I wonder if one of the trades could offer some advice here - we are currently having some building work done under a fixed price contract (all agreed up front) where the builder is building a waterproof shell, externally finished for fitting out by others..... all simple stuff.
As part of that the builder is supplying and fitting the windows, which had always been specified as solid hardwood (project is in AONB) ie expensive windows! The windows have arrived and gone in and look lovely.......
However, earlier on in the brickwork phase of the project it transpired that the architect had cocked up and drawn / spec'd square windows, whereas the originals we are trying to match have an arched top - no problem, we just switched from fitting lintels in the outer leaf to the builder having some arched formers made so the arches could be bricked in. Sorted.
Now come windows time, the arched formers are being used to trim off the tops of the windows and fill the gap between the brick arch and the square window - logical use of the previously made (in finished wood) formers.
BUT the arched formers which are now going to be attached to the hardwood windows are soft wood. I mentioned this to the builder who said don't worry about it, they won't get much weathering anyway... but I am not sure this is right. How smart is it to mix hard and soft woods on a window like this? Would I expect the softwood to detriorate faster? Should I be pressing the builder to replace them in hardwood?
I can see that if I ever have to replace them they are going to be a major mission, so I want to get this right first time and with a long lasting solution - should I be pressing my builder to pull his finger out and get some made in hard wood as perhaps should have been the case at the outset?
Any advice gratefully received.
As part of that the builder is supplying and fitting the windows, which had always been specified as solid hardwood (project is in AONB) ie expensive windows! The windows have arrived and gone in and look lovely.......
However, earlier on in the brickwork phase of the project it transpired that the architect had cocked up and drawn / spec'd square windows, whereas the originals we are trying to match have an arched top - no problem, we just switched from fitting lintels in the outer leaf to the builder having some arched formers made so the arches could be bricked in. Sorted.
Now come windows time, the arched formers are being used to trim off the tops of the windows and fill the gap between the brick arch and the square window - logical use of the previously made (in finished wood) formers.
BUT the arched formers which are now going to be attached to the hardwood windows are soft wood. I mentioned this to the builder who said don't worry about it, they won't get much weathering anyway... but I am not sure this is right. How smart is it to mix hard and soft woods on a window like this? Would I expect the softwood to detriorate faster? Should I be pressing the builder to replace them in hardwood?
I can see that if I ever have to replace them they are going to be a major mission, so I want to get this right first time and with a long lasting solution - should I be pressing my builder to pull his finger out and get some made in hard wood as perhaps should have been the case at the outset?
Any advice gratefully received.
