Plan with confidence
Repair or replace your windows? A fault-by-fault guide
Use the window fault, frame condition, repair scope and quotation to compare a repair with full replacement.
A handle, hinge or individual sealed unit may be repairable while a damaged or failing frame can change the decision. Ask for the fault and proposed work to be explained before comparing costs.
Start with the fault
A window that will not lock, a draught around a closed sash and condensation between panes point to different possible problems. Write down what happens and which openings are affected.
Some faults lie in the hardware or glazed unit. Others relate to frame condition, alignment or wider fitting. An inspection is needed to distinguish them.
When repair may be worth asking about
If the frame is sound and the issue is limited to a compatible handle, hinge, seal or sealed unit, ask if that part can be repaired or replaced. Confirm availability and the scope.
Age alone does not establish that a window must be replaced. Equally, replacing a failed component may not solve a frame, water-ingress or operation problem that has a different cause.
Compare the written options
Ask what work is included, which parts are being supplied and what happens if further faults are discovered. For a new window, compare frame, glass, removal, fitting, making-good and disposal.
A like-for-like written comparison is more useful than comparing a repair price with an incomplete replacement headline. Confirm relevant guarantees and exclusions with the provider.
Explore your next step
General planning information updated 29 September 2026. Product specifications and the work for your home are confirmed in your quotation.