30 April 2026

Replacement or retrofit: which is right for your windows?

Not every home needs full replacement. Here’s how to tell whether replacing your joinery or retrofitting into existing frames is the better call.

Window installation during a home renovation

If your timber or aluminium windows are cold, draughty or streaming with condensation, you’ve got two routes to a warmer home: full replacement, or retrofit. Here’s how to think about which suits you.

Full replacement

The old joinery comes out entirely and new uPVC goes in. It’s the cleanest, best-performing upgrade, and the right call when your existing frames are past their best.

Retrofit

We fit new double-glazed uPVC units into your existing frames. It’s a lighter-touch upgrade — less disruption, often more affordable — and ideal when your frames are sound and you want to keep your home’s character. It’s a popular choice for older villas and bungalows.

How to choose

  • Frames in poor condition, or a full renovation? Replacement usually wins.
  • Sound frames and character worth keeping? Retrofit is often the smarter route.
  • Not sure? That’s what the measure-up is for — we’ll give you an honest recommendation.

Either way, the result is the same goal: a warmer, quieter, drier home.

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Tell us about your windows.

Send us a quick note about your home — how many windows and doors you're looking at, whether you're replacing old joinery or fitting out a new build, and roughly when you'd like it done. We'll take a look, answer any questions, and arrange a time to visit and measure up for a proper quote. If it's easier to talk it through, give us a call.