Any thoughts on Nordan, Rawington or Westcoast Windows? 🤔

[fatgus]

We have a window manufacturer/supplier shortlist… some of them are mentioned a lot here, like Internorm, but others much less so…

 

Scouring the forum I can see that a few people have expressed concerns over Nordan. I’ve found the Cardiff branch to be very helpful but it would be great to hear thoughts from anyone who has actually installed and lived with their windows.

I can’t find much about Rawington or Westcoast.  Their windows seem decent, but if anyone has first hand experience of them it would really good to hear.

 

Both Rawington and our nearby Westcoast installer, Phoenix, are really helpful… Phoenix have just loaned me a Westcoast window for the weekend

 

 

 

 

[Redbeard]

Glad you've found a window of opportunity.

[marmic]

Nordan was on our shortlist - very helpful/professional and product looks to be decent.  But didn't use in end for 2 reasons - 1. we decided increased risk of splitting supply and install contracts wasn't worth the saving.  if you are installing yourself different scenario of course.  2.  wouldn't offer increased depth/height of bottom rail/sill we needed due to flat timber frame reveals and being set back.  Without raising at base extended sill ends up without adequate fall, if at all.  Installer offer to do in ply/similar if we ordered windows undersize but didn't tick the box for me.   We used Viking products from Nordica supplied and installed to passivhaus standards including extended sills with upstands to edges and increased sill in factory.  Brilliant job / happy with products/people.  Air test ended up at 0.45. 

 

I don't know other names but always worth checking actual manufacturer/product being proposed as white labelling/rebranding not unusual.     

[fatgus]

38 minutes ago, marmic said:

Nordan was on our shortlist - very helpful/professional and product looks to be decent.  But didn't use in end for 2 reasons - 1. we decided increased risk of splitting supply and install contracts wasn't worth the saving.  if you are installing yourself different scenario of course.  2.  wouldn't offer increased depth/height of bottom rail/sill we needed due to flat timber frame reveals and being set back.  Without raising at base extended sill ends up without adequate fall, if at all.  Installer offer to do in ply/similar if we ordered windows undersize but didn't tick the box for me.   We used Viking products from Nordica supplied and installed to passivhaus standards including extended sills with upstands to edges and increased sill in factory.  Brilliant job / happy with products/people.  Air test ended up at 0.45. 

 

I don't know other names but always worth checking actual manufacturer/product being proposed as white labelling/rebranding not unusual.     

Nordan now do supply & fit, at least the Cardiff branch does. That’s crucial for us because of the reduced risk, but also because we can get 5% vat on supply & fit as opposed to 20% on supply only.
 

I might be wrong, but I think Westcoast is the manufacturer and Rawington’s windows are from Guttman?

 

 

[marmic]

assume not new build zero vat then

[fatgus]

1 hour ago, marmic said:

assume not new build zero vat then

Extension, but been empty for some years…

[craig]

If there's a window system on the market in the timber aluminium market that I'm not a fan of (and I do not say this lightly) it's Nordan. It's a poor product and you're money is better spent elsewhere. There's a reason it's primarily commercial (it's cheap), it's not for quality.

[fatgus]

3 hours ago, craig said:

If there's a window system on the market in the timber aluminium market that I'm not a fan of (and I do not say this lightly) it's Nordan. It's a poor product and you're money is better spent elsewhere. There's a reason it's primarily commercial (it's cheap), it's not for quality.

Not the first time I’ve heard that…

[craig]

23 hours ago, fatgus said:

Rawington’s windows are from Guttman?

 

Yes, from Megrame in Lithuania most likely, Rawingtons website states Baltic states, as far as I know the only manufacturer in the Baltic states in Megrame for Gutmann. There are UK based Gutmann manufacturers and I was going to be supplying but the UK prices were astronomical for a UK supplier and I decided against going down that route.

[fatgus]

2 minutes ago, craig said:

 

Yes, from Megrame in Lithuania most likely, Rawingtons website states Baltic states, as far as I know the only manufacturer in the Baltic states in Megrame for Gutmann. There are UK based Gutmann manufacturers and I was going to be supplying but the UK prices were astronomical for a UK supplier and I decided against going down that route.

Thanks Craig… interesting 

[Gus Potter]

On 28/03/2026 at 10:00, fatgus said:

We have a window manufacturer/supplier shortlist… some of them are mentioned a lot here, like Internorm, but others much less so…

Ok in my day job I spec windows doors etc. 

 

Now on my own home I've got some high end aluminium windows, doors and roof lanterns. The deal on the headline is that the overall installtation has a warranty for ten years.. but the fine print says the glass units are valid for only seven years. 

 

I was pleased with the product on my own house. I ask my Clients to have a look at their product.

 

Now I'm in year six and one glass unit is starting to mist up. I think the supplier is going to be keen to fix it, as I pass business their way. 

 

Here is a key point. There are loads of folk building ordinary self build houses that are trying to get the U values down.. but they don't realise that the glass may fail after 7 years and they have no come back. 

 

It is financially complete bonkers to spend money on high end glazing units that may be out of warranty in seven years.. but still there are folk on BH doing this. Ok if you have loads of cash to burn / may be dead in ten years time then fine. But for young folk just starting out it's complete nonsence.

 

I  my case the window supplier is not far and locally based. Buying stuff from abroad comes with greater risk! 

 

It's like that wee baldy chap on on Dragons Den that says he can get everything cheeper from China. 

 

If you want to buy windows then the two things that matter most are; the warranty on the glass units and the back up advice on installation. It's very rare that the actual frame fails.