Replacing windows

[Kam]

We're currently in the process of research for our next purchase which will most likely be around Blacktown in Sydney. We're looking for something to renovate, and judging from what we've seen so far, a lot of the houses have very old windows, usually the double hung sash variety, and usually with holes and very worn timber.
I'm wondering whether any of you serial renovators routinely replace such windows as part of the renovations? And if so, do you get professionals or do you do it yourself? We've had quotes for an existing IP, and at around $700 for a small window, it seems very expensive if you had to do every window in the house.
Does anyone have experience installing their own windows (cost??), or is it one of those jobs best left to the experts?
Look forward to your replies, thanks.

 

[TheBacon]

Whatever you do, dont replace quality wood windows with terrible aluminium windows....

If you can repair them, the old wood windows look 100% better.

My opinion, based on taste alone - everything is up for grabs in an IP though when there is money involved.

Got any pics?

TB

 

[LynnH]

I agree with TB. There are so many beautiful old Queenslanders and colonials up here where the timber windows have been replaced with aluminium, and it looks just ghastly!

Friends of ours renovated a colonial, and did the windows themselves - one or two at a time, so that it wasn't such a great hit on the hip-pocket nerve. But this may not be practical if the house is an IP. Can't help you with costs, but our friends said it was considerably cheaper to DIY, and certainly easy enough to do.

Cheers
LynnH

 

[willair]

Does anyone have experience installing their own windows (cost??), or is it one of those jobs best left to the experts?

Kam,This site may help,also try a keep the timber windows nothing looks worse then when someone installs alum-sliders,over the old timber ones.
willair..http://www.woodworkers.com.au/

 

[Kam]

I don't like aluminium windows either, but the houses we're looking at are generally ex-housing commission, so the existing windows are hardly anything to write home about even if they're in good condition! Hence my dilemma - fix or replace, and how to do so as cheaply as possible...
BTW Willair, the doors on that website are gorgeous, must keep them in mind for our own place.