5 June 2026

uPVC or wooden dormer? A decision guide

Prefab uPVC or bespoke carpentry: the price difference, the maintenance and the situations where wood is still the logical choice.

The price difference stands out first: a prefab uPVC dormer costs € 6,500 to € 11,000, a bespoke wooden dormer € 10,000 to € 20,000 or more. Prefab is built to size in the factory and lifted into place by crane in a single day; bespoke woodwork is largely carpentered on the roof itself and takes more days — and thus more labour.

The second difference is maintenance. uPVC cladding never needs painting: periodic cleaning is enough. Exterior woodwork follows the usual painting cycle of 5 to 7 years — count those recurring costs honestly when comparing the two options over their lifetime.

Still, wood is sometimes the logical choice: for listed buildings and protected townscapes the aesthetics committee often sets requirements for material and detailing, prefab stops at unusual sizes or roof shapes, and if you want the dormer to match existing woodwork or a characteristic facade one-to-one, you are better off with the carpenter. Many builders combine the two, by the way: a wooden structure with low-maintenance uPVC finishing.

Is there already a dormer? Then renovation (€ 1,500 – € 6,000) is often smarter than replacement: the structure stays and only cladding, fascia boards, frames or glazing are renewed. All bands side by side are in the price index — and if in doubt, request quotes for both variants and compare on total cost including maintenance.