i need to replace an old window, 1130mm x 1130mm, and i thinking about doing it myself.

ive watched a few youtube clips, as you do, but just wondered if anyone has fitted their own windows and can give me any advice or assurance its not that hard?

It’s not hard.
Buy decent fixings, most fitters use thunderbolt or similar fixings these days, usually drill a 6mm hole and they then self tap in to the masonry, they avoid distorting the frame, fit sill to frame if required and lift in, place plastic packers above the fixings to again avoid distortion of the frame, tighten up, even up the glazing unit within the frame then fit the beads. Surround with expanding foam, wait to cure, cut back then silicone in. Job jobbed.

Glass only or full frame?

If opening light they seem to be packed off square to balance the window.

It’s not that hard or difficult to do so long as you’re reasonably competent with tools and a spirit level.

General advice would be to ensure the new window is positioned level in both horizontal and vertical planes and don’t overtighten the frame fixings, which need only go into the sides, not the head or cill. Use suitable spacers adjacent to each fixing to help resist taking the frame out of alignment.

Refitting the glazing beads can be a bit tricky until you find the knack, a hammer and piece of wood batten are your friends here.

I’m sure there’s more, I’ll remember in a couple of weeks as I’ve a couple of UVPC units to replace once they’ve been delivered.

Yes.
A few times, and French doors.
Top tip – measure three times. Get your friend to also measure and compare results.
Repeat above, while being deeply cynical that you have the right measurement.
Then you won’t order a window with 10cm added in width…

*Ahem*

If opening light they seem to be packed off square to balance the window.

Say what?
Are you referring to rowing and healing the glass to stop it binding?

That would be toeing and heeling That I was actually referring to. **** phone!

thanks, its a complete fit, remove old wooden window and frame then all new. no cill as there is a slate one there.

i’ll check out the thunderbolt fixings, thanks.

i didnt know that you only fixed the sides, is there a rule for so many screws per cm of window height?

I fitted all the triple-glazed units in my house. I just followed the instructions on the company website using the fitting kit they provided. There was video too. The instructions included fixing top and bottom so I did (I reckon not doing so would make it easier to prise the windows open with a crowbar). The fixing bolts are clever things that once they’ve broken through the pre-drilled, slightly undersized holes in the frame allow fine adjustment of the frame in its hole.

When measuring I calculated the biggest rectangle that would fit vertically square in the not very rectangular holes and ordered that. The windows arrived exactly the size ordered to within a mm.

If you are insulating the walls at the same time think about how you are going to butt the insulation up to or into the frame to reduce thermal bridging to a minimum. The deeper the frame (I ordered 75mm) the easier it is.

Even with a slate cill you need a wee stubbie cill attached to your frame, but watch and not get caught out with your sizes, I’d suggest you give the window maker your tight opening sizes and let them give you clearance you need

I fitted a UPVC door recently, just did some research and watched some youtube and it went smoothly. After lots of searching I worked out you can get small (cheaper) packs of UPVC spacers from toolstation, rather than getting about a 1000 of the blighters from Screwfix!

If you’re ok with a drill and spirit level, then it really is a P-o-P.
I did my last 3 windows last week, 2 in one afternoon, the last one the next morning. Took around 7 hours total, though I havent got round to mortaring the ends of the cills yet.
I didnt bother with frame fixing, just used long screws and plugs. Solid as can be.
The frame is 10mm smaller than the brick size. 1 was a tight fit, the largest had a few gaps due to brickie tolerances, so a bit of expanding foam was used around the edges. Then sealed with silicone frame sealant on the outside, acrylic on the inside, not a good/smooth finish, then a quick wipe over with filler on the inside to get a good finish – none of those horrid plastic trims here!.
£375 for 3 windows, 2 of 1000×900, 1 of 2000×900, all with one side opener.

That would be toeing and heeling That I was actually referring to. **** phone!

/

That’s the one, couldn’t think of the technical term.

Get a white plastic mallet to tap the trims in without getting black marks on the frame

The clever screws that lock into the frame and screw into the wall but then allow you to adjust the window spacing by screwing the head in and out make it really easy, although I used shims anyway.

If you want to be able to open the window, or have uncracked panes use low expansion foam, one bead on the outside of the frame and one on the inside with a small gap in between. Seriously. The newspaper story about the guy who needed the fire brigade to get him out of his house after he spray foamed all his doors and windows rendering them unusable was funny for us, really embarrassing for him

I tried once but found it to be a massive pane.

I’ll order myself an Uber.

Even with a slate cill you need a wee stubbie cill attached to your frame

No you don’t, but you do have to request face drainage on the frame.

If you are removing sash windows you’ll need to pack out the return used to accomodate the weights.

Other than that, throw the window in a spray foam sporadically where the nozzle fits and leave a nice airflow for draughts all around. Screws nit required.

Atleast thats how mine appear to have been done.

great info, thanks.

any recommendations for actual windows suppliers?

I fitted French doors (replacing a window so had to cut the brickwork down to ground level).

You have to get LA approval if you’re not using a FENSA fitter. In my case they wanted to inspect the lintel over the hole (despite me not changing the width of the opening, just the depth) so had to come round on the day I took the old one out to inspect it. they also wanted insulated closers fitted to the cavity walls etc. Worth checkign what your LA want and what lead times on gettign a buildign inspector booked for a visit are.

any recommendations for actual windows suppliers?

More the opposite, but don’t use Diamond Cut Glass in Gloucester. The units I had from them failed pretty quickly and they blamed the install because apparently they should’ve been protected from exposure to UV!!

any recommendations for actual windows suppliers?

Whereabouts are you?

My brother (who is no more than a semi-decent DIYer) did his whole house apart from one room that would have required him hiring scaffolding so got the suppliers of the frames to do that one for him.

any recommendations for actual windows suppliers?

I used http://www.doncasterupvcwindows.co.uk/upvc-window-price-list-page-85.html

It was cheaper and better quality through them, including carriage to Scotland from Yorkshire, than any local company. By a few hundred on two Windows and a patio door set….!

I got the Synerjy ones, upgraded thermal glass. So far, so warm and functional.

Where are you based. And as f9r the building inspector 😂

These are the end caps for cavity wall insulation..

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Ub39Dh]Emma's extension[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

1940s single block, no cavity here!!

DezB depths of cornwall

The heat loss through the windows will be lower than through the walls when you’ve done. Seriously, work it out.

Ah, ok. Got someone local, but not down there 🙂

Just had a sliding patio door replaced in a 1980’s bungalow. What we forgot to take into consideration was the cavity wall that had been filled with polystyrene balls by the previous owner, aparently it was as if a white christmas had came early throughout the kitchen when the old door was removed! (I was fortunately? at work!)

Looking at getting windows don next year, any top tips to avoid a repeat snow storm and contain the polystyrene balls?

Looking at getting windows don next year, any top tips to avoid a repeat snow storm and contain the polystyrene balls?

Drill some holes into the cavity and inject PVA glue or expanding foam in, might solidify it a bit…

matt_outandabout

Subscriber
any recommendations for actual windows suppliers?

I used http://www.doncasterupvcwindows.co.uk/upvc-window-price-list-page-85.html

It was cheaper and better quality through them, including carriage to Scotland from Yorkshire, than any local company. By a few hundred on two Windows and a patio door set….!

I got the Synerjy ones, upgraded thermal glass. So far, so warm and functional.

i’ll second those people, good enough quality for the price, i put fitted 3 1×1 windows and a 6′ french door easily enough when building my cabin.