Window & Door Installation in London

Window Materials Compared

uPVC is the most common replacement window material by far — low maintenance, reasonably priced, and available in finishes that increasingly convincingly mimic timber. It's the practical default for most properties without conservation restrictions.

Timber windows cost more and need more maintenance — periodic repainting or resealing — but they're often the only option permitted in conservation areas and listed buildings, and they suit period properties in a way uPVC visually can't fully replicate.

Aluminium sits at the premium end, with slim sightlines that suit larger modern glazing and extensions specifically, at a higher cost than uPVC and generally less maintenance than timber. It's less commonly the right choice for a period property, but often the right one for a contemporary extension with large glazed openings.

Conservation Areas & Listed Buildings

A significant part of London sits within conservation areas, where window and door replacement is more restricted than most homeowners expect — replacing original timber sash windows with uPVC, for instance, is commonly refused or requires planning permission specifically because it wasn't otherwise needed. Listed buildings carry even tighter restrictions, sometimes requiring like-for-like repair rather than replacement at all.

Checking a property's conservation status before committing to a material or window style is worth doing early, since discovering a restriction after ordering replacement windows is a considerably more expensive mistake than confirming it up front during the initial visit.

Security & Glazing Standards

Double glazing is standard on virtually all replacement windows now, with triple glazing an option for properties prioritising maximum thermal performance, though the additional benefit over double glazing is smaller than the cost difference usually suggests for most London properties. Security glazing and multi-point locking systems matter most on ground-floor windows and doors specifically, where accessibility from outside is the actual risk being addressed.

Fitting & Making Good

The visible frame is only part of the job — making good the surrounding wall, plaster and any external render disturbed during removal and fitting is what separates a professionally finished installation from one that simply has a new window sitting in an untidy opening. Internal reveals often need a skim of fresh plaster after a window's replaced, and exterior render or pointing around the frame needs to be reinstated properly to keep the wall weathertight, not just cosmetically tidy.