Double glazing

[Dave123]

Hi,

 

We're just starting our project in Somerset.  I've been trying to get quotes for the glazing, and despite emailing several local companies nobody seems to get back to us...  we've accepted that trying to get aluminium as we'd originally planned is actually out of our budget and swapped to upvc... but still I'm struggling to get quotes.   Have managed to get a quote off one local company who manufacturer and fit, and the total quote came in at £62,000 for 24 windows,4 sliding doors and a triple sliding door.  Which suggests they didn't want the work, as that sounds utterly ridiculous.

 

I'd be really grateful for advice on finding a more sensible way of sourcing glazing.  We do want the frames a light grey which does add a bit to the price I accept. 

 

My builder can fit glazing and has suggested we source it from Poland where he has bought some glazing for his own house, but this feels fairly high risk as if it turns up the wrong size etc. we'd be waiting a long time to try and rectify that.

 

What is the usual way of approaching glazing in the UK?  How do I get some sensible quotes - either supply and fit or supply only?  Or is my quote, actually, a sensible one?!

 

Best wishes,

 

Dave

[andyscotland]

Welcome.

 

That sounds like a big order, so definitely worth casting the net wider than local suppliers.

 

One good idea might be to try costing your windows direct on one of the online suppliers.

 

The https://www.modernupvcwindows.co.uk/ website is pretty good as you can design & fully specify the window and see how all the options affect the price. I'd expect a reasonable discount for a bulk order, not sure if the website factors that in - may be worth building a basket then getting in touch to ask if that's their best price.

 

I've never used their product, there's some (mixed) opinions on them & pointers to other suppliers in this thread.

 

Doing that will get you a baseline price for a basic product you can compare quotes to.

 

Bear in mind a lot of installers will just be ordering from big/nameless national factories, and a lot of them are using the same profiles & glazing. I assume they get a bit of a discount, charge you a bit of a markup, and pocket the difference.

 

Of course the advantage of going to an installer for supply and fit is the measuring/correct sizing of everything is on them.

 

Once you know what it would cost you to buy a basic product online and have your builder fit, you will be more able to assess whether it's worth paying the premium for someone else to take all the risk Vs allowing a contingency in case 1 or 2 windows have to be re-ordered at your cost (which of course you'd hope to avoid).

 

When you say you've ruled out aluminium, have you actually had that priced properly? If not and you have a door & window schedule anyway it might not hurt to get a couple of the big suppliers to quote for the job.

 

I found there was huge variation (£000s) in pricing from companies you've seen advertising on TV/locally to homeowners vs suppliers the building trade actually use.

[Conor]

Look for an internorm supplier / fitter. We're mightily impressed with their triple glazed aluclad windows and prices were very good compared to the rest of the quotes - in and around £35k, while a lot of alu/alu clad quotes were £45-£60. That was 18 windows, 2 patio doors, aluminium front door and a 4.6m bifold.

 

You have a lot of glazing, I think you are going to pay £40k + regardless. Definitely go for triple glazed.

 

 

[Bonner]

I would spread the net further afield to get sensible quotes. Fitters will travel for such a big job. Have you got a window schedule for the suppliers to quote against?

[Dave123]

Thanks everyone - you’ve given me some really useful advice. I was trying to avoid getting a window schedule and pricing things up myself but from what you’re saying that is going to be a sensible starting point, and it will probably be less time consuming than my current approach of sort of just worrying about it.

 

Thanks for company recommendations so far and I’ll look at these - does anyone else have any companies that they’re happy with for windows? Some of the direct suppliers have pretty shockingly bad online reviews from people

[andyscotland]

I ended up actually using Green Building Store https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/ and was very happy with them before & after delivery.

 

They're a quality product (timber/triple glazing) so not cheap although I found them competitive against that type of product, so may not be what you're looking if budget is tight.

 

I found Internorm pretty expensive but mine was a smallish order.

 

My mother in law had Rationel alu-clad recently and they are also very good and were competitive on price, they work through distributors so you'd need to contact them to find a distributor nearer you.

Edited October 15, 2022 by andyscotland

[Bozza]

+1 Rationel aluclad.  We were £20k for 24 units, including front & back doors, but no big slider etc. 3G.  That was supply only in 2019.  Extremely good windows and no quibble warranty claim when paint bubbled on front door.
 

+1 Do a full detailed schedule & send to manufacturers.  That in itself will make them think you are getting other quotes.  
 

Your build design can save a fortune with windows, eg less windows that are bigger v lots of smaller windows.  Fixed glazed panels where you don’t need openers.  

[JWHIT]

Rationel we got a quote of 18K for a 6-fixed, front door and a small sliding. That was triple-glazed alu clad so the quote for the 24 and 4 sliders didn't seem too far off that. 

 

We were lucky enough to get internorm triple alu clad tiltnturns ex display for £50 each - done a lot of the design work around that. but ran away when we got the quote for the rest...  

 

If you want to spec and measure yourself you can use companies like slideandfold (think they use the smart systems) and clearview (think they use stellar). Not as good U values due to the frame but a load cheaper. If not there are some suppliers of alu clad Polish windows in the UK that may work out cheaper (the scottish ones i approached use Aliplast? - they do some ranges close, if not to, passive standard that are PAS 24 rated but be sure to check) - there was a big difference in their quote - although these were Scottish based, and depends if you want that risk. 

 

Finding that the sliders are where most of the budget is eaten up, especially with 4. 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by JWHIT

[Miek]

10 hours ago, Conor said:

Look for an internorm supplier / fitter. We're mightily impressed with their triple glazed aluclad windows and prices were very good compared to the rest of the quotes - in and around £35k, while a lot of alu/alu clad quotes were £45-£60. That was 18 windows, 2 patio doors, aluminium front door and a 4.6m

Really? I got 6 companies to quote for aluclad triple wood windows and internorm prices were mental high, Over double the average price. 

 

That was this year. 

[Conor]

2 hours ago, Miek said:

Really? I got 6 companies to quote for aluclad triple wood windows and internorm prices were mental high, Over double the average price. 

 

That was this year. 

 

We went for PVC aluclad. I'm aware timber is at least double the price. We're absolutely fine with the white PVC on the inside, works fine with our style and we wouldn't gain anything with wood or timber on the inside.. Performance wise, we're over the moon with them.

[Dave123]

3 hours ago, Miek said:

Really? I got 6 companies to quote for aluclad triple wood windows and internorm prices were mental high, Over double the average price. 

 

That was this year. 

Which companies came out top of your list on price without too much compromise on quality?

[Miek]

9 hours ago, Dave123 said:

Which companies came out top of your list on price without too much compromise on quality?

The cheapest wood aluclad 3g seems to come from Rationel but close behind we're Russell Timbertech  and Nordvest. My spec was 0.8Uw  so it's important to compare like for like U values. if you go for the very lowest U value the price grows significantly.  Opening style is a big one too and I went for top hung fully reversible.