Thoughts on woodgrain pvcu?

europa

I'm renovating a 1930s three-bed semi in NW London to add a loft conversion and single-storey side and rear extensions. Builders would normally fit standard white PVCu windows, but have quoted me 4k+vat extra for white woodgrain effect.

Do any of you have any experience with woodgrain-effect windows? I think they would look a lot nice than standard (shiny) white plastic, but 5k is a fair bit of money and i'm trying to decide whether they will add value.

phoenix_w

They will add little value and depending on when you sell the property the value difference may be zero/negligible anyhow. You need to consider whether the property would look "right" with standard uPVC vs. the grained effect more than anything. For example - my house was thrown up in the 70's and surrounded by houses in white and faux-woodgrain PVC. Bland white windows are fine. My relative lives in a period property where anything but wood or very expensive & tastefully disguised PVC would be blasphemous.

jbainbridge

Depends ... some look really cheap and nasty. Make sure you see a sample first. I'd be worried they will weather and fade ... and not look so good.

The white frames don't really upset me ... but some don't like them.

System

i'm sure it cost me something like 50 quid extra per window (only had it on the external side right enough) and it was a while ago, but can't imagine it's that much more than standard pvc

lg13mza

We had all our windows replaced recently by a long time friend with his own fensa registered company. He quoted me a price increase of 25% more (frames only) for anything other than white. So, unless your quote for white is around £40k I think your builder is pulling your leg.

europa

They could well be pulling my leg as they clearly don't want to do it (due to the length of time it takes to order). The standard plain pvcu is included in the project price, so i don't have a quotation for that. But my guess is in the region of 15-20k incl vat to include exterior and bifold doors. So 5k extra is about 25-30%. They did give me the option to only do the exteriors (for half price), but i don't see the point as its the interiors that concern me most.

It's worth noting that we are not talking a period property here. Most of the other houses in the street just have plain white pvcu. But if woodgrain won't pay for itself, i am inclined to just save the 5k.

Sugarcandy

I have these windows and I love them. They don't look as shiny and plastic as the normal ones, but I must warn you they are not as brilliant white more a winter white.

Grenage

We've a 1905 house, and while most of the windows are wooden, the three newest additions are unfortunately PVC. The previous owners did opt for the woodgrain effect, and it does make it look a lot better.

White PVC would look bloody awful in our house.

JohnB47

Do you mean wood coloured and woodgrain, or white and woodgrain (which I've never heard of)?


We have mid-brown coloured (oak?) woodgrain effect pvc windows and they look really good on our 1930 built semi.


If you do mean coloured, watch out for possible problems with expansion on south facing aspects. We have had continuous problems with our patio doors - even replacing the originals with 'better' ones but both suffer from problems when in direct sun for a while. They expand and make it difficult/impossible to open and close in high summer. We've had the fitters out two or three times each year to adjust them and the 5 year warranty period is about to run out, which gives us a problem.


Also, although we went for brown on both inside and outside of all windows, we wish we'd gone for white insides for the bathroom ones.

BJV

I have to say that it will depend on the house.

I do remember getting a quote for a house we had and can not remember why but i was convinced that wood grain would look better. The window man who we have used on lots of projects advised me that unless you spend an absolute fortune the windows will not be as hard wearing in that they would scratch a lot easier. With cat,dogs, kids we went for the white.

£5,000 is a lot of money so ???? up to you but you can buy a hell of a lot of blinds and curtain for £5K ha ha

europa

I mean white woodgrain, like this:
http://www.thecavendishgroup.com/images/window10.jpg
http://harp-windows.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/WIN-EVO-storm-interior.jpg