Second hand aluminium windows look like an easy way to save money on a building project, and sometimes they are. But a used window only saves money if it fits the opening, closes properly, has safe glass and comes with all its parts. This guide explains what to check before you buy, where the hidden costs are, and a lower-risk alternative: new, never-installed windows from our Reduce to Clear stock at a set discount.
In this guide
Why people look for second hand aluminium windows
Windows are one of the bigger costs on a new building or an extension, so it is natural to look for a bargain. Used windows come from renovations, demolitions and builders clearing their yards, and they are sold on classified sites, at salvage yards and by word of mouth. For an outbuilding, a workshop, a chicken run or a site office, a cheap used frame can be perfectly good enough.
For a house, the picture is different. The windows have to fit the openings exactly, keep out the weather for decades, lock properly and, near doors and floors and in bathrooms, use safety glass. That is where many used windows fall short.
Second hand aluminium windows: what to check
- The exact size: measure the opening first. Used windows were made for someone else’s openings, and a frame that is even 20 mm too big will not go in, while one that is too small leaves a gap you have to fill.
- The glass: older windows often have ordinary float glass, which breaks into sharp shards and does not meet today’s safety-glass rules near floors, doors and in bathrooms.
- Seals and gaskets: rubber perishes in the sun. Cracked, shrunken or missing seals mean draughts, dust and leaks.
- The frame shape: windows that were forced out of a wall are often bent or twisted. Put the frame on a flat floor and check the corners are square.
- Hardware: handles, stays, locks and rollers are often missing or worn, and parts for old or imported ranges can be impossible to find.
- The finish: chalky, scratched or patched powder coat will not match new windows in the same room.
The hidden costs of second hand aluminium windows
The asking price is only part of the cost of second hand aluminium windows. Add the fuel and time to collect them, the cost of new seals and hardware, new safety glass if the old panes are float glass, and the builder’s time to alter openings that do not match. If one window in a set turns out to be damaged, you may struggle to find another in the same size and colour. By the time a used window is fitted properly, the saving over a new standard-size window is often small, and the new one comes with laminated safety glass and a warranty.
A new alternative: Reduce to Clear
Our Reduce to Clear page is where we sell old stock: windows and doors that are new and have never been installed, left over from changed orders, cancelled jobs, and sizes or colours we no longer make. They are sold at a set percentage below the normal shop price, are collected from our Laser Park workshop, and once an item is gone, it is gone.
Recent examples include a 1 200 × 910 mm single-opener top hung window in Black at R1 398 instead of R2 796, and Charcoal top hung windows at half price, all excluding VAT. Unlike second hand aluminium windows, these are new, glazed with 6.38 mm laminated safety glass, and made in our own workshop. Stock changes all the time, so check the page for what is available today.
New standard sizes: often the better buy
If Reduce to Clear does not have your size, new standard-size windows are the next best value. Every standard size is priced online, made to order in 3 to 5 working days, and the same price in all five colours. Windows start from R822 excluding VAT, and our guide to cheap aluminium windows shows where the real savings are: choosing standard sizes, the Casement 28 frame, and fixed panes where you do not need an opening window.
| Option | Condition | Glass | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second hand windows | Used, removed from a building | Often float glass | Usually none |
| Reduce to Clear | New, never installed | 6.38 mm laminated | As per our policy for clearance stock |
| New standard size | New, made to order | 6.38 mm laminated | Our manufacturing warranty |
Buying second hand aluminium windows online
Most second hand aluminium windows are sold through online classifieds, where photos can hide a lot. Before you drive out, ask the seller for the exact frame sizes in millimetres, a close photo of a corner of each frame, a photo of the seals, and whether the glass is laminated. Laminated glass usually shows a small mark or a faint line at the edge when you look closely; float glass does not. Ask whether the windows were removed carefully or broken out of the wall, and whether all the handles, stays and locks are included.
When you view them, open and close every sash, check that the corners are square, and look along each frame for bends. Bring a tape measure and your list of openings. If anything does not fit or close properly, walk away; a window that needs work before it can be installed is rarely the bargain it seemed.
Comparing the real cost
As a simple comparison, take a bedroom window of 1 200 × 1 200 mm. A used one might cost a few hundred rand, but add new seals, a replacement pane of safety glass, travel to collect it and the builder’s time to adjust the opening, and the total can come close to the price of a new standard window, which arrives with laminated safety glass, new seals and hardware, and a frame that fits a standard opening. Over the life of the house, a new window that seals and locks properly also costs less in draughts, leaks and call-outs.
When second hand aluminium windows make sense
- Outbuildings and sheds where the size can be built around the window.
- Temporary site offices that will come down after the job.
- Garden rooms and workshops where looks and safety rules matter less.
- A matching replacement for an old window of exactly the same range, if you find one in good condition.
In each case, still check the glass and the seals; a broken float-glass pane is dangerous wherever it is.
Selling or reusing old windows
If you are replacing your own windows, the old ones become second hand aluminium windows for someone else, and they may still be useful to someone for a shed or a workshop. Take them out carefully, keep each sash with its frame, tape the glass if it is float glass, and label the sizes. Our guide to replacing steel windows with aluminium covers removing old frames and fitting new ones.
Safety glass and the rules
South African building rules require safety glass in doors, near floors and in bathrooms, as set out in SANS 10400-N, published by the SABS. Many second hand aluminium windows predate these rules or were glazed with float glass to save money. If a used window is going into one of these places, replace the glass with safety glass; our glass cut to size service prices laminated panes online.
How to buy new windows for less
- Use standard sizes rather than custom ones; they are priced online and made faster.
- Check Reduce to Clear first for your size.
- Choose the Casement 28 frame for top hung and side hung windows to save on the frame.
- Use fixed panes where you only need light, and opening windows where you need air.
- Collect from Laser Park to save on delivery, or have the order delivered with our insurance in transit.
Second hand aluminium windows: frequently asked questions
Are second hand aluminium windows worth buying?
Sometimes, for sheds, workshops and site offices. For a house, check the size, glass, seals and hardware carefully; the hidden costs often cancel the saving.
Where can I buy cheap new windows instead?
Check our Reduce to Clear page for new, never-installed stock at a set discount, or buy standard sizes from R822 excluding VAT.
Are Reduce to Clear windows second hand?
No. They are new and have never been installed; they are old stock from changed orders, cancelled jobs and discontinued sizes or colours.
Do used windows have safety glass?
Often not. Older windows were frequently glazed with ordinary float glass, which does not meet safety-glass rules near doors, floors and in bathrooms.
Can I deliver Reduce to Clear items?
Reduce to Clear items are collected from our Laser Park workshop.
How do I match a new window to my old ones?
Measure the opening, compare it with our standard sizes, and choose the same frame colour; all five colours are the same price.
Coetz™, Unit 2, 84 Ridge Road, Laser Park, Johannesburg. Call 010 412 0062, WhatsApp 076 613 4418 or use our contact page.
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