Jewsons timber doubled glazed windows or made by joiner?

[Cathpot]

We need new windows in a Victorian house, and are going for timber box sash. A good friend is a window fitter and his boss came to measure up today. His boss was talking me through the options and said they have two joiners who they work with and he would get quotes from both. In the past I've seen timber double glazing from Jewsons in a renovated property which looked really nice but I have no idea if they are better or worse quality than you are likely to get from a joiner. I think maybe he was looking to save me money as I am a friend , but we are in this house for life now and I don't want to scrimp on windows as I don't want to do them again. Before I get back to him and look like an window idiot does anyone know about the quality of the Jewsons ones?

[OliviaBenson]

Jewsons are to standard sizes I think, rather than being made to measure. I'd go for a local joiner any time. Can you keep the original boxes for your windows? The old wood will be much better quality than the wood that's available today.

[Cathpot]

Online Jewsons say they measure up but it maybe it's only to their sizes and that wouldn't work for us. We have 3 original windows so I will ask about that, two of them are rotten at the bottom but that could be fixed I suppose.

[OliviaBenson]

The bottom rails are usually first to go. It might be worth exploring getting them repaired and draft stripped first. If not, I'd say a local joiner would be a better quality product.

[Cathpot]

Ok, that's reassuring. We've got a couple of months before we need to decide anyway