craig

You should. Your 2.63x2.39 fixed window, will be under 300KG triple glazed. It generally should only start to cause concern at 400KG. I have previously declared myself in introductions but only here to help and offer advice and don't like to see someone stuck or think they are limited in choices. The sizes you have mentioned are not restricted to just Internorm, generally speaking some suppliers will struggle with the sizes due to a number of factors. One of them being engineered timber v's non engineered timber and overall unit weight. Numerous suppliers/manufacturers will be able to meet those sizes easily & the price for the slider should be nowhere near £9k for that size if I'm honest, probably more like £6K/£7K possibly less dependant on system. Tilt and turn at 3m high should also not be an issue but again you need to take in the width/height ratio of the opening section.

It should always be a priority, not having one leaves quotes open to interpretation/imagination of the suppliers at the quoting stage. Your architect hasn't indicated any handling of windows on the elevation drawings for example. That's not that overly large but the width/height ratio would need to be checked, max glass size for laminated pane/toughened pane also accessibility to site and on site. How will they be manouvered? Things like that will determine whether being supplied in one unit or coupled is more feasible. Generally speaking, 3m height is fine (width dependant), they and others will be able to do 4m height (width dependant).

That's the first thing you do, can't defend them tbh.

It really boils down to two things. 1: Architects and clients discussing large items and on first/second floor without discussing how it will be achieved. 2: Clients not willing to pay for the equipment required to do the work safely. It’s the window suppliers responsibility to supply it, it is their responsibility to refuse to install it without having the proper equipment which someone needs to pay for. It’s not difficult to ascertain what is needed from the point of quote. Some won’t add it to be more competitive. HSE rules are clear, what you deem safe to lift (no weight limit) but manual handling should be the last resort and mechanical lifting the chosen method. We’ve just finished installing over 300 windows and doors to an commercial site in Exeter (Care Home) and every single window was installed with a glazing robot. It slows the install down, it slows other trades down and it’s a bloody expensive part of the install (happy days for hire company). CSCS cards are good but it advantagoues to have someone with SSSTS or SMSTS. These are more common for installers on a commercial site. You can have CHAS and constructionline as a supplier (we do) but they ain’t worth the paper they are printed on and that’s being honest. Simply a box ticking exercise. Mistakes in measurements happen, they shouldn’t but they do. Austrian suppliers are known to put issues into normal production queue without special treatment. I’m far from perfect but when you **** up, take ownership.

Drop me a PM and I'll put you in touch with our installer.

Not at all, all part of the process ?

Yes, no direct experience but a main contractor (Kier) insisted on using it on the windows to protect them internally on a site we are installing on. It will protect from dust and grime but will not protect from objects striking the windows. I personally wouldn't have chosen it but using the normal protection on over 400 windows, would have been substantially more expensive.

@Thorfun https://www.roma.eu/ (site is in English). https://www.roma-cadplaner.de/ (thanks @Dan F)

Bottom line, they do not deal with any UK distributor or manufacturer. We only deal with our supplier, even when I have tried contacting Roma directly they have been difficult with myself and advising me to speak to my supplier. Great product and great options available on the web (if you find them) but customer service is shocking. They used to deal in the UK and we are asked now and again to service things for them (such as garage doors), I just return the favour. Please speak to my supplier and we'll see if we can help.

It's not my area of expertise but the issue is the spacers need to be inserted between the glass units, they then need to be sealed with what is known as hotmelt (a buytl sealant) and industry standard. You have movement of the building, you have movement of the window frame and over time that hotmelt seal/bond can fail slightly and cause the misting issue. In addition, things such as cleaning products can lead to the hotmelt failing. Many other things can cause it, but I hope it helps a little.

It would say at this stage, no. Glass suppliers will not give warranties outwith the standard 5 to 10 years - too many variables.

Just a wee quick note @AnonymousBosch, those windows are less than 300mm (circa 295 if memory serves me right) ? Regarding the work, you have 10mm tolerenace either side, plus 14mm of exposed frame. Totalling 24mm either side. What's the objective? I presume it's to finish of the returns with render at some point and make it look nice? They are narrow windows, so why not make it a feature? Pack out the returns by 50mm, then just bring the render into the aluminium cladding of the windows frame and finish it off with a render stop bead? Result, less visible frame externally.

All I can say, is as as a supplier it is important to us to ensure that the planning before installation is undertaken and the relevant equipment etc. is onsite and all the materials. We only use a select team of installers across the UK. and very happy with them. The last year for us (me personally), has been extremely difficult after the loss of a key part of team due to his untimely passing. Everything was/is on my shoulders and I was struggling with that. We haven’t been perfect, I haven’t always been on top of calling people back or responding to queries. Workload was and is huge. I had/have a team to bring up to scratch on everything, training them getting them to understand the products/details/sections/elevations/floor plans/logistics/timings - everything. As well as deal with everyday quotations/orders/installs and personal life. I’ve struggled with this and was down in the dumps for a while, recognising the problem and admitting to it was the breakthrough and I’m in a better place mentally now. It’s the first time I’ve experienced depression, normally an upbeat person and always positive, which was all stress related and I’m never stressed. I’m normally the “shit happens, find a solution” guy in all aspects of life. It wasn’t the case for 6 months or so and it got the better of me. The team are all pulling together and getting things done. I’m not here to have a go at anyone supplier or installers but sometimes, something else is happening and when things do not go correctly. It’s how it’s resolved that’s important. To us though, it’s important to use airtightness foil, compriband, pu foam. It’s important that the order is thoroughly discussed and checked before production commences. It’s also important to us, to install the product as per manufacturers instructions. PU foam is fine above a slider but has the defection rates of lintel been taken into account? PU becomes a solid and if the lintel deflects and the tolerances haven’t been adapted to suit, operational issues occur. It’s good practice to use compriband only on the heads of sliders to mitigate compression on the head and operational issues as a result. As when it does go wrong, we’re responsible and a blame game doesn’t start, as we didn’t install or the customer/builder didn’t check things when signing off. How are they supposed to know what all the jargon means? We aren’t infallible but we are honest.

If you think it confuses you, imagine how it is for us as a “competitor”, sometimes I look at prices and ask how the **** are you selling at that price? Your given it away. Other times it’s the exact opposite and I’m thinking “you’re taken the **** at that price”.

Ask them for the datasheet(s) from the glass supplier if possible.

You got the specs? I can run it through Calumen / gaurdian configurators.

Not uncommon but worrying, pretty scary when you think about it.

https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/headings/4418?currency=EUR&day=8&month=8&year=2019 I may have been on the wrong section or need to check again but would it's 3% 3rd country on this link, it differs on products we import so may have been on another page.

I would need to see the glass specification sheet, what coatings they have used, spacers and gas used. Sounds wrong to me, satin finish is a "modern" alternative to patterned glass but it shouldn't impact the value by the value mentioned.

That's a big drop, are you sure it's still triple? That's a double glazed Ug value in all honesty. Triple glazed, has the opaque glass in the centre, it doesn't have any coatings on it and the value for the glass is generally not massively impacted. It can go from a 0.5Ug to a 0.6 but generally it's the decimal place that will change (i.e. 0.52Ug to 0.55Ug for example) as well as the LT value, G Value changing but not a drop like that unless it's went to double.

Basically put, 20% import, 6.5% 3rd country for wooden and plastic, aluminium is 20% import & 6% 3rd country You can find the tarriff calculator here https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff

S***e, I’ll have a look when I get the office. I have the information saved we received.

Toughened is fine but Part Q is going full SBD, it is already in Scotland for new builds. However, it boils down to interpretation by the BCO and different regions.

Part Q is a shift towards SBD as standard for all new builds. Laminated outer pane on all ground floor windows. Irrespective of location or window type.

Anything below 800mm will need to be toughened/laminated. Anything within 300mm of a external door will need to be toughened/laminated.