What aluminium windows actually cost

Why nobody publishes real prices

Because a range is harder to sell than a 'from' price. Almost every window company in the UK advertises the cheapest window they have ever sold, in the smallest size, in white, with no fitting — and then sends a salesperson.

The table below is what the work actually costs, supplied and fitted, including VAT. Your quote should land inside these bands. If it lands far above, ask what is different. If it lands far below, ask what has been left out — usually the fitting, the making good, the trickle vents or the VAT.

What actually moves the price

• SizePriced per square metre of frame, so the number scales with area — but not linearly, because the fixed cost of the visit and the hardware doesn't change.
• Opening or fixedEvery opener adds hardware and labour. A fixed light is significantly cheaper per m² than a casement. Dummy sashes give the look of an opener for less.
• StyleTilt & turn costs 15–25% more than a casement of the same size — it is the hardware, not the frame. Heritage and steel-look profiles carry a premium for the tighter tolerances.
• GlazingStandard low-E double is the baseline. Triple adds roughly 15–20%. Acoustic laminate, toughened, laminated and obscure all add cost.
• ColourAny single RAL colour is the same price. Dual colour adds around 5–10% because the frame is coated twice.
• AccessScaffolding on a three-storey elevation can add several hundred pounds. A ground-floor job with a driveway is the cheapest access there is.
• Making goodPlastering, rendering and sill work after the frame is in. Ask explicitly whether it is included — it is the most common hidden extra.
• RegionReal, and significant. London runs roughly 20% above the national average; the North East roughly 10% below.

How to compare three quotes properly

Get the U-value in writing. A quote at 1.4 W/m²K and a quote at 1.2 W/m²K are not the same product, and the cheaper one is cheaper for a reason.

Then check: is fitting included? Is making good included? Are trickle vents included where Part F requires them? Is the VAT included? Is it FENSA or CERTASS registered, and will you get the certificate? Is the finish guaranteed, and for how long? Three quotes that answer those questions the same way can be compared on price. Three that don't, can't.

Ranges include VAT and installation. Final price depends on size, spec, access and site condition — a survey gives you a fixed number.