Double glazing Victorian sash windows

Eastangular2000 · 16/08/2022 16:33

secondary glazing or new double glazed sashes? PVC or wood?

TenoringBehind · 16/08/2022 16:34

I would expect to pay around £6000. Midlands prices.

ItsSnowJokes · 16/08/2022 16:38

We had your exact set up in 2 rooms in our old flat (the 3 windows in 1 room) we had 10 windows in total in all the rooms. We were quoted 4200 for normal double glazed windows and 9300 for sash windows. This was in 2018 so prices will have gone up. We went with the normal ones as other flat had normal ones and we were selling in 12 months time.

I suppose you could break down that quote as about 930 per window, but I expect that to probably be at least 1200 per window minimum now.

Yapokazhupiter · 16/08/2022 16:54

A family member recently had great, double glazed ultra-thin wooden framed sash windows put in by Ventrolla and is over the moon with them. With regards to price, she would only say "Very expensive!".

I've not used this company but they're very cheap compared to other options. You probably get you what you pay for, but their reviews are generally pretty good.
colinssashwindows.co.uk/

Sadly, I'm in no position to replace my own sash windows for a long time yet!

Original poster

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 17:01

Eastangular2000 · 16/08/2022 16:33

secondary glazing or new double glazed sashes? PVC or wood?

No idea what secondary glazing means. I suspect what's there is the original windows from 1900 and they've never been double glazed, but that's a guess. I think wood would look nicer, but have to consider cost too.

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Original poster

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 17:02

Thanks everyone. Cripes, it doesn't sound cheap...

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Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 16/08/2022 17:04

Just be careful if you live in a conservation area. Some areas turn a blind eye to upvc replacements. But I know where I live people have had enforcement action taken against them.

Original poster

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 17:22

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 16/08/2022 17:04

Just be careful if you live in a conservation area. Some areas turn a blind eye to upvc replacements. But I know where I live people have had enforcement action taken against them.

Fortunately we don't. I think it just hasn't been done before because whoever converted the house to flats had an inkling that they should probably do a good job, and their approach to everything else in the converting was to make a bodge of everything they possibly could, so they just didn't bother!

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ItsSnowJokes · 16/08/2022 17:44

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 17:22

Fortunately we don't. I think it just hasn't been done before because whoever converted the house to flats had an inkling that they should probably do a good job, and their approach to everything else in the converting was to make a bodge of everything they possibly could, so they just didn't bother!

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What have the other flats got? If they have gone for normal upvc windows there is not much point spending ££££ to get beautiful sash windows as you will never get that money back when you come to sell. If they have still got the original sash or upvc sash then I would try and match as it will make the building look more desirable when you come to sell.

Original poster

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 18:07

ItsSnowJokes · 16/08/2022 17:44

What have the other flats got? If they have gone for normal upvc windows there is not much point spending ££££ to get beautiful sash windows as you will never get that money back when you come to sell. If they have still got the original sash or upvc sash then I would try and match as it will make the building look more desirable when you come to sell.

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I don't own all the flats in the building, just the one I live in. Is that what you meant? Does the look of each separate flat really influence buyers' decisions?

Anyway, I don't actually know; it's a good point – I've never really talked to the neighbours about it or looked closely! I'll take a peek later. The top-floor flat though has modern windows, I think, as it was converted from what would have been an attic and given a Velux skylight.

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ItsSnowJokes · 16/08/2022 18:21

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 18:07

I don't own all the flats in the building, just the one I live in. Is that what you meant? Does the look of each separate flat really influence buyers' decisions?

Anyway, I don't actually know; it's a good point – I've never really talked to the neighbours about it or looked closely! I'll take a peek later. The top-floor flat though has modern windows, I think, as it was converted from what would have been an attic and given a Velux skylight.

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They will look at how the property looks from the outside. That can make people not want to buy. Just trying to save you a bit of money, as no point you having gorgeous windows costing triple normal ones when everyone else has standard double glazing. It will just be a waste of your money. Even the double glazing company told us not to bother as it was a waste of money to buy them as the rest of the property had standard ones.

If it was a house I would say defo get them. In a flat you need to look at what the other leaseholders have.

Original poster

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 19:10

ItsSnowJokes · 16/08/2022 18:21

They will look at how the property looks from the outside. That can make people not want to buy. Just trying to save you a bit of money, as no point you having gorgeous windows costing triple normal ones when everyone else has standard double glazing. It will just be a waste of your money. Even the double glazing company told us not to bother as it was a waste of money to buy them as the rest of the property had standard ones.

If it was a house I would say defo get them. In a flat you need to look at what the other leaseholders have.

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We're all freeholders, if that makes any difference.

Hadn't really thought before that someone buying a flat in a conversion would look at the whole building's appearance – not to the extent of it being a deal-breaker anyway.
Not that we're thinking of selling any time soon, but of course you can never say never.
In my area, thinking about it, there's quite a lot of Victorian conversions and many are a hotchpotch of new and old windows and different kinds in each flat. I'd be interested to hear from an estate agent if it makes a difference to prices. Might get the place valued anyway just out of interest, so I could ask them then.

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DelphiniumBlue · 16/08/2022 19:18

There is a huge price range, depending on whether you want wood or PVC: even the PVC will have huge variations. For example, what we had done ( 3 rooms in Edwardian terraced house in London) cost about 8k, but we had quotes up to about 20k. We could have gone for a cheaper version but it wouldn't have looked so nice.
If you are in London I can send you a link for the company who did ours, they were very good ,and work and materials were exactly as per their quote.

Original poster

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 19:24

DelphiniumBlue · 16/08/2022 19:18

There is a huge price range, depending on whether you want wood or PVC: even the PVC will have huge variations. For example, what we had done ( 3 rooms in Edwardian terraced house in London) cost about 8k, but we had quotes up to about 20k. We could have gone for a cheaper version but it wouldn't have looked so nice.
If you are in London I can send you a link for the company who did ours, they were very good ,and work and materials were exactly as per their quote.

I am; that would be so kind, thank you!

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Itscoldouthere · 16/08/2022 20:43

@DelphiniumBlue would you mind sending me a message with your recommendation, I’m in London and I’ve just started getting window quotes. thanks

Littlemissweepy · 16/08/2022 20:47

I paid over 2k per window including VAT and installation. Not done a winter with them yet I hope they were worth it!

DelphiniumBlue · 16/08/2022 23:48

This is the link for the website, looks like it would be best just to phone or email as the website is being updated.
silverlinewindows.co.uk/
I researched quite thoroughly before using them, had 2 friends separately recommending them and saw their work - they are not the cheapest quote we had but the quality is good and although they are PVC the windows look good in a period property. The quote I had for handmade wooden windows was more than double!

Original poster

DameHelena · 17/08/2022 09:05

DelphiniumBlue · 16/08/2022 23:48

This is the link for the website, looks like it would be best just to phone or email as the website is being updated.
silverlinewindows.co.uk/
I researched quite thoroughly before using them, had 2 friends separately recommending them and saw their work - they are not the cheapest quote we had but the quality is good and although they are PVC the windows look good in a period property. The quote I had for handmade wooden windows was more than double!

Thank you!

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Stillwinston · 17/08/2022 09:50

I used a company called SJB sash windows in London for 2 wooden double glazed sash windows for my cottage in a conservation area and they were brilliant - highly recommend checking them out. They weren't the cheapest but the standard of work was super high and the windows were beautiful. www.sjbsashwindows.co.uk

Geneticsbunny · 17/08/2022 09:50

Another option is to get them refurbished. It is much cheaper and any wooden replacements won't be such good quality wood as hat is already there. They can replace the single glass with thin double glazed units and install a ventrolla system which is a load of fuzzy brush strips which prevent the drafts. They make a huge difference in terms of keeping heat in and would be probably half the price at least of replacement windows.

Pyewhacket · 17/08/2022 10:08

We had all the original Victorian sash windows restored. That's quite a job as they weigh a ton and they all have pullies and counterweights in the frame. We found a specialist to do this and it was eyewateringly expensive. But the thought of replacing them with plastic windows was too awful. In fact, we went on to restore the entire house to it's original early Victorian splendour, complete with servants bells and butler's pantry. But we did it over 15 years and only spent the money when we had it. It now looks amazing.

Original poster

DameHelena · 17/08/2022 10:57

Pyewhacket · 17/08/2022 10:08

We had all the original Victorian sash windows restored. That's quite a job as they weigh a ton and they all have pullies and counterweights in the frame. We found a specialist to do this and it was eyewateringly expensive. But the thought of replacing them with plastic windows was too awful. In fact, we went on to restore the entire house to it's original early Victorian splendour, complete with servants bells and butler's pantry. But we did it over 15 years and only spent the money when we had it. It now looks amazing.

Your house sounds wonderful!

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Original poster

DameHelena · 17/08/2022 10:58

Stillwinston · 17/08/2022 09:50

I used a company called SJB sash windows in London for 2 wooden double glazed sash windows for my cottage in a conservation area and they were brilliant - highly recommend checking them out. They weren't the cheapest but the standard of work was super high and the windows were beautiful. www.sjbsashwindows.co.uk

Thanks so much for the recommendation.

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Original poster

DameHelena · 17/08/2022 11:01

Geneticsbunny · 17/08/2022 09:50

Another option is to get them refurbished. It is much cheaper and any wooden replacements won't be such good quality wood as hat is already there. They can replace the single glass with thin double glazed units and install a ventrolla system which is a load of fuzzy brush strips which prevent the drafts. They make a huge difference in terms of keeping heat in and would be probably half the price at least of replacement windows.

This sounds like a good option; thank you!

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kirinm · 17/08/2022 13:16

DameHelena · 16/08/2022 16:29

Does anyone know a ballpark figure for this? It's three windows making up one large window, IYSWIM. Tall Victorian proportions. I fear the answer but I am going to have to get it done, so...

TIA

We had something like this done and it was £7k but this was back in 2017. May be more now.