Concealed spiral balances

[Mmark]

Our builder just installed new wooden sash windows. We were not aware and really don't like the thick plastic spiral balance, it's as thick as my thumb with just a screw at the top to pinch it closed - very ugly.

I've since read about "concealed" spiral balances, but everywhere is light on the details for what this actually means and on the images showing it.

Is there some sort of kit that could be used to replace the plastic tube, with something more attractive and potentially concealed? how do the other places conceal theirs?

 

[foxhole]

Concealed in plastic tube.Or behind a trim. Not something that can be retrofitted.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

As Foxhole says, if the sort of look you are after is this:

or this:

then the system needs to be built-in to the sash window during the manufacturing stage. AFAIK these cannot be retro fitted

 

[Mmark]

Concealed in plastic tube.Or behind a trim. Not something that can be retrofitted.

We don’t want to see a plastic tube. But sounds like our only option is to replace newly fitted windows

 

[Mmark]

As Foxhole says, if the sort of look you are after is this:
then the system needs to be built-in to the sash window during the manufacturing stage. AFAIK these cannot be retro fitted

Do you have links to the products? any you would particularly recommend? We really dislike what builder fitted, so may just pay for a refit.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The two examples above were from BSI or Balance Systems Innovations (upper) and Patchett Joinery (lower). There are others, but those are two names I'm aware of from jobs in the past. I've seen the Patchett windows in quite a few places, but then they are fairly local to me being over at Queensbury near Bradford. Neither firm is particularly cheap IMHO, but then their products are different from a lot of the other stuff on the market