Aluminum vs. Timber Windows

Hi everyone,

Just bought a 70 years old brick home (see photo) and I am going through medium-size renovation (new kitchen, fix the shed, paint inside, polish the floors and install Crimsafe screens on external doors and 2 bathroom windows).

The house has timer windows (casement and double hung) with many layers of paint and rusted handles/hinges/... but they are fine at the moment. The 2 bathroom windows have thin glass and to be able to install security we need to change the windows. So we need to decide on timber or aluminium.

We like aluminium for the lower cost, ease of maintenance and operations and believe that we will change the windows after 5 years. So we are thinking of installing aluminium windows for the 2 bathrooms along with security from now.

Has anyone seen good aluminium on old brick home? am assuming this addition may not devalue the house and make it lose its character on the long term?

 

Having recently gone through the exercise of replacing sash cords, weights, spring balances, puttying up glass, new sills & replacing glazing on several 100 yr old timber windows, I'd do it again in a flash.

 

My challenge is time which is increasingly becoming scarce, and would rather spend family time during weekends. It will take me 2 hours per window and I've got 60

 

Those windows are beautiful. I think aluminium with the rest of the façade would do that house no favours. Why not hire a carpenter to fix the windows for you, or buy new reproduction windows?

 

Got a quote to paint all for 2200 & 150/window for maintenance; hence the tendency towards aluminium in the future

 

You can get some thick framed sash ali windows that might suit your lower maintenance needs.

Stegbar siteline springs to mind as one that looks more appropriate on an older house
https://www.stegbar.com.au/Products/Windows/Siteline

 

Nice place! Sorry it's got to be timber, you will get those costs back when you sell.

 

Got any prices for windows? We'll need a bunch for a project we're considering

 

I understand but unless you do a total modern refurb along with modern aluminium high spec windows, and that's what buyers want in that suburb, the value just won't be there in a normalising market, I think.

 

Regret the late reply @D.T. we ended up only changing the bathroom windows to aluminium, with toughened glass and Crimsafe screens, we added colonial bars to provide character (cost of 2 large windows ~1.1mx1.2m and a small window ~0.6x0.6 was $1,500 from G.James and an additional $750 for removal of old and installation of new ones)