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Windows....which company did you choose and why?


Tom's Barn

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It would be great if anyone not using Ecohaus  could go back to them and tell them  why. It  might be the only thing which bucks  them up in their  fitting and customer service . They are great windows  but really let down by fitting. We hope our replacements for the broken ones are still on target for September - but its a long time since May when they damaged them !! 

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13 hours ago, Gemmando said:

Such a help reading Ecohaus reviews as have been progressing a quote with them. Not going with them now! 
 

Any feedback on Thames Valley Windows? Infinite windows? 
 

looking to replace wood frame sash windows and acoustics top priority as on a main road with roaring traffic. 
 

I was looking at Internorm due to acoustic glass and decibel reductions they can offer. Does anyone recommend Internorm for this? Any other suppliers I should look at? 
 

Thank you. 

Read all the Internorm threads. Most people love the quality but finding the right company/installation crew are paramount. If you have to deal with Internorm themselves prepare for a NIGHTMARE.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm know slowly getting use to the fact the windows are going to cost over double what I have budgeted for.  I had intended to go for aluminium windows and doors, but for some unknown reason nearly all the quotes are for alu clad timber, I'm really not sure how hat happened.

 

Anyway it seems we have to front runners Idealcombi and Rationel.  I think I prefer Idealcombi, the sliding doors are inline with the glazing and uses a single track also I like the double outward sliding doors, my wife prefers the Rationel as the sliding door has a single handle and also used larger panes of glass.

 

Both quotes are similar, but some what better than the rest. I will be using the suppliers i.e. IdealCombi or Vindor for Rationel to do the install.

 

I just need to decide which to go for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I have some IdealCombi sliding doors with low threshold, as well as lots of windows.  They are OK in smaller sizes but the larger ones do not operate correctly.  Make sure yours are nowhere near the max sizes and you should be fine.  They do not install but use their approved installers.  I rate the whole thing 3 out of 5.

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@Mr Punter Thanks for responding, The double sliding doors are quite large, but are actually at first floor level and will have a juliet balcony, so  will not get any traffic through but will just open for us to admire a view. Idealcombi now do the installation, so if I go with them I will use there installers. 

 

In what way do the larger doors not operate correctly?  by the way we are looking at Futura+ doors and windows.

Thanks

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The sliders that are crappy are 2570w x 2400h.  They ground when opening.  IdealCombi have been pretty hopeless at any remedy.  I may have to have them removed and replaced which is no fun as they are on the second floor.  I have some that are 2100w x 2300h and they are OK.  We also had two sets where the opening door fell out.  If it were not for the scaffold they would have fallen 2 storeys to the ground.

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I have Idealcombi Futura+ double outward sliding doors, each door being 1500w x 2300h, I also have a track sliding one the same size.

 

I'd say both are fundamentally fine but do need accurate installation, particularly the track slider.  The track must be on a rock solid dead flat level base, any movement over time in the base and the track will flex making the glide stiff.  Mine so far are all fine, but it's only 2 years.

 

Mine unusually was an overall good window experience.  My approved fitter expressed a preference for Rationel (if he was choosing for himself), considering them a tad more robust and easier to fit, while he considered IC not the easiest to fit.

9 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

They ground when opening

Is this a fitting issue apparent from day 1, or has it come about over time from some component in the window unit allowing some 'slump'?

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2 hours ago, mvincentd said:

Is this a fitting issue apparent from day 1, or has it come about over time from some component in the window unit allowing some 'slump'?

 

We spent £73,000 with IC on sliding doors and windows for 7 houses.  We used their approved installers.  They subbed Compriband for no-name crap, we had 2 doors fall out, loads of leaks, inward tilt turns that shat themselves and several sliders that graunch to a halt.  They were fairly cheap but fairly crap.  Lots apparent from day 1.

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I still don’t have my windows after delay after delay. Mine are coming from 3 different factories and they all claim the same issue - trouble getting the triple glazed glass. About half has arrived on site and fitted but still waiting for the rest. Covid has definitely messed things up but all the large developers are buying like crazy to avoid the extra costs and delays that will be coming with Brexit in Jan . 
 

Edited by gc100
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  • 3 weeks later...

To be fair, we’re looking at about 4 weeks for quotes being issued. The lass that normally processes them is on Furlough and I’m processing them as quickly as I can.

 

I’m hearing of glass delays in the UK but not in Europe tbh. Our production timescales have not been impacted for about 3 months now. However under weekly review.

 

Transport is an issue. They want a weeks notice and need exact weights/dimension rather than best guess loading meterage and weight (used to be 48 hrs notice).

Edited by craig
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Our order went in 31st July and all windows/sliders are due on site this Thursday (6-7 weeks total). 

 

We are starting to get a bit concerned about everything else we need to order which will likely come from europe though. Don't really want toilets stuck on the back of a HGV backed up in customs ?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Having read the comments above am now very nervous about buying windows for our new house.  We obtained quotes back in May from Internorm (Cherwell),  Nordan (Elford Facades), Origin (Cherwell), Ideal Combi and Kloeber.  4 months later these are now 10% to 15% higher.  We've eliminated Kloeber and Origin because they cannot make one of the windows as a single pane and this is a key element of the design.  We looked at Smart Systems and the same applies.  Comments above suggest Ideal Combi should be much cheaper than Internorm but they are similar price (odd?).  We prefer the outward-opening Nordan windows with neater trickle vents but Internorm is a bit cheaper.  Both seem to have unreliable delivery times.  Any thoughts/advice?  

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8 minutes ago, Angel said:

Comments above suggest Ideal Combi should be much cheaper than Internorm but they are similar price (odd?). 

 

We found Ideal Combi more expensive than Internorm (in part in think it was due to the sliding door 5.5m) and Internorms single pane opening windows were able to be larger than others. For the slight price difference in windows the spec was far better than Ideal Combi. They are due to install in just over a week - 12 weeks to the day from ordering, however when I called earlier in the week they had 5 installers waiting for Covid tests so ?they are negative.

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1 hour ago, Angel said:

 Ideal Combi should be much cheaper than Internorm but they are similar price (odd?).  

I found them more expensive than internorm I think. Discounted them straight away, they were at least 15-20 more expensive. Try ecowin ? For Gaulhoffer and zyle fennster.  

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5 minutes ago, SuperJohnG said:

I found them more expensive than internorm I think. Discounted them straight away, they were at least 15-20 more expensive. Try ecowin ? For Gaulhoffer and zyle fennster.  

 

it's weird isn't it how the same manufacturers can be so different with quotes for different people. for us Ideal Combi were at the cheaper end of all our quotes and Gaulhoffer were more expensive that Internorm! we ended up choosing Norrsken, good price, service and quality of windows and doors. 

 

this all comes with the usual caveat that we've not had anything delivered or installed yet so my opinion could change.

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Delivery times are unpredictable to say the least, we're looking at 8 weeks for RK doors and I'm skeptical at that. Greencoat steel for the roof is about the same. We've shelved any plans to give notice on our rental flat this year as I just can't see us moving until January at the earliest.  And yes prices do seem to have taken a hike up. 

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9 minutes ago, Thorfun said:

Gaulhoffer were more expensive that Internorm!


That’s a hard pill to swallow, a couple of caveats but generally we are roughly the same price if not less with Gaulhofer.

 

Also depends on retailer and a couple of other small things.

 

Zyle, is a lot more cost effective but on the other hand. The exchange rate is kicking our butts at this time.

Edited by craig
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Windows have provided (by far) the most stress on our build. Some our own fault - missed a typo on the schedule & had to order a replacement, some as a result of lying, dishonest, fitters who didn’t want to finish the job. In the unlikely event of ever doing this again I will go over the schedule again & again with a fine tooth comb & insist on references from domestic customers for the fitters. 

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29 minutes ago, craig said:

That’s a hard pill to swallow, a couple of caveats but generally we are roughly the same price if not less with Gaulhofer.

 

fair enough @craig. I think Internorm really wanted the job so they cut their prices drastically. I did get another Internorm quote from a different reseller and their quote was substantially more than the Gaulhofer quote. 

 

I apologise if I gave an unfair judgement to the quote you gave us but it really does just show how much variance there is in window quotes depending on the job, the retailer and the manufacturer.

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18 minutes ago, Nick1c said:

Windows have provided (by far) the most stress on our build. Some our own fault - missed a typo on the schedule & had to order a replacement, some as a result of lying, dishonest, fitters who didn’t want to finish the job. In the unlikely event of ever doing this again I will go over the schedule again & again with a fine tooth comb & insist on references from domestic customers for the fitters. 


You didn’t have the best of experiences Nick and I hold my hands up to that and I apologise.

 

As you know, install team are well gone but to much “faith/trust” was given to them. They let me down, which meant I let you down on numerous occasions. I also let myself down. It will never happen again.

 

It doesn’t always go perfect and when it does go wrong it can go wrong spectacularly. I hope I put things right to a degree, took time to resolve things that’s for sure.

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15 minutes ago, Thorfun said:

I apologise if I gave an unfair judgement to the quote you gave


No need to apologise, you win some you lose some. When it’s fair it’s fair. When they (other suppliers) “buy” themselves the work, there isn’t much that can be done.

 

I wish you well with the project and here if you need any help/advice.

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Here’s a rookie question, been reading through this thread and it has made me wonder why you all seem to be stuck on these foreign made windows, what do they have or offer that you cannot get from a British manufacturer? Our windows came as part of our kit (VEKA) and they are doing the job just fine so if I was to build again what would I be looking for that I dont have with my current windows? This is a genuine question by the way as I definitely want to get everything well researched before I attempt another!

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I’d love to supply British made but

 

1: VAT

2: Quality

3: Performance

 

The UK market is still stuck on cheap and cheerful uPVC. Those that are making decent windows are buying in European profiles.

Edited by craig
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