new sash upvc window - suggestions for good companies in london?

[tricot39]

I am not keen on upvc but we have an original dormer at the top of our house which is exposed and the existing timber sash window is shot. Now the lead roof has gone and needs replacing. We need to sort both out at once because the scaffolding costs are so high to get up there. (hence choice of upvc rather than timber).

The UPVC windows in my old flat were dire so I am very aware that the fixings and frames can be poor quality and fail - but unlike timber they are almost impossible to fix.

Anyone know of a london firm who do good quality/heavy duty upvc sash windows with good ironmongery fittings?

Cheers

[tricot39]

Anyone?

[1605]

UPVC is almost always a false economy in London. It alienates upmarket buyers (who are now the only buyers left in the property market) and it's terrible for the environment several times over.

When you come to sell, buyers will knock off more than the straight replacement cost, because once you have switched to DG you cannot switch back to SG, and your buyers will then need DG wooden sashes in line with new building regs. I have seen house sales sink because buyers can't afford to replace plastic windows with wooden DG, or can't conscience the waste of doing so but equally can't live with the ugliness and, it has to be admitted, the social class connotations, of plastic.

Get a second opinion, as you'll be amazed what can be done in the way of repairs in the hands of someone skillful. If not, get a local joinery to do a like for like SG replacement - don't go down the DG route at all.

One final thing, if you live in a conservation area don't do anything until you've checked what is actually permissible!

[Sausagedog27]

I agree with 1605- also I don't think there is such a thing as good quality heavy duty uPVC.

If you are really concerned about rot and aren't bothered about the comments made above, what about metal?

I'd try and stick with wood though!

[Ilisten2theradio]

We had our sash windows refurbished. We wanted to try to put DG ones in but there was not enough room to do so to current BS without removing all the original frames which would have cost such a lot more, we had the wooden ones re-done. You would need to check this out.

[tricot39]

Thanks. I agree with all the replies but the existing window is a serious maintenance liability. We had large parts of it replaced and the window refurbished 6 years ago. It has been decorated twice since. Rot is bubbling up in the new/old timbers again! the trouble is that it is at 2nd floor level and to get access it is about £500 a pop on scaffolding.....

So to get things in perspective this is one window at the back of the house which is 2 stories up. We are keeping all the rest of the original windows - but this one is a major problem.... Both window and frame are in trouble due to the high exposure to weather.

The only other alternative i can think of is to get new hardwood sashes made for it and paint them. But then i am still stuck with scaffolding costs every 5 years....

Wwyd?

[tricot39]

Storeys - doh

[Ilisten2theradio]

I guess that I would probably put in UPVC too.
I was only saying that you would probably have to take out the whole frame to do it as there will not be space to get double glazing in the existing wooden frame.

[noddyholder]

If you are set on upvc you can get faux woodgrain effect frames with some heritage upvc sashes and while up close they still aren't the real thing if its a loft room and it can't be scrutinised from the rear you could use those. They are matt so the lack of gloss will for better with your other windows.Quickslide and Roseview do them iirc

[1605]

Repainting every five years seems fair enough to me. Unfortunately, maintenance costs are one of the downsides of owning a property and not renting it.

Without seeing the access to your house it's difficult to advise but I'm surprised that you would need scaffolding to repaint a second floor window - painters access them as window-cleaners do, by sitting on the windowsill with their legs in the room and the sash 'sitting' in their lap.

We've also used a cherry picker before now. Cost around £350 per day with driver in London; you only need it for a couple of hours max so you split the cost with neighbours.