Draught Proofing Service for Homes in London
A proper draught proofing service seals the gaps around windows, doors, floorboards, letterboxes and loft hatches that let cold air in and warm air escape. On a typical London terraced house, a two-person team can finish the whole job in half a day to a full day, and the work usually costs between £150 and £600 depending on how many openings need sealing and whether you have original sash windows. Most households notice warmer rooms and a quieter house within the first cold week after the work is done.
On This Page
- What a Draught Proofing Service Actually Covers
- Draught Proofing Cost in London
- Signs Your Home Needs Draught Proofing
- Draught Proofing Sash Windows
- Draught Proofing vs Double Glazing
- The Mistake That Costs More Than It Saves
- Areas We Cover
- How to Book the Work
- Frequently Asked Questions
What a Draught Proofing Service Actually Covers
Draught proofing is not one product applied everywhere. It is a survey followed by a mix of brush strips, compression seals, foam tape, draught excluders and sealant chosen for each gap. A handyman surveying a Victorian terrace in Battersea or a mansion block flat in Marylebone will usually find draughts coming from five or six different sources, not one.
The standard scope covers sash and casement windows, external doors, letterboxes, keyholes, loft hatches, suspended timber floors (common in period houses across Clapham, Fulham and Putney), and unused chimneys or fireplaces. Modern flats in developments around Canary Wharf tend to have fewer floor and chimney issues but often leak around aluminium window frames and letterbox plates that were never properly fitted.
A good survey takes 20 to 30 minutes before any work starts. If a tradesman quotes a flat price over the phone without seeing the property, treat that as a guess, not a quote.
Draught Proofing Cost in London
Prices below are typical ranges for London. They vary with property age, the number of openings, and whether sash windows need specialist seals. Always confirm a firm price after a survey rather than a phone estimate.
| Job | Typical time | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Single sash window | 30 to 45 minutes | £35 to £60 |
| Single casement window | 20 to 30 minutes | £25 to £45 |
| External door set | 20 to 30 minutes | £30 to £55 |
| Letterbox brush or flap | 15 minutes | £20 to £35 |
| Floorboard sealing, per room | 1 to 2 hours | £80 to £150 |
| Loft hatch seal | 20 minutes | £25 to £40 |
| Chimney draught excluder (unused) | 30 minutes | £40 to £70 |
| Whole house package, average 3 bed terrace | Half day to full day | £350 to £600 |
A one or two bedroom flat with no suspended floor and modern windows often finishes nearer £150 to £250. A four or five bedroom period house in Kensington or Hampstead with original sash windows throughout can run closer to £550 to £700 once every window, door and floor gap is sealed properly. Ask for a written breakdown by room, not a single lump figure, so you can see where the money is going.
Signs Your Home Needs Draught Proofing
You can usually find the problem yourself before calling anyone. Hold a lit candle or a damp hand near window frames, door edges, letterboxes and skirting boards on a windy day. Movement in the flame or a cold line on your hand marks a draught.
- Curtains move slightly when windows and doors are closed
- One room is noticeably colder than the rest of the house despite the same heating
- You can hear outside noise clearly through a closed window, which often means the seal has failed, not just the glass
- Cold air at floor level in rooms with original timber floors, common in Edwardian and Victorian houses in Wimbledon and Dulwich
- Higher gas bills year on year despite no change in usage
If you are also planning new curtains or blinds, it is worth timing the two jobs together. Heavier lined curtains fitted properly add a second barrier against the exact draughts this service removes, and our curtain and blind fitting service in London is often booked in the same visit.
Draught Proofing Sash Windows
Sash windows are the single biggest source of heat loss in period London homes, and they are also the part most owners assume cannot be fixed without replacement. That is wrong in most cases. A proper sash draught proofing job fits brush pile seals into the running channels, a compression seal where the two sashes meet, and a seal along the bottom rail, without affecting how the window opens or its original appearance.
This matters in conservation areas across Chelsea, Notting Hill and Primrose Hill, where planning restrictions often prevent replacing original windows with double glazing anyway. Draught proofing the existing sashes is usually the only improvement allowed, and it is also considerably cheaper than new windows, typically £35 to £60 per window against several hundred pounds per window for a full replacement.
Draught Proofing vs Double Glazing
Draught proofing stops air movement through gaps. Double glazing reduces heat transfer through the glass itself. They solve different problems and most homes need both addressed, but not necessarily at the same cost.
| Draught proofing | Double glazing | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost per window | £25 to £60 | £400 to £900+ |
| Time per window | 20 to 45 minutes | Half day to full day |
| Planning permission needed in conservation areas | No | Often yes |
| Tackles heat loss through glass | No | Yes |
| Tackles air leaks and draughts | Yes | Partially, frame only |
In a lot of South Kensington and Belgravia flats, the original single glazed sashes are protected by conservation rules, so draught proofing is the more realistic and cheaper improvement available. In less restricted areas, both measures together give the biggest reduction in heating bills.
The Mistake That Costs More Than It Saves
The most expensive mistake is sealing every gap in the house, including trickle vents, air bricks and the gaps under suspended timber floors, with no thought given to ventilation. Older solid wall houses, common across Clapham, Battersea and Islington, rely on a certain amount of background airflow. Block it all and you get condensation on cold walls, mould on ceilings, and in the worst cases wet rot in floor joists that nobody notices until the floor feels spongy underfoot. Fixing rotten joists and treating damp after the fact routinely costs several times more than the heating bill you were trying to save.
A competent draught proofing service leaves trickle vents and permanent air bricks alone, and only seals gaps that serve no ventilation purpose: window frames, door edges, letterboxes and unused chimneys. If your house has a damp or condensation history already, say so before work starts. It changes what should and should not be sealed.
Areas We Cover
We carry out draught proofing across London, with particular experience in period properties around Chelsea, Kensington, Wimbledon, Knightsbridge, Mayfair and Belgravia, where original sash windows and solid wall construction are the norm. We also work regularly in Notting Hill, Holland Park, Fulham, Hampstead, Richmond, Marylebone, St John's Wood, Battersea, Clapham, Putney, Islington, Highgate, Primrose Hill, Barnes, Dulwich, Kew and South Kensington, plus newer flats around Canary Wharf where the issues tend to be letterboxes and frame seals rather than floors and chimneys.
If your property also needs loft insulation topping up alongside draught proofing, our loft boarding service in London is often combined into the same booking, since both jobs reduce heat loss and a loft hatch is one of the most commonly missed draught points.
How to Book the Work
We start with a short phone or video survey where you walk us through the problem rooms, then confirm a fixed price before anyone arrives. Most jobs are booked within the week, and a standard terraced house is usually finished in a single visit. If other small jobs have built up around the house, such as a sticking door or a loose skirting board, it is worth mentioning them at booking. Our small jobs and odd job handyman service can often cover minor repairs in the same visit, which saves a second call out fee.
For larger properties or whole-house projects that also need general upkeep planning, our property maintenance service in London covers draught proofing as part of a broader seasonal schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does draught proofing cost in London?
A single window or door typically costs £25 to £60 to draught proof. A whole house package for an average three bedroom terrace, covering windows, doors, letterbox, loft hatch and floorboards, usually runs £350 to £600. Larger period houses with original sash windows throughout can cost £550 to £700. Get a fixed price after a short survey rather than a phone estimate.
Is draught proofing worth it?
Yes, for most London homes. It is one of the cheapest home improvements that produces a noticeable result, often within the first cold week. It also pays for itself faster than double glazing, since the cost per window is a fraction of the price, and it does not require planning permission in conservation areas, which covers much of Chelsea, Kensington and Notting Hill.
Can sash windows be draught proofed without replacing them?
Yes. Brush pile seals fitted into the running channels and a compression seal where the sashes meet remove most of the draught without altering how the window opens or looks. This is standard practice on period properties and is usually the only option allowed in conservation areas where replacement glazing needs planning consent.
How long does draught proofing take to complete?
A single window or door takes 15 to 45 minutes. A full house, including all windows, doors, letterbox, loft hatch and floorboards, usually takes half a day to a full day with a two-person team. The exact time depends on the number of openings and whether sash windows, which take longer per window, make up most of the work.
Do I still need draught proofing if I have double glazing?
Often yes. Double glazing reduces heat loss through the glass, but it does not stop air leaking around the frame, the letterbox, the loft hatch or gaps under the floor. Many homes with relatively new double glazed windows still have significant draughts from these other sources, which a draught proofing survey will identify.
Will draught proofing cause condensation or damp?
It can if done carelessly, specifically if trickle vents, air bricks or all floor ventilation are sealed up along with the draughts. Done properly, a draught proofing service only seals gaps that serve no ventilation purpose and leaves permanent vents untouched, which avoids the condensation and mould risk entirely.
Can I draught proof my home myself?
Basic jobs like letterbox brushes and door bottom seals are reasonable DIY tasks. Sash window seals and floorboard sealing are harder to get right without leaving gaps or damaging original joinery, and getting the ventilation balance wrong is the main risk with any DIY approach. For period properties in particular, a professional survey usually finds more draught sources than homeowners spot themselves.
How long does draught proofing last before it needs redoing?
Good quality seals on windows and doors typically last 10 to 15 years before the brush pile or compression seal wears down and needs replacing. Letterbox brushes and foam strips in high use areas may need refreshing sooner, often every 5 to 8 years, depending on how much the door or window is used.