Respray or Replace Your Windows?

Respray your windows if the frames still open, lock and seal properly and your main complaint is how they look; replace them if they are draughty, misted, failing mechanically or damaged in the frame. Spraying changes the colour and finish on site, while replacement renews the whole window, including its glass and performance.

We do both across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset, so we have no reason to push one over the other. This comparison sets out how to judge your own windows before you ask for quotes.

Three questions that usually decide it

Glass-only faults are repairs, tired but sound frames suit spraying, and failed frames mean replacement. Many houses end up with a mix, which is perfectly sensible.

• Is the glass sound, or are units misted between the panes?
• Is the frame structurally sound, without cracks, rot or twisting?
• Is the hardware working, or can it still be sourced and repaired?

When respraying makes sense

Frames that work but look faded, yellowed or dated are the classic case. A 2-pack coating applied on site gives them a new colour without disturbing plaster, reveals or decoration, and it is a practical way to bring a house up to date or to match new doors or a new extension. It also keeps sound frames out of landfill.

When replacement makes sense

Replacement is the better investment when windows are draughty despite new seals, when several units have misted, when sashes drop or frames are cracked, or when the original windows were poorly made. New windows bring current glazing, locking and weather sealing, and they can be made in almost any colour or style. Our windows come with a 10 year guarantee.

Comparing the practical side

Spraying is quicker and far less disruptive, because nothing comes out of the wall. Replacement involves removing old frames, fitting new ones and making good, but it resolves performance problems that paint cannot touch. On energy use, spraying leaves the thermal performance of a window unchanged, while replacement can improve it noticeably if the existing glass is old.

Listed and conservation properties

On listed buildings, uPVC and colour changes can both need consent, and timber repair is usually the first expectation. In conservation areas, check any restrictions on front elevations before changing colour or material. We can advise on what is likely to be acceptable before you commit to either route.

Mixing both routes

It is common to replace the worst two or three windows and spray the rest in a matching colour, or to replace the windows on one elevation now and respray the others to match. A survey that looks at each opening separately gives you that choice, rather than an all or nothing quote.

Getting a fair comparison

Ask for both routes to be priced on the same visit, window by window, so you can see exactly where the money goes. A useful quote explains which frames are sound, which have faults that spraying will not fix, and what the result will look like from the street. With that in front of you, the decision is usually obvious, and it rarely has to be all or nothing for the whole house.

Questions people ask