Sash Window / Kitchen Worktop Problem

[akyriacou]

Hi,

This is my first post on this forum, and would really appreciate some advice from anyone out there. I'm completely naive when it comes to most matters relating to DIY. Anyway, my problem: I'd like to fit my kitchen so that there is a worktop surface, with units and also my sink below a current sash window. However, the problem is that the top of my preferred kitchen + worktop will require clearance of 90cm, but the bottom of my sash window is only 85 cm from the floor. I've drawn a quick sketch of problem at

'd rather not replace the window with smaller one, since it's at front of house and it will look odd (and I've been told I may need council permission) Would it be possible to cut back the offending part of the window frame/sill so that my units and worktop can be installed flush against the wall? Or alternatively does anyone else have a suggestion.

Many thanks again for your help in this problem which is driving me mad.

Cheers

Ani

[Pecanfan]

We've got exactly the same problem in our kitchen and we ended up going for a design where the worktop actually drops around the window area - looks quirky and it makes quite a nice feature. It's a bigger drop on ours - exactly the height of kitchen drawers conveniently enough - so the units under the windows are basically the height of a standard unit minus a top drawer, if that makes sense. :-)

Only problem with this is that the drop is too great to realistically have a sink there - we ended up opting for moving the sink to the left - not directly in front of the window but you can still see out at an angle.

Alternatively, you could probably get away with cutting the sill out flush to the wall but any more than that and you'll probably hit the box of the sash, at a guess. Actually, looking on your drawing, could you not cut the sill out flush and then cut the worktop to neatly fit around the remaining part of the window?

Hope this helps!

Andy

[Lobster]

I'm sure the internal sill (which presumably protrudes furthest) could be removed without too much bother; you might be able to do similar with the rest of the troublesome frame (it's likely to have a seperate architrave round it). However, have you considered instead cutting away the worktop to go round the window, rather than hacking a probably nice-looking window to bits!? If you use normal 600mm deep worktops, there's usually a gap of 100mm behind the cupboard back which takes pipes, electrics etc; that would accomodate the window frame easily.

You'd probably want a bit of an upstand at the back of the worktop to stop stuff falling down the gap; probably also a good idea to attach a board to the front of the section of window frame which will be below worktop height so that (a) it looks OK from outside and (b) to stop the inevitable 'stuff' from falling down the back notwithstanding the upstand, and ending up behind your units.

Alternatively - just chop off the bottom of your units and have a worktop 60mm lower than normal! All units have quite a deep kicker board underneath which (probably) absorb that difference in height (you might have difficulty accomodating fridges/dishwashers and especially ovens though).

David

[Christian McArdle]

We did exactly this and it looks fine. The sill was actually below the worktop, so is still there. There's now just 3cm missing from the architrave. We said 50 Hail Marys for the damage to the original Edwardian wookwork.

The alternative was to cut the worktop to the architrave. However, we decided this would look worse and be quite costly in cutting costs (granite).

Christian.

[jacob]

I'd run it across the window without cutting into any of the old joinery at all - no prob. The chances are your kitchen will have a life of 10 years or so whereas the window if in good nick could be there for another 50 or more. It would be a pity to spoil it.

cheers

Jacob