You don't always need to change everything. Here you learn to recognise the signs: when a good repair is enough — gaskets, hardware, glass, locks — and when replacement is the only sensible spend.
Repair works when the frame is sound and only one part has failed: a flattened gasket, a sash that no longer closes square, a handle that slips, a lock that sticks, or glass fogged inside. In these cases, replacing the whole window is a waste.
Replaced when the frame itself can no longer do its job, or when repair would cost a similar amount to replacement — in that case it makes sense to replace: you get new insulation, new glass and a warranty on the new work.
Rule of thumb: if the frame is sound and the problem is in a replaceable part — gasket, handle, hinge, glass, lock — repair it. If the frame is deformed, rotten or out of square, or the glass is old single glazing, repairing just postpones the expense.
Four jobs solve most everyday problems: new gaskets, adjustment of sashes and hinges, replacement of handles and hardware, and repair or change of locks and cylinders.
The glass can also be replaced on its own: broken glass, or a unit fogged inside, is changed while keeping the frame if it is sound — and in some cases insulation can be improved over the original glass. On wooden frames we also repair small damaged parts, with filling and touch-ups where it makes sense. Before any repair we tell you what it costs and how long it will realistically last: if the repair isn't worth it, we will be the first to say so.
Disposal of the old frames: when replacing, removal and disposal of the old windows and doors are to confirm in the quote — we list them in writing among the items, so there are no surprises on fitting day.
The old frames come out, the opening is prepared, the new ones go in with seals and finishes, and at the end everything is adjusted and checked together with you. In a typical flat, fitting generally takes one to two days — it varies with the number and state of the openings.
You can stay in the home during the work: we go room by room and protect floors and furniture in the work area. The seven steps in detail — survey, measuring, production, removal, fitting, finishing, final check — are on the installation page; cost factors and tax deductions are in the costs guide.
Yes, if the frame is sound: the glazing unit is changed while keeping frame and hardware. It is the usual choice when the glass is broken or fogged inside. If instead the frame is also old and poorly insulating, changing only the glass improves little: in that case we will tell you and assess full replacement.
It happens: modern windows seal much better, so the moisture produced at home (cooking, showers, laundry) no longer escapes through the draughts and condenses on the coldest points, often the corners of walls. The answer is usually not "remove the new windows", but ventilating well — short, full openings several times a day — and checking there are no thermal bridges around the opening. We talk about it at the final check, before the problem appears.
If the sash won't close or the lock won't engage, yes: it is a security problem as well as a comfort one, and should be sorted straight away. If it is just an adjustment — the sash rubs or lets a small draught through — it can be planned calmly, but don't wait until the mechanism breaks completely: describe the symptom and we will tell you the real urgency.
Describe the symptom — draught, condensation, broken handle, stiff lock — and we will tell you whether a repair is enough.