Would you replace these windows?

[DashAwayAll]

6 large windows in my house are rather old upvc - at least 20+ years as they are pre Fensa.

The catches are temperamental, apparently they are glazed from the outside which is a security risk, some of the hinges are a bit wobbly and one has snapped so that pane can't be opened, some of the panes are starting to mist inside the double glazing unit.

I'm wondering if I should just get the hinges and catches repaired/replaced or if I should bite the bullet and replace the whole windows. I'd love to replace with proper timber windows but I can't afford to so it would have to be upvc again. I feel like the current windows are pretty thermally inefficient but I've no idea how much better modern ones would be.

Anyone able to offer advice?

If it was me, I would get three quotes for complete replacement in upvc. Get the quotes broken down by how much each individual window was going to cost to fully replace. I would say modern windows are likely to be much more efficient even if just because they aren’t broken/draughty/insecure.

Then maybe phone a window glazier or google or ask on a local Facebook page and ask how much a replacement double glazed lane and hinges would
be - and decide from there how to proceed.
For example if one window needed a new glazed unit plus two hinges and a catch and cost £300 to do, but an entire new window would cost £400, I would be tempted to save up and get an entirely new window, but if the window only needed a new catch and hinges, and that was say £40 from screw fix and I could diy it, I would go with the cheaper option and put off replacing it all until several years down the line.

Thanks. Good thoughts.

Get several quotes. I recently decided that we needed new windows as the existing ones were quite old and some of the double glazing was clearly not watertight as we got condensation between the 2 panes.

Initially we asked bigger nationwide companies for quotes. The whole experience was awful. They pretty much test you out to see what you’re willing to pay. The final quotes we got were all over the place and invariably ridiculously expensive.

I subsequently found someone who I knew socially from a sports club but had no idea he fitted windows. He came and quoted a figure that was around 50% of what the big firms quoted.

End result was a great job at a fair price. What I wasn’t anticipating though was just how much it improved insulation in the house. I reckon this winter we used maybe half the amount of heating compared with previous winters. The heat retention is amazing. This is of course then reflected in energy bills so you soon start recouping some of the outlay.

Main tip - don’t use nationwide companies as they’ll invariably rip you off. Try word of mouth to source a local fitter or use local websites to find someone with recommendations and reviews.

Would be surprised if they were only 20(+) years old, they are probably a lot older.
My M&D had externally glazed UPVC DG but that was back in 1980 (I was still at school, leaving in 81), soon after that they realised that most companies were moving across to internal glazed and were pig sick when they realised the implications. The windows were SERIOUSLY expensive (about £10k in 1980 and to put that into perspective, my DB was buying his first house at the time and that was only £20k!).

As long as the frame & openers are in good nick, practically any window CAN be rebuilt with new hinges, catches, sealed units, rubbers etc and you can fit security tape to the glazing bar but you have to consider the cost and whether they will be as thermally efficient as new windows (older windows have thinner sealed units).
As you can guess, we have been here ourselves and after making a few repairs to prolong the lifespan, we eventually decided on full replacement with triple glazing (which we adored👍).

Yes, I think I would. I'd get quotes from local firms and would ignore the big companies.

If short of cash I would work my way round starting with the most problematic ones.

I'd replace them. I have uPVC 💨 es and hate them. They look ok at a glance but they are not right for the period of the property and only open at the top (so don't meet code). But it's £15k to replace them, they are secure and function well, so will have to wait (maybe forever).

I think, considering the age of them, that repair would be a false economy at this point. May as well bite the bullet now

Sounds like they need replacing. Can you do a few a year to spead the cost?

All good stuff. I have already got a quote from national company and now looking around for local recommendations. Very interesting to hear when externally glazed stopped being done. Weirdly makes me feel better if I do choose to just change them all. I hopefully can afford to do them but will have to delay some other stuff that I wanted to do. Oh well.

Which county are you in, OP. Perhaps get a recommendation off Mumsnet.

Thanks but I have lots of recs from local fb page and local family 😊