Double Glazing

[StDunko]

Thinking of getting new windows as have single glazing at present and half of the windows are rotten.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Have just got a quote from Anglian for £4300 (after beating down their inital quote of £6k), for 9 windows of varying sizes and a door. We got several quotes last year varying from £7k down to £3k.

 

Is it worth paying an extra £1k for a well known company like Anglian, or would people go with a cheaper but less well known company?

 

Help would be appreciated as I know nothing about windows, and have never been through this process before.

[norwaysaint]

You will not find better than this company. Not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for.

 

http://www.romseyconservatory.com

[buctootim]

Personally I wouldn't touch Anglian, Everest or any of the 'names'. If you want new wooden windows these are really good http://www.jeld-wen.co.uk/about-jeld-wen/news/43-the-highly-specified-dreamvu-family - I've got a couple of them. I've also used these people for aluminium French doors http://www.duration.co.uk/AluminiumWindows-Casement.asp#tabs

 

You can get online quotes from both.

[StDunko]

Don't want wooden windows, happy to switch to uPVC.

 

Why would'nt you touch the big firms buctootim?

[um pahars]

One of the my mates put me on to his subby who he gets to do all his windows on his new builds and the bloke has been spot on.

 

obviously getting mates rates, but next week he's doing two big sash windows, two big kitchen windows, 2 small hall windows and a back door for £2000.

 

Before that he put in two huge bays, and has redone all the soffits, guttering and facia.

 

The work is top drawer.

 

Chris Stoner

 

http://www.stonerhomeimprovements.co.uk/contact-home-improvements

[lifeintheslowlane]

Just had the windows in our bungalow replaced. Very pleased with the quality and efficiency of Outlook: http://www.outlookwindows.co.uk/

 

A local company with an excellent reputation.

[Special K]

I think Anglian manufacture their own system. Not sure if it is any good but I had them around for a quote and they were shocking. Bad prices and pushy salesman. Local firms will install market systems like Rehau or Kommerling. Generally those are very good and the prices are all quite similar. I'd advise against the b&q type windows from the day shops though, cheap and not so cheerful. We use Rehau all the time for our plastic windows and they are good.

[CB Saint]

You will not find better than this company. Not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for.

 

http://www.romseyconservatory.com

 

I can vouch for these guys

[suewhistle]

My windows are double-glazed but getting on a bit, although not a priority to upgrade.

 

If I were to replace though I will certainly consider triple glazing as the price seems to have come down considerably, based on the leaflets I get through the door from a couple of local companies (not the big salespeople-"buy today for best price"-mob).

 

Just a thought, oh, and uPvc doesn't need to be white..

[positivepete]

Salisbury glass are superb

[Colinjb]

I may be looking at getting some new windows soon too. If anyone knows a firm that is happy to do the work in coventry (unlikely, true....) let me know.

[buctootim]

Why would'nt you touch the big firms buctootim?

 

They tend to have very pushy salesmen who will flog you an overpriced mediocre product. Anglian also used to go into liquidation every few years and re-emerge as a phoenix company under the same name, thus avoiding troublesome guarantees. My advice would be to go for a personal recommendation of a company which is a member of the Glass and Glazing Federation because they will back up any guarantees (ignore FENSA or the Federation of Master Builders which are just marketing tools). Also find out who actually makes the product - as Special K said Rehau or Kommerling are respected.

[norwaysaint]

Within about ten years, upvc will start to show age, aluminium based will still look good after about thirty years, so worth the extra investment.

 

the company I linked to were awarded the best in the UK for two years running, it's a very good company.

[ecuk268]

We had our double glazing put in 25 years ago when we moved in.

 

Although they still look fine, the rubber seals have started to shrink and there's small gaps at the corners.

 

Doesn't seem worth replacing them as they're otherwise OK.

 

Anyone ever has theirs refurbished?

[rooney]

Anglia were top notch for me. You can get them down in price and they left the site immaculate when they finished. Three days later the fitters came back just to make sure I was happy with their work. I would use them again.

[Weston Super Saint]

We've just had our front door replaced by Valuedoors. They have NO sales people at all. You select what you want online and it gives you the price. The fitter - local self employed tradesmen who rely on reputation - comes and measures and confirms your choice. They place the order and do the fitting as well, so you get knowledgeable tradesmen instead of pushy salesmen who don't know what they are talking about and want to make as much from you as possible.

 

Despite their name, they do also do windows : http://www.valuedoorsuk.co.uk/windows.php Would be well worth getting a couple of quotes in and then seeing how they compare...

[mcjwills]

Abacus double glazing in eastleigh will give you a top notch job.

[slickmick]

They tend to have very pushy salesmen who will flog you an overpriced mediocre product. Anglian also used to go into liquidation every few years and re-emerge as a phoenix company under the same name, thus avoiding troublesome guarantees. My advice would be to go for a personal recommendation of a company which is a member of the Glass and Glazing Federation because they will back up any guarantees (ignore FENSA or the Federation of Master Builders which are just marketing tools). Also find out who actually makes the product - as Special K said Rehau or Kommerling are respected.

 

 

FENSA are not a marketing tool, they are an organisation that companies belong to, so that they can be monitored and comply to building regs.

Hampshire Trading standards Buy with Confidence, will give you a list of local competent companies.

As has been said, Rehau are one of the best windows on the market. Try their website for local companies.

[chestersaint]

I was in the same position as you 18 months ago. I wondered how difficult it could be to do them myself. I ordered the smallest window in the house (downstairs loo) for about £40 with glass, pulled the old wooden one out and fit the new one. Couple of screws either side, expanding foam and a bit ot trim and sealant and done. If you watch the Everest boys etc, they do exactly that. This gave me the confidence to do the rest and they are all brillaintly finished and make a hell of a difference. I am now left with just the patio doors which are quoted at £1700 fitted or £1100 if I do them myself. Big job tho so not decided as yet. I am no DIY expert but as long as you have a clue, i'd advise giving it a go yourself, certainly for the straight forward ones and then maybe get an expert for the trickier stuff. Then again, if money isn't an issue, leave it to the boys that know.

[Marsdinho]

Had mine replaced recently by Riverside Windows, did a very good job.

 

http://www.doubleglazinginsouthampton.com/

[StDunko]

Cheers for all the advice, have found a local company that fir rehaus windows, and the quote is much lower than Anglian.

[Halo Stickman]

On a related note, some years ago, we replaced our single-glazed windows with double-glazed, and also had our cavity walls insulated at the same time. House was a lot warmer, but when I went up to the attic, I thought the roof was leaking – it wasn’t, it was condensation dripping from the roofing felt.

 

I fitted soffit vents to increase the ventilation in the roof space, which helped but didn’t cure the problem completely – we ended up having to leave the bathroom window slightly ajar all night! It was a small house and my children were quite young at the time, so I guess we were creating quite a lot of moisture – showers, washing machine, breathing etc, though never daft things like drying washing on radiators. I suppose water vapour has to condense somewhere, and I’ve often wondered where it would have condensed if we’d had our attic floor insulation increased in thickness preventing the water-laden air rising up through the ceiling.

 

Mate of mine got over a similar problem by running a dehumidifier day and night – he reckoned he collected well over 2 pints of water every day.

[Dimond Geezer]

 

I fitted soffit vents to increase the ventilation in the roof space, which helped but didn’t cure the problem completely

 

Get some ridge vents fitted as well, this will cause a cross-flow of air & should (should ) sort it.

 

 

I suppose water vapour has to condense somewhere, and I’ve often wondered where it would have condensed if we’d had our attic floor insulation increased in thickness preventing the water-laden air rising up through the ceiling.

 

IIRC my building sciences lessons correctly (it was over 25 years ago, so I'm happy to be corrected), the warm air will remain below the ceiling & will hold the moisture without condensing. Once the temperature below the ceiling falls below the dew-point, condensation will form.

[Halo Stickman]

Get some ridge vents fitted as well, this will cause a cross-flow of air & should (should ) sort it.

 

 

 

IIRC my building sciences lessons correctly (it was over 25 years ago, so I'm happy to be corrected), the warm air will remain below the ceiling & will hold the moisture without condensing. Once the temperature below the ceiling falls below the dew-point, condensation will form.

 

Thanks, Dimond – seems like sound advice, though too late for me as I moved from that house some years ago, and I’ve never experienced similar problems in subsequent houses.

 

I recall that I did actually have one vented ridge tile (as you say, I probably could have done with a few more), and adding the soffit vents certainly made the attic quite draughty, necessitating an upgrade to the lagging around the tank and pipes in the attic.