Cost of wooden windows

[Poppy7]

Would be grateful for any thoughts/comments on the quotes I've received for replacing 7 windows (comprising a large bay, a bay with French doors, 2 windows 2m wide and 3 smaller windows).

Essentially one quote is for softwood and comes to £13k including fitting and painting, with 15mm double glazing and individual panes to create Georgian style windows.

The other quote is for windows in Accoya - which is a treated softwood and is meant to be much more durable than hardwood and require far less maintenance - and comes to £15.5k including fitting (exc painting). These windows have 24mm double glazing, two large panes of glass with spacers to create the Georgian style and approved multi-point locks.

Both quotes are from independent joiners rather than window companies. I'm trying to work out a couple of things - firstly, whether these are both reasonable quotes: window replacement costs are near impossible to track down on the Internet etc. Secondly, whether the second quote is worth an extra £2.5k.

I've near on given up on the idea of refurbishing our Crittal living room window - trying to get quotes out of steel refurb companies and secondary glazing companies is virally impossible and I'm fed up of wasting my time. One, Storm Windows (kindly recommended on here) blatantly lost interest when they discovered I only wanted SG for one window and have ignored my emails sending them the photos and dimensions they requested (as they were not going to send their surveyor round).

TIA

We had a quote for 6 windows to be made and fitted by a local joinery company.

They were made from Sapele hardwood, with multi point locks and had a painted finish. The cost was just under £10k.

We´ve just had a quote in from Munster Joinery for passive standard triple glazed windows and doors (inc a 4m bi-fold run and double french doors) for our 5 bed new build house - aluclad timber came in at 16k. Not bad! Passive upvc triple glazed is 11.5k for same. Includes installation.

Definitely worth checking out.

Ps: if I was to give advice on the timber it would be to not opt for the cheaper softwood option.

Sapele is a very dense hardwood and will last a lifetime.

(It's the same family species as mahogany)

Accoya is more expensive but has this extra treatment and if you are planning on putting the best most long lasting windows in, go for this. Just not softwood

Thanks both, that's useful. I agree re going for the Accoya over ordinary softwood - the same joiner has also quoted for African mahogany but there is not much difference in price and I am attracted by the lower maintenance requirements of Accoya.

If I had a more modern house I would be tempted by the alu clad but don't think it would look quite right on a period house sadly.

If I get the downstairs bay replaced as well that adds another £4k onto the price - I've just no idea if I am being royally ripped off or not.... I like to think not, as the joiner seemed genuine and comes recommended, and his quote was very professional (listed everything it covered re glass, locks etc).

I'm sure they do timber too...

I don't think the quotes are too bad as they include fitting and, presumably, removing the old windows and making good around the new ones. We have soft wood and many of ours are nearly 40 years old! You just need to look after them but hardwood white ones sound good to me! How did a period house get a Crittal window! Is it a Georgian house?

Crittal Windows are still going, by the way. You could contact them if you want to keep this window!