O/T UPVC double glazing recommendations/warnings

[Eggmundo]

Mark Halliday windows. The man is incredibly neat efficient and reasonably priced. Everyone I have recommended him to has been impressed.

Mark Halliday Windows
Address:
23 Oldfield Crescent
Southwick
West Sussex
BN42 4GA
Phone Number:
01273 592 367 / 07713 636 024
Fax:
01273 592 367
Email
hallidays2@googlemail.com
Post Code:
BN42 4GA

 

[drew]

Steer well clear of the well known nationals. Had a quote from a local firm for upvc soffits and got an alternative from Everest. First price was £2300 inc Vat. Everest guy measures up, enters it on the computer and comes up with initial price of over £10K! Then goes into the discount routine and eventually comes down to about £5.5k. On a different planet! I also never give someone other prices I've got until I have their quote.

As for Anglian, they employ muppets. Come cold calling regularly. 'Can we interest you in new windows (we're standing next to a new upvc door less than a year old and windows just 10yrs old), answer no. 'What about new soffits?'. Look up and see the new soffits. 'What about solar panels?' Again, look up and you would have seen them as you approached the house. Absolute planks.

Use recommended local firms and get three quotes.

 

[Bold Seagull]

This is absolute rubbish, the type stupidity often spouted by Eco mentalists.
I have worked in this sector for 30 years so can speak with experience, yes it is true that upvc windows used to have a relatively short lifespan but compared to timber windows of the same era they still easily outlasted softwood ones.
Today's upvc windows can be much better than those early ones, but be careful as the are still many inferior products out there.
Aluminium products whilst in theory being longer lasting are considerably more expensive and suffer from the fact that they are thermally less efficient and the hardware used is no better that that used on upvc, and for doors usually somewhat worse.
Softwood is better than it was but still requires maintenance, it will shrink, swell and warp. Hardwood suffers from all those things as well as the added bonuses of costing about four times as much as upvc and destroying the worlds rainforests.
Whatever anyone says, the best option is upvc just choose a a good quality one. I know that is a tough ask if you don't know what you are looking for, if you are interested I could give you list of important things to look for.

Spoken like a true salesmen.

 

[The Bun Elephant]

I can recomend Seeview Windows in Lancing
They did mine last year - Exactly how I asked for them to be done - Their first price was there best price and the gang that fitted them cleared up and made good as they went - no mess no hassle and a great service

 

[Westdene Seagull]

As for Anglian, they employ muppets. Come cold calling regularly. 'Can we interest you in new windows (we're standing next to a new upvc door less than a year old and windows just 10yrs old), answer no. 'What about new soffits?'. Look up and see the new soffits. 'What about solar panels?' Again, look up and you would have seen them as you approached the house. Absolute planks.
.

You've just reminded me of a cold call I got from Everest when I lived in a flat. They were selling conservatories. When I pointed out I lived in a first floor purpose built flat her response was "We can fit them to any type of building. How about get one of our agents round to measure up ?"

 

[Lush]

I used Kayvex in Littlehampton on some tricky Crittall windows and thought they were very good.

 

[drew]

You've just reminded me of a cold call I got from Everest when I lived in a flat. They were selling conservatories. When I pointed out I lived in a first floor purpose built flat her response was "We can fit them to any type of building. How about get one of our agents round to measure up ?"

That must have been tempting.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

http://www.checkatrade.com/TheUpvcSpecialists/ is my brother in law based in Worthing. He is a Man U fan (a real one who goes to Old Trafford) but other than that he is a good bloke.

[MENTION=292]thedonkeycentrehalf[/MENTION] Many thanks for the recommendation, I used this post, with the check-a-trade link and he was superb. Excellent job and very reasonable, I would highly recommend him.

 

[backson]

I

Mark Halliday windows. The man is incredibly neat efficient and reasonably priced. Everyone I have recommended him to has been impressed.

Mark Halliday Windows
Address:
23 Oldfield Crescent
Southwick
West Sussex
BN42 4GA
Phone Number:
01273 592 367 / 07713 636 024
Fax:
01273 592 367
Email
hallidays2@googlemail.com
Post Code:
BN42 4GA

That's good to know, I've just hired him to do ours!

 

[theboybilly]

Me and the other half popped into Homebase in Hove on Monday and Anglian Windows had a little stall just inside the door. I only wanted a brochure but got involved and ended up with a visit from a salesman on Tuesday. We want a set of French doors and patio doors on the rear of the house. The salesman said they were standard size so no problems quoting there and then. It seems that the regular ritual ensued:
'Don't be alarmed by my first quote (£9k+) then a series of deductions for putting up advertising signs and 'before/after' photos etc got the price down to £4.8k (but only if we took their Gold Finance (without that, paying in full the quote increased to £5.6k)
I must admit to being convinced by the corporate DVD that we were getting a quality product and the security features included looked top notch. Much seemed made of the 70mm thickness of the whole thing which was a market leader. That and a chart that gave the finances of other leading national (and local) firms. He derided Shaws because they only had £130 in the bank whereas Anglian had millions, and their total turnover knocked everyone else into a cocked hat.
I was impressed but that's me - a marketing man's dream. I'm so pleased this thread has been 'bumped' just at the right time

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

[MENTION=292]thedonkeycentrehalf[/MENTION] Many thanks for the recommendation, I used this post, with the check-a-trade link and he was superb. Excellent job and very reasonable, I would highly recommend him.

Glad to help. Must have a word with him as he will owe me a beer or two in commission!

 

[Papak]

This is absolute rubbish, the type stupidity often spouted by Eco mentalists.
I have worked in this sector for 30 years so can speak with experience, yes it is true that upvc windows used to have a relatively short lifespan but compared to timber windows of the same era they still easily outlasted softwood ones.
Today's upvc windows can be much better than those early ones, but be careful as the are still many inferior products out there.
Aluminium products whilst in theory being longer lasting are considerably more expensive and suffer from the fact that they are thermally less efficient and the hardware used is no better that that used on upvc, and for doors usually somewhat worse.
Softwood is better than it was but still requires maintenance, it will shrink, swell and warp. Hardwood suffers from all those things as well as the added bonuses of costing about four times as much as upvc and destroying the worlds rainforests.
Whatever anyone says, the best option is upvc just choose a a good quality one. I know that is a tough ask if you don't know what you are looking for, if you are interested I could give you list of important things to look for.

The windows in my house are nearly 140 years old - original mid Victorian sash windows and still working perfectly with a bit of TLC and the occasional lick of paint- oh and they look rougly 1,000,000 times better than shitty uPVC.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Me and the other half popped into Homebase in Hove on Monday and Anglian Windows had a little stall just inside the door. I only wanted a brochure but got involved and ended up with a visit from a salesman on Tuesday. We want a set of French doors and patio doors on the rear of the house. The salesman said they were standard size so no problems quoting there and then. It seems that the regular ritual ensued:
'Don't be alarmed by my first quote (£9k+) then a series of deductions for putting up advertising signs and 'before/after' photos etc got the price down to £4.8k (but only if we took their Gold Finance (without that, paying in full the quote increased to £5.6k)
I must admit to being convinced by the corporate DVD that we were getting a quality product and the security features included looked top notch. Much seemed made of the 70mm thickness of the whole thing which was a market leader. That and a chart that gave the finances of other leading national (and local) firms. He derided Shaws because they only had £130 in the bank whereas Anglian had millions, and their total turnover knocked everyone else into a cocked hat.
I was impressed but that's me - a marketing man's dream. I'm so pleased this thread has been 'bumped' just at the right time

Company in Uckfield who I survey for will supply you with a pair of French Doors for about £700/£800 inc vat, and can arrange fitting if required.
Just about every company in Britain uses a 70mm multi chamber system, Rehau, Liniar, Halo, Duraflex, Kommeling all use 70mm profiles.

 

[theboybilly]

Company in Uckfield who I survey for will supply you with a pair of French Doors for about £700/£800 inc vat, and can arrange fitting if required.
Just about every company in Britain uses a 70mm multi chamber system, Rehau, Liniar, Halo, Duraflex, Kommeling all use 70mm profiles.

My missus has gone to France today for a week. I'll speak with her as she holds the purse strings but if it's okay with you (and her of course) I'll PM you when she gets back. Many thanks

 

[theboybilly]

Oh, by the way, on the subject of security. The Anglian rep was showing the door handles and how there was a certain 'give' when you went to turn them. It was almost as if they were loose - I'd say a good 2mm movement. He said this was 'designed in' as when force the handles would snap off leaving nothing to turn in the door. Even gullible old me smelled a rat at that.