craig

@Russdl It is usually your certifier that checks the PHPP before building commences, it is usually tweaked before hand but the institute don't "check it" until is due for certification. The certifier will usually be in converse with them when and if need be, during initial stages and throughout the build but a full check is not done until certification. It's the certifiers responsibility to ensure it's correct and it's the architects/contractors/clients responsibility to ensure evidence is taken and remedial work taken where and when appropriate. That "may" prove problematic if the architect is not Passive House certified as they may miss things a certified PH architect shouldn't.

You won't be unhappy with the Solarlux bifold, I assure you of that ? Edit: I really should look at the post date before post ?

4 man team ranging from £150 per man per day to £250 per man per day. Then you have travel costs, equipment costs, accommodation costs to also consider. At £30k supply cost, I would be expecting it to be in the £5K/£6K region.

If the will is there. I whole heartedly agree, the will isn't there because builders / companies can currently build to building regs and don't want to or can't be bothered to learn the skill sets required It isn't rocket science, it's just common sense imho. The big issue that is the stumbling block is supply and demand. The demand is not that huge and therefore the supply costs are bigger which affects the cost pper sqm. The more demand, the less it should cost and everyone benefits.

I concur with @jack certification process isn't just saying confirming what the PHPP says it is. The whole process is about using products in the build, that say what supplier claims by using 3rd party certificates and or certified products. Thermal modelling of junctions, openings etc. in the design stage, being on top of what is happening on site, is what has been designed. Deviations can be costly and one of the projects we did recently failed, simply because it wasn't built to the specifications & due care and attention was not paid on site. A costly error to the builder, as part of the planning condition was that it achieved PH standard. Im not saying that houses that have been built using the PH standards are not but how do you know? So much additional work other than PHPP goes into designing/building a PH. The PHPP only assists the Passiv Haus institute in Darmstadt of certifying. If you can't provide documention from site etc. they won't certify. It's not that costly in the grand scheme of the build and for what they are checking (a lot of hours goes into it).

I can certainly understand that, I'm not having pop shot at you but the valuer and the property market in general. The drive towards energy efficiency is huge in the UK. When buyers start to understand the energy cost savings by buying this type of house, I'm sure this will then become more prominent in buyers decision making. Until then, we are stuck with buyers making bad decisions (how does the kitchen look for example) rather than what does the house cost me to run.

I would agree with that sentiment and with the EPC factor. It can add value if you have a good EPC but if it's an ECO house / Passive House it can devalue the property ?

There in lies the problem. Eco houses is just a buzz word, they are designed to be energy efficient and that's the common misconception with those with less knowledge/ understanding. The fact your valuer tried to devalue the house because of the standard that was achieved and would have devalued it further if it was certified, is laughable to be honest.

It does add value, it's just not a common standard in the UK, and therefore not fully understood to add value. In Germany, houses can be sold of plans simply because they are built/designed/certified to PH standards and retain the value. I would question a valuers understanding of PH. I agree certification is a luxury, we just certified the first straw bale hybrid PH in Yorkshire area. What certification does is let's owners and future potential owners know, that the house performs exactly as is claimed. Once the standard is more common and more understood, it will add value and it will retain values.

Frankly, PHPP should be the standard on how efficient a house is. It's not expensive for what is (an excel spreadsheet). However, it is only as accurate as the information that is put into it. Has had changed over the years and got more accurate every year (head and shoulders above SAP imho). I know of several certifiers, we used to help Strathclyde university with courses. It's not easy to become a certified certifier but experience certainly counts.

I've worked with builders who have erected steel frames and basically worked to the window. Doesn't work with all builds obviously but how's the window being fixed? Fitting with brackets requires a certain tolerance (the brackets we use require 6mm space). You also need to insulate and need additional space (12mm all around is what we recommend).

Apparently Scottish water had addressed concerns.

The development we have moved to (Scotland) also has very poor water pressure (1 bar). The builder had installed pumps but removed after a year. Scottish water aren't interested.

Never had any issue with any of the MBC drawings to be honest.

@jamiehamy If attention to detail throughout the quotation stage/detailing stage and explanations of terminology on quotations etc. are all explained then issues should be null. Its not wrong it's a fact. I'm not going to comment on the quality of other suppliers/manufacturers. What I can tell you is everything boils down to attention to detail and that includes quality control. I've personally had two issue in the past 2 years, this came down to translation issues and resulted in the errors. Still boils down to attention to details. Im not going to defend those companies, they have likely encountered those issues because of numerous things. Likely to be staff not being properly trained. We don't send anything to production until everyone is happy and everything has been checked in the UK and overseas as once production starts, no changes can happen. Window manufacturers/ suppliers are not being held accountable for mistakes on site but if everything is done as it is intended nothing should go wrong. Attention to details, pure and simple no fantasy world here. It's one of our core business ethos. Mistakes cost money, mistakes cause angry customers, mistakes cause bad reputation and all it takes to prevent these is people paying attention.

If time is taken to discuss details and the supplier/client/architect work together then the issue of problems arising should be null. Not every supplier will do this and simply receive a schedule, get the quote out and never consider the details. Some will even give an alternative item because they can't achieve the size without compromising. Thats why checks and discussions are paramount.

It happens but it shouldn't, they should be fully aware. I don't know the program they use but it sounds like the unit is put into the system prepared for a specific glass size and the glass is then entered seperately. Sounds like human error to me. I've had it happen myself, when replacing a glass unit. It was 44mm, it came as 48mm resulting in the glazing beads being to big. Thankfully that's an easy fix, so is your's but a costly one to the supplier.

The spacer used is important, standard spacer warmedge for example can in the region of 0.046 psi value and a plus version 0.026 psi value. I've seen this be the difference between a pass and a fail in a Passive House. I personally wouldn't use a 20mm spacer in a glass unit unless it was absolutely necessary. In my view a triple glazed unit at 4/18/4/18/4 is optimum for a 0.52Ug. Doubled glazed 4/18/4 being optimum for a doubled glazed unit. It it becomes a little more complicated when introducing laminated glass on the external or internal pane and then boils down to the system. Some suppliers can accommodate 52mm glazing units, some can only accommodate 40mm / 44mm glazing units. However, one important factor, is a glass is only as good as the supplier of the glazing unit (which isn't necessarily the window manufacturer). I've seen brand new 3G units filled halve way up with water inside the unit.

Rather nice build, congrats.

This to be honest, is probably the biggest pet hate of any window supplier. One of thee biggest expenses and one of thee biggest things that could go wrong. Yet architects seem to think of this as an after thought ? No sizes supplied to openings on elevations, no window schedule supplied. When schedules are supplied what about section details? How has the window been proposed to go into the opening? What's the cill depth etc. Any type of schedule is appreciated but a drawing schedule is preferable and indicating how the are viewed (inside or out). Most suppliers will work with the client/architect/contractor/kit supplier so that the windows can be ordered of drawings. Some will need a site measurement (few and far between to be honest), more required for a refurb than anything else.

Just be careful what you burn, the contractors building at the back of ours have been reprimanded by environmental healt for unauthorised fires. On top of that, a final warning for burning used silicone tubes and other building waste. Something I cannot tolerate.

Thanks @Barney12 @Construction Channel The post was made with the best of intentions and as help for quote checking. I wholeheartedly expected for others to come in and ask question or say things may have been missed. I didn't expect for someone to come in and descend it into chaos for no apparent reason other than an ego trip. Thank you for the support, my profession is windows and Passive House including steps towards certification (I'm not a certifier). This is where I can offer advice in an independent way, obviously my interests are towards the business but not here. Im not a fountain of all knowledge but I certainly have above average knowledge when it comes to windows and installation details etc. @JSHarris I fully understand what you are saying, I have owned/run forums using IPS in fact for nearly 20 years (since the days of Ikonboard) and still run/own a large forum. Forum etiquette is something I'm fully aware of. I'm also aware of a newbie rubbing long term members backs up. Which is part of the reason for the introduction and declaring immediately. Some on this forum will know me, wasn't any point trying to hide that fact (not that I would have anyway). If anyone had an issue with how I have posted then that's for them to advise why and for me to learn and understand how. Before posting I read all the relevant topics about how the site became to be, I understand the ethos of the site and I've understood the feel good friendly nature of the site from browsing the topics in every section. I know some clever people are present here and from all aspects of life. So I'm not trying to tell people this is how it is and what you must do. Just friendly advice on what I would do as someone who checks quotes, trains staff on window systems, differences between systems, manufacturers, processes orders, deals with technical drawings, detailing, service related issues and so forth. I've been in the industry now for nearly 9 years and understand others with greater knowledge exist and willing to learn from them. However when someone tries to call me out or tries to make me look like a fool. That's a different matter. I have and will continue to contribute in other areas but I'm not going to just spam across the forum, if I have something to contribute I will.

I don't want to upset the Apple cart of a friendly and welcoming site. I thought I could offer some impartial help. I'll personally take a step away, purely on the basis that I'm not a home builder but within an industry that supplies to the home builder. I'm just sorry to the members and staff, that what I thought was a helpful topic has been brought into the gutter.

I'm not saying they are completely irrelevant, I'm saying in a quote comparison they are as generally speaking not listed. Internally glazed v's externally glazed both have pro's and cons. Both are tested to high levels of wind class, some will even have hurricane test certificates.

@JSHarris This topic wasn't put together for any commercial reason, it wasn't put together for advertising. it was put together as a helpful topic for those comparing quotes specifically regarding being like for like. It was not aimed at any particular supplier. For some reason, someone felt it appropriate to start mentioning what is dealt with in technical documentation, test certification and so forth. Which to be honest aren't really listed in quotations and not something that is really looked at when comparing and wholly irrelevant in my view to the topic. I thought I was being helpful in a non commercial way and not siding with any supplier. I apologise if that has not been the case.