Need to get the windows done in our house. Seems like now is a good time. House will be unoccupied for a few weeks (unfurnished) in Feb
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What’s the deal with getting someone in to put new double glazed windows?
Who’s best to use?
I’m after some grey framed double glazed units and were right next to a busy main road so sound deadening is a priority. It’s a 1910 house and it was “modernised” in the 60s so it’s not twee and I think grey units will suit better than white. What are the options?

We’re near Bournemouth if that helps.

If you’ve got a ‘7 day windows’ near you give them a call. Used them on a few houses and they’re good (at least the Chester ones are).

A local company that friends or colleagues recommend.

Don’t go for cheapest, don’t go for the big boys (safestyle) etc,
Do try and find a good local fabricator that carry their own fitters or a good builder type who uses a decent product. Window furniture varies between companies, some is really cheap some will be quality German stuff.
Liniar, eurocell and synseal are three producers of profile local to me who sell to fabricators countrywide and all three have very good products. In fact I’m just about to hand over liniars new warehouse to them.

Local company, non chain and based on recommendations from people you know.

Big chains and franchises are con artists. There’s a list somewhere of the tactics they use and they’re well trained. I had one bunch of scammers in just for a laugh and I ticked off the list one by one. All the stuff from starting with an insane price, knock it down, sucking in air and coming up with a price that they say their boss wouldn’t like, then ask to use your phone at your cost to call their boss and hands phone to you to chat with you (he’s a bloke in the pub) and negotiates a “deal”. Whole pile of hard sale about the actual windows and claims about security that made it sound like the stuff would cope with a nuclear attack. All bollox and yeah they did the whole list. Didn’t trust them at all to actually be capable of fitting windows. Bloke did have a fairly flash car though so he must have been doing well.

What deadkenny said, oh and make sure they’re FENSA registered as you’ll need their Building Regs self- certification for when you sell

Don’t go for cheapest, don’t go for the big boys (safestyle) etc,

Definitely don’t use Safestyle

We used Apple Home Improvements who are local to Bournemouth and seem to have done a decent job. It was a few years ago but they were efficient, on time, came across as trustworthy and so on.

The windows block out the noise of trains very effectively and haven’t succumbed to any condensation issues so am assuming quality is ok but equally I am by no means an expert on the matter.

I’m about to install Velfac (swedish) windows in my house. Aluminium on the outside which you can have in any colour.

They are triple glazed which should improve noise insulation.

In the end weren’t much more than yer average white upvc jobbies.

I got a local guy in to do ours, the units were fabricated locally. Been in maybe 6 years or so now and they’ve been great. A lot cheaper than the big boys and better quality units, really heavy reinforced frames. I think we pain circa £5k where the big companies wanted over £10k.

Thermaglaze in Warminster (pretty sure they will come to Bournemouth)

They have a ‘non pushy sales’ policy that took some of the hassle out of the equation (some of the other tried to apply shockingly outdated sales gimmicks.)

Price wise they were close to the bottom, but not the cheapest. They talked us through the differences in some quotes to show us they were the second cheapest providing the ‘better’ quality stuff

At the time they were one of the few companies near us who used their own fitters rather than subcontractors

We had a small issue with a door lock after the installation. The MD contacted me to arrange a fix and apologised for the hassle

We visited their ‘shop’ before signing the order and they had a whole bookcase full of testimonials. Not all were 100% complementary, but the sheer quantity of them was impressive

Everest were laughably bad, Apple were stupidly expensive

EDIT – Our neighbours had a quote for something like £23K for the same set of windows. They were delighted to be offered a 50% discount and then they haggled down to 10K. We paid Circa £3.5K and had the ‘better’ units installed without any haggling

Jump on checkatrade if you don’t have any friend recommendations.

Get some quotes from well rated people on there that have a lot of reviews.

It’s worked out well for me with a few bits being done on the house, I also have a fella coming to do a quote on a conservatory at the weekend from there as well.

Above is good advice re sales tactics, only advice i have is ask what the max depth glass the frame will take and how much it is to upgrade to max depth glass. It is not much to upgrade as its only the air gap they are increasing.

We use a company called Brand Windows, we’re just by Newbury so they may do your area. 2 houses now and very well priced and great work.

When i did mine I discovered that there are only two companies who make the frame profile that window installers use so you are essentially buying the same end product no matter where you get it from. That was ten years ago now though.
I did drawings of what I wanted and got four companies in to price. I had quotes from £1500 to £6500. The most expensive one was the one that had the biggest difference in that their windows were externally glazed. No thank you!!

Local fitters. Don’t use Safestyle else they’ll still be contacting you 6 years later to sell you conservatories despite living in a flat. And they aren’t actually cheap despite their “one time only, don’t delay, special discounts”

Rockhopper – Member
When i did mine I discovered that there are only two companies who make the frame profile that window installers use so you are essentially buying the same end product no matter where you get it from. That was ten years ago now though.

Dunno where you got that info but it’s wrong.
There’s 4 within 20 miles of me that were all operating way more than 10 years ago. I’ve been involved through construction projects for the manufacturers of profile for the last 20 years.
As I said it’s worth asking whoever you choose to do the work which manufacturer the use for profile and also a look at some sample furniture. Hinges being a key point to longevity.

I agree with the comment re better glazing from the off. Our new doors and windows are Synseal with upgraded glazing to whatever the ‘best’ was with coatings, wider unit and posh gas. cost was @5% more. Compared to the four year old units elsewhere in the house the are really, noticeably warmer. Not a drop of condensation in a morning, almost warm to touch.