Wicks French doors and Patio doors

[sweetheart]

OH is just getting round to doing these doors ( despite other things needing more attention)

Last winter he saw these in Wicks ( after I had Anglian and Everest round quoting stupid amounts - 10K for two doors, one of which is £300 and the other just under £700 in Wicks). OH claimed he could do the job. I suspect he can put in 4ft French windows but I worry about the patio door which is a 10ft sliding door. Both are desperate for replacing .

Now he has read a review saying Wicks doors are rubbish. One saying B&Q doors are rubbish and frankly we cant go elsewhere. I don't know anywhere besides I suspect they are all the same manufacturer anyway!

So, has anyone fitted a Wicks French or Patio door? What are they like? Are they easy to fit? He will have to work on his own.

And what is this new (old) rubbish about having to get building regulations for fitting them? Another ploy to make it impossible to do a job cheap as I suspect? Like electrics?

Finally what's all this new b*lls being advertised b y firms about AAA rated? As opposed to what?

There are so many firms and players in the field. All I want is the job done cheaply ( priority) and well or by OH if he can as he will be easier if I let him to do it. He doesn't like workmen and callers.

Thanks.

[Dean Heighington]

Like anything in life you get what you pay for. You don't need the top of the range and if it's above your budget, you can't have it either :) If the sheds sell it, people will have it installed in their homes, but the products may only just meet industry standards such as security and thermal insulation values. However, if installed correctly, they should give you years of good service and at those prices, if they only last half as long as the Market leaders that's good VFM IMO. As for AAA rated... If you always stay in 5 Star hotels then you probably want this standard, if like me you don't, then they are overrated. Recently I was approached by an Anglian salesman whilst I was installing a new front door for a neighbour... "Ah, I see you're fitting a Robin Reliant whilst our AAA product is the Rolls Royce" he smarmed, "And how many Rolls Royce's do you see parked down this street?" I shot back at him!

It's possible to fit alone but he'll struggle with the weight and positioning. Use the correct fixings, packers, foam and neutral cure silicone. Fix at top and side only, not bottom. Make sure the existing unit are not load bearing and that the openings can support themselves when the old units are removed.

I would suggest getting a quote from a local independent supplier for a price comparison against the top 3 boys before DIYing... You might be surprised and you can ask them for local examples of their work and speak to the customers. As for building regs, I can't see an issue here apart from load bearing and R values but just call your local planning office for advice... They are usually very helpful and friendly.

Good luck. HTH Deano.

[sweetheart]

Try finding one round here! I dont need people selling me things. I would rather someone gave me a quote and left. The trouble is they wont. I looked in the paper and couldnt find anyone I could ring up. No one in the village seems to have had anything fitted for more years than I can recall ( I have been here 15 years)

I do not want a rolls Royce even though I could afford it. Just an affordable relaiable decent car ( window in this case). The house isnt good ebough to have a millionaires windows in it.

According to OH some new regulation means that if you fit the doors/ windows yourself you have to have them inspected and certificated off ( or whatever). If a firm does it , you dont.

[Richard]

Like this?

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Dean Heighington saying something like:

You should have asked him what the f*ck a Robin Reliant is.

[Bob Eager]

Yes, I was just thinking that that's what I would have done!

[Dean Heighington]

Ah. Should that have been a Reliant Robin? I was only very young when they were around and he may have said it correctly, not me!

[John Williamson]

Reliant Rhubarb, because they f@*t around and put the s**t up you.....

[Dean Heighington]

Nearest town/industrial estate! There will be someone. Try google instead of paper. You could even get in touch with FENSA and ask them for the name of your nearest suppliers.

That's the point I was making. Although, if you are that remote or in an exposed location you might want to upgrade from what Wickes have?!

Ok, you can still call them for advice and any fees they might charge you to inspect the installation would still bring everything in a lot cheaper than the prices you were first quoted by A and E.

[<me9]

Yes, Wickes.

No complaints, other than the (wide) cill sticks out more than the cill onte upstairs window, an the drips are loud at night. Cured by timber facing on the cill for now and will be finally fixed with bigger cill upstairs.

All but internal make-good done single handed in a (longish) day.

True

Mine was done before the regs came in 8^).

[sweetheart]

I am not in an exposed location. Far from it. I live in a valley renowned for its mild micro climate. We are remote.

Is it the case that we have to call them or is OH wrong? I am told by OH we are likely to have to pay £150 - in which case is three days being cold and without a door worth it? I could end up paying just as much. He wants to do it , that is the problem.

But are Wicks doors OK or are they not up to spec? Are they hard to fit ( other than weight)?

[Dean Heighington]

Ok. Then the Wickes product should be fine.

Call them to find out what their regs are and ask them to suggest their method(s) to meet them. This will be a 'friendly' chat, they are there to assist you (well my BCO is like that). Then you can ask them if they would accept photos of the installation rather than an inspection. If not, you can arrange for them to visit just before your OH installs the new units (same morning if you plan it properly). Why 3 days cold and with no door??? £150 sounds a lot but that may be the case with your BCO which is why you need to speak with them.

They are as easy to fit as any PVCu units, if you are capable. I have no idea of your OHs abilities so it's impossible to tell you but with the right fixings: PVCu frame fixings, that have no Rawl Plug but bite straight into a hole drilled in the brick/blockwork drilled through the plastic frame taking care not to hit any metal reinforcements. Don't distort the frame by tightening without packers at fixing points between wall and frame.

Get those and it should be pretty easy. Close up any cavities in the manner prescribed by the regs etc etc.

But call your BCO.

HTH

[sweetheart]

OK , its me harping on about these doors again . I have had a local company ( well quite local as in nearest town) who have quoted me £2000 give or take £100 and a few pence to supply and fit both French Doors and Patio Windows. It worked out at something just over £1000 for the patio doors ( which are about 8ft) and £700 for the French Doors ( which are 4ft except apparently they are 3ft 9 ins currently), thats inclusive of VAT. He did offer a little more expensive option as well by having French doors instead of a patio slider with two glass panels either side and a door with a fixed pane instead of French doors the other side. He also said ( I didn't ask) that the patio doors were not standard sized ( so a Wicks 8ft door would be too big - which I had thought anyway)

Now I thought that was reasonable. But am I being ripped off in the experience of others?

I still have another firm to come. OH still keeps claiming he can do it! I would rather he didn't ( now he says he can repair the bloody patio windows instead which is stupid - take the door out and replace the wheels on the bottom?)

So how reasonable is the price quoted roughly do people think? Thank you.

[mike]

=A31000 for a decent quality 8ft patio door fitted seems not entirely unreasonable. When we had ours done, the patio door was disproportionately expensive compared to the windows and, IIRC, it was around that price.