UPVC Double Glazing - any recommendations or warnings?

DD had replacement windows fitted in her house in Hertfordshire and we had them fitted in our French house. In both cases we made a conscious decision to put quality before price.

DD's company was local, but had been around twenty years or more and had a commercial/industrial arm as well. French company was a national company. Neither of us has been anything but satisfied with our choice.

Harrigran, I live in a conservation area, and a listed building. The aim of a Conservation area is to keep everything looking as it did when the order was applied. It is also preferred that houses have windows and roof coverings appropriate to their age and style. So if a new house is built it will be perfectly acceptable for it to have plastic windows because that is appropriate to a new house but older properties will be expected to stay with the window materials and style the were built with. As our house is listed we can do nothing to our windows except install internal double glazing. We do, however have a single storey 1960s extension at the back and hope to get consent to replace those windows with double glazed windows in wooden frames. As all the windows are of a standard size and window pattern we know we can buy suitable replacement windows from any big builder's merchant.

Yes JessM, that`s what we thought had taken place, but there was no way to prove it. The "new" company offered to do the repair for us, but at a price. In the end, a bloke my son knew did the job for us at a much more reasonable price.

There was a big scam number at the time, with lots of companies closing down to avoid the liability of guarentees and re-opening the following week as a different company.

Our home in Ulverston is the same glass we were told we could only have wooden frames and they had to be varnished dark brown as we are in a conservation area. A couple of years ago they built some new houses across the road and lo and behold doors and windows are all white UPVC. Does not make sense

Our house is in the middle of nowhere not overlooked by anyone but the planners stipulated that we had to have wood framed windows and even the colour we could paint them they cost a fortune to have them made to order, now down in the village where one of the main road into Scotland go through the villagers mostly have UPVC how can that be right.

What was a bit suspicious about it was, the firm on the end of the phone ere in the same premises, and were a DOUBLE GLAZING company!

That happened to me about the same time, number. Fortunately the windows were fine, but if they hadn't been, the guarantee would have been worthless.

Be very careful. We had all our windows and doors replaced with upvc double glazing in 1988, with a 10 year guarantee. 5 years later, a fault appeared, only for us to find that the company had gone out of business. We chose them because they`d just installed new windows at my previous workplace, so thought they`d be OK.

I think that was the sliding doors crimson they could be lifted out of the runners. I have some bi-fold doors on our extension which a lovely n the summer as it really blends in /out..but our upvc french doors at old house were v secure.

Are upvc doors safer than they were? I know years ago there was a problem in that, because they had a certain amount of flexibility, burglars found them easy to break into. However I think things have improved since then. Although I always prefer wooden doors I so with I had upvc windows and frames and also wish I had white frames. We went with dark wood frames and they drain all of the colour out of a room. I hate them.

JessM ask for recommendations from local neighbours if you can, and if possible look for yourself at the finished work.When we lived in the family house we had the Conservatory done by a National firm and the work was first class along with clean workmenship and a definate time for completion.Our neighbour looked to save £4.500 on his work and after 18mths had leakage and had problems when he chased up the installer he had gone out of business and was forced to pay for the repairs himself.

jess if you want wooden doors there are people who will make bespoke double glazed doors for you.. but suppose this might be a lot more expensive.

www.guildhomeimprovements.co.uk/

Have had good experience of this company when they installed windows for us ....not sure if it is within reach of your home. Friends used them subsequently and had a good result too.

Had a conservatory installed by Anglian at our old home,,..they were fine as was our fab conservatory but I expect, as they are national, that you are reliant on the actual workmen who are local to you.

Over the years, we had all of ours, and our conservatory, done by Weatherseal - it is a national franchise I think, but certainly our local branch gave by far the best quote. And they worked well and fast and we have had no problems.

In our last house we replaced all the windows - some early on in our renovations were done by DH - a patio door and French doors from national DIY chain and some windows we had made by a local company and were quite satisfied. A bit later we decided to have the remainder of the house done by a company and did choose a national one - the quality of the windows is far better - the rubber seals are all concealed - the locally made ones were not - and the closing and locking mechanisms are also better. They are generally a far superior product.
They have a 10 year guarantee and every year about the anniversary time we got a phone call asking if all was well. The time I said we were having a bit of problem with the front door lock they said it would be done, and sure enough an appointment was made a man came and changed the lock. The guarantee was passed onto the buyer of our house too. I would certainly use them again.

Thank you. They used to be a terrible cowboy industry 20 years ago.

I'd also go by recommendations don't use one of the big nationals.. we had ours done by a local glass shop after two neighbours had replacement windows put in.. they were excellent taking away all rubbish making good any damage and have been back once to adjust the French doors that were catching slightly..

Worst windows I have seen were done by big national company. Mine have been done by a small company chosen after examining their work in other neighbour's houses. UPVC frames are the same wherever you buy them, the difference is the quality in the fitting.

Get quotes from several companies; ask around for local recommendations for well-established companies; and remember - the ones that shout loudest on TV ads are not necessarily the best value!