Search the Community

Hi all, I have seen quite a few old threads, comparing costs of different manufacturers for glazing (specifically we are hoping to get 2g aluminium clad timber). I have studied the old threads in great detail and approached a good many companies that have been mentioned for glazing quotes. The biggest issue I have had, is that when I think I have been applying directly through the websites of individual manufacturers, (Velfac, Internorm, Rational, etc) I have then been referred on to local "partners"/ "agents", consisting of only one company, local to me who supplies all these brands. I am worried that this rather takes away the competition element, to help drive down quotes, if all my options are being supplied by one company. 🤔 Have things changed over the last few years? Why do I seem unable to go direct to the majority of manufacturers (exceptions have been Nordan & Munster - although seeing the reviews for Munster I don't think I will go through them!)? Is it the area I live in (Devon)? Or have I gone the wrong way about getting quotes i.e. do I need to ring them rather than filling in online forms and attaching my plans?

Hi - I recently came across this platform and was interested to read some of the content. I have been involved in high performance building fabric solutions for over 30 years and have an inherent interest in low carbon building specifically off-site manufactured building systems together with low energy window and door solutions. I am looking forward to reading further contributions and hopefully providing some useful content. :-)

Came to the point of choosing internal doors. In two rooms on ground floor (hallway to kitchen and hallway to reception room) we definitely need glazed doors to allow flow of natural light. Question: can these be glazed like below (or similar), or once again Park K kicks in and it should all be protected against collision, max.250mm panel width, etc? Don't want BC to come in and tick us off for unsuitable doors (on the other hand, why are they widely on sale?)?

Hi all, My name is Bruno. I just joined on the recommendation of a friend as I am in the middle of a renovation project on the French windows at the back of the house that open onto the garden and would appreciate advice. The house was built in 1934 and the windows may be as old as the house. It is a wooden frame with 2 opening panes in the centre and 2 fixed panes on the sides. I noticed the paint was flaking off so decided it would be a good job for a bank holiday weekend to strip the paint and give it a new coat. I then realised that it has at least 5 layers of paint of different ages and the sealant around the glass units is flaking suggesting I should renew it. As I'm in for a more complex project than initially planned, I wondered if I could take this opportunity to replace the single panes of glass with double glazed sealed units. I am aware that double glazed sealed units would be a fair bit thicker than the current single units. So my questions are: Can it be done? Where can I get double glazed units? How can I size the thickness of the glass + spacer? Do I need to fit the new units differently than the old ones? Will the weight on the frame increase and is that a problem? I attached some photos of the windows. Thanks! Bruno

Our VELFAC windows are being delivered next Wednesday and our VELFAC approved installer, E R Aluform, has just advised they're ceasing trading as of today. We paid them a 50% deposit. Please no abuse on why we agreed to pay them a 50% deposit for the installation; I'm feeling rather fragile and would be grateful if anyone can offer any advice on what to do— whether we can recoup the money? and / or who can fit VELFAC windows at such short notice. Thanks in advance

Soon after our windows were fitted last September we noticed two defects in one of the large panes. We were told this was part of the manufacturing process and one of the risks of getting a large pane of glass. The pane in question is about 3 m x 2 m. We have 12 such panes of glass in our house and none of the others have any defects. Other than this window, we are absolutely delighted. At the time we raised it with the UK distributor of the windows. They agreed it was unacceptable. They raised it with the European supplier who noted it was part of the acceptable defects that may appear in a pane of glass this size. Now that the walls of the room are plastered and painted, the sun reflects through the defect and puts a rather hideous shadow onto the wall. Does anyone else have any defects on large panes of glass? Are such defects normal? Windows are aluminium clad, triple glazed. Supplier and distributor shall remain nameless, currently, as I dearly want to get this resolved. The only resolution for me is a replacement pane of glass, fully paid for by the supplier, including transport and fitting. That would be honouring our original contract in my opinion. We have been offered a compensation sum of about a 10th of the cost of the entire window. The windows were very expensive. I don’t want to wake up to that shadow every morning. Photos show the shadow on the wall and also the view out of the window when the scaffolding was in place showing the distortion in the view. Any thoughts welcome please.

Quick question ref a glazing quote I received. ALL of the glazing within the quote is specified as 'tough and 'laminated. This confuses me. I was under the impression that they are two sides of the same coin - I.e. safety glass. Toughened will shatter in 'safe' fragments whilst laminated will hold together - just reducing any risk posed to person involved in the breaking of said glazing. Having read the approved document k, safety glazing is only required in certain areas - as I thought. When I suggested this to the person issuing the quote (I included diagram 5.1 from Part K) I was informed that building regs part Q requires enhanced security for all of the windows in a new build - hence specifying tough/lam for all my windows/doors. I just checked part Q....I must be missing something as that is not what I interpret the document as stating. My instincts say that tough/lam is significantly bumping the price up, unnecessarily. Also why would you use toughened and laminated? Surely one or the other ticks the box? A sanity check from my fellow self builders would be much appreciated. TIA Jamie

Any help out there please? We have 2 corners with glazing meeting at the corner vertical SHS. We have an MBC timber frame but there is no timber frame at these junctions, just the glazing units and the steel corner post. We are worried about thermal bridging. Still at the design stage so could design in some insulation. What would you do?

Hi All. For those of you I haven't had the pleasure of speaking to yet, I'm planning a self build but during the day I'm chief technical at a fairly large manufacturer of windows/doors/glazing based in London/Herts. A few of you have PM'ed me with glazing questions so I thought it best to make a separate thread for sharing any info. If anyone needs help with technical details, specification, getting trade prices, e.t.c. fire away. My way of giving back for all the great construction advice I've already received here.