Aluminium windows / patio doors

[flanagaj]

Does anyone have any recommendations.  I get the impression that prices vary considerably, and even on a small 3 bedroom property you could easily spend upwards of 25k on windows and patio doors.  

 

As I have no idea of which brands are top quality with a price to match and those that are still very good, but more reasonable.

 

Any recommendations would be appreciated 

[Bonner]

Can’t comment on other makes but we have Origin windows and doors (double glazed). Not the best performance on paper but work well and feel like they will stand the test of time.

[Andehh]

We have SMART aluminium windows and front door, not best performance on paper, but that's aluminium for you. They looks good.

 

Our (expletive deleted)ing surveyor put then down as the wrong design though, which wasn't realised until they arrived, I'm still mildly pissed off about it, but oh the joys of self build and the quirks of it....!

[Moonshine]

We have smarts door, curtain walling, and bifolds. Matched with rational alu clad windows. All triple glazed. Nice doors

 

Edited March 2 by Moonshine

[Moonshine]

[Russell griffiths]

Allow £5000 for a patio door at the very least. 
£1800-2000 for a front door. 
and £1200 for a back door. 
 

but it really does depend what quality you want to build to. 
I can buy a pvc back door for £600 and self install it, but there pretty shite and better suited to a renovation or a tart up and sell project. 

Edited March 2 by Russell griffiths

[Iceverge]

You could buy high quality upvc. Cheaper and better performing. 

 

Don't skimp on the hardware however. 

[flanagaj]

12 hours ago, Moonshine said:

Looks very nice

[flanagaj]

8 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Allow £5000 for a patio door at the very least. 
£1800-2000 for a front door. 
and £1200 for a back door. 
 

but it really does depend what quality you want to build to. 
I can buy a pvc back door for £600 and self install it, but there pretty shite and better suited to a renovation or a tart up and sell project. 

I am going to budget 25k, which based on the above figures should be about correct.   I just can't bring myself to install uPVC.

[crispy_wafer]

Got a mix of Origin OW70 and Origin OW80 here.  They are not bad, and were reasonable cost wise, unfortunately the handles supplied are a load of absolute crap.  Whatever you choose please check the handles 🤣

[PNAmble]

1 hour ago, flanagaj said:

I just can't bring myself to install uPVC.

We went Alu-clad uPVC (internorm) - I had to get over ‘they’ll look like plastic issue’.  They don’t and are foil anthracite inside.  Very good, thermal and  u-value and airtightness (u-values is only part of the performance).  We have previously gone aluminium sliders, windows and doors in a previous project 5 years ago and although documented performance was good, the real performance of the frames was shocking with condensation. 

[flanagaj]

30 minutes ago, PNAmble said:

We went Alu-clad uPVC (internorm) - I had to get over ‘they’ll look like plastic issue’.  They don’t and are foil anthracite inside.  Very good, thermal and  u-value and airtightness (u-values is only part of the performance).  We have previously gone aluminium sliders, windows and doors in a previous project 5 years ago and although documented performance was good, the real performance of the frames was shocking with condensation. 

I have read that cold bridging can be an issue with aluminium, but didn't realise it was that bad.

[bgmill]

42 minutes ago, PNAmble said:

We went Alu-clad uPVC (internorm) - I had to get over ‘they’ll look like plastic issue’.  They don’t and are foil anthracite inside.  Very good, thermal and  u-value and airtightness (u-values is only part of the performance).  We have previously gone aluminium sliders, windows and doors in a previous project 5 years ago and although documented performance was good, the real performance of the frames was shocking with condensation. 

 

Do you have any pics of the inside of the windows?

[Iceverge]

There has been issues with some very high performance systems from the continent being built under licence that too. I think they were omitting thermal breaks and so forth completely destroying any thermal benefits they claimed to have.

 

Plain uPVC windows are often absolute rubbish too. Poorly built with minimal reinforcement. Outward opening casements looked naff with very bulky profiles and trickle vent covers. 

 

However. 

 

Higher standard ones are available .

 

Residence 9 do some very traditional looking ones if that's your thing as do Linear amongst others.  

 

 

However these wouldn't be my first consideration. 

 

If you could get proper uPVC Tilt and Turn windows with triple gasketed sashes, thermally broken frames and triple glazed panes with warm edge spacers I would go that direction. Like wise don't skimp on the hardware. 

 

 

Here's a shot from the distance of our VEKA 82 Softline profile windows. White uPVC T&T. €16k in 2020 inc VAT for 20 units including 2 x tilt and slide units.. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PNAmble]

7 hours ago, bgmill said:

Do you have any pics of the inside of the windows?

 

I’ll get a picture of the slider today and a couple of the tilt and turns. They’ve mostly got the white protection tape on at the moment.  

[PNAmble]

8 hours ago, flanagaj said:

I have read that cold bridging can be an issue with aluminium, but didn't realise it was that bad

They are in a cold poorly insulated part of the house which is also the kitchen so quite a humid environment. 

[flanagaj]

1 hour ago, PNAmble said:

They are in a cold poorly insulated part of the house which is also the kitchen so quite a humid environment. 

From what you are saying isn't it about ensuring that the windows you buy have a thermal break.  As to how you deduce whether said thermal break is performant is something I have no idea about.  

[Russell griffiths]

14 hours ago, flanagaj said:

I am going to budget 25k, which based on the above figures should be about correct.   I just can't bring myself to install uPVC.

Do you actually mean aluminium, or aluminium clad timber. 
standard aluminium doesn’t provide a very good u value, unless you go for some expensive stuff. 
timberclad I believe provides the best u value for the money spent. 

[saveasteading]

3 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

aluminium doesn’t provide a very good u value,

There is usually a thermal break separating inside and outside. We got some of that for where nordan said they couldn't do our shapes.   About half the price, and similar u vales.

I spoke to another Norwegian window co last week, he said 90% of their supplies are alu faced because of the longer guarantee as well as aesthetics. 

[flanagaj]

7 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Do you actually mean aluminium, or aluminium clad timber. 
standard aluminium doesn’t provide a very good u value, unless you go for some expensive stuff. 
timberclad I believe provides the best u value for the money spent. 

I was initially considering aluminium windows, but maybe I need to reconsider and see whether I can get alu clad timber to work within our budget.

The biggest issue I am facing is deducing the list of brands and their associated prices.  For example, I doubt I will bother contacting Kloeber as I know that they are lovely windows, but way out of our budget.  So any recommendations would be welcomed.