord.
Once the window is stripped, each extra cord costs far less, which is why all four is £185 plus VAT against £98 for one.
And it means the window will not be back on the list in six months when the next old cord goes.
Why Silver Saints
We are a managed service, not a bidding app: every Saint is a vetted professional we know personally, not a login on a marketplace.
Sash cord FAQs
How much does sash cord replacement cost in London?
Fixed prices: one inner cord £98 plus VAT, one outer £118, both inner £135, both outer £160, and all four £185 plus VAT, with no call-out fee.
Should I replace one cord or all four?
Usually all four. The other cords are the same age, and once the window is stripped each extra cord costs far less, so all four is £185 plus VAT.
Why won't my sash window stay up?
On a box sash it is almost always a broken cord, or a cast-iron weight that has rusted light. Silver Saints replaces the cord and checks the balance.
Can you repair my sash window today in London?
Often yes. Silver Saints usually has same or next day slots for sash cord replacement in London, with a one-hour arrival window on every booking.
What sash cord do you use?
Waxed cotton cord with a nylon core, or a solid nylon braid, which resists rot and stretch far better than the hemp originally fitted to most period sashes.
My sash got heavy after secondary glazing. Can you fix it?
Yes. The extra glass adds weight the original counterweights were never sized for, and Silver Saints rebalances the sash as part of the job.
Are you a job-board app like the marketplaces?
We are not a job-board app. Unlike marketplaces that match your job to the cheapest available bidder, Silver Saints contracts its own team of experienced, vetted, multi-skilled tradespeople, people we know personally and work with directly. From booking to billing, you get one accountable service and a real relationship, not an anonymous login from a gig-economy pool.
My window has no cords. Can you still repair it?
If it uses spiral balances instead of cords and weights, see our sash balance repairs page, which covers modern sash windows.
In summary
Silver Saints replace sash cords on traditional box sash windows across London at fixed prices: one inner cord £98 plus VAT, one outer £118, both inner £135, both outer £160 and all four £185 plus VAT. We fix broken cords, sashes that will not stay up, frayed cords before they snap, sashes made heavy by secondary glazing, underweight period sashes, stuck or painted-shut sashes and noisy pulleys. The staff and parting beads are lifted out in one piece, the weight pockets opened, and new waxed cotton or nylon cord tied to the weights at the correct length so the sash balances. There is no call-out fee and Saturday is the weekday rate. Call 0207 0999 199 or book at https://bookings.silversaints.com.
Sash dropping or cord gone?
Book online or call, and we'll sort it quickly with the Silver Service you deserve. Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm.
What's included in the service?
- Dust sheets laid and the work area protected before starting
- Careful removal of the staff bead and parting bead to free the sash
- Opening the weight pockets and inspecting the cast-iron weights
- New waxed cotton with nylon core or solid nylon braid cord fitted, rot and stretch resistant
- Cord tied to the weight at the correct length so the sash balances and stays in position
- Sash balance checked and corrected where an old sash has become underweight
- For modern windows: measuring visit, correct spiral balances ordered and fitted
- Beads refitted and pinned, window tested for smooth operation
- Fixed prices from £98+VAT per cord; spiral balances quoted after a £60+VAT measuring visit
- Same-day or next-day appointments with a one-hour arrival window, Monday to Saturday 8am to 5pm
Prices start at £98+vat
Sash balance repairs in London
Silver Saints repair and replace spiral sash balances on modern sash windows across London, matched to the exact size and weight of each sash so it holds at any position.
Experienced handymen we know, not an app of anonymous bidders.
A balance is rated to its sash, so we measure first and quote a fixed price before any work is booked.
No call-out fee. Saturday at the weekday rate.
What we fix
Most post-1960s and replacement sash windows run on spiral balances rather than cords and weights: a torsion spring inside a tube on each side of the sash, rated to that exact sash.
A sash that will not stay up
The spring has lost tension or snapped, so the sash drops when released.
Heavy or uneven on one side
One balance has failed before the other, so the sash tilts and binds.
A corroded or seized balance
Rust or debris inside the tube, so the spring no longer turns.
A previous repair that failed
Usually the wrong rating fitted, which is why we measure before ordering.
Measuring the sash
Height, width, weight and the existing balance length and gauge recorded.
Matched balances ordered
Rated to the exact sash, not a near-enough part from stock.
Timber and uPVC sashes
Replacement windows in conversions, ex-local-authority blocks and modern flats.
Refitted and tested
The sash counterbalances and holds at any position before we leave.
Cord or balance?
We tell you which system your window uses if you are not sure.
Original period box sash with cords and weights? See sash cord replacement. Different job? See draught proofing sash windows or fitting new window locks and fasteners, which can be done in the same visit.
What it costs
Because a spiral balance is rated to the exact size and weight of the sash, it cannot be swapped for any other. We measure on a first visit, order the right balances, and quote a fixed price for supply and fitting before anything is booked.
Prices exclude VAT. The fitting price is a fixed quote given after the measuring visit, so you know the cost before the work is booked.
Why we measure first
A spiral balance is a metal torsion spring inside a plastic tube, and its tension is rated to the exact height and weight of the sash it holds.
Fitting the wrong rating is the single most common reason a window that has already been repaired still will not stay open.
So the first visit records the sash size and weight and the existing balance length and gauge, the correct balances are ordered, and we return to fit and test them.
Where we cover
We cover all London boroughs plus the TW, KT, CR and BR postcode areas. Spiral balances are most common in timber and uPVC replacement windows fitted to conversions, ex-local-authority blocks and modern flats from the 1970s onwards, rather than in original Georgian and Victorian sashes. Engineers cross central London by motorcycle and scooter, which means faster arrival and easier parking.
Landlords and letting agents
Balance sashes are common across ex-local-authority and converted rental stock, and a dropping sash is reported quickly.
The measuring visit gives you a fixed quote to approve before any parts are ordered, so there is no open-ended bill.
Account invoicing and pre-approved spend limits are set out on our landlord services page.
Cords or balances?
Original period box sashes almost always run on cords and weights hidden in the frame.
Modern and replacement sashes usually run on spiral balances in tubes either side of the sash.
If you are not sure which you have, tell us when you book, or send a photo of the side of the sash, so we arrive ready for the right repair.
Why Silver Saints
We are a managed service, not a bidding app: every Saint is a vetted professional we know personally, not a login on a marketplace.
Sash balance FAQs
How much does a sash balance repair cost in London?
A £60 plus VAT measuring visit, then a fixed quote for supply and fitting, typically £95 to £135 plus VAT for a pair on a standard sash.
Why do you need to measure first?
A spiral balance is rated to the exact size and weight of the sash. Fitting the wrong rating is the most common reason a repaired window still drops.
Why won't my modern sash window stay open?
Usually a spiral balance that has lost tension, snapped or seized. Silver Saints measures the sash and fits matched replacements.
What is the difference between sash cords and sash balances?
Cords run over pulleys to hidden weights in a traditional box sash. Balances are spiral springs in tubes used in most modern sash windows instead.
My window was repaired before and still drops. Why?
Most often the wrong balance rating was fitted. Silver Saints measures the sash properly and orders balances matched to it.
Do you repair uPVC sash windows?
Yes. Spiral balances are used in both timber and uPVC replacement sashes, and Silver Saints repairs both.
Are you a job-board app like the marketplaces?
We are not a job-board app. Unlike marketplaces that match your job to the cheapest available bidder, Silver Saints contracts its own team of experienced, vetted, multi-skilled tradespeople, people we know personally and work with directly. From booking to billing, you get one accountable service and a real relationship, not an anonymous login from a gig-economy pool.
Is the work guaranteed?
Yes. Silver Saints gives a 12-month guarantee on labour and on parts we supply for sash balance repairs in London, against faulty workmanship or failed parts.
In summary
Silver Saints repair and replace spiral sash balances on modern timber and uPVC sash windows across London. We fix sashes that will not stay up, sashes heavy or uneven on one side, corroded or seized balances, and previous repairs that failed because the wrong rating was fitted. A £60 plus VAT measuring visit records the sash size and weight and the existing balance, the correct balances are ordered, and we return to fit them at a fixed quote, typically £95 to £135 plus VAT for a pair. There is no call-out fee and Saturday is the weekday rate. Call 0207 0999 199 or book at https://bookings.silversaints.com.
Modern sash dropping or stuck?
Book online or call, and we'll sort it quickly with the Silver Service you deserve. Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm.
What's included in the service?
- Initial measuring visit at £60+VAT to record sash size, weight and existing balance rating
- Correct spiral balances ordered to match the exact size and weight of the sash
- Fixed-price quote for supply and fitting before the work is booked, typically £95 to £135+VAT per pair
- Failed, corroded or seized balances removed and replaced with matched units
- Sash refitted and tested so it counterbalances and holds at any position
- Advice given where a window uses cords and weights rather than balances
- Same-day or next-day measuring appointments, subject to availability
- Agreed one-hour arrival window
- Appointments Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm, Saturday at the weekday rate
- Coverage across London and the TW, KT, CR and BR postcodes
- 12-month guarantee on all labour and parts supplied, fully insured work
Initial visit £60+vat
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