Residence 9 windows quote

melb

hi there just had a local company round and they have quoted just over £20,000 inc VAT for Residence windows . This is for a 4 bed detached house - the living room has two very large bay windows, main bedroom has 3 windows but we already have new window in bathroom. All windows are about 5 foot deep but not particularly wide.

We like the look of these windows as they look more like timber than some of the plastic windows I have seen.

The factory that manufactures these is just down the road from us and in fact we visited there first who put us onto the local showroom but we could buy direct from factory.

The salesman from the showroom was very insistent that buying them and having them fitted by someone else could prove problematic as ordinary UPVC window fitters would not be able to fit them properly. Is there any truth is this?

One thing that we did wonder about he said that the Residence windows are 70 mm whereas most other UPVC windows are 50 mm (in depth I presume he means) so there would be a lot more plastic filler/siliconing etc which would affect the aesthetics he said.

Does the above sound correct? Plus if we do decide to get a quote to buy direct from the factory and then get a fitter ourselves, where would we look for recommendations and would we need a carpenter (as the salesman told us) or just an experienced window fitter?

Many thanks for any advice as it seems a bit of a minefield. By the way we are wanting to replace transom windows like for like.

Furts

A window is made to the size of the opening. Hence saying a 70mm unit will fit tight and a 50mm unit will show lots of silicone, or cover strips, is nonsense. Which in turn means treat everything else you have heard from the salesman with a huge pinch of salt. To back up this statement the salesman has misled you saying you can get a carpenter to fit the windows. In itself fine, but this ignores the Buildings Regulations. Which means your carpenter either has to be self certifying (like FENSA) or you need an Application for Regulations.

melb

Actually I think he was meaning a window-fitter with the skills of a cabinet-maker (think that was the phrase rather than carpenter).

I will look into what you said about window depths - I must say I assumed that the cheaper UPVC would be made to a standard depth.

He said they can also supply and fit Koemmerling which are still a very good make but cheaper, as the fitting costs would also be cheaper.

Maybe I'll just measure up myself and get a quote from the factory to compare, although obviousyl if we go ahead I wouldn't rely on my measurements lol!

Furts

melb wrote: »

Actually I think he was meaning a window-fitter with the skills of a cabinet-maker (think that was the phrase rather than carpenter).

He said they can also supply and fit Koemmerling which are still a very good make but cheaper, as the fitting costs would also be cheaper.

I can believe the salesman made a comment about a cabinet maker. But this is pure sales nonsense - window fitting is a semi skilled job. Again another reason not to believe anything you are being told.

Then onto the fitting cost for ordinary windows. The real cost would be no different to the R9 - a window is a window here. Yet again this is evidence that the salesman is a pure BS type character.

Weighing up what you have said about the salesman and the chances that you have been given a genuine, keen, tight price are as likely as me going on holiday on the moon.

Remember the golden rule. There are very few local small factories that are deemed suitable to supply the minimum level of quality required in the new home building market. Which means you stand a good chance of ending up with an inferior product to that fitted in a Barratt one bed starter home.

Is your salesman any good? It sounds like no chance. Is your local factory down the road any good? Quite likely it is not.

melb

well it is one of the few accredited Residence window manufacturers apparently

konark

20 grand sounds high for plastic windows, but you don't say how many you need. Get some more quotes would be my advice.

Furts

melb wrote: »

well it is one of the few accredited Residence window manufacturers apparently

Contact the other R9 manufacturers and play off the accreditation of one versus another in terms of quality. Add to this price.

In simple terms a window should include Kitemark for the sealed units, Kitemark for the profile, Kitemark for the manufacturing process. To this add quality of all ironmongery, U values, Secured by Design ethos/Part Q, easy clean, egress, survey quality and installation quality and more. When all this gets weighed up vast numbers of small manufacturers fail. Plus it makes matters transparent sorting those that are good (hopefully!) from those that are not.

Where you stand on all this is entirely up to you. But ponder a point ... you have a specific interest in a specific product which is not going to be cheap. Which means you would be wise to be savvy and to be an informed consumer.

melb

thanks. We have 14 windows and as I say most are quite big