Typical timber window restoration in Australia costs $600 to $1,500 per window for full sash restoration, with heritage-grade work running $800 to $2,500 or more. Full like-for-like replacement commonly starts above $1,500 and can exceed $3,000 per window. As a rule, restoration wins when the timber is structurally sound; replacement becomes the sensible option once rot has taken hold of the frame itself.
TL;DR:
- Restoration is generally cost-effective for sound timber frames, with prices ranging from $600 to $1,500 per window, depending on scope.
- Heritage-grade restoration can exceed $2,500 when requiring council-compliant materials, detailed profiling, and slow, precise joinery.
- Costs increase significantly if rot extends into the sill or bottom rail, or if access requires scaffolding or remedial work.
- Retrofit double glazing adds $400 to $1,500 per sash but offers notable noise reduction and condensation benefits.
- Accurate quotes depend on clear visual documentation and scope details, especially regarding timber condition, access, and heritage requirements.
Table of Contents
- Restoration vs replacement: what each price band actually includes
- What actually changes the price of timber window restoration?
- Common restoration tasks and what they typically cost
- Retrofit double glazing: is the premium worth it?
- How long does timber window restoration actually take?
- Getting quotes: a 10-point checklist before you sign anything
- What Sol Shine has learned from heritage window projects
- Restore first, replace only when you must
- Get a clear quote for your timber windows
- Sources
Restoration vs replacement: what each price band actually includes
Most quotes fall into recognisable bands, and knowing them helps you read a quote properly instead of just comparing the bottom line.
- Basic repair ($300–$600): cord replacement, minor putty work, hardware adjustment, spot glazing.
- Full restoration ($600–$1,500): sash window restoration including stripping, re-cording, timber consolidation, re-glazing where needed, and a full repaint cycle.
- Heritage specialist restoration ($800–$2,500+): matching profiles, council-compliant materials, and slower, more meticulous joinery work for listed or overlay properties.
- Retrofit double glazing premium (+$400–$1,500 per sash): added to any of the above when homeowners want better acoustic and thermal performance without losing the original frame.
- Like-for-like timber replacement ($1,500–$3,000+ per window): new sash and frame built to match, typically starting higher than restoration once supply and install labour is factored in.
Job scale changes the maths. A whole-house project of ten or more windows usually attracts a lower per-window rate than a single emergency repair, because scaffolding, site setup, and paint preparation get spread across more units. Extras that commonly blow out a quote include multi-storey scaffolding, leadlight or decorative glass replication, and heritage colour or profile matching that requires custom milling rather than off-the-shelf timber sections.
What actually changes the price of timber window restoration?
Every quote should reflect the condition of the timber, not just the size of the window. The main cost drivers are:
- Timber condition: shallow surface rot and flaking paint cost far less to fix than deep rot in the sill or bottom rail, where sections need cutting out and splicing.
- Access: upper-storey sashes, narrow side lanes, or heritage terraces close to the street often require scaffolding or safe working platforms, which adds several hundred to a few thousand dollars depending on the job.
- Glazing choice: single glazing is cheapest to restore; retrofit double glazing needs a frame in good enough condition to accept the thicker unit.
- Heritage overlays: council heritage listing can mandate specific profiles, glass types, and paint colours, extending both time and material cost.
- Local labour rates: inner Melbourne suburbs with high demand for skilled joinery, such as Kew, Hawthorn, and Camberwell, typically sit at the upper end of these bands.
Pro Tip: Photograph the sill, the bottom rail, and the meeting rail on both sides of the sash before you call anyone. These three spots fail first, and a tradie can give you a far more accurate phone estimate when they can see them.
Common restoration tasks and what they typically cost
Breaking a quote into line items is the fastest way to spot padding or missing scope. Here’s roughly what each task should cost on its own:
- Sash cord replacement and rebalance – often $100–$300 per sash, a quick fix that takes an experienced tradie an hour or two.
- Draught sealing and weatherproofing – usually a few hundred dollars per window, paying itself back over a few winters in reduced heating loss.
- Sill splice or partial timber replacement – a mid-cost repair, generally $400–$900, where a rotted section is cut out and a new timber piece spliced and matched in.
- Full sash rebuild or replacement sashes – the higher end of restoration work, often $800–$1,500, needed when more than one component (stiles, rails, muntins) has failed.
- Glass replacement and upgrades – single-pane replacement is the cheapest option; safety glass and retrofit double glazing sit well above it, particularly where leadlight or decorative panels need replication.
Retrofit double glazing: is the premium worth it?
Retrofit double glazing typically adds $400 to $1,500 per sash on top of a standard restoration, depending on unit specification and whether the frame needs modification to take the thicker glass. It’s a genuine middle ground: most of the comfort benefit of full replacement, at a lower outlay and without losing the original joinery.
What you gain:
- Noticeably reduced street noise, particularly valuable on busier roads in suburbs like Richmond and Fitzroy.
- Less condensation on the inside face of the glass through winter.
- Modest energy savings, though payback depends heavily on your existing heating and insulation setup.
Not every frame is a candidate. Sashes with thin, already-weakened rails may need a full rebuild before they can safely carry the extra glass weight. When that’s the case, a new double-glazed timber sash sometimes ends up the more sensible long-term investment.
How long does timber window restoration actually take?
Expect one to three weeks between an initial inspection and a firm quote, longer for heritage-listed properties needing council sign-off. On-site work generally follows a set sequence:
- Inspection and scope confirmation
- Stabilisation and timber repairs (splicing, consolidation)
- Re-glazing or retrofit glazing installation
- Sanding, priming, and multi-coat paint cycles
- Final handover and quality check
A single window can be turned around in two to four working days once repairs start. A whole-house project of ten to fifteen windows typically runs two to four weeks, with weather and scaffold scheduling the biggest swing factors.
Getting quotes: a 10-point checklist before you sign anything
A vague lump-sum quote is the single biggest reason homeowners get an unpleasant surprise partway through a job. Before you request quotes, send:
- Clear photos of each window, inside and out.
- Basic measurements (width, height, sash count).
- Whether the property is heritage-listed or under a council overlay.
- Any visible signs of rot, especially at the sill and bottom rail.
Then ask each tradie:
- What warranty applies to labour and materials?
- What paint system will be used, and how many coats?
- What percentage of timber is likely to need replacing?
- Are scaffolding and waste disposal included or charged separately?
- Do they have leadlight or decorative glass experience if relevant?
- Can they provide a written, line-itemised scope, not just a total figure?
Pro Tip: Get three quotes minimum, and hand each contractor the identical photo set and scope notes. If one number sits well below the others, ask them to walk you through exactly what they’ve excluded.
What Sol Shine has learned from heritage window projects
Sol Shine handles timber window restoration as part of a broader one-stop heritage restoration service across Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell, Brighton, Malvern, and neighbouring suburbs, alongside custom joinery and full exterior repaints. A typical six-window terrace restoration covers cord and hardware replacement across every sash, sill splicing where rot has taken hold, retrofit glazing on street-facing rooms, and a full repaint to match the home’s heritage colour scheme.
The most common surprise on-site isn’t the window itself. It’s discovering that timber lintels or sill framing behind the sash have also been affected by long-term moisture, which changes the scope before the first coat of paint goes on.
Once restoration is complete, a light annual check of paint film and putty lines keeps most of these issues from returning. Homeowners weighing up a full project can review a six-window terrace example for a sense of typical scope.
Restore first, replace only when you must
Preservation usually wins for heritage timber windows, not out of sentiment but because original hardwood joinery was often milled from timber denser and more stable than anything commonly available today. The pragmatic issue is honesty in quoting: a tradie who tells you a window is beyond saving should be able to show you why, not just quote a number and move on.
Don’t diagnose from photos alone. Book a proper inspection, get the scope in writing, and let the timber’s actual condition make the restore-or-replace call for you.
— Jarrad
Get a clear quote for your timber windows
Sol Shine handles timber window restoration as one part of a genuinely one-stop heritage service, covering custom joinery, heritage painting, render and brickwork repair, and full exterior painting under a single contract, rather than juggling separate trades for each piece of the job.
An initial inspection gives you a written, line-itemised scope covering every window, not a single vague total. The service typically focuses on larger heritage projects, which often suits homeowners restoring multiple windows alongside broader façade or joinery work on a Victorian or Edwardian home. If you’re planning a whole-house restoration rather than a single repair, start with Sol Shine’s timber restoration cost guide for Melbourne and request an inspection to get real numbers against your own windows.
Sources
- Window Restoration vs Replacement: 2026 Cost Guide
- Double glazed sash windows cost Melbourne (2026 guide)
- Sash window repair cost guide
- How Much Do Replacement Windows Cost? 2026
- How Much Does Window Repair Cost in Melbourne? (2026 Guide)
