Has anyone had their sash windows replaced / repaired?

I don't know of anyone in your area but if you were just looking for a rough price for a replacement window - depending on size and whatnot - possibly give your local builders merchant a ring. They probably wont be quite the same quality as a craftsman made type affair but it might work out a little cheaper.

http://www.jeld-wen.co.uk/?cmd=ranges.range&id=38

I wish it was that simple but the whole thing is shafted from what I can tell, and we have internal sash blinds in it too so I have no idea how we would fix it so a man what can would be the preferred option (although currently we would have to sell a kidney to afford it [sigh]). Thank you though.

That does sound a lot more faffy! In regards to a chap who can come and have a look if you don't get any recommendations we got the details of some painters and plasterers from www.ratedpeople.com last year and they were really good. I know it's not a personal recommendation but you can at least see feedback on their work.

We had a company round to overhaul our original knackered windows in an effort to keep the house a bit warmer. £1,500 later the windows will still very draughty so wouldn't really recommend them. Bit by bit they have replaced most of the windows apart from the two huge bay windows which we just can't afford. The windows have been done by a carpenter H knows (based in Wallington). We pay on average £600 per window (they are quite tall windows). If you want his details will try to find them for you.

We had our windows replaced last year and new double glazed timber sashes put in. We had the work done as part of much larger buildng works and paid approx £400 per window- which is a very good deal, but like I say, we had it done as part of a bigger project so we got a discount. We had 9 new windows.

The Period Property website is good for advice: as far as I could ascertain from there, repair is usually the best option in all but the worst case scenario. Ventrolla is often mentioned as a national firm specialising in sash repairs but they tend to be expensive. A decent local carpenter maybe a better bet. You need to bear in mind that if you replace the window rather than repair it, you'll need to comply with Buildng Regs. Unless you live in a listed property this will require the window to be double glazed so the frames will be chunker than a single glazed frame.

I have had plastic sash windows and they work out at approx £500 each, but in the midlands. They were an expensive firm who make them look like the originals.

Thanks all, not an insurmountable fee then. Thank gawd it is only the one window that is rotten (upstairs is fine, the rest are double glazed), we will definitely go for repair rather than replace as it is a really odd window and it would look wrong double glazed.

Before he retired, OH's dad was a master joiner and used to make them from scratch. They ain't cheap - easily a couple of grand per unit. I would imagine that a full renovation would be in a similar region.

Sadly he was salaried, otherwise OH would be worth a mint! (FIL made literally hundreds for a converted asylum as one of his last jobs.)

H has just repaired a friends as she is in a graded property and couldn't afford to replace, he said find someone to dig out the rot and wood rot kill it and use car body filler to fill it, it will give you several years with a bit of luck. Our friends looks fine and apparently car body filler doesn't rot and is very hard. H is a bespoke joiner/carpenter.