Windows Buyers Guide

1: Do I need any kind of permission to have my windows replaced?

If you live in a house or bungalow that is neither a listed building or in a conservation area (your local authority can advise you) then you do not require Planning Permission as you would, for instance, for an extension or loft conversion.

If you live in a flat, or a building that is not classed as a single dwelling, planning permission will be required. Most reputable window contractors will have facilities for making the application on your behalf, should you so wish.

In addition to the above, if your property is leasehold, you may require the freeholder’s written permission.

All replacement windows and doors do however, come under your Local Authorities Building Control Department and a certificate of compliance will be needed to cover the installation. This is an important document that should be kept in a safe place as it will be essential paperwork should you sell the property. The certificate can be obtained in one of two ways:

A) You or your contractor apply to your local Building Control Department (a fee is payable). Once the work is finished, it will be inspected. Providing it complies with all the regulations a certificate will be issued by your Local Authority.

B) You choose a contractor with FENSA registration. This is a self certification scheme set up by the Government in conjunction with the Glass and Glazing Federation. On completion of the work FENSA will issue the certificate.

2: How do I find a reputable Company?

There are literally dozens of different Companies vying for your business in the local press and in all the business listings, such as Yellow Pages, but how do they differ, and how do you choose?
It pays to look for a Company that you know has been established for a good while without having gone bankrupt and re-constituted itself, sometimes many times over. This means they must be doing something right!

If you are new to an area ask your neighbours. Visit their showroom if they have one, and ask to see some recent installations. Check their affiliation to meaningful Trade bodies such as FENSA, as this requires stringent criteria to be met. Ignore affiliation to bodies set up for the benefit of the trade rather than the customer.

3: What should I take into account when choosing window styles?

This requires careful consideration, as the style of window will have a great impact on the appearance of the property. If the existing appearance is pleasing, it is best to stick to the same design. A good idea is to look at properties similar to yours and see what choices others have made, and how they look. Essentially your new windows can be made to virtually any style you like, subject only to any manufacturing constraints and legislation relating to escape in the event of fire. Windows these days come with a host of options such as leaded lights and Georgian grilles, but serious thought should be given to incorporating these where they do not exist at present. For example leaded lights do not normally lend themselves to large panes of glass.

4: What are the choices of materials, and which would be best for me?

Add steel windows to PVCu, aluminium, hard or softwood, and there you have the main available materials. You may have no choice in the matter. If you live in a conservation area, or a listed building you will need Planning permission as discussed earlier.
In this event the choice of material may he dictated to you. Where, as in most cases, you have the choice hardwood windows are the most expensive, and require regular maintenance to keep them in good condition.

Aluminium windows are available in a range of colours and are designed to fit within an outer wooden sub-frame, or direct to the brick-work without any frame. The frames are slimmer than is the case with PVCu and this feature makes them ideal as replacements for steel Crittal windows.  They can be fitted into retained serviceable wooden outer frames, which are often made from Oak.

PVCu is the most popular choice as well as being the least expensive. It has about the same insulation properties as hardwood, but with very little maintenance. Although the majority of PVCu windows are white, they are also available in wood grain finishes that simulate the appearance of various hardwoods such as mahogany, oak and rosewood. Nowadays, PVCu is also available in a range of colours.
Crittal steel frame windows are still available, but seldom used in the domestic replacement window market.

5: Will my new windows be maintenance free?

Few things are totally maintenance free. Where you have an opening window sash you have an operating handle and a friction hinge. These, like any other mechanical part will need periodic lubrication to ensure their smooth operation. The good news of course, is that the frames never need painting!

6: What, if any difference will it make to the security of my home?

Today’s window systems have the potential for providing a quantum leap in security over the windows they are replacing. However, as the type and degree of security built into a window will vary sometimes considerably between different manufacturers, it is an area that should be looked at carefully.

You should expect as a minimum that the window is glazed from the inside so as to prevent unauthorised entry by means of removing the glass from the outside (yes. it does happen. and frequently!). You should also expect that the window handles are lockable, and that the locking mechanism incorporates at least three locking points, but preferably five. If your new windows come up to these standards, it is worth while advising your home insurance company with a view to a reduced premium.

7: Does double glazing eliminate condensation?

Not necessarily. Condensation is a function of the amount of moisture in the air and the temperature of any surface that the air comes into contact with. Imagine the mirror in your bathroom. That mirror may not feel cold to the touch but if you run a hot bath with the door closed, the sheer quantity of moisture in the air will cause it to attract condensation.  With double glazing, unlike a single pane of glass the temperature of the inner pane of glass has the opportunity of warming towards room temperature. This means that for any given quantity of moisture in the air condensation is less likely to occur. The best way to avoid condensation is to ensure adequate ventilation to keep moisture levels down.

8: How will my new windows be fitted, and what, if any damage will it do?

Good fitters should take pride in their work and try to make the experience of having new windows fitted a pleasant one for the customer. Dust sheets should be used, and the fitters should move furniture where required, as well as taking down then replacing curtains as required.
Once this has been done, the first and most important thing is that the old window should he removed very carefully, to avoid damage. Time taken at this stage will save much unnecessary making good later.

When the old window is out, the vertical damp proof membranes should be inspected and replaced if found to be in any way damaged. Once the aperture has been fully prepared the new window is offered up and fixed into position using frame anchors. It is then glazed and cleaned. The perimeter of the new window is now sealed with a silicone compound to ensure water tightness, and any internal making good required is carried out.
The old windows, together with any other debris, should be removed and the site left clean and tidy.

9: How long will it all take?

This depends of course on the size and type of installation. But as a rule of thumb, a modern day house with, say, four to five windows should represent a working day for a team of two qualified and competent fitters. Obviously, the bigger the job the longer it will take, but the essential point is that it should be undertaken as one job with the fitters on site on consecutive days until completion. Also, the windows should be removed and replaced one by one, so a situation should never arise where there is a security issue overnight.

10: What form of guarantee should I expect, and what are guarantees worth these days?

You should expect a guarantee of anything between five and ten years, and you should expect that this guarantee can be transferred to new owners should you sell the property.
However, guarantees come in all forms, and it is important that you check what exactly you are covered for. Often, guarantees only cover the window frame itself for the full guarantee period, restricting the important items such as hinges, locks, handles and sealed units to shorter, sometimes considerably shorter, terms. As these are the items most likely to fail, such limited guarantees can prove costly in the long term. The worth of any guarantee depends solely on the issuing Company’s willingness and ability to honour it which is where reputation, as discussed above, comes into play.

For complete peace of mind, however, check that the guarantee offered to you is backed by a reputable insurance scheme, one that vets and monitors the Companies they are underwriting.

11: How much does it all cost?

There is a saying that you get what you pay for, and this industry is no exception. Whilst understandably many people would like to have an idea of cost before arranging a home visit, it is simply impossible to provide one.

There are so many variables, such as obviously window sizes, but also such things as window styles, options such as leaded lights etc. not to mention the nature of the installation and the overall job size. Whilst some Companies advertise that they can fit so many windows for so many pounds, these are merely headline figures aimed at getting a foot inside your door.

12: So how do I find out?

It will be necessary for someone to call at your home to advise and discuss your requirements with you. They will need to measure the windows concerned, and assess the various aspects of the installation before being able to calculate the exact cost. You have a right to expect to be treated with courtesy and respect in your own home.

And finally, a footnote by Keith Mockford
Managing Director of Maple Leaf Insulations Ltd.

I hope that you have found the above twelve questions and answers to be of some help. In the 35 years that I have been a Director of Maple Leaf I have become acutely aware of the worry and apprehension that so many people feel when considering approaching Companies in this industry.

This is why I have prepared these answers, but I would like to leave you with one important message. In my long experience, the most common worry expressed by most people is the prospect of the initial home visit,  that dreaded salesman, with his foot in the door, and unable to take no for an answer. Although in many cases such worries are fully justified, I would like to give you my personal reassurance on this point. I have four representatives whose job it is to see my prospective or existing customers at their home.

I have known them all for many years and, between them they have over eighty years of industry experience. I know that you will receive the best possible advice from them, and that they will not allow you to feel under any pressure. They, like me, and all of my colleagues here at Maple Leaf have only one aim. That is to make the whole process of selection and installation as pleasant as we possibly can for all of our customers. Thank you for your time.