Double glazing, approximate cost, recommendations?

[Chris Green]

We are considering getting our (N. London) flat's windows double glazed, here's a picture of the flat from the outside, all our windows are on this side.

Our flat is the lower one of the two duplex flats in the middle of the block, i.e. its windows are the bottom four windows under the upper duplex flat's balcony.

So what sort of ball-park figure are we looking at to get all four windows replaced with double glazing? All the windows are are floor to ceiling and the downstairs one on the right has a door onto the balcony.

A few thousand pounds I guess, tens of thousands?

Also, any recommendations for companies to do the work?

[Theo]

What is access like? Can they get to it with a ladder, or with scaffolding from on top of the garages? Or would they need to scaffold from the ground up?

(or can window firms do everything from the inside these days?)

Would you need to get approval from your management company/etc? It looks like everyone else has double glazing so that might be easy.

Worth talking to your neighbours - so you can get frames that match theirs.

OTTOMH I would be thinking about £1K per 'normal' window if things aren't 'complicated' (and these are big windows so possibly cost a bit more).

Theo

[Andrew]

All the other windows are an identical style, so I suspect the freeholder of the block was involved in their installation and may insist that you use their preferred installer - maybe.

It would be nice if you could install windows near the outside of those projecting walls and extend your flat. That would need freeholder approval plus building regs and wouldn't be cheap but most of the cost would be the windows anyway and you are already prepared to replace them.

Well away from London I would estimate the two smaller ones at about £1500-£1750 each and £2500-£3000 for each of the larger ones. Geting close to £10K, but that is well outside London.

[Andy Burns]

[Andy Burns]

[finger trouble]

apart from siliconing

For supply-only prices try justvaluedoors.co.uk or windowsanddoors.co.uk Then at least you know how much a supply-and-fit outfit are whacking on top.

[Andy Burns]

not really, they'e all been made to look fairly similar, but I see different numbers of panes, different sizes of opening/top-lights, different trickle vents, extractor fans, one is a patio slider, etc

[Chris Green]

Easy from the balcony, it's very deep (length of garage basically)

It's 'our' management company, i.e. the flat leaseholders own the freehold, so that's pretty easy.

I don't like theirs all that much! :-)

Thanks.

[Chris Green]

No, we're the freeholders (the flat leaseholders), I am going to ask what companies the other owners used.

[alan_m]

All my widows were replaced from the inside. Any sealing around the frames can also be done from the inside before the DG panels are inserted into the frame.

They are big windows so my guess possibly double that per window. Any glass below a certain height (from a floor) has to be safety glass as do fully glazed doors.

[williamwright]

The mind boggles

Bill

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Also of course some planning depts restrict the sort you can have but as the others are done, then matching would seem to be in everyone's interest generally. Brian

[The Natural Philosopher]

Strictly it doesn't if it has either small panes or safety bars...

>

[Tim Streater]

Don't go with the likes of Anglia or Everest. They will quote high (hoping you accept that) and then when you don't, badger you with a series of deals they could do to get the price down and your business. Visit a small number (we did five) of local DG outfits, see which people you like and that have what you want, and have two or three of them quote. The small outfits will quote and then that's the last you hear from them unless you wish to proceed.

Also: purely cosmetic but we decided it improved the look: check into (1) ovolo profile, and (2) equal sight-lines.

The trouble with DG is that it looks like, well, DG. Not attractive usually. (1) above makes the windows (from the inside, at least) look more like wooden ones painted white and (2) makes all windows look the same size instead of the openers seeming to have thicker frames.

And avoid trickle vents if you can, you can always leave a window on its night-vent setting to get air in.

[alan_m]

I got a quote from one of the bigger outfits. They started at around £15k (after an immediate discount) and then later came down to around £10.5k with almost daily phone calls.

In the end I went with a 3 man local business at £12k. The boss (Fensa accredited) did the survey, quote and a lot of the work. Previously unknown to me my neighbours had this company in just after I got my first quote so I got to see the standard of workmanship. Their house is the mirror image of mine and I went for identical style and size of windows/doors, apart for more glazing in the doors. These are 1905 builds where nothing appears to be square :) The price also included additional plastering work to make good a mismatch of previous repairs. The deposit was bonded and final guarantee was insurance based so not reliant of the company staying in business.

[Dave Plowman (News]

Quite. My modern window in the kitchen has the reveal plastered (and tiled), making the opening smaller to the interior. Make a right mess to replace like for like from the inside. And you'd still need to get to the outside to seal round the frame.

[alan_m]

And you'd still need to get to the

You don't

Without the DG fitted the frame is just a large hole through the wall. My DG fitter did all the sealing for the upstairs windows by leaning out of these "holes"

[Andy Burns]

So you angle the frame through the opening, then pull it back in against the plaster reveal, I was able to do that for all mine apart from the largest bedroom window, which also had roughcast round the outside reveal, so I chipped the plaster off on one side for that one, it being easier to repair plaster than roughcast.

At a push you could do that from inside before fitting the glass, but the additional weight might move the frame and make the silicone want to pull away. For a first floor I was able to do that from a ladder.

4th floor flats might be a different matter ...

[Andrew]

Difficult. Everest went bust last year.

[Andrew]

Quite. That's how I did mine, but it was a long winded struggle doing it on my own. Just as you get to the point where you have to reach down to pick up a drill or whatever, you discover that it is out of reach and you have to let go with both hands !!.

I used cheapo Crystal Windows and after removing the old timber BOulton & Paul top hung frame I mortared in the separate plastic cill first and made good the ends, built into the wall to match the originals and then angle-manouvered the frame from inside the house out through the reveal and back into and top of the cill. This is when you discover that the measurements you have to the DG company were correct !. Their instructions said to attach the cill (supplied over length and needed cutting to length) to the frame with stainless steel screws before installation. I ignored this.

Older houses with sash windows that are typically taller than wide might need a different approach. The ones the OP intends to replace will need an absolute minimum of two people to install.

[Tim Streater]

Oh dear, how sad.