Which UPVC Profile?

[Martin Quinn]

I am hoping someone could give me advice on choosing a profile for replacement windows?

I have had 3 quotes;

£3000 - Liniar
£3800 - Rehau S706 / WHS Halo Eclipse
£2400 - Synergy

This is for 2 x 5 window bay, 1 x small bedroom window.

I have tried my hardest to research on the net but im still not 100% sure who to go with.

I was leaning towards the Rehau but was told that this window has not been improved for a number of years & so there are better choices on the market.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ronniecabers]

Out of those Liniar is the newest profile, and gaining popularity......

 

[Martin Quinn]

From what I have looked up on the internet liniar do not contain any steel supports in the frame.

Is this something I should worry about having two bay windows?

The liniar fitter is a recommend but is not fenda/certass registered due to the cost. However he said he gets it signed off by the council for building regs.

The chap that priced the Rehaua & Halo is certass registered & insurance backed, or is that the same thing?

 

[Gazman16]

Liniar is my personal favorite but all makes are pretty similar.

Alot of companys are moving towards moving towards PVC or Composite reinforcing as it is more thermally efficient. They will still use Steel or Ali corner posts on a bay for structural support though.

Fensa and Certass are a shortcut to building control, We only get around 2% of out jobs inspected. Having yours checked over can only be a plus really but you may not be getting the insurance backed guarantee that we have to give that covers you for any problems if the company goes bust. Ask him if he does one and how long hes been trading.

The fitting is the most important thing! A rubbish window fitted well can be better that a quality window fitted poorly, Normally recomendations are the way to go.

 

[crank39]

From what I have looked up on the internet liniar do not contain any steel supports in the frame.

Is this something I should worry about having two bay windows?

The liniar fitter is a recommend but is not fenda/certass registered due to the cost. However he said he gets it signed off by the council for building regs.

The chap that priced the Rehaua & Halo is certass registered & insurance backed, or is that the same thing?

As gazman really, if the liniar guy isn't fensa or certass then ask him if or how he's going to guarantee the installation for 10 years, its a requirement of both bodies to be able to supply insurance backed guarantees usually supplied as a package, if he's not with any I'd be wary!

Its all in the fitting nowadays as most profiles are pretty good and much the same, being a bay the most important thing to ask of anyone you ask to quote is ' jacking poles', these are needed and a requirement if the bay is structural, if they look at you gone out then walk away, search my recent previous threads for pictures of what happens when jacking poles aren't fitted

 

[Martin Quinn]

 

[Martin Quinn]

Am I correct in thinking that all bay windows now require jack poles for compliance?

Can you also confirm whether Rehau are actually A rated, I understand this is more down to the glass but is the frame rated as well and if so, is the Rehau S706 A rated?

The Liniar fitter is not Fensa or Certass registered, he simply uses the local building inspector from the council to sign off his work, so I this will not have any guarantee unless its from the fabricator.

As it stands, if the Rehau S706 is a good window that is fully A rated, then I am leaning towards this as the fitter is a recommend and he is Certass registered. For the extra £800 I think this is worth the peace of mind? I can also try and get him down slightly on price - no harm in trying ;o)

Thanks for the input so far, I have spent weeks obtaining quotes and trying to make a final decision, its driving me nuts but I want to make sure I get what I pay for.

 

[crank39]

I was always of the belief that rehau couldn't achieve A rating due to it only being 3 chambered, to reach A rating it needs to be 5 chambered, that said they are rumoured or may already have done is develop a 5 chamber profile, ask to see a sample first.

Be very careful here that you don't get sold A rated glass units but C rated frames, you won't find out till its too late trust me, ideally the complete frame and glass needs to achieve A rating as a job lot.

Also argon filled units aren't all their cracked up to be either, after 2 years there's no argon left in there, its all leaked out but of course the salesman won't tell you this either

 

[Martin Quinn]

If not argon then what should you go for?

I read online the Rehau70 (S706) is 5 chamber for the 70mm & 6 chamber for the 80mm;

http://www.pvc-windows-doors.co.uk/pvc-profiles-rehau-brillant-design-70-80.html

 

[DHFrames]

All the profiles mentioned have come on over the years, there's not much between them.
Your main aim is to have the right company/team installing the windows, installed correctly, long guarantees, good after sales etc
We've use Rehau for 10 years, both the 3 and 5 chambered profiles can achieve A Rating, google Rehau Total 70 for more info.
Do your homework on the installation team, ask to see other jobs, references
Bay jacks required certainly for the lower bay
Fensa/certass a must
10yr guarantee on profile, glass, handles, hinges etc a must

It's all in the fitting

 

[ronniecabers]

I wouldn't stress too much about the filling of the ' argon '... any gas put into a sealed unit will leak out. At a Fensa meeting about 8 years ago we even got the Fensa bloke to admit it ! ( even though I already knew as we manufactured sealed units! ) As Crank says most salesman won't tell you this though. Just make sure you have Low 'e' glss ( usually Planitherm ) , Warm edge Spacer and Diamant ( Low Iron Glass ),get the argon put in too as its pretty standard these days, and your units will, when put in the right frame , be 'A' rated.
On there own sealed units are NOT energy rated nor are Frames , it is the combination of the two. Also with any extras, such as a upvc cill, frame extenders ( guessing baypoles too) , trickle vents, obscure glass/decorative glass have never been tested on a frame , so technically , any frame with those on can not be energy rated but will still pass if they include Warm Edge spacer , diamant glass , argon and Planitherm sealed units , as the inspectors generally assume you have the best you can get ( or so I was told at said Fensa meeting! )

 

[LeadFarmer]

Certass will give you 10 yrs warranty/guarantee. When things go wrong then this can be a godsend, as I've experienced first hand. From my understandings as a customer, FENSA isn't the 'all important' document that the public believe it to be, rather its the 'only' one they've heard of.

 

[ronniecabers]

Fensa/certass don't offer any guarantee/warranty. Your guarantee will always be with the people you purchased the windows /doors from. All Certass/Fensa members have to provide an insurance backed warranty but these are from a third party , such as QNAW. Certass/fensa are only Competent Persons Schemes.

 

[LeadFarmer]

Yes your right, I believe that if they are CERTASS registered then they have to offer the 10 guarantee as part of membership? Equally important in my opinion is the Declaration of Performance certificate, which is seldom issued unless repeatedly requested (in my case).

 

[Martin Quinn]

In the end after seeing some samples I am going with the WHS Halo Rustique.

Shootbolt locking, A-Rated frame & glass, Certass registered installer with 10 year guarantee.

Hopefully after all the research ive done it'll be the right decision.