Any thoughts about Nordan windows?

[dnb]

Their website indicates they make exactly what I want - UPVC or aluminium frames with decent opening sizes. But I read on other bits of the web that they haven't in the past been easy to deal with.

My architect is suggesting Rationel, but I am not so keen on timber/alu so we are exploring alternatives. And does anyone have other (not silly cost) suggestions?

 

Thanks

[Russell griffiths]

Absolutely horrible, they are on show at the Swindon self build centre, I have been twice in the last month to just look at windows. 

Dismissed them straight away. 

Went to rationel on Friday, very nice for the budget, middle of the road price range. 

[ProDave]

I had 6 quotes for my windows.  Rationel were the cheapest,. and the second best in terms of U value, only beaten very slightly by Internorm but they were twice the price.

 

I see nordan windows on a lot of jobs that I do and I would have Rationel instead any day.

 

What is it that you don't like about aluminium clad timber?  I love the un fussy clean simple profile of my Rationel windows.

[Thedreamer]

Didn't appear to be much between them, but the Rationel windows were going to be a ridiculous price for delivery. The impression I had was that Rationel supply windows indirectly through a different company, however Nordan was direct.

 

Nordan are more popular in our local area and they place extra emphasis on their windows being good for coastal/windy regions.

 

We went with timber alu clad, triple glazed. When your ready to get some quotes I would ask for the prices based on alu clad/timber and for double/triple. I was surprised how cheap it was in particular to go from double to triple.

[Thedreamer]

Just checked this it was either collection from Cumbernauld (12 hours trip) or an eye watering £1500 + VAT for delivery. When I asked about the delivery costs either themselves or supply chain partners were inflexible and lacked common sense.

 

Unfortunately although there is a bridge to Skye DSV do not accept this as the mainland of Scotland and wouldn’t make delivery to the island. However there would be no issue with Cathiness.

 

With Nordan we had no such issues.

 

If your in the Isle of Wight I would definitely check what the delivery costs would be early on when getting quotes.

Edited August 11, 2019 by Thedreamer

[ProDave]

Talk to @Stones and find out what transport arrangements he made to get his Rationel windows to Orkney, a proper island involving a ferry ride.

[Ralph]

Scotframe pushed for us to spec Nordan. It did not look like they had done much development for a few years and we did not like the opening mechanism, can't quite recall why. I think the final issue was the lack of handle choice. Basically Rationel felt like higher quality for the money.

[Stones]

I used a local haulier to collect them direct from their depot in Cumbernauld, and deliver to site.  £800 IIRC (charged by pallet space).  I'm sure there will be a haulier on the IoW who is geared up to do the same.

[Stones]

4 minutes ago, Ralph said:

 Basically Rationel felt like higher quality for the money.

 

+1 - we are delighted with our Rationel windows, plus they were £6K less than equivalent Nordan.

[Thedreamer]

8 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Talk to @Stones and find out what transport arrangements he made to get his Rationel windows to Orkney, a proper island involving a ferry ride.

 

Skye is a 'proper' island, it just has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.

 

Consumers should not pay silly delivery prices for no reason. 

 

@Stones thank you for sharing the delivery cost.

[ProDave]

Just now, Thedreamer said:

 

Skye is a 'proper' island, it just has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.

 

Consumers should not pay silly delivery prices for no reason. 

 

@Stones thank you for sharing the delivery cost.

Some delivery firms try and tell me they must charge extra to deliver to the Black Isle.  (not that I am on the Black Isle, just near it)

[Thedreamer]

5 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Some delivery firms try and tell me they must charge extra to deliver to the Black Isle.  (not that I am on the Black Isle, just near it)

 

That is ridiculous!  Delivery charges/haulage I just want common sense applied.

 

Now back to the window chat.

[jamieled]

On the subject of nordan/Rationel delivery charges, it's worth noting they are negotiable. We got costs from both, and while window costs were similar, delivery costs were not. 

[Hobbiniho]

1 hour ago, Thedreamer said:

Nordan are more popular in our local area and they place extra emphasis on their windows being good for coastal/windy regions.

 

We went with timber alu clad, triple glazed.

 

nordan were the normal fit up here for quite a while. how long have you had them fitted? i dont know if nordan have changed the design of the alu cladding but i have seen quite a few nordan alu clad windows where the alu is corroding at the joints where it has been cut, they are however in exposed coastal areas

[Thedreamer]

They have been fitted for about a year, all fine at the moment, but I'll keep an eye on the joints. 

 

I'm not to far from the sea but well sheltered from the prevailing wind and rain.

[dnb]

9 hours ago, Thedreamer said:

If your in the Isle of Wight I would definitely check what the delivery costs

 

I have lived on the Island for 20 years. It's the first question when buying anything. The current bath was a gem for this. Free to Southampton or £300 from Southampton to East Cowes.

I liked the look of the Rationel windows, don't get me wrong. But I have a desire to not have too much maintainance. (I dislike painting windows even though I can do it reasonably well)

[ProDave]

2 minutes ago, dnb said:

I liked the look of the Rationel windows, don't get me wrong. But I have a desire to not have too much maintainance. (I dislike painting windows even though I can do it reasonably well)

Isn't that the whole point of aluminium clad timber windows?

[dnb]

I've yet to find a modern white paint for wood that doesn't go a horrible yellow or have a nasty rough finish.

[Russell griffiths]

1 minute ago, dnb said:

I've yet to find a modern white paint for wood that doesn't go a horrible yellow or have a nasty rough finish.

Won’t you have the inside sprayed white by the window company ?

then you won’t have to paint them for many many years

then you just use an acrylic eggshell. 

[dnb]

Just now, Russell griffiths said:

then you just use an acrylic eggshell

The very paint I dislike the most!

[Russell griffiths]

40 minutes ago, dnb said:

The very paint I dislike the most!

Whys that, stays perfectly white, hard wearing. 

What don’t you like ?

[SiBee]

Nothing to offer but was just reading out of interest really. I am sourcing replacement windows for my works office block and got chatting to The surveyor sent in by our approved specialist. We swapped stories about self building and suppliers and he suggested Nordan for windows as known to be best in the game. He has been installing windows, doors and shop facades for over 30 years. He has never heard of Rational or Internorm. Opinions eh.

[craig]

2 hours ago, SiBee said:

The surveyor sent in by our approved specialist.

 

2 hours ago, SiBee said:

He has been installing windows, doors and shop facades for over 30 years. He has never heard of Rational or Internorm.

 

2 hours ago, SiBee said:

Opinions eh.

 

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

Edited August 11, 2019 by craig

[dnb]

3 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

What don’t you like ?

The not-quite-matt, not-quite-gloss finish. It always seems to conspire to look slightly dirty.

It's probably in part predjudice from my first flat in London that had been badly decorated with eggshell before we bought it.

 

But as SiBee says: Opinions eh.