UPVC sash windows - worth it?

[anibendod]

we need to replace the upvc windows in our Edwardian (1908) home as they are almost 20 years old and starting to fail. I'm contemplating putting upvc sash windows in at the front, in keeping with the style of what the house would have had originally. We'll put regular double glazing at the rear the property, in part because that side of the house is not typically edwardian in style and also because of the cost.

Those of you who have upvc sash windows - are they worth it? Anything you wish you had known before going ahead or things I should look out for as we start getting quotes?

I got them in my last house, a 1905 cottage, and was very pleased with them. I bought them from a local firm and saw them in their showroom before I ordered.

Same here - we have an Edwardian house in which most of the original sashes had been removed. The only surviving large sash was at the back, and sadly we weren’t able to get it out intact when we had our extension built. However, it did give us the template to replace the rest. They are a very light cream with brass fittings and we have had them fitted all round, even in the extension, to tie it in to the original house. We love them - warm, beautiful and easy to clean (they tilt inside so you can clean the outside). They have totally brought character back to the house and passers by often comment on them. They were double the cost of a normal window but worth every penny.

We went the other way and bought normal windows. This was partly having grown up with proper wood sashes in an old house that deserved it, being in a somewhat horrible 1910 house in a grotty area, I didn't feel it was worth it. I also wanted the largest expanse of glass possible.

It would definitely look better from outside having sashes but from a personal point of view not so keen on having a load of plastic in the middle of my eye line from the inside.

I love mine. I'm directly on the pavement at the front though not a terrace and it was worth the extra money. Didn't bother on the back as the windows are larger and 200m from being visible. I think you'll regret not choosing them.

I love ours; we did them front and back, except for the kitchen & existing downstairs bathroom (as we knew we'd extend and lose the windows in a few years, but the existing ones was an absolute state, so just put plain upvc in them).

I'd ask about the locking mechanism (where you can lock them slightly open, so children can't open them wider). We had several quotes, thought that came as standard but had got it muddled with another company & it can't be retrofitted, annoyingly.

They weren't cheap; for 8 sash + 3 standard was around £10k (outskirts of London, 2018). We went with one of the big names as they price-matched a local company and had a longer warranty (plus I didn't like the salesperson for the local company; I couldn't get her to bloody leave!). Don't take the first quote; they called me several times to negotiate before I got them down to that.

I used Safestyle if that helps. Expensive compared with non sash plus about 12 years ago but they locked open. This was important for me with the windows being directly onto the pavement. Probably loads more options now.