If you’ve just purchased your first home or are looking to upgrade yours, you will have likely have heard of uPVC doors and windows. uPVC doors and windows hold many benefits, they are secure, retain heat well and can be comparatively cheaper to other options on the market. Here’s a guide on what they are, the benefits of uPVC windows and doors and what it will look like for your wallet.
So, what are uPVC doors and windows?
uPVC doors and windows have a range of benefits. These include:
- Excellent soundproofing for your home
- Retain considerable heat
- Considerable strength to deter even the more determined burglar
- Being weather resistant
- Being incredibly durable, and won’t rot or decline
- Safe for the environment and don’t contain any toxic materials
- Low amount of maintenance and cleaning
- Cost effective
- Energy efficient and can reduce your bills in the long run
- Low installation costs
- Available in a range of colours and can fit many architectural styles
uPVC doors and windows are typically double glazed. This means there are two panes of glass, with an argon gas layer in between. This means when soundwaves or cold weather tries to penetrate the first pane of glass, the argon gas layer rushes to the defence. Consequently, this helps your home to retain its heat, meaning your boiler does not need to go into overdrive to keep warming up rooms in winter. As 18% of heat loss occurs through windows, ensuring your home is up to standard is a must.
In terms of strength, uPVC doors and windows normally offer an array of security mechanisms. uPVC windows and doors typically come with multi-point locking mechanisms that secure the sash to the frame at several points. This makes it more difficult for intruders to force the window or door open.
Materially speaking, uPVC doors and windows are highly weather resistant due to the compounds that constitute the plastic. This makes them highly durable too, meaning you’ll never have to worry about the elements or draughts coming in. As they are made from plastic, a warm wet cloth with a smidge of washing up liquid is usually enough to wipe down the door and window frames.
So, what am I looking at in terms of cost?
Whilst it might be annoying to hear, it really does depend on your requirements. As of 2024, you could be looking at, on average, £360 to £725 for a double-glazed uPVC door. This increases to £505 to £1,015 for a triple glazed uPVC door. For windows, you are looking at something in the region of £300 to £1,900 per window. So, assuming you were looking at a typical 2 to 3 bedroom house with 2 uPVC doors and 8 uPVC windows you would be looking in the region of £720-1,450 for doors and £2,400 to £8,120 for windows. Altogether, between £4,760 to £9,570.
What am I looking at in terms of real money saving in terms of energy?
This again depends. Windows in particular are rated between A being the most energy efficient and G being the least energy efficient. Legally speaking, C is the minimum that is allowed in terms of energy efficiency for newly installed windows. Below is a table of statistics on savings per year by installing double glazed windows, typically accommodated by uPVC frames.
| Energy rating | Detached | Semi-Detached | Mid Terrace | Bungalow | Mid-Floor Flat |
| A | £120-155 | £80-110 | £65-85 | £55-75 | £40-55 |
| B | £110-140 | £75-100 | £60-80 | £50-70 | £35-55 |
| C | £105-135 | £75-95 | £60-75 | £50-65 | £35-50 |
You should also consider how much value uPVC doors and windows can add to your home in terms of real estate value. Double or triple glazing has consistently been ranked as one of the most desirable features of a home, and the statistics back it up! Only 7% of UK homes has single paned windows so if this applies to you and you are considering flipping your home or moving house, you need to consider what would-be buyers want.
With all this in mind, can you afford not to invest in uPVC doors and windows? If you live in the areas of Keighley, Silsden, Bingley, Ilkley & Skipton we can help. Contact us today on 01535 958 183 or use our contact form online.