Secondary Windows - Selectaglaze or City Sound

njhpuk

Hi,

I'm looking into having my energy inefficient flat fitted with secondary glazing (I only have single glazed metal framed windows). There are two firms that have quoted - City Sound & Sheen Windows (using Selectaglaze) - one is considerably more expensive that the other...has anyone used either?

Thanks!

ormus

how much have they quoted?
i would get other quotes for proper DG too.

njhpuk

No go on the double glazing as my flat is part of a block where they all have the same windows.

The quotes are about a grand apart...but the lower of the two will be pretty basic i reckon.

njhpuk

has anyone used these companies products?

MrYorke

i take it you've asked whoever manages the block if you can put different windows in?

If they have said no, find out why. You may be able to get enough people together who live in the block to change their minds.

Also, aluminium frames are available again/still so you may be able to buy double glazed metal windows

xv1700

I have a large victorian 5 bed detached house. It has beautiful original stripped sash windows that look amazing with the original hand blown glass. They are 110 years old now and every 8 years I spend about £1500 getting them painted. I am just about to accept a secondary glazing quote for about £10-15k to properly insulate the house. Selectaglaze products have a better design to get round awkward installations than some other companies like Granada whose range is very basic.

From everything I have read this form of improvement should yield similar thermal properties to full double glazing i.e. a significant improvement worth having.

Now the people on this thread would probably say get a quote for double glazing BUT my house has 20 odd windows and I live in a conservation area + the house is beautiful. Cheap double glazing would probably be about £15k and last about 10-20 years. Decent double glazing would cost about £30-40k and would last a bit longer. Fitting the double glazing would cause significant damage to the window trims in every room probably requiring most of the house to be redecorated. I would also lose all the fantastic original architrave and window surrounds.

What's my point? I could spend £20k on double glazing and end up with it costing me £50k on loss of value on the house and fixing up the decor. Or I could get custom made solid timber double glazing units that would fit with the original features and it would cost me £50k.

I chose secondary glazing for £15k, it's good value, good quality, effective and no agro. Meanwhile it maintains the original features of the property and keeps the house warm.

By my calculation there is no comparison, double glazing is just not viable and my eco conscience says plastic double glazing is evil .... I mean, they have actually banned it's use in some countries (including Germany) as it is so environmentally unfriendly: it may save you on your energy bills but creating it and disposing of it in 20 years has a far more damaging effect than the leaking heat did in the first place.

phill99

xv1700 wrote: »

I have a large victorian 5 bed detached house. It has beautiful original stripped sash windows that look amazing with the original hand blown glass. They are 110 years old now and every 8 years I spend about £1500 getting them painted. I am just about to accept a secondary glazing quote for about £10-15k to properly insulate the house. Selectaglaze products have a better design to get round awkward installations than some other companies like Granada whose range is very basic.

From everything I have read this form of improvement should yield similar thermal properties to full double glazing i.e. a significant improvement worth having.

Now the people on this thread would probably say get a quote for double glazing BUT my house has 20 odd windows and I live in a conservation area + the house is beautiful. Cheap double glazing would probably be about £15k and last about 10-20 years. Decent double glazing would cost about £30-40k and would last a bit longer. Fitting the double glazing would cause significant damage to the window trims in every room probably requiring most of the house to be redecorated. I would also lose all the fantastic original architrave and window surrounds.

What's my point? I could spend £20k on double glazing and end up with it costing me £50k on loss of value on the house and fixing up the decor. Or I could get custom made solid timber double glazing units that would fit with the original features and it would cost me £50k.

I chose secondary glazing for £15k, it's good value, good quality, effective and no agro. Meanwhile it maintains the original features of the property and keeps the house warm.

By my calculation there is no comparison, double glazing is just not viable and my eco conscience says plastic double glazing is evil .... I mean, they have actually banned it's use in some countries (including Germany) as it is so environmentally unfriendly: it may save you on your energy bills but creating it and disposing of it in 20 years has a far more damaging effect than the leaking heat did in the first place.

And how long have you worked for selectaglaze?

xv1700

Phil, I don't work for Selectaglaze, I write computer software. Sure, I am very positive about their designs but there are loads of companies offering excellent secondary glazing solutions that bear no resemblance to the nasty PVC sheets of old.

My point is: double glazing is not a magic bullet, the economics are more complex than that and I suspect many people are ripping perfectly sustainable window frames out for no good reason and that is a tragedy.

SailorSam

I worked for Everest as a rep many years ago and all the the reps only put secondaries in if the original frames were in good condition.
Have you thought about picking one or two of the main windows and getting the Diy windows, maybe not as good but ask yourself if you're only in a flat will you be there long term.

KimAntony

Hi,
I've been in the double glazing industry for over 40 years.

If I've got nothing good to say about a company, I'll say nothing.

Selectaglaze provide excellent products but as you say they are expensive.

Granada provide equally excellent products but are cheaper.

Both companies compare well for service & reliability.

My advice would be to get a comparative quote from Granada Secondary Glazing.

Final advice, you get what you pay for - you can pay too little & lose a lot - you can pay too much & lose a little.

Hope that's been of help.

Best regards,

KimAntony.