is there one?
signed up for some Everest double-glazing on thursday (3rd. March)
paid my deposit
but, thinking about it, I really don't want the two small upstairs windows done
can I cancel, and get them to do just the two big downstairs windows?
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Cancel the whole lot ad get some professionals in instead. Will save you a fortune.
Yes, 7 days:
Yes, applies to anyone who sells you something in your home. I got the full run-down of this during my electrical assessment - to be a member of the Governing bodies, you must abide by the Law, and that means the customer can ring up 6 days and 23 hours later, and cancel the Contract. Even if you have paid a deposit, they must refund you.
However, if there are non-standard/custom made parts ordered, does it apply then? I would presume that windows are non-standard/custom, so may not be applicable. I don't know about that. Alan.
Possibly a bit daft of me, but I'd expect someone as versed in distance selling as Everest not to actually start making the units until the cooling off period had expired. Or if they do, to have costed the expected percentage of cancellations into the quote.
Yes, 10 years ago, IIRC they were 3 times the price of local professional installers when I was getting quotes. It was useful to listen to the sales patter, because I could then ask the others about Everest's "unique features", which it turned out all double glazing had.
Mind you, they never stop posting you mailshots afterwards...
That's free kindling for life, anyway ;-)
thing I was sold on was Everest goes down to the brickwork to fit them
(old wooden sills not incorporated)
and the windows are bolted to the brickwork
but just a bit concerned about what they're bolted to at the top
i.e. are they fitted by drilling into the concrete lintel? that doesn't sound like a good idea
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All that applied to my windows too, except my lintels are timber. Actully, the installer very accurately measured all the openings, and there was only a couple mm gap all round, which was just enough to grip the sealant. I've seen other windows fitted with about 1/2" of foam showing all around.
In the case of the kitchen window, which went down lower than the worktop height, I had then brick that up to above worktop height with a new concrete sill installed.
Was that the first price quoted or the price after teh offers to sign up immediately? A friend recently had an absolutely rediculous quote, which reduced by a little over 50% but he was having nothing of it. He got a local company he'd used before for the job at about half of their lower quote. They did a superb job and I'm getting a quote from them soon for the last of my windows/doors after watching them at work.
A local recommendation is often best value.
Gill Smith ( snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com) wibbled on Sunday 06 March 2011
16:52:
Exactly like the local loke our old landlord had, fitted them. All wood came out. The only difference between his fit and a fussy DIY fit, is he used a lot of trim whereas many here would plaster the inside of the openings and re-render the outside - and we'd probably measure each opening a million times to get the windows in with 4mm clearance (like I did) so that a bead of sealant would do the job, even to unrendered brick.
But you would have to be a horrifically cheap tart to fit uPVC to old wood - the only good thing about uPVC is it removes a maintenance hassle.
anyone but a total cowboy will do likewise
nothing normally, just typically 2 frame fixings in each side. And sometimes none, just use foam.
NT
Yes, just like our local outfit did. We paid less than a third of Everest's opening bid, and the windows look nicer.
We became short-term experts (i.e., forgotten it all now) on double glazing a year ago, as we had the whole house redone.
Most double-glazing looks ugly, IMO, I suggest you look up "double glazing profile" and "equal sight lines" to find something you like, then find 5 or 6 *local* outfits (i.e., within 50 miles), and go visit them, and see what windows they offer.
Pick the three DG outfits that don't seem like cowboys, and get them to come and measure up and quote. You'll find that the local outfits quote a take it or leave it price, and if you don't follow up then you don't hear from them again.
We felt it was worth getting a profile that made it look like wood from a distance (and I'm not talking about fake wood-grain), and 90deg opening (which you have to have upstairs anyway). That way they look like wood windows and open like wood windows.
All of the windows that I have had installed have only been "bolted" into the side wall.
tim
Probably why they are so expensive!
MBQ
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