How much region changes the price
The window unit itself costs much the same wherever you live: a sealed A-rated casement is the same product in Leeds as it is in Lewisham. What moves your bill is the labour, the access and the local mix of property types. Higher city wages, congestion and parking charges, restricted access on terraced streets, and the density of conservation areas that require timber rather than uPVC all push prices up. That is why the same job can vary by a fifth either side of the national average. The table below adjusts our benchmark figures, an A-rated uPVC casement at around £650 fitted, against three representative cities.
| City | Vs UK average | Per window | Typical 3-bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | +20% | £480-£1,200 | £5,000-£9,000 |
| Manchester | -7% | £350-£900 | £3,800-£7,500 |
| Birmingham | 0% | £400-£1,000 | £4,000-£8,000 |
Source: web/lib/research/regions.md (ExpertSure 2026 modelled study). Adjustments are an estimate on the national figures, not a survey of local quotes.
The most expensive regions
London is the clear outlier at about 20% above the national average. A uPVC window that costs £400 to £1,000 elsewhere runs nearer £480 to £1,200 in the capital, and a three-bed whole-house job lands around £5,000 to £9,000. The drivers are labour rates, the cost and difficulty of parking and access, and the sheer number of conservation areas where timber is required. The South East more broadly tends to track above the average for the same reasons. For the full local picture, our London double glazing costs page works through three worked examples by house type.
The best-value regions
On this modelled data the northern English cities tend to come out best. Manchester sits about 7% below the average, where keen competition across the M postcodes holds standard uPVC pricing down, as our Manchester double glazing costs page explains. The Midlands sits squarely on the average, which is why Birmingham makes such a useful national benchmark. You can compare all of the city pages from the regions hub.
How to use the regional figure
Treat the percentage as a way to set expectations, not as a quote. Start from the national figures on our master double glazing costs page or the whole-house totals in cost by house size, apply your regional adjustment, then get three written quotes locally. If your figure comes back well above the adjusted estimate, read how to avoid being overcharged before you accept it.
The regional gap is almost entirely labour and access, not the windows. In central London I am pricing in a parking suspension and a two-man lift up a stairwell before I have touched the glass. In a Manchester semi with a driveway, none of that applies. Same window, very different day.
Tom Bradley, FENSA-registered installer
Frequently asked questions
London runs about 20% above the UK average mainly because of higher labour rates, parking and access charges, and a high density of conservation areas that require pricier timber windows. The units themselves cost much the same nationwide; the difference is mostly labour and access.
On our modelled 2026 data the northern English cities tend to be best value, with Manchester running about 7% below the national average thanks to strong installer competition. Rural areas with few installers can be dearer despite lower wages.
Treat them as estimates. The percentages rest on one modelled 2026 study rather than a live survey of quotes in each city, so we present them as an approximate adjustment on the national figures rather than a precise local price.
Rarely worth it. Installers price in travel, and a local FENSA-registered installer is usually better value and easier to hold to account for aftercare. Use the regional figure to set expectations, then get three local written quotes.