Sash Window Costs: The Ultimate Guide 2024
Sash windows remain an ever popular style for properties throughout the UK. Their heritage roots and elegant design features make them ideal for property owners with traditional or older buildings. And, with modern variations developed in recent years, sash windows can also be fantastic options for modern homes and new builds.
When considering how much sash windows cost, a host of factors will contribute to the overall price. While there are some things you may have already thought of, such as the quantity and size, there are many other considerations to understand when weighing up your expenses. As the UK’s leading, authentic timber replicated sash window manufacturer, Roseview’s ultimate guide is a reliable and handy source.
Restoration or Replacement?
The cost of a restoration differs from the cost of a replacement. This is because the materials, labour and time involved in each process are very different.
A sash window restoration can vary greatly depending on the amount of work required, but it can generally cost anywhere in the region of £500 up to the higher end of £2000. If your sash windows need significant repairs or upgrades from single to double glazing, the restoration cost will increase significantly. This is something to consider when weighing up sash window restoration costs.
Sash window replacement costs can be (but often aren’t) a more expensive option. This is because they are a better and longer-term choice if your outdated sash windows are beyond the point of repair. As old timber sash windows shrink and become loose and draughty, it is a difficult problem to fix if they’ve gone too far.
A good restoration means stripping back decades of paint, replacing and restoring rotten wood and replacing hardware and sash cords. You have to consider the process of removing the old single glass, cutting out the frames to fit new double glazed units and adding draught proofing. They then need to be reconstructed and repainted.
A full restoration takes longer than replacing it with a new one and will often be more expensive. Then, even when restored, it will need repainting every five or six years.
One of the many benefits of replacing sash windows is that many modern designs use uPVC or timber effect uPVC. This means that they won’t require repainting, restoration and maintenance work to the same degree as timber. Sash window replacement costs around £1000 per window. But, as aforementioned, this is hugely influenced by the following factors.
Timber or uPVC Profile?
A large selection of sash windows available today will be manufactured using timber or uPVC and double glazing. Both sash window materials have positives and negatives, but generally, homeowners will opt for uPVC because it is more convenient, low maintenance and never needs repainting.
For a uPVC sash window, you could expect to pay around £1000 to £1500 per window fitted – but this can vary depending on specification, the sash window supplier, the installer and the area you live in.
If you are looking at timber sash window costs, you can expect to pay a minimum of £1500 and upwards per window for softwood and significantly more for hardwood. This cost could look a lot higher depending on the company you choose to purchase your windows from and any additional costs you may incur due to customisation or size.
Size and Weight
Naturally, the size and weight of your installation can influence your sash window prices. The larger and heavier the window, the bigger and more costly the sash balances. The sash balances need to be designed to support the weight of the sashes and glass, which is why they need to be bigger. It’s often assumed that the larger the sash window, the heavier it will be and the higher the price.
Larger windows also require the most materials overall. It’s always worth checking with a local supplier in your area to understand how size and weight can influence your sash window price.
Glass
The type of glazing in the window can greatly impact sash window costs. This is because certain glass can be heavier or more expensive to produce, which changes the overall price.
Standard glazing is the lowest cost option and the most popular, as it is the most common and cost effective glazing in all sash window designs.
Certain other styles can increase your sash window costs. For example, acoustic glass can bring the cost up quite a long way. This is because noise insulation is achieved by the specialised laminated glass, which is thicker, heavier and more expensive to produce.
It’s worth noting that the heavier the glass, the heavier the balances will need to be and, therefore, the more expensive the sash window costs.
Astragal vs Georgian Bars
If you are looking for new sash windows, deciding on the glazing bar arrangements in your windows will be important. Most homeowners want to retain the traditional appearance of their property, so they will often choose an astragal bar arrangement that matches the period of their home. For example, choosing a Victorian style for a Victorian house.
The difference between astragal bars and Georgian bars is that astragal bars are fixed to the outside of the glazing on both sides, with an extra bar between the sheets of glass to look like separated panes. Georgian bars sit between the glass and give the impression, from a distance, of a glazing bar grid.
Astragal bars provide a far superior aesthetic to Georgian bars but are slightly more expensive. Much more time and effort has to go into cutting, joining and mounting the higher quality bars on both sides of the glass.
Furthermore, the arrangement you choose may impact the price. For example, in a Georgian arrangement, more astragal bars are required for authentic appeal than in a Victorian arrangement. Therefore, you can expect a lower cost for Victorian sash windows.
Colour
Colour plays a big part in your sash window cost. As you might have already assumed, certain colour options and foils can be more expensive than other standard sash window colours.
You can expect a lower price for a standard white uPVC window colour. This will often be around 30% to 50% higher for other additional colours. For example, choosing colour bonding can have an additional cost of around 40% per window.
The finish of the colour, such as woodgrain, can also influence the price. Our Ultimate Rose sash window can be finished with a chalk matt finish that resembles the traditional appearance of painted timber – without any additional costs.
Other Customisable Options
Optional extras are likely to incur extra cost on top of your sash windows, should you choose to go from them. For example, if you are looking for sash window arches, expect to pay an additional £500 on top of your sash window prices per window. The internal finish of your sash windows can influence your costs as well. For example, fancy timber architraves will naturally increase the cost.
Installation
The installation cost is likely one of your biggest considerations regarding sash window costs. Many installers in your area will likely offer competitive prices, so it is always best to speak to them to get a better idea of installation costs.
The installation costs will largely be influenced by the amount of labour needed. Obviously, the number of windows that need installing will be more time consuming and therefore cost more labour.
Furthermore, there can be differences depending on whether you are having new windows fitted or replacing old windows. Having prepared window openings on new builds means less time will be needed compared to removing and replacing sash windows. This can significantly affect your sash window cost, so it is important to consider
Sash Window Costs Online
We hope that the above guide has given you a better understanding of how sash window costs are calculated and what factors can influence your overall cost.
As we have explained, without knowing exactly what each homeowner’s needs and preferences are, it isn’t easy to give a single one size fits all price. Therefore, we recommend using our online sash window designer tool to understand your sash window costs better.
Our tool allows you to select the size, colour and optional extras you may want. From here, we can put you in touch with your local Approved Installer, who will be able to give you a quote based on your precise needs.
Our sash window visualiser also allows you to design the perfect sash windows for your property. Tailored to your chosen colour, hardware and exterior wall type. Once you’ve picked your colours, you can start a quote for your sash window today!
Design Your Sash Windows Today!
Categories: Rose Collection, uPVC Sash Windows
Tags: sash window costs, sash window prices, sash windows, the rose collection, upvc sash windows
