How much does a sash window cost in the UK?
A sash window costs £1,200 on average in the UK. Most jobs fall between £250 and £3,000 per window. Job type: Refurbish or draught-proof existing £250 to £650; New uPVC sash window £850 to £1,600; New timber sash window £1,200 to £3,000. Prices reviewed July 2026.
A sash window usually costs between £250 and £3,000 in the UK, priced per window. Draught-proofing or refurbishing an existing sash runs about £250 to £650, while a new timber or uPVC replacement is typically around £1,200. The price depends mainly on the material and whether you repair or replace.
Sash window cost calculator
Use the calculator to price your sash window in 2026. Adjust the options and area for a UK cost range. Nothing is sent anywhere.
To price the whole job, use the double glazing cost calculator.
Sash window cost breakdown
The cheapest option is Refurbish or draught-proof existing at £250 to £650, and the dearest is New timber sash window at £1,200 to £3,000. Typical is £1,200 per window.
| Job type | Typical UK cost | Typical life |
|---|---|---|
| Refurbish or draught-proof existing | £250 to £650 | About 10 years for the seals |
| New uPVC sash window | £850 to £1,600 | 20 to 25 years |
| New timber sash window | £1,200 to £3,000 | 60 to 80 years |
What's included in the price?
Typical sash window prices include:
- A survey and made-to-measure sliding sashes
- Removal and disposal of the old window
- The new sash unit with cords, weights or spring balances
- Fitting, draught seals and making good the reveals
What changes the price?
The things that move sash window prices most:
Timber or uPVC, and softwood or hardwood
Refurbishing the existing sash versus a full replacement
The size of the window and the number of panes
Your region
Access above ground floor and any rot repairs needed
These are why two quotes for the same job can differ, and the only way to know your price is to get prices from local firms.
How the price is built up
A replacement price covers the survey, the new sashes made to size, removing and disposing of the old window, and fitting with new cords or balances, draught seals and making good. Timber, hardwood, larger sizes and multiple panes all add to the total. A refurbishment price is mainly labour to ease the sashes, replace cords and rout in draught-proofing. On a replacement, the made-to-measure sash unit is the largest part of the cost and labour is usually £150 to £300 per window. On a refurbishment there is little material cost, so you are mostly paying for the specialist's time to overhaul and seal the sash.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Refurbish and draught-proof sound sashes rather than replacing them
- Do several windows or a whole elevation in one visit to lower the per-window price
- Choose softwood over hardwood and a standard white or off-white finish
Does where you live change the cost?
In London, a sash window typically costs around £1,400, about 20% above the UK average of £1,200. In the North, Scotland and Wales the guide figure is nearer £1,200.
| Region | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands / East (UK average) | £250 | £1,200 | £3,000 |
| London | £300 | £1,400 | £3,600 |
| South East / South West | £260 | £1,300 | £3,200 |
| North / Scotland / Wales | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
Guide prices per window, scaled with the same regional multipliers as the calculator. Not quotes.
Sash window cost in major UK cities
| City | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | £240 | £1,100 | £2,900 |
| Birmingham | £250 | £1,200 | £3,000 |
| Bristol | £260 | £1,300 | £3,200 |
| Cardiff | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
| Edinburgh | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
| Glasgow | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
| Leeds | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
| Liverpool | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
| London | £300 | £1,400 | £3,600 |
| Manchester | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
| Newcastle | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
| Sheffield | £240 | £1,200 | £2,900 |
City guide estimates, scaled by local labour costs. Indicative averages for sash window, not quotes.
Jobs in London and the South East carry a premium, mostly on labour; the North, Wales and Scotland are typically a little cheaper for the same work.
Compare this with a real quote
The figures above are guide prices. Two or three quotes for your sash window tell you what it costs where you live.
Common questions
How much does a sash window cost in 2026?
Between about £250 and £3,000 per window. Draught-proofing or refurbishing an existing sash is £250 to £650, a new uPVC sash is roughly £850 to £1,600, and a new timber sash is £1,200 to £3,000. Most people replacing a window pay around £1,200.
What makes a sash window more expensive?
Material and size are the biggest factors. Hardwood timber costs more than softwood or uPVC, large windows and multi-pane astragal bars add labour, and non-standard colours or heritage glass push the price up. Rot repairs and upper-floor access also add cost.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a sash window?
Repair is much cheaper. Refurbishing and draught-proofing a sound sash costs £250 to £650, against £850 or more to replace it. If the frame and box are in good condition, an overhaul is usually the better-value option.
Can I draught-proof a sash window myself?
Basic self-adhesive brush strip and foam kits cost £15 to £40 per window and help a little, but they wear quickly. A proper routed brush-pile system fitted into the beads by a specialist lasts far longer and seals better, which is why most people pay to have it done.
How long does it take to fit a sash window?
A single replacement sash window usually takes half a day to a full day to remove and fit. Draught-proofing an existing window takes a few hours, and a whole house is often completed over one or two days depending on the number of windows.
Are uPVC sash windows cheaper than timber?
Yes. A uPVC sash window is typically £850 to £1,600 fitted, while softwood timber starts around £1,200 and hardwood can reach £3,000. uPVC also needs less maintenance, though timber is usually required on listed or conservation-area properties.
How long do sash windows last?
A new timber sash is generally put at 60 to 80 years, and the British Woodworking Federation has recorded well maintained ones going past 100, on the condition that it is repainted every 5 to 10 years. A uPVC sash is usually given 20 to 25 years, and when it gets there it cannot be refurbished, so it is replaced again rather than overhauled. Refurbishing an original sash is the odd one out, because the box and frame carry on being repairable and it is the draught-proofing that has the fixed life, around 10 years for a routed brush-pile system. That is why a sound original window is usually worth keeping even though the seals will want renewing once in the meantime.
Do I need permission to replace sash windows?
Two separate questions, and for sash windows the second one often matters more. Building regulations first: replacing a window in an existing home is building work, and Schedule 3 of the Building Regulations 2010 lets a registered installer self-certify it under any of six schemes, FENSA, CERTASS, Assure Certification, Blue Flame Certification, Certsure or NAPIT. Keep the certificate. Planning is where sash windows differ from an ordinary replacement. Original sashes are exactly what conservation area designation and listing exist to protect, so a like-for-like uPVC swap that would need no permission elsewhere can be refused, and on a listed building the change needs listed building consent, which is a separate application from planning permission. Speak to the council's conservation officer before ordering anything, because the answer changes what you can buy.
Official guidance and sources
The rules and schemes referenced on this page come from these official UK sources. The price figures are Costwise's own; see how we price.
- Building Regulations 2010, Schedule 3 legislation.gov.uk · Names the six self-certification schemes for replacing a window, rooflight or door in an existing dwelling.
- Building Regulations 2010, regulation 3 legislation.gov.uk · Makes providing a controlled fitting building work, which is why a replacement is notifiable at all.
Cite this data
These figures are free to use in articles, reports and research under a CC BY 4.0 licence. All we ask is a credit to Costwise, and online a link. Where your style allows, please make "Costwise" the linked word so readers can check the figure for their own region.
Costwise (2026): A sash window typically costs £1,200 in the UK, ranging from £250 to £3,000. Reviewed July 2026. costwiseuk.co.ukSource: Costwise (costwiseuk.co.uk)Costwise (2026). Sash window cost. Costwise UK cost data, version 2026-10-12. https://costwiseuk.co.uk/sash-window-cost/2026-10-12 (158 jobs)Dataset DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21159943 · also on Kaggle, Hugging Face and Figshare. Method: how we price. Downloadable CSV.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.