Double Glazing Styles

HJandR

We are just trying to install double glazing in our house, and are concerned that from the outside it looks very dull and boring. We wondered about adding interest with the windows. So far we have had quotes but nobody has talked about styles of windows. Does anybody know if it is something that everybody does, but they assume that you do not want that unless you request it, or do you need to find somebody specifically to meet the need.

I am talking about things such as different styles of georgian bars, cottage style UPVC windows, some have a georgian effect with a kind of Macintosh style pattern and stain, others seem to have a slight arch infill...(we have been browsing around more recently built housing estates)

If this is a specialist double glazing requirement, can anybody make any suggestions in the Leicester area for suppliers - or point me at a website with different style options - so far I am having no luck beyond door styles.

Thanks

McAzrael

You've already figured out what to do - walk the streets and see what you like. There's nothing specialist about any UPVC window, and any decent company should be able to do what you ask them. The main problem you will come up against is building regs playing havoc with your designs.

At the risk of a good flaming, the arch head infills look horrible close up. Think carefully before you order these. Anything on the glass will reduce the amount of light you are letting in by quite surprising amounts so take care with leads and bars. Sculpted profile (usually an ovolo) has been all the rage over the last few years, but the fashion seems to be moving back to a plain chamfer. And white windows are definitely back in fashion in both timber and UPVC.

The best windows, if you ask me, are timber sashes. If you don't have tall openings then timber casement windows - the plainer the better. If you (or anyone else reading this) do spend thousands on decent timber windows then please spring another couple of hundred quid every couple of years for a decorator to look after them. It's a sin not to.

Any chance of a pic of your house or your street?

thebaldwindowfitter

most companies will normally unless you have certain ideas replace like for like .your doing the best thing and looking around other estates and taking notes.we would give ideas if you asked for something different but mostly these days leaded units apart from bevels are not fashionable georgian bar only suits particular houses if you pm me i will give you my email and could give you some ideas

HJandR

Hi there

Thanks for the helpful replies, sorry I have been away for a while and have not been able to find the house photos. I have now found the house pictures and will try to post (although will need to figure out how !! ). As light is a major issue for us internally I guess we may need to move away from any kind of detail on the windows - but how much light would we lose ?

macman

What style do you currrently have (or what was the original style if the currrent windows are not original)?
Bear in mind that if you are in a conservation area you will have to replace like for like.
Glazing bars are not going to make any appreciable difference to the amount of light transmitted.

dander

I think what makes a real difference (and excuse me for not knowing a single technical term here) are the profile on the window frame and what I am going to call "site lines".

You can get completely flat upvc frames, which always look very plasticky or you can get ones with more shape and detail to them which look much more solid and real. The same applies with glazing bars - some are very flat and painted on and others have a profile - even if they are just profiled in between the two panes of glass and it just gives a more 3d look the window.

The site lines are a detail that my window supplier pointed out to me, but I can't recall the correct phrase that he used. It's when you get a window unit where some bits open and others don't and on many of them, you can see the difference just by looking - the opening windows kind of sit proud on top of the frame and for the non-opening ones they just kind of stick some glass within the frame, leaving those windows looking slightly bigger and flatter looking than the real opening ones. A nice looking window will have these "site lines" maintained by using dummy windows where they don't open so the window stays looking balanced and genuine. If you can understand a word I'm talking about and you go out and look at windows, you'll see what a difference this detail can make.

Maybe one of the windows professionals here will be able to explain that one a bit more clearly!

I would definitely ask the people who are quoting to talk to you about styles. I think that's one of the areas that you can use to help pick between suppliers. A good salesman will talk to you about what you want to achieve and you can figure out whether you see eye to eye on what a nice effect would be. For this side of things it's also worth starting the process by visiting showrooms rather than inviting them into the house to quote - get out and about and look at the displays of what they have to offer, and kick off the conversation from the design and style end of things and come on to price later.

TBH I don't think there is a huge price difference in price between good windows and so-so windows. When I see the prices quoted on here for basic glazing, it seems not far adrift from what I paid for really nice looking windows approved for use in a conservation area.

HJandR

Thanks for all the comments,

McAzrael -I have tried to post links to the photos as requested, but as a new user apparently I am not allowed to post links, so not able to do that.

The houses vary quite a bit as there are a number of different styles (and windows) some have the georgian latticed type windows, others dark wood effect, some light oak effect, a slight majority have simply replaced like with like style (currently a two pane window with vertical bar and horizontal bar across) and lost the horizontal bar (in plain white frames)

dander - thanks for your comments, we have visited a few showrooms and had a couple of quotes and we were looking at good profiled/ sculpted windows, we are trying to steer clear of those who manufacture their own frames preferring instead a named supplier of the windows themselves - this seems to have limited the field a little.

Any thoughts would be appreciated !!

McAzrael

Why would you want to steer clear of those who manufacture their own frames?

HJandR

No specific reason other than there seems to be very little in the way of recommendation for those who have quoted, and we perceive that with the number of double glazing companies, especially smaller ones, that go bust every year, we may struggle to get any kind of after sales service. We perhaps incorrectly, perceive that a larger manufacturer would at least have consistency and be around maybe longer. At the end of the day it was just a gut feel kind of decision.

sashman

HJandR wrote: »

No specific reason other than there seems to be very little in the way of recommendation for those who have quoted, and we perceive that with the number of double glazing companies, especially smaller ones, that go bust every year, we may struggle to get any kind of after sales service. We perhaps incorrectly, perceive that a larger manufacturer would at least have consistency and be around maybe longer. At the end of the day it was just a gut feel kind of decision.

HJandR
dont be fooled, large companies go bust too (Zenith went last year), invest in a quality of product that you understand is right for your property, at a standard that suits your budget, from a local installer that has a good reputation to uphold.....no guarantees but they at least have a conscience.

Lots of good advice, the wives of those of us that get anal about double glazing do themselves start seeing good and bad products. Drive down any street and you’ll see million of rubbish windows, because people have wanted to put their stamp on the property or someone has cut corners and done the job on the cheap.

Dummy sashes help equalise the sight lines, this means the Georgian/lead patterns line through, equal glass sizes help too. Plant on effect bars do look real, 3 dimensional instead of the flat boring ones that are sandwiched between the panes of glass, white woof foil (instead of dark mahogany) also makes for a more realistic look and feel,

Like lots of others I’ll happily send you a buyers guide or glossary of terms which explains some of this if you wish to pm me.

Good luck

Sashman

jellymid

That sounds really useful Sashman. Could you pm me a copy please?
We have two local companies coming around tomorrow and have spent the morning walking the streets. We also took a photo of the house and the photoshopped it to try different options. Any suggestions of good questions to ask?