Sash window renovation

ACunningham

Hello, I need some advice we bought a house that needs the sash windows renovating as the previous owner didn't look after them as well as she should have. I have had two companies out to quote. Firstly they are quoting to renovate and then to replace the sash for wood double glazed units. We suffer with condensation and have even bought a very expensive dehumidifier to try and combat the issue. I think the sash windows look beautiful from inside with all the lovely wood detail. We have two bay windows (six sash windows in total) and two other bedroom windows. We plan to do an extension downstairs so haven't included the kitchen or dining room. So first quote was £6.5k to renovate and £12.5k to renovate and put in double glazed sash windows. Am I out of touch? They both seem very expensive.

ACunningham

Just do you know we live in York.

dimbo61

So get more quotes from other firms

G_M

Shop around further.


But please don't compromise. Yes, for £1 - 2K you could put in replacement upvc..... and you'll regret it even long after you've moved out!


Good quality, hardwood, frames are expensive I'm afraid.


Look at installing wood single glazed and adding secondary glazing internally?

Doozergirl

I use a local joiner.

I used a 'specialist' once and regretted it immediately. It was embarassing.

I then paid a local joiner to do it properly. Probably around £500 a window to renovate.

Thrugelmir

ACunningham wrote: »

Am I out of touch? They both seem very expensive.

Might explain the previous owners reluctance......

letsbetfair

It is expensive - that doesn't seem far off what a relative living a bit further South was quoted. At that price, though, well worth getting a few more quotes - and thinking about both price and quality.

The relative ended up getting good quality UPVC (not cheap, but way less than the alternatives). Others will virulently disagree but - while they aren't things of beauty - they don't look *bad* to me. I'd need to look closely to know they aren't wood. Might be worth looking at the options if you're not in a listed area and £12k would be a big proportion of the house price...

G_M

I take back my advice.


As doozergirl says, find a good local independant joiner who will make it from scratch.


Make sure he's a proper joiner, not an odd-job-man who does a bit of carpentry!

Use recommendations if you can. If not, ask to go and see previous jobs he's done and speak to previous customers. If he's good, previous customers will (mostly) be happy to show you/talk about his work.

Tom99

Doozergirl wrote: »

I use a local joiner.
I used a 'specialist' once and regretted it immediately. It was embarrassing.
I then paid a local joiner to do it properly. Probably around £500 a window to renovate.

I did the same but to make a complete replacement double glazed sash window.
Part of the problem is getting the glazing bars right. To look authentic they need to be thin but to accommodate the double glazing you need a thick rebate.
Also they sashes when glazed were much heavier so I had to use lead weights rather than iron ones. I also used chains rather than rope.

RedFraggle

I'm in York and my husband is a local independent joiner. That sounds very expensive to me.

ACunningham

I had gone down the uPVC route to see what they were like, but the man who worked in the shop lived in a listed building and had original sash himself. He told me that all the beautiful internal wood around the window would be ripped out to put the new uPVC sash's in and I was out. I also saw next doors bay inside with uPVC and it is awful. I agree they look good from outside. I know of a joiner who did wood double glazing for my mum's friend I will contact. I am just so shocked at the cost and was hoping that I had been given a bad quote. I am a lover of period character and want to keep as much as possible. If it wasn't for the condensation I would renovate the original windows as the glass is beautiful with its imperfections, but I can't see out of the windows and everything is wet including the frames. Thanks everyone.