UPVC or timber?

[chillout]

Thanks, the Irish Oak does look impressive. The timber company Im using gives the same guarantee as Timber windows.com and the product does look on a same par as them, like I said they've been in the game for donkeys years.

I know standard plastic windows dont look as nice, but Irish oak and white wood grain isnt so bad I was thinking. My house is approx 1920-30's.

 

[chillout]

Thing is I keep doubting myself as all the houses being refurb'd all seem to be havin UPVC! Must admit the houses in the road and surrounding roads with the original timber windows do have a certain 'charm' about them.
The timber companies say wipe the frames down after 5-8 years and repaint, with no sanding down due to the paint. Do they definately not need rubbing down you think?

 

[philipdayton]

how old is your house?

putting plastic windows, and worse still doors, into an old house will devalue it because they look so horrible.

What a load of rubbish!!!
and i suppose rotten, draughty, warped windows add value do they?

Wooden windows have there place in certain applications granted (few and far between with advances in other materials nowadays) but why would you fit a product that costs at least a 1/3 more which you then need to pay someone to come back every 3-5 years to treat/paint them so as not to invalidate the warranty and keep them looking respectable?

 

[JohnD]

... why would you fit...

The reason you would fit wooden doors and windows on an old house would be to retain its character and value.

Do you suppose a period house with wooden sash windows and original brickwork is worth less or more than one with a plastic front door and fake stone cladding?

 

[chillout]

Worth more Id say.
There was a victorian house recently where the builder took all the pebble dash off and it looks so much nicer. Mines a 1930s house, so no sash's., would timber bays add that much more value than PVC?

 

[Steamerpoint]

Do you suppose a period house with wooden sash windows and original brickwork is worth less or more than one with a plastic front door and fake stone cladding?

As we are talking about windows, the value of a property is unchanged as long as the windows are in good condition and pleasing to the eye.
If someone rips out the nice sash windows and slaps in some cheap white upvc, then yes it will be a shame, but if the original windows are knackered and some tasteful upvc windows are added, it will actually improve the value. As an estate agent, we were recently selling an original 1930's semi with original Artdeco stained glass leaded windows across the front. The windows were in great condition with no rot whatsoever. A few pottential buyers tried to put the house down because the windows were not upvc!!! I told them both that they could not buy the house if it appeared that they would rip them out and replace them with upvc! Obviously I was joking, but my point was clear, don't bother using the windows as a tool to get the price down, cos it won't wash with me!
Period features will help to sell a property, but only if they are in reasonable condition.

 

[Deleted member 167629]

Thanks, the Irish Oak does look impressive. The timber company Im using gives the same guarantee as Timber windows.com and the product does look on a same par as them, like I said they've been in the game for donkeys years.

I know standard plastic windows dont look as nice, but Irish oak and white wood grain isnt so bad I was thinking. My house is approx 1920-30's.

I know this thread is old - but just wondering what you finally went for, as we have been looking at the irish oak - but not been able to actually find any houses with it installed in the area. So feels like it is a bit of a gamble whether to risk fitting or not - and its a expensive gamble too -

 

[foxhole]

Had mine done about 10years ago, got a local firm who fitted hardwood cheaper than pvc [£4500 against £6000] at the time for whole house including two bays.[1930 house].Are you local?

 

[davryk]

quality hardwood window will outlast a pvc window provided they are sanded and stained every couple of years. if you not gonna do this then go for the pvc, only trouble withe the woodgrain pvc is the woodgrain is a venear ontop of the frame, so if its chipped or scratched you see the colour of the plastic underneath (worse on a woodgrain on white profile as the plastic is white with a thin woodgrain venear on th outer surface).

 

[Deleted member 167629]

we have already got hardwood, but 20years old, so the double glazing is not upto todays standard, and they are very drafty. Also the soundproofing is very poor. But just getting them re-varnished would defo be more cheaper than replacement windows.