Another wooden windows question

[happygilmore]

We're currently buying a Victorian terrace and will need to replace the windows straight away - they're rotten through to the point where you could pretty much put your hand through them. They're not sash windows but rather thin narrow windows together to form a larger window (if that makes sense?).

The house is part of 3 terraces together, one has dark wooden windows, the other uvpc. I would prefer to have wooden, however cost is an issue - particularly as we would like to extend the kitchen side return to have a large kitchen/diner and doors on to the garden. We would really need to do this at the same time as the doors and windows in the kitchen and dining room are so rotten as to be unsafe - but some would be removed by extending the side return so it needs to be considered now.

Can anyone give an idea of how much more wooden windows are, and also an idea on the maintenance required? I have a feeling if we replaced with wooden windows we may not be able to afford the extension.

Not sure on cost but try a local joiner rather than a national company as they can be much cheaper. It might be worth getting them around to look at existing windows- you never know there may be a few that they can save. I've seen miracles worked with windows I had thought were totally rotten- repairs using a resin can really work wonders.

For new windows use hardwood as modern softwoods aren't very durable. I think some firms do a spray coat if paint which helps with their longevity.

Thanks, there are a few local joinery companies I can ask for quotes but if it's a difference between £2k and £10k we just won't be able to do it unfortunately.

The windows definitely need replacing, they can't be repaired economically, our surveyor was really clear on that (and it's also the same with the two back doors, rotten through). Also, it's on a fairly busy road and it needs double glazing for sound insulation.

We had double glazing uvpc in our current house and used a local company who were really reasonably priced, but it isn't a victorian property so looks nicer. =

The woman upstairs from me where I used to live 10 years' ago had her windows replaced with double glazed sash wooden frames and they cost £800 each :(

Double glazing is very very expensive, especially if you have wood frames

They're not sash but would have to be hand made I would think.

We had uvpc windows on our current house (1930s ex council) and that was reasonable - 2.5k I think. If we pay £800 per window on our new house it will cost nearer £5k, before thinking about french doors. Plus that wouldn't be the whole house, just the windows that need doing and would leave half the windows at the back in uvpc.

I guess I need to get a joinery company round for some quotes. Do people prefer the wood painted darker? Is it done that way for maintenance reasons? I prefer it in white but wondering how often it'd have to be repainted!

And that 2.5k included two doors as well. Gah so expensive! It's the fact that we need to extend at the same time as well that is putting me off. I know it probably seems like a luxury, but the choice really is replace two large windows, french doors and a back door now, or extend and have a huge open space with one set of doors and two windows. Seems a no brainer really.

We got quotes from a variety of places, joiners, window companies and independent carpenters. Average price per window for a wooden double glazed sash was £1500. We do live in the south east though..

We're between Manchester/Sheffield. Not sash windows though (all I can find online is sash windows! Guessing it should be cheaper if not sashes?)

If it's anything like £1k per window it's going to have to be uvpc, no way we can afford that.