Is there such a thing as "nice" uPVC double glazing?

[halster]

I would love to replace our nasty, badly proportioned, 1980's metal double glazed windows. We have had quotes for lovely wood double-glazing but there is no way we can afford it.

Is there a company out there that does uPVC windows that are not clunky, cheap looking and ugly? Surely there must be?!

No.

Ours (installed by previous owners) is supposed to be 'just like the real thing', but i hate it. And I hate the plastic front door, too. I would love to get ours replaced with wood at the front - any chance of sticking it on the mortgage?

Ours is so good (installed by previous owners, I hasten to add) that we had a couple knock on our door to ask where we had sourced wooden-framed double glazing . I get the impression that it was very expensive but it looks good and works well.

I was afraid that may be the case ....

Crossed post hannahsaunt - any idea who made them?

I've never seen any decent looking plastic windows.

Can't you maybe put nice wooden ones in the front of the house and plastic ones around the sides and back?

I work in the glazing industry and I think it's the fanlights that make upvc windows look cheap. If you ask for full height windows with only vertical divisions they can look pretty good. Light oak is the best colour if you don't want white - I've got it in my front door with contemporary decorative glass and I think it looks fab! Don't choose those horrendous diamond glazed units with roses on the fanlights - hideous, gives the industry a bad name!!

Cuppa - I think it's the fact that the frames are not in the same proportion to the wooden originals - are usually wider, and have that rounded edge sort of look.

Yep, it's the width of the frames that get to me. And also the fact that the frames look all uneven where there is an opening - does that makes sense? Oh, and they just look wrong.

I think it definitely depends on the house. But there is a MN obsession with anti-UPVC even though the vast majority of houses have it. It is much preferable imo to metal and dark wood frames which I really don't like.

Not that I am saying that it should be installed in period properties, it can look cack.

halster - you can get them made so all the frames are the same width whether there is an opening or not. I forget what they're called though. But whoever you ask to quote should know what you mean...

Ours were made locally to suit a late Victorian property in something akin to a light oak which is the colour our solid wood front door was made in.

I dont get this anti Upvc lobby?
It depends on th ehouse surely?
My house is 15 yrs old and I have just had Upvc windows and doors fitted, lovley and snug. and no maintanance.

Are you in the North, 60ftdoll?

When I lived in London, UPVC was universally loathed. Up here, where we have Proper Weather, no-one gives a stuff as long they're warm.

(although on reflection I would guess you are welsh, after the band??)

Correct on all counts Martha
and you win the prize for identifying my NN origin!!!

Am not a fan of uPVC but I did see these windows advertised locally and thought they looked ok (at least from the photo shown)
www.f1rstglass.co.uk/sashwindows.php

I think it depends on the house. Our house would look good with them, its modern and therefore would carry them. It doesn't have them, it has wooden frames and they're just a pita tbh. I know we're having to nurse them through their final days but in this street and on this house they look pompous. uPVC would look better.

We replaced our badly proportioned metal framed windows with upvc and a nice composite front door in an appropriate style (in red) on our victorian terrace house.

We may not have the original vertical bar on the top of our windows but otherwise the windows are now properly proportioned and look a million times better than before and keep us much warmer.

We would have loved to be more authentic about it but we had to be financially realistic

I've seen similar windows to Pannacotta's link installed recently on a house near me (not Norfolk) & they actually don't look bad at all.
(I am also in the frozen north where we'd rather be warm than authentic )

Thanks all, good link Pannacotta.