Ideas needed for windows & French doors for a kitchen refurb project!

[IHavemyownLighthouseyouknow]

We've got a 1930's bog standard detached house badly in need of a refurb, so we're starting off with the kitchen & dining room, knocking it through to create an open plan area. I am totally stuck on what windows/external doors to choose though. My builder has said to go with UPVC ones, but the ones he's told me to look at just look so plastic and white, I hate them. It's probably because I used to live in a lovely Georgian period property, but I know that those type of windows won't suit the style of this property. The existing (rotten) wooden windows are leaded but we don't have to go with that across the back.

We can't afford to go totally modern with bi-folds, so I would love some ideas for a set of French doors for a dining room, wide/long kitchen window & back door that would suit a 1930s house without just being plain UPVC. I would love wood, but I am trying to be realistic about the maintenance in the future. Is there anything in between the basic plastic and the wood I could consider or look at that people have used or can recommend? Thanks in advance for any ideas/advice!

I am afraid I think you should try and match the back windows to the front. It would be a shame not to in my view. Window manufacturers such as Jeldwen do good French windows and you can get glazed leaded lights which would be in keeping with the rest of the house. We only paint the windows about once every 5 years so, with good preparation and good quality paint they will last and not be a drain in time and resources. I wouldn't entertain upvc or similar . My bet is you will look at them and wonder why you did it!

We're thinking about this at the moment too. We've got wood at the front and some horrid upvc at the back at the moment and they're not in keeping at all. We're looking at flush fit casement windows in upvc. I'd really like wood, but having spent every evening for the last few weeks refurbishing one of the front windows, I'm coming round to the idea. They have a wood effect foil over the upvc which is a vast improvement on the standard plastic look. Try having a look at residence 9, although other makes are available as they say!

There's a brilliant thread on here somewhere about wood v upvc. I'll see if I can find it!

uPVC will only last ten years or so - then you'll have to start again.

Invest in the wood now, if you can!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/498184-windows-upvc-or-wood?topicid=property-windows-upvc-or-wood#10070879

Here you are...

Milly - thanks, you've confirmed what my initial thought was, but I got talked out of it by the builder and DH. Back to the drawing board then!

Tateandlyle, I'll look at those too, thank you. We're keeping our wood windows at the front of the house, but it's costing me nearly £3k to refurbish them properly, ouch! (I wouldn't have a clue how to do it myself)

Bovril - you are brilliant, thank you I will read through that. And I didn't realise about the 10 year with the UPVC, the local window company just told me we had a guarantee for 10 years!!

We've just bought a house with wooden windows. They are about 25 years old and still look very good. My old house had 12 year old uPVC and they looked shit...

I wanted to rip the ones I have now out and replace with uPVC, so I did a little search and found that thread and changed my mind!

I can recommend you a great independent company in the SE if you need one, PM me

UPVC isn't maintenance free it's just that people leave them and replace them when they break as they cannot be repaired or renovated easily.
Older ones discolour and UPVC French doors often slip on their hinges and this is harder to fix than timber ones. UPVC is cheaper in the short term but timber is a better investment over time.
Wood if prepared and painted properly needs painting every 5-6 years and will last for much longer than plastic and can be fixed if there is a problem.
Our UPVC conservatory (put in by previous owner) has lots of problems with the doors slipping and poor joints that it looks like it's ancient but actually has only been in for 5years. My mums UPVC front door is various hues of off white / yellow where it has aged badly it's 8yo. My timber front door is 146yrs old and doing fab, had to re-hang it last year and I'm about to paint it but I'm guessing it'll outlast me.

Upvc has changed so much over the years, have you checked out the coloured ones or we went for white woodgrain which I think look realistic.