Timber-Look Windows Cost

The step up between ranges is mostly about depth of moulding and authenticity of detail rather than performance; thermal figures are broadly similar across the range once glazed to the same specification.

Real timber windows generally cost the same as or more than aluminium once you account for a quality hardwood or engineered softwood frame, factory-applied paint finish and the joinery labour involved, and they carry an ongoing repainting commitment every several years. Timber-look uPVC sits well below both, typically saving a third or more per window compared with a genuine timber equivalent of similar style, with no repainting required.

• Real timber: highest upfront cost, ongoing maintenance, most authentic material feel
• Timber-look uPVC (Residence): lower upfront cost, no repainting, very close visual match at normal viewing distance
• Heritage aluminium: different aesthetic entirely, replicating slim steel proportions rather than timber

Standard white and standard woodgrain foils such as Golden Oak or Rosewood are usually the most economical, being run in higher volume. Heritage colours like Heritage Cream, Chartwell Green or Painswick, and dual-colour combinations (a different foil inside and out), typically carry a modest premium. This is worth flagging early on a whole-house order, since a mismatch between the surveyor's verbal estimate and the final colour choice is a common source of quotation surprise.

Georgian bar and diamond leaded patterns are widely available across the Residence range and typically add a modest per-window cost for the applied bar work. Triple glazing is available on the range for a further premium over standard double glazing, worthwhile on north-facing elevations or exposed sites in the same way it is for aluminium.

• Choose it where the house is period or cottage-style and a painted timber look matters more than ultra-slim sightlines
• Choose it where budget needs to stretch across a whole-house order without compromising on appearance
• Choose real timber only where the property specifically requires it (for example under certain listed building consents) or where the tactile authenticity of real wood is a personal priority
• Choose aluminium instead where large glazed openings or extremely slim sightlines are the priority

• Assuming all timber-look uPVC looks the same; unbranded flat-foil systems look noticeably less convincing than a sculpted range like Residence
• Not checking whether a chosen colour or dual-colour combination carries a premium before finalising a whole-house quote
• Specifying true divided lite bars without understanding the cost difference versus applied bars
• Overlooking triple glazing on a north-facing or exposed elevation to save a small amount, then finding the room consistently cold