uPVC vs Aluminium vs Timber: How Window Repairs Differ

The frame material a window is made from changes what tends to go wrong with it and how it's fixed. Here's how repairs differ across the three most common types found on London homes.

uPVC windows

uPVC is the most common frame material on London homes from the 1990s onward. It's low-maintenance and doesn't rot, but the moving parts — hinges, gearboxes, espag mechanisms — wear out over time, and steel reinforcement inside the frame can occasionally rust if water has got in.

Most uPVC repairs are mechanical parts replacement rather than anything to do with the plastic frame itself, which is why they're usually quick, affordable one-visit jobs.

Aluminium windows

Aluminium is common on more modern developments, shopfronts and larger glazed openings, valued for its slim sightlines and strength. It doesn't rot or rust, but the powder-coated finish can chip, and the hardware (espags, friction stays, multi-point locks) is broadly similar to uPVC, though often heavier-duty.

Aluminium frames can occasionally suffer from corrosion at fixing points or where dissimilar metals meet, which needs different handling to uPVC or timber.

Timber windows

Timber, particularly on period and sash windows, requires the most specialist attention. Rot, swelling in wet weather, and worn sash cords are the most common issues, and repairs often involve carpentry — splicing in new sections of timber, re-glazing with putty, and refitting rather than just swapping a mechanical part.

Timber repairs generally take longer per job than uPVC or aluminium because of the joinery involved, but they preserve original character that can't be replicated in modern materials.

Choosing repair over replacement

Across all three materials, the same principle applies: if the frame itself is structurally sound, repairing the specific fault is nearly always cheaper and faster than a full replacement, whatever the frame is made from.

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Covering Central London and out to the M25

Frequently asked questions

Which frame material is easiest to repair?

uPVC and aluminium repairs are typically the most straightforward since faults are usually down to standardised mechanical parts. Timber repairs take longer due to the joinery involved but are just as fixable.

Do you carry parts for all three materials?

Yes — we carry common uPVC and aluminium hardware on the van, and source matching timber sections and period ironmongery for sash and casement timber windows.

Is timber more expensive to repair than uPVC?

Often slightly, because of the carpentry time involved, but it's still typically far cheaper than replacing a period timber window or frame entirely.

Can aluminium windows be repaired without replacing the whole frame?

Yes — hinges, handles, locks and glass units in aluminium frames are all replaceable in the same way as uPVC, without needing to replace the frame itself.