Doubling glazing quotes and flying mullions!?!

gundo

I've been going through the "deep joy" that is getting quotes for replacement windows and doors. I have a 1988 built 3-bed semi property with single-glazed wooden framed windows.

Upstairs most of the windows are approx 1150mm high by 860mm wide. They are currently split vertically in half into one fixed pane and one opening window. I've been told by a couple of the salesman that due to "Fire Regs" I must have a "fire escape window" in every upstairs room (the bathroom window is tiny so doesn't have a fixed pane anyway). So to maintain the existing look (and blend in with the others houses in my Close) I've been told I'll have to have "flying mullion" style windows which are essentially like mini-"French Windows".

The thing is one salesmen never mentioned flying mullions at all, and one said I only needed one Fire Escape window on the top floor. Whereas the other salesmen said every room had to have one upstairs.

Whose right? I assume that flying mullion windows cost more.

A final query. In the kitchen/dining room I currently have an outside door with a little side window next (immediately adjacent) to it. I'd like them to cut out the brickwork below the little window and fit French Doors. How should they finish off the brickwork outside? Is all I can expect a disc-cut edge of cut bricks? Or should they be getting a brickie in to do a "nice" job? I'm not sure what it's normal and I don't want to spoil the house. Also what should I expect (demand) they do about the floor internally?

silvercar

We've just had double glazing on a 1930s house, the only room that needed a fire escape window was a downstairs room that was off another living room. Managed to do this by having afiregress hinge on it so it opened further.

You definitely don't need escape windows from bathroom according to the people that fitted mine.

ukwoody

As far as I am aware - but open to correction - you need only have one escape upstairs.

The brickwork issue. What do you want? If you want a brickie to come out, then without being in the least bit rude, you will have to expect to pay for one in the price. Otherwise I expect it will be an angle grinder job. Not that if it's finished off correctly you should really notice much difference.

The floor is upto you, again what do you want? If you ask them what it is they are going to do, then you can change it if you want, again I expect at a cost. Some pople have a hardwood cill put there, others plastic, others a cover strip with a new carpet upto the doors. In my case I fitted a slate cill to match the rest of the room.

The lesson here is to say what you want/ask their advice before they start the works and before they give a final quote.

woody

McAzrael

If you replace your windows then, with regard to Part B of the building regs (which deals with fire protection), the new windows must either comply with the regs or make the situation not worse. The regs require first floor habitable rooms (so not bathrooms) to have either windows with a clear opening of not less than 0.33 m^2 and one dimension of not less than 450mm, or a protected escape route. I'm presuming that you live in a two storey house, and so there is no protected escape route. You are going to have to have either the clear opening above, or a clear opening at least as big as you currently have. The sightlines on UPVC windows are usually considerably larger than those for timber windows, so to maintain the opening in windows as narrow as yours the mullion would have to be pushed off centre. This might look very odd. The alternative is to make the window with a flying mullion, but this is more expensive (but shouldn't be a lot more expensive).

Egress hinges, mentioned above, throw the casement right back when it is opened (sometimes you have to click a switch) to maximise the opening and quite often this is enough to comply with the regs. Incidentally, everyone calls them escape windows and escape hinges, but the minimum opening is that size because it is what is required for a fireman in breathing apparatus to wriggle trough.

windowsupplies

Take a look at link below on fensa website

General rule is fire escape required on all habitable rooms ( unless lead directly to a hall not landing first floor! or have its own door) and if current window does not comply to building regs then the clear opening of the new window must not be any smaller than that of the outgoing window and the opening sash be lower than 1100mm or the same height as existing
In simple terms if the opening width of window is 400mm that is not compliant to current regs but as long as the new one is no less than 400mm it will be compliant with FENSA regulations
Kitchens and bathrooms are not classed as habitable rooms http://www.fensa.co.uk/faq.aspx#2

browneyes78

I don't know where you live but we had the wonderful job of having windows replaced last year. We went through several quotes that were way over our budget and finally settled on a company called Fusion Home Improvements that had quoted £50 shy of £3000 to fit all new georgian bar UPVC windows. BIG BIG BIG mistake!!! Still, a year on we are fighting with them because they did such a terrible job. If you live anywhere near spalding and they want to give you a quote then I suggest you run for the hills!!! The company is a one man band with his mother as his secretary. The so called manager will be lovely to you to begin with (so nice that we chose them, partly because they were not pushy like the rest) but if you try to get in contact with him with any problems, he will not answer his phone to you. The window fitter they sent out was visibly drunk and stank of alcohol!! :mad: The list is as long as my arm.
As for fire windows, we were told that all upper windows had to be used as fire escapes and they would not fit safety latches (to stop your windows opening too wide) as building control would not pass them.(I don't know if there is any truth in this) You can always ring your local buildng control who can answer your questions. Also, any company you choose, I suggest you ring FENSA and check up on them as our lovely window company lied to us about being able to self certify and have not notified building control.