Understand your options
| Choice | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Product choice | Casement, flush, sliding sash and different door mechanisms are different specifications. |
| Finish and glass | Record foil, colour, privacy and performance options. |
| Survey and fitting | Identify measurements, removal, handling, installation and disposal. |
| Finishing work | Confirm sills, trims, plaster, decoration and external repairs. |
Avoid a price-per-window shortcut
Two windows can have the same outside dimensions but different numbers of opening lights, glass choices and hardware. A bay involves coupled frames and site interfaces; a sliding sash is a different mechanism from a casement. Use a room-by-room schedule so quotations describe the same work.
Separate product and project costs
Ask for supply-only and installed scopes to state what is included. A lower product price can be offset by unpriced disposal, access equipment or making good. Keep VAT treatment consistent. Mark allowances and unknowns separately rather than turning blank fields into zero costs.
Price optional changes one at a time
Request a base specification and clearly identified alternatives: a different finish, flush appearance or glass package. This makes the value of each change visible. Request an itemised quotation for your actual opening schedule, with current prices, lead times and commercial terms.
Apply it to your project
Illustrative arithmetic: a £4,000 product quote plus £1,500 of known fitting and finishing is £5,500. A £5,300 quote including that same work is £200 lower on matched scope. These are example numbers only, not current uPVC prices; the comparison also needs the same specification and VAT basis.
Questions before you choose
Is uPVC always cheaper than aluminium?
Compare quotations for the same opening and performance requirements. Frame style, glass, finish and installation can change the total; a percentage discount between materials is not a reliable budget.
What should I send for an initial estimate?
An opening schedule, approximate sizes with their basis, photographs, postcode, finish preferences and whether you want supply only or fitting.
Research references
Manufacturer and technical references checked 12 October 2026. They establish market options, not a Bifoldsandmore supply partnership or a specification for your opening.
