Cheapest source for new windows/doors

[David WE Roberts]

I've considered skip diving but decided (with input from my design consultant) that having matching doors and windows in our workshop/store is more important than saving a few quid. I must say that I agree - we will be looking at it every day so a pleasing appearance is important.

So - B&Q et. al. stock doors and windows. Builders merchants also do. Is there any particular place which is especially cheap?

I could talk to the local double glazing firms about a 'supply only' deal - is this usually cost effective? Is there anywhere which does double glazing 'seconds' (for instance when they manufacture the units but get the dimensions wrong)?

I am Googling as I go, but would appreciate any feed back from people who have found/used a good supplier.

Cheers

Dave R

[Tim W]

David WE Roberts wibbled on Wednesday 30 December 2009 17:13

Spec it up on

- they seem to have some offers on right now.

Then take the printout round some local merchants and see what they do.

Be aware, if we are talking about uPVC - these are not created equal. I'm getting mine from Croft Glass in Kent and their units are outstandingly solid (there's a lot of steel in those) - and the wood effect looks the part (as much as it can in uPVC).

The window action and seals and locks are also very positive.

Going through the website above will also help you decide on various tweaks, such as egress hinges (ie open the way normal people expect a window to open) vs easy clean hinges (which on the Croft ones the egress are also able to be easy-cleaned by virtue of a catch that moves the hinge pivot temporarily).

Have a shufty at the Building Regs too (in particular Part B and the one about ventilation (Part F ???)). Whilst personally I doubt whether your BCO gives a stuff whether you tell him about your new windows or not, it would be prudent to make sure your units obey any basic requirements, just in case it every comes up in the future.

eg:

Trickle vents unless you have adequate ventilation by other means.

Requirement for egress windows (usually more applicable to 1st floor and above but can apply to ground floor windows under some conditions).

Part L stuff (though pretty much any new unit will meet this as standard).

HTH

Tim

[David WE Roberts]

Building Regs shouldn't apply as this is an outbuilding under 30 sq m floor area. 'Egress hinges' (which I assume are the ones which allow a window to be used as a fire exit) shouldn't be required as the workshop will have two sets of double doors, one at each end, so there will not be any area which does not have a door directly to the outside.

All I require is two windows which match, and two sets of doors which match. I am happy to go with wooden doors as they seem cheaper than plastic ones. Wooden windows, however, seem to be scarce.

Double glazing is not an absolute requirement as this is a workshop which will probably be unheated for most of the time. Obviously double glazing would be nice if there isn't a major cost penalty.

[Owain]

Ask your local independent DG fitters if you can have a houseload of used matching single glazed windows when they install a houseload of DG windows.

With luck you'll get enough windows you can take the glass out of half of them and fit it as secondary panes to the other half.

Owain

[mike]

If you get them from a decent local supplier, the fitted price is usually so close to the supply only price that it's better to put the kettle on and let them get on with it.

A friend sourced all his S/H D/G workshop windows very cheaply via eBay, but it depends on you being able to collect in most cases.

[David WE Roberts]

I thought they had to saw original windows out because of the hidden fixings. Where I've seen fitters taking out old windows they are not particularly gentle (time being of the essence) but it is a good thought. All I have to do now is find some reputable double glazing fitters :-))

[Tim W]

David WE Roberts wibbled on Wednesday 30 December 2009 18:44

If you offered the bloke 50 quid to carefully remove 2 of the same and certain size in good condition and then phone you to come and get them I'm sure the offer would be taken.

But yes - our landlord's window fitter cut and broke glass as required for an easy life. A few windows came out whole, but they were the exception. Why be subtle when they're going in a skip? Equally for a VAT free 50 quid, I'm sure he could have preserved two frames without much trouble.

[oldhenwife]

We had tradesmen in our house for the first time ever in July - it will be the last time.

They fitted new dg windows and frames. We'd agreed that they'd remove the originals intact, Spouse had fitted them over the years.

I had to drag Spouse away from the work, he was almost in tears. Instead of conserving the units they took wrecking bars and large hammers to them. I shan't list the rest of the problems we had but it ended with having the front of the house shored up with Acrow jacks. My offer - much reduced - of the final cost was accepted with no argument.

We'd dealt with this company for decades, for replacement glass and made to measure dg units, I'm disenchanted.

"Not particularly gentle" ?

Hold me back ...

[Harry Bloomfield]

David WE Roberts presented the following explanation :

I made my own frames up for my workshop using a router. They were on the side furthest from the house and though there was not much risk of burglary, I just happened to have some sheets of armoured glass so I made the frames to suite the glass I had, which also just happened to fit neatly in the brick-work.

[Phil L]

Go around your local DG suppliers and ask them about mismeasures - they'll have dozens and will give you a ball park price, provided you don't mind building to the dimensions of the frames - obviously you can't build first as you've practically no chance of getting the right sized frames.

They will come suplied with DG units and all other bits and pieces, packers, cills, fixings (sometimes) and architraves (if required).

[David WE Roberts]

That was the kind of thing I was hoping for :-)

[Phil L]

You can often get a few that are very similar in size, sometimes exactly the same, but they do arcs up to 75mm, which can hide any gaps etc should they be slightly different

[Lobster]

Ebay in your locality can be good for that sort of stuff. If a builder of diy-er has mismeasured or someone has changed their mind, there's no going back to the manufacturer with the wrongly-sized units.

David