Window options and prices?

[WhatWillSantaBring]

We are looking at replacing the (ugly) PVCu windows on our eighties property as they are starting to go. As they're so ugly - think gert big brown pvc casement windows with no glazing bars - we're trying to find different options. We have a (fake) cotswold stone house with roman tiles. Very 80s but I see the potential to make it look more timeless.

No-one seems to publish any prices for windows and I really don't want to have to deal with yet another hard sales pitch.

Does anyone know what the price difference is between the following types? Are there any other options that might be cheaper? Casement windows with an average window size is 180cm wide by 120cm high.

A) "bog standard" white PVCu with fake internal glazing strips (hate this option, but need to know a base price!)
B) Coloured PVCu with external glazing bars
C) Flush fitting PVCu casement windows (eg Residence 9). Our builder managed to get a quote for two (large) french doors and one casement window and it came in at £6k!!
D) Hardwood timber windows. (Preferably with a treatment so I don't have to bug DH to paint them again till 2023)

Any other options? Any ideas on how I can find a non ugly window that doesn't cost the earth?

[icravecheese]

Friends recently bought a fairly bog-standard looking 80's house that had minging white uPVC windows throughout. They had various quotes and eventually went with Anglia Windows, using slate grey uPVC with one horizontal, fake glazing strip running across middle of each window. They had several sets of patio doors, new front and back door, plus all new windows. I have to say, the house looks totally amazing now, so different to when they first moved in. I actually didnt realise it was grey uPVC when I saw the new windows - I thought it was aluminium.

I believe Anglia orignally quoted £30k to them (which they laughed at!). They pretty much ignored Anglia, who kept calling again and again, and in the end my friend said she'd pay £14k, and the deal was done! I know you said you don't like the hard sell, but if you ignore these people long enough, they offer you a deal you cant refuse.

Defo worth looking at grey uPVC, it honestly looks fab and has totally changed the appearance of their house.

[icravecheese]

Anglian, not Anglia - sorry!

[WhatWillSantaBring]

Almost another week of searching and I'm still clueless - are there any decent websites showing you options and prices???!???! I do not want a salesman, I just want to see what i can get! Surely choosing windows should not be this hard.

Help (please!)

[wonkylegs]

Try a local independent and state that you will not accept hard sell tactics at the beginning of the visit, any whiff of them and they will be asked to leave.
We got a local guy who quoted per window so we could see what the costs would be. I can't give you a comparison as we aren't doing modern windows and only got a quote for UPVC for the small bathroom windows.
The rest are loads of huge Victorian sashes which are being made in hardwood with cords, weights & brasses by a local joiner.

[WhatWillSantaBring]

That's a good idea, thanks wonky. We have a ready excuse for not accepting the hard sell - at the moment we only need the windows for our extension which our builder will be managing. However, we want to choose the window style now that we will use to replace the rest of the windows in the next 3-5 years or whenever we next have some money. So a hard sell just won't work!