How Much Does Sash Window Restoration Cost?
By Daniel Fitzpatrick, Master Craftsman · Guild of Master Craftsmen
The cost of sash window restoration depends mostly on how much timber has decayed, how many sashes need work, how easy the windows are to reach, and whether the building is listed. A window that only needs new cords and draught proofing costs far less than one with a rotten cill and bottom rail.
Restoring an original sash is usually better value over its lifetime than replacing it, because well-seasoned period timber lasts for decades once the decayed sections are repaired. Here is what drives the price, so you know what to expect before you ask for a quote.
What affects the cost of restoring a sash window?
How much decay there is. Rot is most common in the cill and the bottom rail of the lower sash. A small splice repair is quick; a new cill or a replacement bottom rail is bench work and takes longer.
How much work each window needs. The range runs from easing and re-cording a sticking sash, through draught proofing, to a full overhaul with timber repairs, new beads, rebalanced weights and redecoration.
The number and size of windows. Several windows done together cost less per window than one on its own, because set-up, travel and access are shared.
Access. Ground-floor windows are straightforward. Upper floors may need a tower or scaffold, which adds to the cost.
Glass. Keeping the original glass is normal. Replacing broken or missing panes with matching old glass adds cost.
Listed status. Listed buildings and conservation areas usually need like-for-like repair and sometimes consent, which can mean more careful, slower work.
Is restoration cheaper than replacement?
Often, yes, and it keeps the character of the building. A well-made replacement timber sash is costly, and in a listed building it may not be allowed at all. Restoration keeps the original frame, glass and proportions, and deals only with what has failed.
Replacement makes sense only when most of the sash is decayed. Even then, the new sash should be made to the original profile, which is bench joinery work in its own right.
How to keep the cost down
Act early. Flaking paint and a soft corner on a cill are cheap to fix. Left for a few winters, the same window can need a new cill and bottom rail.
Do several windows at once, and combine restoration with draught proofing so the sashes only come out once.
Keep the finish maintained afterwards. A restored sash that is painted every few years will last for decades.
How we price a job
Advice is free. We look at the windows, explain what each one needs, and agree the scope and price with you before any work starts. Call 01484 666 333 or send photos on WhatsApp to start the conversation.