Aluminium Windows in Birmingham
Slim frames, more glass and a choice of colours: this page explains what aluminium windows in Birmingham offer, the energy standard they must meet, where they suit a house, and the estate rules to check before you order. Call or send the form and we'll arrange a free survey with a local installer, who measures up and gives you a written quote.
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Why People Choose Aluminium Windows in Birmingham
Slim sightlines. Aluminium is strong for its weight, so frames can be narrower than uPVC for the same window: more glass, less frame.
Colour. Frames are usually powder-coated, and a different colour inside and out is a common option. Dark grey, black or a shade to match your doors are typical requests.
Matching doors. If the back of the house has aluminium bifold or sliding doors, windows in the same frame and finish make it read as one design.
Thermal Breaks
Aluminium conducts heat easily, so old frames without insulation felt cold and often ran with condensation. Modern frames are built with a thermal break: an insulating barrier between the inner and outer parts of the frame, so the inside face stays closer to room temperature. Ask the installer to confirm it, and to put the whole-window U-value on the quote.
The Energy Standard
A slim frame gets no exemption. Under Approved Document L, a replacement aluminium window has to reach a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or a Window Energy Rating of band B, the same as any other material. An A rating goes further but isn't required by law.
If the windows are being matched with glazed doors, the doors have their own figure. A door that is more than 60% glass must reach 1.4 W/m²K or a Door Energy Rating of band C.
Certificates
New aluminium windows are building-regulations work like any others. An installer registered with one of the six authorised schemes (Assure, Blue Flame, CERTASS, Certsure, FENSA or NAPIT) can certify the job, and you should get the certificate within 30 days while the council gets a notice. Otherwise the work needs building control. This is general information, not advice.
When Aluminium Suits a House
- Modern extensions and kitchen rear walls, especially beside bifold doors or a sliding patio door.
- Wide openings where you want as much glass as possible.
- Houses built with slim metal windows, where a chunkier frame would change the look more.
It suits less well where a period house, a conservation area or an estate scheme expects timber, and it usually costs more than a uPVC equivalent. For older homes, compare sash windows.
On the Bournville and Calthorpe Estates
The Bournville Village Trust asks for approval for all external alterations, even where planning permission isn't needed. Within the Bournville Village Conservation Area, uPVC is "not permitted to the front and side elevations", but on rear elevations aluminium Crittall-style windows with a powder-coated finish "would be considered". In the Bournville Tenants Conservation Area, it prefers timber or steel, though aluminium "will be considered where sympathetic". In the Traditional and Modern zones aluminium is considered, with front, side and upper rear windows in white, cream or the house's own colour, and black or grey only on the rear ground floor out of sight of the street. Check the Trust's own map to see which zone your home is in.
The Calthorpe Estate covers a large part of Edgbaston, and small areas of Harborne and Quinton. You need its consent as well as any planning permission, whether you own the freehold or the leasehold. Where the estate accepts uPVC, it expects frames to "match the original in colour, style and appearance", so raise aluminium with the estate early.
In both cases, get consent before you order, because made-to-measure windows usually can't be cancelled once ordered. See estate schemes, and elsewhere check whether your street has extra planning controls. This is general information, not advice.
What Changes the Price
Size and number. Bigger and more numerous windows mean more frame and glass.
Opening style. Casement, tilt-and-turn, fixed or sliding.
Colour. One colour throughout is simplest; dual colour or a special shade adds to it.
Glass. An A rating, triple glazing, obscure or safety glass change the unit.
Removal and making good. Old frames out, reveals finished.
Our guide to double glazing costs sets out typical UK ranges for replacement windows.
Getting a Quote
1. Call or send the form: how many windows, the colour, and your postcode. 2. A local installer arranges a free survey to measure up and confirm the frame specification. 3. You get a written quote to compare. You're under no obligation to accept it.
See how to choose an installer for what to ask before you sign.
Related Services
For doors in the same finish, see bifold, patio and French doors. If budget matters more than sightlines, compare uPVC windows.
Areas We Cover
Aluminium windows across Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Knowle, Moseley, Harborne and Bournville. see all service areas
Common Questions
Are aluminium windows better than uPVC?
Neither is better for every house. Aluminium gives slimmer frames, larger panes and more colour choice; uPVC usually costs less. Both must meet the same energy minimum of 1.4 W/m²K or band B, so compare the figures on each quote.
Do aluminium windows get condensation?
Older frames with no thermal break were prone to it. Modern frames have an insulating barrier that keeps the inner face warmer, though ventilation matters too.
Can I have aluminium windows in Birmingham's estate-scheme areas?
Often, with conditions. The Bournville Village Trust considers aluminium in many parts of its estate, with limits on colour and on front elevations, and on the Calthorpe Estate you need the estate's consent as well as any planning permission. Get the estate's consent before you order.
Free Quotes for Aluminium Windows
Tell us your postcode and what needs doing. One installer who works across Birmingham will arrange to measure up and send you a written price.