joiners do not normally do an inferior job,
They have done a first class joinery job, and we are very pleased with the windows. Of the 14, eight were straightforward. Tthree we are not entirely happy with:- They replaced Crittall windows, and they made too big a rebate on the inside, so had to close it with a hardwood trim; also, they are flush with the outside of the wall, rather than (which we would have preferred) being inset. But we can live with these.
And then there are these other three windows. Two were set into a painted rendered wall; the third, the wall had been clad in uPVC.
I told them I would be taking the render off to see what lay beneath. In the event (after they had made the windows) I took the render off and found a brick (soft bricks!) corner pillar to flint walls. The render was VERY hard cement render, which is why the walls were VERY damp. When I took the render off, many of the flints came too - it was rather scary ! They were held in by very crumbly lime mortar (well, sand, truth be told - scratch it, and it comes away) with deep and extensive voids.
When I took the render off round the windows, I found that there had been a previous window a couple of inches wider, with another rendered reveal on each side.
So I don't blame the joiners there. I'm making a new arris of strong lime mortar (NHL 5, 2:1) which I shall "point" to give an ashlar effect - it's all going to be painted.
The other window - a very wide one - in the 9" brickwork gable wall was aluminium-framed, with 1" thick hardwood reveals internally, and a 1" thick hardwood soffit. But when I stripped off the cladding battens on the outside, I found that this hardwood formed a frame around the aluminium frame. In the loft still remains a chimney, demolished below ceiling level (and I think totally unsupported save by the corbel effect), which originally served a fireplace on the ground floor, and was cut out to make way for the window.
Wait for it !
Upon removing the cladding battens, I discovered that the concrete lintel was the same length as the top of the hardwood frame, i.e. it did not extend into the brickwork at all ! So the hardwood frame was holding the lintel and the brickwork above it, including the old chimney ! Scary, or what !
So our joiners acquired a longer concrete lintel from a demolition site, removed the short one and installed the longer one. They also removed the ali window, and the hardwood reveal and the hardwood soffit, revealing two side-by-side 4 x 2 lintels holding the inner skin - and at least these were properly set into the brickwork on each side!
Their price was for supplying, painting and installing the windows, with an extra item for:-
Take out and dispose of existing units, replace with new units. Every care will be taken to minimise plaster damage, however, we can't be held responsible for the plaster failing or crumbling. - FITTING £2,495.00
Oh, and they also made and installed a new timber conservatory, and demolished the old one. We are very pleased with that, too.
And there were a few "extras" there as well, for which they didn't charge.
Total works about £30,000.... work required by the Council to replace unauthorised work to a Listed Building, done by previous owners.
AND... we have been assured it will still be VAT zero-rated !
I'll see if I can post some pix...
They did a great deal more than expected, and I said I would finish off the making good. One wall was previously uPVC-clad; when they came to measure up, the battens were still in place; we were planning to re-clad in timber. The other wall was rendered & painted, and I've stripped that off. With it came the reveal, for the opening was previously that much bigger.
