How much does new double glazing cost: what the job involves and who is registered to do it

How how much does new double glazing cost works

1. How many openings and how many open. Fixed panes are the cheapest part of any window run and opening sashes are the dearest, so a house with a lot of small openers costs more than the same glass area in fixed lights. This is the first number an installer wants and it is the first number you should write down yourself before anybody visits.
2. Which material and which profile. uPVC, aluminium and timber sit at three different price points and they are not interchangeable in appearance. Within each material the profile matters too, since a slim sightline or a flush fitting sash is a different tool set at the factory and a different price on the invoice.
3. What is coming out. Old timber in a solid wall, steel frames in a nineteen thirties opening, and twenty year old uPVC in a modern cavity are three different removal jobs. What is behind the frame decides how much making good follows and whether cavity closers and new cills are needed.
4. How the fitters reach it. Ground floor work needs nothing special. Upper floors need towers or scaffold, a conservatory or a flat roof underneath complicates the access further, and a frontage on a public pavement can need a licence. Access is a line in the quote and it belongs there rather than in a surprise.
5. Who certifies it. A registered installer certifies and registers the work as part of the price. If a firm is not registered you notify building control yourself and pay their fee, so compare quotes with that difference in view rather than treating the certificate as an optional extra.

Insurance and paperwork

Common questions

Is there a best time of year to buy?

Installers are generally quieter in the winter months and that can show in lead times and in willingness to negotiate, but the work is harder in poor weather because openings stand open while frames are changed. Convenience and price pull in opposite directions here.

Should I be suspicious of a discount that expires today?

Yes. A price that only exists while the salesperson is in the room is a negotiating device rather than a price, and any reputable firm will hold a written quote long enough for you to compare it with two others.

Does new double glazing add value to the house?

It changes how a house is received by buyers and it changes the running cost, but treat any specific claim about resale value with care unless whoever is making it can show you where the figure came from.

Registered contractors by region

• Registered roofers in the East Midlands postcode area
• Registered roofers in the East of England postcode area
• Registered roofers in the London postcode area
• Registered roofers in the North East postcode area
• Registered roofers in the North West postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Scotland postcode area
• Registered roofers in the South East postcode area
• Registered roofers in the South West postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Wales postcode area
• Registered roofers in the West Midlands postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Yorkshire and The Humber postcode area