Would this put you off buying a house?

[RobinSnood]

Looking at refurbishing/replacing the wooden sash windows in our Victorian terrace. One option would be to go with wooden sashes at the front but PVC at the back (ie not visible from the street). Any thoughts? And what if we went for non-sash PVC at the back? No plans to sell any time soon but obviously don't want to devalue the house.

Thanks for any thoughts

I do think that in London you significantly devalue a period property by putting in uPVC windows. Having bought a few times in the last five or six years I have always mentally knocked off the cost of replacing ugly windows plus an amount for hassle factor from the value

As regards aircraft noise that's not usually a problem downstairs where people are busy and making their own noise but does tend to be more of an issue upstairs in bedrooms.

Maybe just double or secondary glaze the upstairs windows to save money?

I would try to keep as many windows in original style as possible because I don't care for uPVC.

Robin, I personally, would go with your plan, it makes sense right now.
If you decide to sell at any point, you could consider change then.
Whilst wood is preferable, and in keeping, there are benefits to having UPVC.

Wouldn't bother me that the back was UPVC.

It would not put me off. But assuming it is an expensive house in a nice area, I would expect to pay less if there were not good quality sash windows throughout.

For example if a quality kitchen were marred by UPVC windows.

Had this in my old house - period windows at front and double glazing at back. Never bothered me at all - and no problems to sell. As convenient and heat-saving as possible without compromising look of house

We had to do all the windows in our Victorian maisonette immediately when we moved in as every window was buggered (and original sashes long gone). We put in hardwood double glazed sashes (£££) at the front and in the dining room and bedroom, and upvc in the bathroom and kitchen which both face the back. At the time we had other urgent things to spend the £££ difference on, though the upvc ones still annoy me in direct proportion to how much pleasure the lovely wood ones give me. Since then we've also done a loft conversion which has aluminium floor to ceiling glass at the back and doesn't match at all.
For me, the rooms having the most appropriate/attractive window for that room is more important than the collars and cuffs matching on the back of the house! We are in a bit of a rag tag neighbourhood as well so it's all relative.

In terms of buying a house, I'd rather some things were still unfinished/needed doing but the things that had been done had been done well, as oppose to everything having been done on a budget and being a bit rubbish, if that makes sense.

I wouldn't buy a Victorian house with non-sash upvc windows.

I wouldn't mind wooden at the front and a decent upvc dash at the back though.

Have you had quotes?
There isn't always a huge difference especially if you get springs instead of weights for wooden windows, and don't get elaborate beading

When we bought our house, we got a scrappy mix of replacement wooden sashes and original wooden sashes at the front of the house, and uPVC at the back. We still bought the house, but replacing the back windows is on our wish list. The catch on one of them has broken as well, which makes me think they aren't particularly sturdy

I'm going to guess you are SW because of airplane noise mention.. if so, I can highly recommend Ayrton and also recommend you avoid Wandsworth windows like the plague