To replace my old sash windows with replica upvc?

[emsa1]

As above. My sash windows are original and our house is freezing. The windows get covered in condensation. Every morning. Mould is an issue in some rooms and ice has been known to form on the inside of some of the windows. Today I was told that it’s possible to get UPVC windows which look almost identical and are likely to not need planning permission, even though I’m in a conservation area. Has anyone gone for these and will you pleased with the results?

My DM house is in conservation area and we aren't allowed to replace her windows with UPVC unfortunately.

We did about 25 years ago - they were stunning - very expensive. 3 sash windows were the same price as 6 standard windows and a set of French doors.

We live in a conservation area and our old sashes were rattling, draughty and mouldy. We replaced the downstairs sashes with new local joiner made wooden sashes with new lead weights. All very nice but a faff to fit and paint. We decided to put the upvc roseview sashes upstairs as we didn't want to be up ladders every couple of years to repaint wooden ones. As the roseview have a woodgrain effect you cannot tell the difference from the joiner made wooden ones.

Done it in conservation area. You need white wood grain. Planners still don't like but can't tell from a distance. Used in Liverpool.

We just replaced wood with upvc and very happy with the results and the look inside and out. We have an old property but just outside a conservation area so didn't need planning but in our old flat we wouldn't have been allowed to replace with upvc due to planning so definitely check

I’d prefer upvc windows to a cold and draughty house. My friend opted for upvc sash windows for her new build Georgian style farmhouse. They’re beautiful. I would have loved them but they were much too expensive for us when we were building our house.
I grew up in an old farmhouse with sash windows and shutters. As they got older and expensive to repair they started to look less attractive. My parents couldn’t afford the upkeep or replacement so they were eventually replaced with upvc.

Your old windows when maintained will last far longer than any new upvc ones you install. Plus you likely would need planning permission and if your council is anything like mine, it will be turned down.
Old style single glazing really isn't that energy inefficient. Join the Your old house- repair and conservation Facebook group as they give excellent advice.

Fwiw we also live in a house with the original single glazed sash windows, in a conservation area. We're getting ours refurbished. Draught proofing will also help.

You'll be lucky if you get planning. Timber sash and case windows are available by most big glazing companies. You can also repair the existing ones. The best way to fraught proof is to get big curtains.

We used to live in a conservation area, council would not let us replace with UPVC 😔 our house wasn't even that old 😒
So please check before you do anything, as someone said upthread you can be made to remove them and put wooden ones back in.

I live in a conservation area and windows are fine to replace oddly

New wooden ones with double glazing would look much better than plastic and still work just as well. Will be more expensive but if you can afford it I’d go did that.

They don’t look at all the same, and you will almost certainly need planning permission.

You can get double glazed wooden sashes - we have them and they are toasty. Also look much better than plastic, and last longer. uPVC has a lifespan of 10-15 years, IIRC. Wood will last decades if you repaint it every 5 years or so.

We replaced our original Victorian sash windows with upvc sash copies last year and they look fantastic and our house (country farmhouse) is way warmer. The originals were warped, rattled like buggery, had been repainted so often we couldn't actually open any or them except one. There was really old crappy secondary double glazing, which I couldn't clean the inside of, and was also very heavy and difficult to open. In spite of all this our house was freezing in the winter, and ventilation was difficult as we couldn't open the wretched things.

We got them via a local supplier but I believe they came from Victorian Sliders. I had wanted wooden ones but was warned that these days its very difficult to get good enough quality hard wood and that the more recent ones are not as good as 5-10 years ago.

We are not in a conservation area but I have heard that the local planners are allowing these windows in a conservation area near us. Check with your council

IMHO the good quality upvc look far better than wood, which always ends up looking tatty.

My dad had some good quality upvc windows fitted in the late 1980s and they're still going strong. Some of the glazing units need replacing due to condensation, but the frames look absolutely fine.

Check with your conservation officer, but uPVC sash windows are a good option. We used these ones: weatherseal.com/upvc-windows.

I was a bit wary of uPVC, but I didn’t want the endless maintenance. In the end, they are way better than our old windows!