Your UPVC windows are showing their age. The frames have turned grey, there are scuffs around the handles, and you’re wondering if it’s time to shell out thousands on replacements.
Hold that thought.
At MCR Repairs, we’ve spent over ten years fixing damaged UPVC across Manchester and the North West, saving property owners tens of thousands of pounds by repairing surfaces that other companies said needed replacing. The trick is knowing which situation you’re in.
What is UPVC restoration?
UPVC restoration brings damaged or faded plastic surfaces back to their original condition (clean, strong & uniform finish) without removing them. It addresses defects that cleaning cannot fix. These include UV fade, scratches, chips, weather damage, discolouration, and worn seals.
The process of UPVC restoration uses specialist filling compounds, hand colour matching, and professional-grade coatings. It’s like a SMART repair for cars, but for your property’s plastic surfaces.
Most UPVC damage falls into three categories:
● Surface wear, like fading and yellowing
● Physical damage, such as chips and gouges
● Structural issues, including cracks and warping.
Surface wear and physical damage can almost always be repaired. Structural problems need closer inspection.
The case for UPVC restoration
Age and condition are the two main factors in deciding whether to restore or replace. If your UPVC is less than 20 years old and shows mainly cosmetic damage, restoration usually wins on every front.
● Cost
A full set of replacement windows for a three-bedroom semi in Manchester costs between £3,000 and £6,000. Professional restoration for the same property runs from £800 to £1,500. You’re looking at savings of 60 to 75 per cent.
● Speed
Window replacement takes several days, including survey, manufacturing, installation, and redecorating. Restoration happens on-site in hours.
● Disruption
Replacement means builders, dust, and your home left open to the elements while frames are removed. Restoration keeps everything in place.
● Environmental
UPVC takes centuries to break down in landfill. Repairing extends the life of existing materials rather than manufacturing new plastic.
The repair process
Professional UPVC restoration begins with a thorough assessment. Reputable specialists will identify whether damage can be effectively repaired before starting work, saving you time and money on temporary fixes.
For repairable damage, the process starts with thoroughly cleaning the damaged area. Deep gouges and cracks are filled with specialist UPVC repair compounds that bond directly to the plastic. Professional-grade materials ensure permanent repairs rather than temporary solutions.
UPVC fades at different rates depending on sun exposure, so colour matching is done on site to match your exact frame shade. This precision work ensures repairs blend seamlessly with existing frames.
Once filled and coloured, protective coatings are applied to seal the repair, restore the original texture, and add UV resistance to prevent future fading. Most repairs cure fully within 24 hours, while larger restoration projects may take up to 48 hours.
When replacement is the better choice
UPVC restoration is not suitable in every case. Some problems cannot be fixed safely or to a high enough standard. We believe in transparency, which is why we never undertake repairs unless we can provide a warranty. Here are the main situations where replacement is the better choice:
● Severe warping means replacement
If frames have twisted out of shape to the point where windows or doors don’t close properly, no amount of filling will fix the underlying problem.
● Failed seals between double-glazing panes can’t be restored
If you have persistent condensation between the glass layers, the sealed unit has blown. You can sometimes replace just the glass unit without changing the frames.
● Major structural cracks are a red flag
Hairline cracks respond well to repair. Large cracks that run through load-bearing parts of the frame, especially near hinges or locks, indicate the UPVC has become brittle with age.
Cost comparison
Let’s look at numbers from Manchester properties.
| Property Type | Replacement Cost | Restoration Cost | Your Saving |
| 3-bed semi-detached | £4,500 – £5,800 | £1,200 – £1,800 | £3,300 – £4,000 |
| 2-bed flat | £2,800 – £3,500 | £700 – £1,100 | £2,100 – £2,400 |
| 4-bed detached | £6,000 – £8,000 | £1,800 – £2,500 | £4,200 – £5,500 |
Figures based on recent Manchester projects with standard casement windows. Your actual costs may vary depending on the window type, size, quantity, and extent of damage. All prices include VAT.
On a recent commercial project, we restored the UPVC cladding on an eight-storey office building, delivering the work for £12,000, compared with replacement estimates ranging from £45,000 to £60,000.
UPVC window and door repair specifics
Window frames typically suffer from sun damage and impact marks. We see scuffs and scratches around handles where rings, keys, and tools have made contact. We can restore fading, remove light-to-moderate scratches, and repair chips and dents.
Door frames get more physical abuse from shoes, keys, shopping bags, and furniture. Door thresholds wear through foot traffic. These can be repaired if caught early.
Why we focus on repair first
MCR Repairs operates across the UK, working on hundreds of sites every month. Our client list includes Bowmer Kirkland, Vinci, and Galliford Try, as well as smaller contractors and homeowners.
We specialise in on-site repair because replacement means waste, disruption, and unnecessary cost when the structure underneath is perfectly sound. Our technicians work to factory-finish standards, with hand colour-matching on every repair. All our technicians hold CSCS cards. We’re fully accredited with CHAS and hold ConstructionLine Gold membership.
We cover Manchester and the North West and work on national contracts. Call us on 0161 2416888 or email sales@mcrrepairs.co.uk
Most UPVC can be restored to factory condition at a fraction of replacement cost. Some genuinely need replacing. The only way to know is to have it properly inspected.
