How Much Does It Cost To Replace a Pane of Glass?



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Cost to Fit a Pane of Glass





Job
Description
Labour
1To turn up (twice), supply and replace a single glazed pane of glass and clean up.
£110
2To undertake the above, plus sort out a sash window’s counterweight problem by dismantling it and fitting a bit more lead
£200
3To replace a double-glazed unit in a PVCu window
£115
4If a scaffold tower is needed for any of the above
£175

“Labour” at £175 a day (tradesman) £100 (labourer), includes incidental fixings etc. and tipping charges. “Materials” if mentioned, are larger things (a boiler) and stuff only you can choose (tiles etc).  Also VAT must be added all round.

Information Sheet on Glazing


We’re assuming young Roger has been playing football in the garden! The glazier will have to make two trips. One to measure up, then a return trip to fit the glass.

This job creates a mess and it’s a potentially dangerous mess, especially if there are kids or animals about. Who clears up the tiny bits of glass that are lying everywhere both inside and out that the glazier has missed? Who cleans up all the bits of horrible stinking putty off the carpet? Who cleans all the fingerprints off the glass without ruining his nice straight putty line? Sort this out when you call him in, if it’s going to be him, make sure you are happy with the result before you fork out!

Single Glazing

A single glazed casement window, hinged at the side (not a Victorian style “sliding sash” window which slides up and down), isn’t much of a problem. He needs to knock out all the remaining broken glass, “putty up”, fit the new glass, putty up the outside, bevel it all, cut off on the inside and clear off. He may need a ladder of course if it’s a bedroom window.

If the window is a sliding sash type, there may be a problem with the thickness of the new pane of glass. The original pane could well be only 2mm thick and it is now illegal to glaze anything but a greenhouse with glass this thin. So, he will have to use 4mm glass or possibly have a new 2mm sheet tempered, to create toughened glass. Thicker glass is twice as heavy and this will affect the balance of the sash. The result may be, that when the window slides open, it proceeds to slide back to the closed position again, because the counterweights which are concealed within the frame are now just a bit too light.

Solving this will mean either repositioning the timber mouldings to “pinch” the window as it is opened or removing some of the beadings to expose the access hatches and adding a little bit more lead to the weights. Either way this will require a certain amount of repainting and considerably more filthy lucre!

Double Glazing

Double glazed “units” comprise two sheets of glass with an air gap in between. They are sealed all round but contrary to popular belief, the space between the two panes is not a vacuum.

If the frames are PVCu then the job requires no putty. He simply dismantles the internal bead to expose the glass, measures up, then puts it back together again until he returns with a new double-glazed unit.

Regulations

Nowadays, complete new windows have to meet quite stringent standards. These apply to “U” values and types of glass. The fitter has to be “FENSA” registered. This registration scheme is similar to “Gas Safe”  (formerly CORGI)  for gas fitters. However, none of these requirements apply if you are replacing an existing unit because it’s “misted” or broken. You can replace like for like if the windows are old with thin units. If the unit you are replacing is relatively new however, (post 2002), make sure the replacement meets all the latest regs.

Finishing Off

If you are replacing a damaged double-glazing unit in a wooden framed window, don’t let him use standard linseed oil putty. Over time this will leach through the seal and discolour the space between the two panes. Check that he uses the correct type.
Then there’s the painting. Putty takes a month to harden. Paint it before then and it will never harden! Don’t be hasty, you never get anywhere in this world if you are too hasty.

(If you are 60 odd years old, you will know where this line comes from. By way of diversion, there’s a prize for the first sad “so and so” to email in and tell us what part of which day the gas man came to call)!


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