About Us
Since 2008, We’ve been supplying original reclaimed cast iron radiators and new classic style cast iron radiators to discerning homes and heritage buildings. Based on the outskirts of the beautiful city of York, Vintage Cast Iron Radiators have made it their mission to bring to you the highest quality radiators using traditional craftsmanship and cutting edge techniques. Meet the family team, read our core values and understand what makes our business so special and unique.
Andrew Whittingham - Company Founder
Whilst undertaking an extensive home renovation project, Andrew found a lack of information and expertise on how to work with a set of salvaged antique cast iron radiators that he’d acquired. All the companies he spoke to were content with undertaking a purely cosmetic exercise, which would potentially damage them even more. This lack of desire to properly renovate these antique radiators led Andrew to decide to learn how to do it himself.
An art graduate with a keen eye for detail and design flair, and a varied career ranging from HR director to helicopter pilot, Andrew yearned to establish a business that would enable him to use the engineering skills acquired over a lifetime of mechanical and renovation projects. Using these talents and an eye for tasteful design, he devoted himself to establishing a company that could restore and source traditional cast iron radiators, helping customers to add the perfect finishing touch to their homes.
Based upon Andrew’s principle of sound advice instead of a hard sell, over the last ten years, Vintage Cast Iron Radiators has carved out a well-respected niche within the cast iron radiator renovation and sales industry. Earning an enviable client list that includes high profile restoration and new build programs, prestigious national heritage buildings and many individuals creating their dream homes.
Asked why he thinks the business has been so successful ;
“I have always believed that every client deserves a personal and bespoke service.
From the outset, my goal was to differentiate us from the high turnover, low product quality competitors by offering a trusted service, reliable cast iron radiators and exceptional aftercare.”
Andrew’s favourite cast iron radiator? - ‘A classic grey blue finish on a vintage ‘princess’ style radiator.’
Fliss Whittingham - Sales and Marketing Manager
Hailing from a luxury sales background, Fliss joined the family business with Dad, Andrew after a career successfully managing a fine art gallery for a large high street company and previously heading up a flagship boutique jewellery store. Having always held a fascination for design, art and antiques it was a natural progression for Fliss to come onboard with Vintage Cast Iron Radiators.
Responsible for answering all your queries, liaising with clients, social media, marketing, web design and commercial project management. Fliss’s background in high-end client service, interior design and product workings give her the experience to provide our clients with an expert opinion on not only style but also function and suitability. Not content with being in charge of all that, you can also find her, tools in hand, putting together our cast iron radiators. After all, you can’t confidently advise if you don’t know how it works!
When asked why she joined the company ;
“My Dad & I hold very similar values. We believe in offering an honest opinion and above all an enjoyable experience to every client. We deal with some of the most beautiful, everyday objects you can find in a home. Beauty and functionality! Who wouldn’t want to be part of that? ”
Fliss’s favourite cast iron radiator? - ‘Its got to be a bold coloured, vintage Edwardian four column’.
OUR COMPANY THRIVES BECAUSE OF OUR VALUES
High quality service - We’re here to serve you. Without you, Vintage Cast Iron Radiators wouldn’t exist! That’s why we ensure that we do everything in our power to make sure that when you order from us, you know exactly what you can expect in terms of quality, finish and delivery timescale. We strive to be upfront and honest about our pricing and terms. If you’re one of our commercial clients, we offer a full estimate and quotation alongside a professional scope of work document that we individually tailor to your job specifications.
Transparent pricing - With so many different cast iron radiator options it can be hard to accurately compare prices. We believe that to simply click a button and buy online does you, the customer, a disservice. You’re worth more to us than just a sale so take advantage of our expertise and advice. Our bespoke sales process means that you won’t pay over (or under) the odds for a radiator that is too small or large for your room. We always provide you with a full quotation before commencing any work. No surprises or hidden extras.
Honest advice - We’ll always give you our expert opinion regardless if it loses us money or a sale. If your old radiator is beyond fixing or not worth the investment - we’ll tell you. The cast iron radiator that you’ve chosen is far bigger than you need even though it costs twice as much as the one that you actually need? We’ll tell you that your needs would be best suited to the smaller one.
No hard sell - There’s nothing worse than visiting a showroom and feeling pressured to make a decision there and then. When you visit our showroom and workshop, you’ll never feel under pressure to make a decision straight away. We understand that you need time to choose the perfect cast iron radiator for your home and we encourage you to think carefully about your investment before committing.
Educate and Inform - When you visit our showroom and workshop, be prepared for the tour! You’ll get a full overview of how cast iron radiators work, are put together and the level of skill it takes to produce our vintage and new radiators. We are constantly being asked to repair broken, leaking, mass-produced radiators that make up the vast majority of cast iron radiators on the market today. Regardless of whether you purchase from us now or in the future, we want you to be informed of the pitfalls of buying cheap radiators. We’ll happily give you some tips on what to look for when purchasing.
Sustainability - Where possible, we are always looking to reduce our carbon footprint and the effect we have on our environment. To do our bit, we reuse our blast media, we don’t over order paints and we keep our metal waste to a minimum. Cast Iron radiators are an efficient way to heat your home. They retain heat a lot longer than their steel counterparts and if you buy vintage, you’re reducing the need for scrappage and landfill. We’re very lucky to have a fully trained energy efficiency expert on our team. If you’d like any advice on how to reduce the heat loss in your home or even how to reduce your heating bills, please do ask.
Locally sourced materials and parts - Through years of experience, we are able to design and produce many of our own working parts for the renovation process. One of the best parts of being located in Yorkshire, apart from its history and industrial beauty, is its wealth of engineers and small scale manufacturers. Need a part for a hundred-year-old antique cast iron radiator that hasn’t been manufactured for almost a century? Yorkshire engineering businesses can provide! We are committed to sourcing any parts that we can’t make ourselves from local businesses.
Passion for our work - It’s plain for all to see that we’re passionate about what we do. We seek to constantly adapt and grow as a company by providing the best quality cast iron radiators and unrivalled service.
Radiators And Radiator Renovation
There used to be a myth that cast iron radiators are strictly for period style living. We’ve found that with careful selection, and contemporary colour choices, cast iron radiators can provide the perfect finishing touch to any home.
Our regular customers might remember us as “Radiator Renovator”, we’ve now changed our name to better reflect the services we provide, and to help new customers find us more easily.
We can supply original reclaimed cast iron radiators and new classic style cast iron radiators that will bring a sense of history and beauty to your home. We love a cast iron radiator; a fusion of beauty and function, both new and vintage cast iron radiators can be an asset in almost any setting.
Visit our showroom in York, where we have both vintage and reproduction radiators on display, along with a wide range of accessories.
As an additional service we also provide blast cleaning for classic car, motorcycle, beams, metals, etc to name but a few applications. As keen motorcycle enthusiasts ourselves we’re always happy to undertake work on your own beloved gem. Please feel free to contact us regarding any blast cleaning work you may need.
If you’d like to learn a little more about cast iron radiators, please take a look at our articles page. If you’d like to see some of our work, head over to the projects page or follow us on Instagram , Facebook or YouTube to keep up to date with our current projects. If you’re seeking inspiration, maybe our gallery can help. Alternatively, click the image below for help on choosing the perfect radiator for your home.
