A broken window handle is the most common small fault on a uPVC window and one of the few worth doing yourself. The mechanism that actually locks the window is a long strip inside the frame, and the handle is simply the lever that drives it. Swapping the lever is straightforward. The reason people end up making two trips is that handles are not interchangeable, and the differences are not obvious by eye.
What does a new window handle cost?
Fitted, budget £45 to £150 per handle. That is parts and labour together, and on most uPVC frames it is a quick job, so a large share of the figure is the minimum call-out charge rather than the time on your window. This matters for how you plan the work: one handle and six handles are not six times apart in price.
| Job | Fitted cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reseal double glazing (per window) | £50–£100 | Specialist resealing where the gasket or seal has failed. |
| Replace a window handle | £45–£150 | Parts and labour; a quick job on most uPVC frames. |
| Replace window hinges | £100–£250 | Parts from around £27.50 a pair plus labour. |
Source: DGCC 2026 repair dataset. Price the rest of the list in the repair cost calculator.
If more than one thing has gone, work out the total before you commit, because a house full of failing hardware on twenty year old frames can add up to a number that changes the decision. Our repair cost calculator totals the jobs, and repair against replace covers the point at which fixing stops being the cheaper answer.
What type of window handle do you have?
There are three common types on UK double glazing, and knowing which you have narrows the search immediately.
- Espagnolette handle. The usual modern fitting. A square spindle drops down from the handle into a multi-point locking strip that runs the height of the frame. Almost always lockable with a key.
- Cockspur handle. Older, and still common on windows from the 1980s and 1990s. The lever hooks over a wedge on the frame rather than driving an internal strip. These are handed, so a left and a right version exist.
- Tilt and turn handle. Found on tilt and turn windows, where the handle has three positions rather than two and drives a more complicated gear. Replacements are more specific and usually cost more.
The three measurements that have to match
This is where a handle replacement goes wrong, and it goes wrong at the merchant rather than at the window. Get all three and the fitting is trivial.
- Screw centres. The distance between the two fixing screws. Measure centre to centre, not edge to edge.
- Spindle length. The square bar that drops into the mechanism. Too short and it will not engage, too long and the handle will not sit flat against the frame.
- Handedness. Whether the lever needs to point left or right. Check this even when the first two match, because it is the most common reason a correctly measured handle is still the wrong one.
The reliable method is to take the old handle off first and take it with you, or photograph it lying beside a tape measure. Guessing from a photograph of the window will not tell you the spindle length, which is the measurement you cannot see while the handle is fitted.
How to replace the handle
- Open the window, so the mechanism is not under tension.
- Find the two screws. On most handles they sit under a cover cap that twists ninety degrees or slides sideways. Do not lever it with a screwdriver until you have tried twisting it, as the caps snap easily.
- Undo both screws and lift the handle away, spindle and all.
- Line the new handle up, drop the spindle into the mechanism and check it seats fully before you screw anything down.
- Tighten both screws evenly and only until they are firm. Overtightening into uPVC strips the fixing, and then you have a bigger problem than the one you started with.
- Test it open, then test it closed and locked, before you refit the cover cap.
Handles are the one repair most homeowners should attempt. The parts are cheap and the risk is low. The judgement call is knowing when the handle is a symptom rather than the fault, because replacing a handle on a failed gearbox fixes nothing and costs a Saturday.
Double Glazing Cost Calculator Team
When the handle is not actually the problem
A handle that has snapped in your hand is a handle fault. Most other symptoms are not, and it is worth ten seconds of diagnosis before buying anything.
- It spins freely with no resistance. The spindle has sheared or the gearbox inside the locking strip has failed. A new handle will spin too.
- It is stiff and needs force. Usually the mechanism or the alignment, not the lever. The window may have dropped on its hinges, which our guide to adjusting window hinges covers.
- It turns but the window will not lock shut. The locking points are missing their keeps. See what to do when a window will not close or lock.
If you are not sure which of these you have, the window fault checker works through the symptoms and points at the likely cause.
When repairs stop being the answer
A handle is a cheap fix and usually the right one. But if the hardware is failing across a whole set of ageing windows, and the frames or sealed units are going the same way, the arithmetic changes. If you want to know what replacement would actually cost on your own windows before you decide, tell us what you have and Leads 2 Trade will arrange quotes from installers covering your postcode.
Frequently asked questions
A window handle replacement costs £45 to £150 fitted in 2026, covering parts and labour. It is a quick job on most uPVC frames, so much of that figure is the minimum call-out rather than the work itself. The handle itself is inexpensive, which is why replacing several in one visit is far better value than calling someone out twice.
Usually yes. On most uPVC windows the handle is held by two screws hidden under a cover cap that twists or slides aside. The job needs one screwdriver and takes around ten minutes once you have the correct replacement. The difficulty is not the fitting, it is buying a handle that matches on all three measurements.
Three things have to match: the screw centres (the distance between the two fixing screws), the spindle length (the square bar that drops into the mechanism) and the handedness. Take the old handle off and take it with you, or photograph it beside a tape measure. A handle that matches on two of the three will not work.
A handle that turns freely with no resistance usually means the spindle has sheared or the gearbox in the locking mechanism has failed, not that the handle is worn. If a new handle turns the same way, the fault is in the espagnolette strip inside the frame, which is a bigger job than a handle swap.
Many are. On a cockspur handle the lever has to point the correct way for the window it sits on, so left and right versions are sold separately. Espagnolette handles are more often universal or reversible. Check before ordering, because handedness is the most common reason a correctly measured handle still does not fit.
If they are the same age and the same type, it is usually worth it. The labour is the expensive part of the visit, so a fitter replacing six handles in one call charges far less per handle than six separate call-outs. Matching handles across the house also avoids the mismatched look of one new lever among old ones.