Timber windows - Hertfordshire

[tobeee]

Can anyone recommend a reliable and inexpensive company?

I need new windows for a first floor flat in a St.Albans conservation area, and they must be replaced like-for-like (white painted timber). I can get quotes from the obvious national companies, but would much prefer to try out a couple of PHer recommendations.

I'm aware that Everest and some other biggies use a micro-porous coating which means no painting for up to ten years and that something in their favour (perhaps that's an industry-standard now?).

[Perik Omo]

I know not your immediate area but try giving Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation a call as I think they maintain a list of various suppliers for houses in their conservation areas. Friends of ours in the centre of the conservation area had to have all their wood windows replaced and the people that did it were Heritage Foundation approved and the windows are superb and the company did an excellent job of fitting them. The Heritage Foundation had the final say in which company was used though as they were contributing to some of the cost (it's an Unwin designed house and one of the original Letchworth houses).

[Tresco]

Not dealt with them yet but www.timberwindows.com have a branch/franchise in St Albans.

[MyM2006]

Tried the above and although we liked their quality they were much more expensive than everyone else we tried. They also seem to continually send details of promotions with 20% off every few months, if they can afford to knock that much off then they are trying it on with the price in my opinion.
We have gone for someone near Milton Keynes, not being fitted until New Year so cant really give any feedback yet.

[tobeee]

MyM2006 said:

Tried the above and although we liked their quality they were much more expensive than everyone else we tried. They also seem to continually send details of promotions with 20% off every few months, if they can afford to knock that much off then they are trying it on with the price in my opinion.
We have gone for someone near Milton Keynes, not being fitted until New Year so cant really give any feedback yet.

Thanks for this (and to Tresco for naming the same company). I had them visit yesterday, and have just received a quote, but I don't know if they are haggleable or not. (I've now seen Everest too, and they are happy to negotiate, though they price higher initially to allow room for that).

I was quite impressed with TimberWindows, and the design features he was pushing did make sense, and it's useful to have the local office being very near to where I live. But it's still too expensive!

How did the price and quality compare with your MK company? And who are they? Presumably you were swayed by their price more than anything.

Cheers, Toby

[Grandad Gaz]

The companies you are looking at sound a bit expensive.

we live in a conservation area (Letchworth) where we had to replace like for like windows. Decided on getting a local joinery firm to make them up and we fitted them ourselves.

This was 14 years ago, though.

[tobeee]

I did start to research local joinery companies, but would then have to get them to a painter, and then to a fitter. It would no doubt be much cheaper, but I don't have the time or energy to put it all together in the next couple of months, so having to bite the bullet and be ripped off a bit. I just want to limit the amount of rip off!

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

We are in exactly the same boat. We too saw these people and are still mulling it over.

BTW, the firm in St Albans are a franchise. W would require some sort of guarantee for the franchisor before we parted with the cash. (and it looks like most of the money is up front?)

[tobeee]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

We are in exactly the same boat. We too saw these people and are still mulling it over.

BTW, the firm in St Albans are a franchise. W would require some sort of guarantee for the franchisor before we parted with the cash. (and it looks like most of the money is up front?)

Hi Steve, You well?

The local firm do have a guarantee for the windows, that survives should they disappear (though I've not got as far as checking that yet). They do require most of the money up front, but that's OK as long as the contract is tight. I want to be paid up by April anyway.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

tobeee said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

We are in exactly the same boat. We too saw these people and are still mulling it over.

BTW, the firm in St Albans are a franchise. W would require some sort of guarantee for the franchisor before we parted with the cash. (and it looks like most of the money is up front?)

Hi Steve, You well?

The local firm do have a guarantee for the windows, that survives should they disappear (though I've not got as far as checking that yet). They do require most of the money up front, but that's OK as long as the contract is tight. I want to be paid up by April anyway.

Hi Toby

I'm good thanks. We've got the whole house to do..nightmare! Have you spoken to the planning people? I'll certainly be interested in how the guarantee works if the franchisee goes away. (We've not got that far yet)

Still a TVR man?

[tobeee]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Hi Toby

I'm good thanks. We've got the whole house to do..nightmare! Have you spoken to the planning people? I'll certainly be interested in how the guarantee works if the franchisee goes away. (We've not got that far yet)

Still a TVR man?

Not yet spoken with planning, but my neighbouring flats got permission without any trouble - as long as the replacement is like for like (white painted timber in same design) it shouldn't be a problem. Only three big windows to do, but two of them bays, so still a lot of money. One of my best friends runs a UPVC glazing company, so I could have got a great deal if I was allowed to fit that!

I am still a TVR person, though currently don't have one! Replaced my last one five years ago when my son was born. VW Touareg, which is a good opposite to the TVR! Still got the TVR reg on it though, ready for when I'm brave enough to buy another. Umm'd and ahh'd over a Cerbera, but just feels like a backward step, so probably Tuscan in next couple of years for me and the boy to enjoy. My wife can get the bus! haha!

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

tobeee said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Hi Toby

I'm good thanks. We've got the whole house to do..nightmare! Have you spoken to the planning people? I'll certainly be interested in how the guarantee works if the franchisee goes away. (We've not got that far yet)

Still a TVR man?

Not yet spoken with planning, but my neighbouring flats got permission without any trouble - as long as the replacement is like for like (white painted timber in same design) it shouldn't be a problem. Only three big windows to do, but two of them bays, so still a lot of money. One of my best friends runs a UPVC glazing company, so I could have got a great deal if I was allowed to fit that!

I am still a TVR person, though currently don't have one! Replaced my last one five years ago when my son was born. VW Touareg, which is a good opposite to the TVR! Still got the TVR reg on it though, ready for when I'm brave enough to buy another. Umm'd and ahh'd over a Cerbera, but just feels like a backward step, so probably Tuscan in next couple of years for me and the boy to enjoy. My wife can get the bus! haha!

We want double glazing (try to keep the Abbey bells out!!) so it might be a bit more complex with the planners.

I'm still burbling around in the Chimaera.

[MyM2006]

tobeee said:

How did the price and quality compare with your MK company? And who are they? Presumably you were swayed by their price more than anything.

We went with Everitt and Jones, quality wise I can't give you a definite as they haven't been fitted yet (New Year hopefully) but having visited their workshop they seemed pretty good. On price they were less than 2/3 of the cost of Timberwindows so that was a big factor, the other reason for going with them is that Timberwindows would only deal with the windows and we have a bay that needed the roof replaced at the same time and they wouldn't do this.