Windows
Timber windows
Timber windows cost around £800 to £1,600 per window fitted and are usually the only material accepted on listed buildings and in strict conservation areas. Modern engineered timber is far more stable than old softwood, and a factory-finished frame can go eight to ten years before it needs repainting.
Timber is the most expensive common choice and the one with the strongest case where appearance is governed by someone other than you. It is also the only material that can be repaired rather than replaced.
Indicative guide, not a quote
per window, supplied and fitted
£800 – £1,600
These figures come from published industry price guides, not official statistics, and several of those sources are installers or comparison sites with a commercial interest. They are a starting point for a conversation, not a quote. Your installer sets the actual price after measuring.
Checkatrade double glazing cost guide · checked 2026-10-09
Engineered timber is not the timber you remember
The rotting, sticking windows people associate with wood were usually single-section softwood with site-applied paint. Modern frames are laminated from several layers with the grain alternated, which largely removes the warping, and they are finished in a factory under controlled conditions.
Accoya and similar modified timbers go further, with manufacturer guarantees measured in decades for above-ground use.
The maintenance question, answered honestly
Timber does need maintenance and anyone telling you otherwise is selling. A factory-finished frame typically needs its first recoat somewhere around year eight to ten, sooner on an exposed south or west elevation.
What you get in exchange is repairability. A damaged timber window can be filled, sanded and recoated. A damaged uPVC or aluminium frame is usually a replacement.
When timber is effectively compulsory
If your property is listed, altering the windows needs listed building consent, and consent for uPVC is rarely granted. In a conservation area with an Article 4 direction, permitted development rights for window replacement may have been removed, which means a planning application.
Talk to the conservation officer at your council before you commission anything. They are generally willing to say in advance what they will accept, which is considerably cheaper than finding out afterwards.
Timber windows: common questions
- How often do timber windows need repainting?
- A factory-applied finish usually lasts eight to ten years before a recoat, and exposed elevations need attention sooner. Recoating is straightforward and much cheaper than replacement.
- Can timber windows be double glazed?
- Yes, and slim-profile sealed units are made specifically for period frames where a standard unit would look wrong or would not physically fit the rebate.
- Will timber windows rot?
- Untreated softwood with failing paint will. Modern engineered or modified timber with an intact factory finish is a different proposition, and the finish is what you are maintaining.
Other windows
-
uPVC windows
£400 – £850 fitted
uPVC windows cost £400 to £850 fitted. What separates a good one from a cheap one, what the regulations require, and when uPVC is the wrong choice.
-
Aluminium windows
£600 – £1,250 fitted
Aluminium windows cost £600 to £1,250 fitted. Why the slim sightlines matter, what a thermal break does, and whether the extra over uPVC is worth it.
-
Casement windows
£400 – £850 fitted
Casement windows are the most common UK style and the cheapest to replace. Side-hung or top-hung, fire escape rules, and flush versus stormproof.
-
Sash windows
£800 – £1,800 fitted
Sash windows cost £800 to £1,800 fitted. Cords and weights versus spiral balances, when repair beats replacement, and fitting double glazing.
-
Tilt and turn windows
£400 – £850 fitted
Tilt and turn windows open two ways: a secure vent, or fully inwards for cleaning and escape. Why flats and upper floors usually choose them.
-
Bay and bow windows
£1,500 – £3,000 fitted
Bay and bow windows cost £1,500 to £3,000 fitted because many carry structural load. The difference between them and what a survey must check.
TrustedGlazing does not make, supply or fit windows and doors, and the prices above are published industry guides rather than our own. We match your enquiry to one vetted local installer, who quotes and contracts with you directly.