Why the Iran battle may imply Britons pay extra for his or her double glazing
- Materials used for uPVC windows and doors are partly derived from crude oil
Homeowners across Britain face paying more for double glazed windows and doors as a result of war in the Middle East, experts have warned.
The most common type of frame used for double glazed windows and doors is made of unplasticised polyvinyl chloride, better known as uPVC.
This type of windows and doors has been popular with households looking for a durable and low-maintenance option since the early 1980s.
According to Checkatrade, the average cost of uPVC casement windows is £500 to £1,250 per window. Installation costs then need to be factored in, which Checkatrade suggests can cost about £600 a day for two window fitters.
The owner of a typical semi-detached home might pay £4,500 to have their double-glazed windows replaced.
In recent weeks, though all eyes have been on surging oil and gas prices, and the resulting upturn in motor fuel costs and energy bills.
Watch out: Homeowners across Britain face paying more for uPVC windows and doors as a result of war across the Middle East, experts have warned
Why do oil prices affect double glazing?
Oil and gas facilities are being attacked by both sides of the conflict and a crucial shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz, is virtually closed. Brent crude remains above $100 a barrel.
Higher oil prices can also be linked to uPVC window and door costs. This is because uPVC is a plastic polymer. A portion of the material comes directly from petrochemicals, derived from crude oil.
Estimates suggest uPVC is used in around 68 per cent of replacement windows and doors in Britain.
‘When oil prices rise, the cost of producing those raw materials increases almost immediately’, Antony Heath, development director of window supplier and installer Glevum Windows, told This is Money.
Heath said manufacturing uPVC frames and glass is ‘highly energy-intensive’, with toughened glass, which is used in doors and many windows, having to be heated to extremely high temperatures in furnaces. This means higher gas and electricity costs feed into the final price paid by consumers.
Clive Holland, a broadcaster at Fix Radio, told This is Money that the rising cost of oil could also affect renovations involving electrical installations.
He said: ‘Most electrical cabling uses PVC for insulation and sheathing, so when petrochemical prices rise, cable costs follow.
‘Alongside that, copper prices tend to spike in periods of energy and market volatility, which adds another layer of pressure across wiring and electrical components used in installations.’
As fuel prices rise, distribution costs also become more expensive, Heath added. He said: ‘This means every stage of the supply chain is affected. When you combine those factors, it creates a clear upward pressure on what homeowners ultimately pay.’
How much more could homeowners pay?
Experts suggest there could be a lag of a few months for higher oil prices to hit construction costs and the price homeowners pay for renovations.
Heath said that, based on current supplier guidance, prices for uPVC windows and doors are already around 8 per cent higher than they were before the war began, though this figure is changing as suppliers introduce surcharges in response to ongoing oil volatility.
Price hikes: Broadcaster Clive Holland believes quotes for uPVC windows and doors could rise by up to 10% in the coming months
He said: ‘In practical terms, a typical full uPVC window installation for a semi-detached home that might have been quoted at £4,500 earlier this year could now be edging closer to £4,800 or more, depending on the specification.
‘The key thing is that we’re still in that early phase where some installers haven’t fully adjusted their pricing yet.’
Holland, of Fix Radio, said some installers will still be working through existing stock or previously agreed supplier rates for uPVC windows and doors.
He added: ‘However, if higher energy prices persist, a further increase in the region of 5 per cent to 10 per cent on uPVC window and door quotes is a reasonable working assumption.
‘In practical terms, that equates to roughly £20 to £50 more per standard installed window, or around £200 to £400 across a typical full-house job, depending on specification. The sector has already experienced material inflation in recent years, so this would be consistent with previous cost cycles rather than an outlier.
‘Current guide pricing remains broadly in the region of £350 to £520 per installed window, with a standard full-house job around £4,000 to £4,500. There is clear upward pressure, but it has not yet translated into a uniform reprice across the board.’
Is there going to be a supply shortage of uPVC windows and doors?
Experts This is Money spoke to agreed that there is unlikely to be any immediate threat to supplies of uPVC windows and doors across Britain as a result of the Iran war.
However, they said prices will rise the longer the conflict continues, and supply could eventually be affected.
‘There is currently nothing to indicate a shortage of uPVC windows and doors’, Luke Wood, editor of trade journal Glass Times, said.
Heath, of Glevum Windows, added: ‘The industry has proven it can maintain supply through major disruptions, including Covid and the energy crisis following the Ukraine conflict.
‘However, what we are likely to see is continued price volatility and potentially longer lead times as manufacturers manage increased costs and pressure across the supply chain.’
What should homeowners do now?
Homeowners contemplating getting new uPVC windows or doors need to be aware of potential price hikes.
However, getting new windows and doors is never cheap. It is a big decision and can be very expensive. Don’t make a rushed decision when you will be spending thousands of pounds.
Security, durability and energy-efficiency are some of the key points homeowners need to watch out for before buying uPVC windows or doors.
Danny Williams, managing director of Pioneer Trading Company and Gerda Doors UK, said: ‘Be cautious of “cheap” – it probably means that corners have been cut, and chances are the company might not be in a position to weather the storm.
‘Look instead for those who are offering added value as part of the overall deal – colour options, upgraded security, triple glazing. And don’t be in a rush – order sooner, but accept a longer lead time on delivery and installation. That means you can fix your price now.’
