Slowinscy WIndows

[Inchbyinch]

Hi All,

Has anyone come across these? I'm close on ordering them....the are quite competitive (cheaper than Munster by about 15%), good U=value of c. 0.85 but not their passive thermax which would go to 0.76 overall.

There is a lift and slide door included and also an extremely large window, 4.2m x 2.6m, which they are very confident on but I'm not so sure. SWMBO is very keen on the large window as it captures a spectacular view without any interruption. My concerns are around the longevity of such a large window? any thoughts?

Also what sort of airtightness compromises should I expect with a large lift and slide?

Thanks as ever,

Ed

A tired and weary man from Cork Ireland

[pauldoc]

Hi, I've just seen your post. I am also in the process of deciding who to supply my windows.

I haven't come across the company you mention, but looking at their site the windows they supply the same windows as 'Uniwin'. Have you had them quote you?

http://www.uniwin.co.uk/products/windows/alu-clad/

I have received one quote from Uniwin so far (and now waiting for a few changes to be made) They came back towards the lower ish end of quotes I have received. I have now told them that they are not competitive and waiting to see what they come back with. I have found Polish Interior the cheapest so far. 

How did Slowinscy compare for you? also how quick were they in getting a quotation back?

[pauldoc]

Also did Slowinscy quote you directly? I have contacted them and they have directed me to there UK seller Norrsken

[anna]

Hi. Just interested in windows theme too:))

Is it allowed in UK to use windows which open in inside direction, not outside direction?

As far as I know windows in Europe opens 'to the inside'

[Mikey_1980]

Yes it is fine to use inward opening windows in the UK, we have them.

[anna]

Thank you. 

i heard its because of the health and safety  . If there is a fire, there can't be anything blocking you from opening a window to escape. :)))

 

[Mikey_1980]

That could apply to outward opening windows as well, what is stopping someone leaning something against the window or placing something in front of the window blocking it from opening fully.

The building regs are more concerned around the size of the opening for escape and the locking for security from what I found when looking at the options.

 

 

[PeterW]

1 hour ago, anna said:

Thank you. 

i heard its because of the health and safety  . If there is a fire, there can't be anything blocking you from opening a window to escape. :)))

 

That sounds a little odd Anna - if that is official guidance from someone I would get them to check their source.. 

Best place to find all the "rules" for windows and so on is the building regulations approved documents. They are freely available on the planning portal website and can be downloaded. They aren't the easiest to read but there is lots of guidance in there.

Any questions just ask - there are plenty of people who've had to live and breath them for the past few years...!

[Jeremy Harris]

There's nothing in the escape from fire bit that says anything about the way the escape window hinges, just that it has to have a certain minimum opening size.  There is a regulation that says that fire escape doors should open outwards, but that's for commercial, rather than domestic, buildings. 

Maybe someone has confused the two, as buildings like guest houses (over a certain number of rooms) and hotels have to have escape routes that open in the direction of escape as they are non-domestic buildings.  It is easy to get the domestic and non-domestic parts of the regs confused, if you're not that familiar with them.

[pauldoc]

Well I have got a quote back from Norrsken already(Slowinscy WIndows pointed me in their direction), very efficient I must say.

However their price is ridiculous! I know it has been discussed on here recently about negotiating window quotes but it does annoy me when you get just downright rude quotes back especially once you have started to see how much room for discount these companies have. Then they say 'well you should have let us know to see what we can do'

[Jeremy Harris]

You'll get used to this.  Some companies think self-builders (or anyone other than a company asking for a quote) are numpties that can be fleeced.  Many of the quotes we had for various things were stupidly priced, some because they didn't really want the business, I think and some because of what I've come to call the "Grand Designs Factor", i.e. all self-builders have loads of money so let's try and relieve them of as much it as we can.

I gave an example in this post recently:

 

[iSelfBuild]

Hi Guys,

 

Some of you know I am involved with importing windows. Slowinscy is my supplier and if anyone want's to see the windows fitted then please get in touch. You are correct that they won't sell to the public and insist on going through a distributor.

 

There is lots of photos on my Facebook page of the Marconi Max Oak - https://www.facebook.com/LakelandDBG/

 

The product is fantastic and the price is fair, it won't be as good as a deal now due to the exchange rate but I got my lodge windows at 1 - 1.40.

 

If this post is not allowed then please let me know!

 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by iSelfBuild

[pauldoc]

thanks for that bit of info. I too have contacted Uniwin. I am waiting for a revised quote back from them but they did say the exchange rate is hurting now.

Norsskens quote for the same windows was approx. 75% higher than uniwin! Now I appreciate that they will be different but these guys as Jeremy points out have def gone the grand designs route. We are talking a 25k difference! As Jeremy says, as a 'self builder' we do seem to be taken advantage of compared to a professional builder. I also found the timberframe companies had considerable room for negotiation

[anna]

On 7/7/2016 at 13:08, PeterW said:

That sounds a little odd Anna - if that is official guidance from someone I would get them to check their source.. 

Best place to find all the "rules" for windows and so on is the building regulations approved documents. They are freely available on the planning portal website and can be downloaded. They aren't the easiest to read but there is lots of guidance in there.

Any questions just ask - there are plenty of people who've had to live and breath them for the past few years...!

Thank you PeterW :-)