New windows fitted - am I being picky?

[phatboy]

Hi all,

Had some new windows fitted last week, and last night I fitted replacement window boards (same thickness as the old ones).

2 of the windows look fine to me, but the glass of this one seems way too close to the window board.

Untitled

• phatboy
• 12 Apr 2014
• 1

Before it was being fitted, the guys were outside on the phone measuring the window, so I am wondering if they knew it was a bit big, but thought they would stick it in and hope I didn't care.

What do you think? I don't want to kick up a fuss over nothing, but I paid a lot of money and I do expect the job to be done right.

Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

Whats it look like from the outside? Has some brickwork been cut away?
There doesn't seem to be much distance between the inner cill and the frame
but personally I can't see it being an issue weather proofing wise if you can live with it.
John

 

[phatboy]

Outside looks fine. No brickwork changes.

The outside has a concrete sill, which the frame has been sat on top of. Well sort of, the others are evidently on top, with a piece of trim covering at the bottom. This one has been fitted around the top part of the sill. Wish I'd taken a photo before the trims went in now!

We had sliding sash windows replaced with casement.

I agree it will be technically fine, but just a bit annoyed that I paid a lot, and its not a close-to-perfect job.

I wonder if they could remove it, trim the top of the frame a bit so it would fit a bit higher?

 

[Gazman16]

Sorry but yes you are being picky.

That is perfect, Not to big not too small. They could cut the 5mm ribs off the top of the window and move it up but I would expect this to be at your expense.

It would be much easier to route or cut down the thickness of the window board than to refit the window if it bothers you that much.

 

[pinenot]

I would not say your being picky, if you've not paid for the job yet make it conditional that it's corrected.
To say it's not perfect is to say it's wrong, and when something wrong it needs fixing. Look at the window from back a bit, are the ingoes at the window sides and top, spaced further from the window profile, the cill should never be smaller, the same perhaps but never smaller. I'm of an age when thing were done right, if not you got a snagging line (fault list) and had to fix it if you were to be paid, simple as that...pinenot

 

[phatboy]

Only a deposit has been paid so far.

I have closely inspected everything now, with a measuring tape.

From outside, the top edge of the sash is closer to the render than the downstairs window directly below it

Inside, there is about 20mm less space at the top edge, compared to downstairs.

It seems to me as though the surveyor wasn't accurate enough, and over-estimated the space by about 40mm.

I will call them tomorrow to discuss the options......

 

[Gazman16]

Cant see the sides and head in your pic but I assume theres about 20-30mm of frame showing.
The only way for them to have an equal margin on the bottom would have been to make the window 20-30mm smaller than the opening then people would complain that the windows are too small.

 

[phatboy]

Yes, the other sides and the other windows have about 30mm all around, maybe 20mm at the bottom, which I think looks fine.

I think the window is too big, so 30-40mm smaller would seem right to me, not too small.

To me, its like framing a picture, but putting a much smaller border at the bottom - looks wrong

 

[foxhole]

Probably be bashing you knuckles closing that window?

 

[willismp]

Personally it would bother me, in my eyes you should see an equal amount of frame on all windows.

If you do accept it just ensure you dont look at it everyday and think 'its a shame'

 

[phatboy]

Resolved.

The company immediately acknowledged it was incorrect upon inspection, and offered me a discount, or a replacement window.

The window was in perfect condition and I don't like waste where avoidable, so I accepted the discount (33% of the window price), and will be getting a carpenter around tomorrow to replace the window board, routing out as much of it as possible to make it sit lower. I will then plaster in the area where the sill board used to sit, and it will look OK from the inside.

Outside will still look a bit higher, but I can live with that.

So a reasonable outcome for both parties I think.