Sash windows advice

[johnnyb]

A company I worked for a few weeks ago wanted £700 a window for stringing and draughtproofing and minor repairs. They had hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of work.
The price seems fair to cheap to me. Despite the finish. Most would spray these tbh.

 

[HOJ]

I wouldn't complain about the quality of the work for the price paid.

Really! I doubt that you would even send something out of the shop like that, irrespective of the price.

 

[Ollie78]

We have replaced weights (addons) to handle new sashes. 2lb under and over for top and bottom.

They come out at about £775 a pair, primed but not painted.

Glazing is toughened glass (4mm I think) but could be 6. We can't get double glazing in the sashes.

How's best way to remove that glue? My sand paper won't touch it.

Unfortunately you could have had some heritage double glazed units put in them but its too late now as the rebates are cut, you can do it after but it makes a right mess so I don`t do it anymore, I just make new sashes as its a better job all round.

Unlike @Against_The_Grain I think you would be within your rights to complain about it even though the price is pretty cheap. (not suggesting it will get you anywhere but I am sure you won`t be buying from them again anyway).
How long would it have taken to cut the joints properly ? I can`t see any reason they would be like this at all. Failing that fill the gaps before spraying them.
Its just basic workmanship from the joiner and if the painter was any good he would have filled the gaps as well.

Ollie

 

[Against_The_Grain]

Really! I doubt that you would even send something out of the shop like that, irrespective of the price.

It all depends on how much you’re willing to spend, if you wanted something that was spot on and required no extra fettling it would be easily twice that price. The cost of these appeals to the “DIYer” who can’t necessarily make the sashes themselves wants to save a penny by fitting their own sashes, they are going to be rough around the edges much like any other factory produced wooden article of a similar value, but nothing that would be beyond a simple bit of filling and sanding usually. Internal solid wood doors that you buy in builders merchants are another prime example of this, very rough with no effort made towards extra finishing steps, but there’s still a massive demand for them.

Really speaking, the painter and decorator is the one at fault here, if they can’t sort out something as simple as cleaning the excess glue with a chisel and caulking any gaps, are they actually any good at what they do? This is evident by the quality of the paint work, which should be excellent on top of a sprayed primer.

 

[jurassic86]

We looked at double glazed units but the biggest issue was weight. My concern was the boxes would struggle with the pulley size and also with the draft seals etc, the house is generally warm. We opted for the safety toughened glass because it gives a ripple effect, a bit like the original glass in the sashes.

Regarding the add-on weight, we do have draft sealing on the staff beads and they are weighing in at 16/17kg each, so 1lb per side extra and under we thought would work well, we did it on some others before and they glide open and close really well.

Always happy to take on the advice given and will reduce it and re-test.

 

[Ollie78]

We looked at double glazed units but the biggest issue was weight. My concern was the boxes would struggle with the pulley size and also with the draft seals etc, the house is generally warm. We opted for the safety toughened glass because it gives a ripple effect, a bit like the original glass in the sashes.

Regarding the add-on weight, we do have draft sealing on the staff beads and they are weighing in at 16/17kg each, so 1lb per side extra and under we thought would work well, we did it on some others before and they glide open and close really well.

Always happy to take on the advice given and will reduce it and re-test.

I wouldn`t worry about the add weights, sounds ok to me as long as they will stay where you put them and don`t creep up or down.

If you have more to do just double glaze them, change the steel weights for solid lead the travel should be fine, replace the pulleys with new ball bearing ones and you will be fine. I always toughen my DGU`s as well for the slight ripple it gives, makes it look less obvious they are new.

 

[jurassic86]

We are already using lead ones.

How does adding the double glazing work? Surely without eating into the ovolo profile it would not be easy to do?