Window Repairs Across the South West
Three routes, one honest decision: repair what works, respray what looks tired, replace only what has actually failed.
Which route your windows actually need
Most quotes for tired windows default to replacement because replacement is the biggest job on the sheet. We survey the glass, the frame section and the hardware separately, because those three answers — not the age of the window — decide what should happen next.
Repair
The cheapest route when the frame is sound. Sealed units, gaskets, friction hinges, handles and locking gear are all replaceable without disturbing the opening.
See fault guidesRespray
For frames that work properly but look dated or faded. A premium 2-pack coating applied on site changes the colour without removing anything.
About sprayingReplace
Reserved for frames that have genuinely failed — distortion, rot through the section, or obsolete hardware with no parts available.
About replacementFaults we repair most often
Misted Double Glazing
Cloudy, milky glass with moisture trapped between the panes. Typical cost: £95–£260 per sealed unit swapped, frames retained.
Draughty Windows
Cold air tracking around the frame, curtains moving, rooms that never hold heat. Typical cost: £120–£380 per window to re-seal and re-gear; £650+ if replacement is the right call.
Faded uPVC Windows
Chalky, yellowed or patchy white frames that no longer clean up. Typical cost: £45–£95 per window sprayed on site; whole-house packages from around £1,400.
Rotten Timber Window Frames
Soft, dark or crumbling timber, usually at the cill and bottom rail. Typical cost: £180–£450 per splice repair; £950–£1,900 per opening for a like-for-like new timber window.
Sticking & Jammed Windows
Sashes that bind, need forcing, or won't line up with the frame. Typical cost: £95–£280 per window for hinge, gearing and alignment work.
Broken Window Handles & Hinges
Spinning handles, snapped espagnolette drives, corroded or seized hinges. Typical cost: £65–£190 per opening for handle, keep or hinge replacement.
Condensation on Windows
Water running down the inside of the glass, damp cills and mould at the reveal. Typical cost: £0 for ventilation changes; £150–£320 to add trickle vents; replacement priced per opening.
Salt-Damaged Coastal Windows
Pitted hardware, white bloom on frames, corroded hinges on seafront elevations. Typical cost: £45–£95 per window for marine-grade spray refinishing; hardware upgrades from £65 per opening.
Rattling Sash Windows
Sashes that knock in the wind, cords that have snapped, sashes that won't stay up. Typical cost: £220–£520 per sash for cord, parting bead and draught-seal overhaul; £1,100+ per opening for replacement.
Dated Brown & White Window Frames
1990s brown woodgrain or flat white frames that date an otherwise updated house. Typical cost: £45–£95 per window sprayed; typical semi-detached whole-house £1,400–£2,200.
Each fault has town-specific guides in the window problems hub, including misted double glazing and draughty windows.
Common questions
- Do you repair windows, or only replace them?
- Both, and we quote the repair route first where it exists. Glass, gaskets, hinges, handles and locks are all serviceable parts on an otherwise sound window.
- How do you decide between repair, respray and replacement?
- Three questions: is the glass sound, is the frame structurally sound, and is the hardware still available. Glass-only faults are repairs, tired-but-sound frames suit spraying, and failed frames need replacing.
- Is the survey free?
- Yes. Every survey is free and carries no obligation, and you get an itemised written quote covering the routes that genuinely apply to your windows.
- Which areas do you cover?
- Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset, working out from our base at Cranbrook near Exeter.
uPVC window repairs: more detail
Common uPVC window repairs
Most uPVC windows that stop working properly have a worn part rather than a failed frame. A window that will not lock usually has a worn handle or gearbox; one that drops or catches on the frame has tired hinges; draughts and whistling often mean perished gaskets; and condensation between the panes means the sealed unit has failed. All of these are serviceable on a sound frame.
- Misted or blown double glazing units replaced
- Hinges, handles and locking mechanisms replaced
- Gaskets and seals renewed to stop draughts
- Faded or discoloured frames resprayed on site
Read more: Misted double glazing repair · Broken hinges and handles
Repair or replace windows?
Repair is the right answer when the frame is square, solid and seals properly once the worn part is replaced. Replacement makes more sense when frames have warped or cracked, several windows have the same failures at once, or you want a different style, colour or better energy performance across the house. We quote the repair route first where one exists, and show replacement alongside so you can compare.
Read more: Replacement windows · Respray or replace?
Rotted window frames
Rotted window frames are a timber problem. If yours are rotten, we will look at the extent at the survey; where the rot is widespread, replacing the window with uPVC or aluminium is usually the lasting answer, and our replacement windows page explains the options.
Window repair cost
What a repair costs depends on the part, the size of the unit or hardware, how many windows are affected and access. We give a free survey and a written quote, and if spraying is part of the job our uPVC spraying cost page explains what goes into that figure.
Read more: uPVC spraying cost
Window repairs in Exeter and beyond
We are based in Cranbrook, just outside Exeter, so Exeter window repairs are close to home, and we cover the rest of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset from there.
Read more: Double glazing Exeter · Double glazing Plymouth · Double glazing Taunton
Help with a window that will not close
Read more: Window won’t close: safe checks and repair
More questions
Can you repair double glazing without replacing the frame?
Yes. If the frame is sound, a misted or failed sealed unit can be replaced on its own, along with worn gaskets, hinges and handles.
Is it worth repairing old uPVC windows?
If the frames are square and solid, repairing worn parts is usually worthwhile. If several frames are warped or failing, replacement is the better long-term spend, and we will quote both.
Do you repair windows in Exeter?
Yes. We are based in Cranbrook near Exeter and repair windows across the city and the rest of the South West.
Ready to start your project?
Free quotes · 10-year guarantee · Friendly local service.