A customer in Fair Oak rang last week asking whether it was worth waiting until the new year to replace her tired 1990s casements, or getting it done now before the weather turns. Fair question, and the answer’s changed slightly this year. The Future Homes Standard is tightening what counts as compliant glazing, and from 2026 replacement windows will need to hit a maximum U-value of 1.2 W/m²K — down from the 1.4 W/m²K that applies under the current Approved Document L. That’s not a huge jump on paper, but it does rule out some of the entry-level double glazed units still being fitted around Eastleigh and Hedge End.
In practice it means A-rated uPVC with a decent low-E coating and an argon-filled cavity is now the
sensible minimum, not an upgrade. We fit warm edge spacer bars as standard rather than the old aluminium ones, because they cut cold-bridging at the glass edge, which is where a lot of condensation and heat loss actually happens. On a Veka profile with a 70mm frame depth, multi-point locking, and the right glazing spec, you’re comfortably under the new limit and the windows should be good for twenty-five years plus.
For anyone in Chandlers Ford, Bishopstoke or Otterbourne planning a refurb, the timing question is really about your boiler and heating costs — a house losing heat through single-glazed or old double-glazed units is working the heating system harder, and that shows up on the bill every winter, not just this one.
Getting ahead of the regs rather than waiting until they’re mandatory usually costs less in the long run too, since suppliers tend to put prices up once demand catches up with a deadline.
Fortress UPVC has been fitting windows and doors across the Eastleigh area for years — if you want a straight answer on what spec suits your house, get in touch or take a look at fortressupvc.co.uk/.