Double Glazing Advice

[jbrs2k]

I’m about to start looking around to have double glazing fitted to my property so I’m just looking for a bit of advice.

A few months back there was a double glazing van outside, the guy was doing some work next door so I ask him roughly how much it would cost to DG my property etc. He told me that there are two ways to do it, I think they were:
1) Fit DG inserts to the existing frames (the cheaper way).
2) Rip all the old wooden frames out and start from scratch (obviously more expensive).

He said that the second option is better in the long term and showed me on next door that they had just had inserts put in and the wooden frames were looking a bit worse for ware esp. at the base (note that he wasn’t actually doing the DG on this property).
Also, if/when we come to sell, a surveyor would notice the level of work that had been done.

My property is a 1920’s terraced so I’m thinking that option 2 would be that way to go due to the age.

It made good sense what he said so I just wanted to double check with some of you chaps on here that I should go down that route.

Also, would anyone like to offer any advice regarding the price I can expect to pay, I live in the North East, near Newcastle, and need 6 windows, all roughly 70” by 30”, along with a full UPVC back door.

Thanks in advance

John

 

[noseall]

dont bother with option 1 at all. you may even save money on heating bills if you go for a complete re-fit.

 

[JohnD]

Not being funny, but what makes you believe you need a plastic door, when a solid hardwood one is cheaper, stronger and 100 times better looking?

 

[noseall]

true!

 

[jbrs2k]

Option 2 it is then. I thought that might be the answer.

John, we were going to go for a UPVC door to eliminate the draughts that we get at the back atm (I've fitted draught excluder to no avail). With regards the looks, it’s just a yard at the back so no one will see it . How weak can these doors be?

 

[JohnD]

For less money, you could have a joiner fit a new hardwood frame and door, with integral weatherstripping and a normal 5-lever lock with rack bolts. A better job, in my opinion.

 

[jbrs2k]

For less money, you could have a joiner fit a new hardwood frame and door, with integral weatherstripping and a normal 5-lever lock with rack bolts. A better job, in my opinion.

Thanks for the quick reply.
What kind of money are we talking here?
I would prefer the look of wood for the interior side of the door.

 

[JohnD]

Don't remember, sorry. I had a joiner fit two new hardwood frames and doors, it took him just over a day's work. This included the locks and bolts, and hacking out the old. He had to to a bit of trimming as my sills were not standard size. He was very much quicker than when I did one myself.

I had previously applied preservative and stain to everything, as it's easier to do on the bench, and you can't get to certain parts once fitted.

I just looked up a couple of joinery companies for prices but couldn't find them. If you do buy a wooden door, make sure it is mortice and tenoned construction (some cheaper ones are dowelled, which is adequate for a kitchen cabinet but not for an external door) and solid, not laminated or veneered.

Including the doors, locks and labour it was certainly hundreds of pounds, but I had an aunt who was charged over a thousand for a plastic back door, which I thought extortionate.

 

[jams]

Hi,

I'm thinking the same thing about the door. I'm about to have new bay windows and a bedroom done and at the same time have a second front door and arch put in to create a sort of front hall. The nicest plastic door I’ve seen are the wood look ones which actually look quite realistic but are super expensive. I think I’ll probably get a wooden one in the end though as I’m really not a fan of plastic front doors even if they are realistic.

Jim

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

For the little bit of extra cost above a standard double glazed unit, does this guy offer a low-e coating and argon fill between the glazing units?

I don't know if that's something that's done over there in the UK, but if it were my house, I'd pay a bit more to get at least the low-e coating.

Where I live, (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) the standard is triple glazed windows, a low-e coating to reduce radiant heat loss through the windows and both air spaces between the panes filled with argon gas to lower heat loss through conduction/convection.

 

[mnb]

Canadian and Scandanavian standards are very high for glazing.
however, at some stage we have to stop using hardwood but if we do use it then make sure that all cut-outs eg. mortice, letterplate, hinge recess's
and top and bottom finished edges of the door must be sealed or seasonal movement will take place and after one or two years its impossible to rectify the movement.

 

[JohnD]

The differences in standards also reflect ambient temperatures. With UK being so temperate, the cost and energy expended on making and installing very high insulation can be greater than that saved in the lifetime of the product (this is much more of a problem with glazing than with loft and cavity insulation, which is much cheaper)