UPVC frame (repairing)

[Lucky Luke]

Hello. The other day, I had a window-installing firm install some replacement sealed units. I took it for granted that their standard of work would be good. After all, they have been in business for many years, they have a showroom and a website, etc.

The men that came to replace the units made a right mess. Though they said nothing about the work and left quickly (they said they were on time for the next job), when they left, I inspected the work, and saw that the rubber sealing gaskets round the units were bulging in three places. Also, not just the removable plastic beading holding the units in, but also the edges of the main frame were chipped and very rough in places where they had been levering (using a hammer).

Though they will not now be paid until the bulging gaskets are properly seated (and a new unit, with scratches on the glass, replaced), my concern is about something that they cannot (or will not) put right, and that is the damage to the main frame-edges. I suppose I shall need to try to mend it myself as well as I can.

So, my question is, can anyone recommend a safe and effective way to smooth these rough surfaces, then polish them, so that they won't look as bad as they do now?
Thanks in advance, for any helpful information or suggestions.
L.L.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I took it for granted that their standard of work would be good. After all, they have been in business for many years, they have a showroom and a website, etc.

The men that came to replace the units made a right mess.

Document everything (photos and notes) with a timeline. On my experience even the best PVCu firms all screw up from time to time, and many are lothe to admit it. Send a letter of complaint to the supplier together with photos and ask them to put right shoddy/defective workmanship. Give them 7 days to respond and state you are withholding payment until they put tnhings right. Be firm, but polite

If they have damaged your existing frames tell them so, although TBH in the absence if before and after photos you may struggle to prove this (so you may have to carry that yourself)

I've had a few bad experiences with DG firms where they have completely screwed up. Some brazen it out, a few take you to court, most admit their mistakes and put things right. But just in case you do need an evidencial trail, and you do need to write to them (registered delivery - emails aren't as easy in court I find)

 

[Lucky Luke]

Document everything (photos and notes) with a timeline. On my experience even the best PVCu firms all screw up from time to time, and many are lothe to admit it. Send a letter of complaint to the supplier together with photos and ask them to put right shoddy/defective workmanship. Give them 7 days to respond and state you are withholding payment until they put tnhings right. Be firm, but polite
If they have damaged your existing frames tell them so, although TBH in the absence if before and after photos you may struggle to prove this (so you may have to carry that yourself)

Thanks for the good advice, JobAndKnock. I did all that you say before coming onto this forum with my question. Not being very mobile, it would be very hard for me to use registered post, so I did use email. However, I printed my messages and have a record now, which it would be difficult for them to dodge, as I kept the original emails as well.

Really though, my question was not about how to deal with this firm (they are sending someone out later this week), but was about how I might smooth roughened and damaged edges to the main frame. This may or may not be possible, and I had hoped that someone might have been able to recommend a product or a procedure, or both, that would make the damage look and feel better. (If a duster were wiped over these parts, it would snag on raised points made by hacking or levering.)
Thanks, friend.
L.L.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

A Dremel with a felt wheel loaded with blue (sift plastic) polishing compound might work

 

[Lucky Luke]

A Dremel with a felt wheel loaded with blue (sift plastic) polishing compound might work

Thanks for that, friend. In that case, when the service engineer comes later this week, I could mention this possibility. I don't have such tools or such compound, but that firm might have them (seeing that they have such careless installers, they would need them!). Besides, it would be physically difficult for me to do such work with an electric buffer, if not impossible. I shall ask the man when he comes.
L.L.