Advice on DIY double glazing install please ?

[tigler]

My mums place needs some double glazing but she's unable to afford the outrageous prices charged by companies.
Being reasonably competent at DIY I'm trying to determine if it's something I could do for her myself.
So a couple of Q's :-

1/ is it something that can be tackled by DIY ?

2/ Where would be a good place to get hardwood framed windows at an affordable price ?

For information, the 2 I would start with are the ground floor lounge. Quite large windows though.

Cheers.

 

[madkayaker]

to comply with building regs it needs to be a FENCA approved firm might course issues if broken into, selling house

 

[Windy Miller]

You can do it yourself no problems (planning permission? Not sure), but your local council Building Inspector will want to come and have a look at stuff while you are doing it if you are not FENSA approved. Usually it's a straight forward enough job, and the Building Inspector just needs to see that it is being done right. He is there to ensure that you wont stick the whole lot in with expanding foam like the cowboys did in the good old days! - nothing that any competant DIYer cant manage.

 

[brightspark]

You can do it yourself no problems (planning permission? Not sure), but your local council Building Inspector will want to come and have a look at stuff while you are doing it if you are not FENSA approved. Usually it's a straight forward enough job, and the Building Inspector just needs to see that it is being done right. He is there to ensure that you wont stick the whole lot in with expanding foam like the cowboys did in the good old days! - nothing that any competant DIYer cant manage.

the windows are loose fitted and leveled with packers . then sealed round with foam for insulation reasons and a steady fixing . once hardened the windows are drilled and fixed to the brickwork then gunned round with silicone sealant . by rights u are suposed to be fensa registered another goverment tax that serves no purpose . fitting yourself is no problem . ive had my full house windows purposely made made from hardwood and fitted them myself . down side id if u ever sell the house solicitors ask if fensa reg firm fitted them and when and want the paperwork for them . that slows the sale down and causes aggro

 

[jugs]

the windows are loose fitted and leveled with packers . then sealed round with foam for insulation reasons and a steady fixing . once hardened the windows are drilled and fixed to the brickwork then gunned round with silicone sealant .

Just done most of ours, uPVC, dead easy.

Got mine made @ a trade place in B'head & even with the fuel costs to pick them up I still saved 71% over what the local firms charge, (a no brainier) oh & guess where one of the locals get theirs from.

Take care with measuring, then get someone else to measure if they tally - order. Don't ask how I know (only 1)

If they are big it's easier with 2 bods.

Buy a proper foam gun(screw-fix) & keep it clean, that stuff is orrible & sticky.

good luck.

 

[GeorgeB]

1/ is it something that can be tackled by DIY ?
2/ Where would be a good place to get hardwood framed windows at an affordable price ?

As others have already said, this is perfectly achievable, and at a fraction of the prices charged by rip-off merchants.

To comply with building regulations (especially when you come to sell the house) you need to get the local authority to come round to "approve" your work. FENSA cowboys can self-certify their work so they don't need to call in the local authority for every job. You'll almost certainly have to pay a fee to the local authority but it should still work out a lot cheaper if you do the work yourself.

 

[piman]

Hello Tigler,

on our previous house I replaced some windows, I just bought them from a local supplier. I had never heard of these regulatiopns. A couple of years later when we came to sell, the solicitor asked if new windows had been fitted and when I said yes, and no there was not any paperwork, she took out an inexpensive insurance to cover any comebacks.

Alec

 

[Welderpaul]

I did ours when we first moved in, 7 years ago. 12 doors/windows. I didnt bother with building regs. At the end of the day, the ones i took out were fitted really badly; mine are spot on. Inserted vertical damp courses that were missing and cleaned the cavities while i was at it Carefully measure, deduct 8mm all the way round, fit frame in first, level up with packers, fix through the frames, check all windows open ok, fit glass, then carefully foam up.
Silicone once the foam has cured and been trimmed. Keeping the gap tight between the outside of the frame and the brickwork makes for a nicer silicone job. Masking tape helps. Rubbish silicone will spoil an otherwise good job.

 

[tigler]

Looks like a totally do'able job then
Presumeably the frame would be fixed in the same locations as the frames that are removed ?

 

[brightspark]

Hello Tigler,

on our previous house I replaced some windows, I just bought them from a local supplier. I had never heard of these regulatiopns. A couple of years later when we came to sell, the solicitor asked if new windows had been fitted and when I said yes, and no there was not any paperwork, she took out an inexpensive insurance to cover any comebacks.

Alec

its called an indemnity about £70 quid u can get them to cover every eventuality the buyer can claim back any loss due to it

 

[Welderpaul]

Looks like a totally do'able job then
Presumeably the frame would be fixed in the same locations as the framse that are removed ?

No, use new fixing points.

 

[Chickenjohn]

the windows are loose fitted and leveled with packers . then sealed round with foam for insulation reasons and a steady fixing . once hardened the windows are drilled and fixed to the brickwork then gunned round with silicone sealant . by rights u are suposed to be fensa registered another goverment tax that serves no purpose . fitting yourself is no problem . ive had my full house windows purposely made made from hardwood and fitted them myself . down side id if u ever sell the house solicitors ask if fensa reg firm fitted them and when and want the paperwork for them . that slows the sale down and causes aggro

Similar experience to me. I helped my Dad fit some windows to his house years ago and then we fitted a window and door to my garage. Provided you measure the window apeture up properly replacing windows is a fairly easy job, well within the capabilities of a competent DIYer.

As for the red tape- when you sell the house years later just say you can't remember when the windows were fitted and that is was before the regs came in.

Useless, pointless government regulations!

 

[brightspark]

if u look on all double glazing units the date and details of manafacture are etched on the glass in the corner somewhere or on the spacer bead inside

 

[Omniata]

if u look on all double glazing units the date and details of manafacture are etched on the glass in the corner somewhere or on the spacer bead inside

Usually on the spacer bar on the inside of the units as it has a limited life whilst unglazed

Manufacturers usually leave their own "mark" too
(I only know from working in manufacture and retail with uPVC )


It's best to notify the council as it's now notifiable work, you can get stung for it later on if you don't...
Saying you can't remember "who" or "when" they were installed is sadly no excuse any more...
A company I do work for on their computers now has to notify FENSA on the date of invoicing, they don't do supply only due to the grief the end users usually get into...


It's a really easy job to do though, but don't get caught out, it can end up costing you as much as it would have been to have them fitted...

 

[Chickenjohn]

if u look on all double glazing units the date and details of manafacture are etched on the glass in the corner somewhere or on the spacer bead inside

There are ways round this.

 

[brightspark]

There are ways round this.

yea balls to em and wurry afterwards lifes 2 short

 

[Omniata]

yea balls to em and wurry afterwards lifes 2 short

And getting a bill afterwards you can't afford to pay because you got caught is a good idea

 

[pidgeon chit welder]

It's easy , the company that fitted them called xyz or something went bust a few weeks afterwards , the paper work never arrived .... just like mine .
Look back in the press cuttings to find them

Fensa is not worth the paper it is written on .. Initially they were supposed to cover bad workmanship problems due to not being fitted as per regs and incase the company was legally forced into closure .." Yeah and I have a bloater in my trousers " .

The building control guys are the best to go to for advice.. In this home ( August 2009 ) the contractors who were putting a window in place of the rear outside door , decided to do it as they felt like.

The BCO told them that they had to put a WPM down the wall where the window frame touched the wall where the old door had been ..much bitching later they did as was asked and the job was passed .
But I do not have any record of approval etc as I was told none was required by the BCO .
So it may well be worth getting the free 30 minutes advice some solicitors offer or get reading the BCO's rules .

 

[brightspark]

And getting a bill afterwards you can't afford to pay because you got caught is a good idea

lol u obviously dont work for any builders developers or do your own building work ive got 40 ft garage an extension on my house bigger windows patio doors they have been up 20 years now without planning they cant make me remove them and havent even tried . and i live on a main road in full view and used to run a shotblasing and hire buisness from home

 

[Omniata]

lol u obviously dont work for any builders developers or do your own building work ive got 40 ft garage an extension on my house bigger windows patio doors they have been up 20 years now without planning they cant make me remove them and havent even tried . and i live on a main road in full view and used to run a shotblasing and hire buisness from home

They could and will if they want to, if you've broken the rules, expect to pay, not if, when.

When you come to sell, planning approval certificates will be required, if you don't have them you'll have to fork out for indemnity cover, it may be cheap for some things but could seriously cost you for others...

I do do my own work, but I check first, where I live you can get seriously big problems arguing, I've know people like you to have been forced to knock everything down, themselves.


Remember, their the ones that make to rules, if you choose to break them it's at your expense, or the person you sell the house to for the loss they make after paying you for something that had to be removed or put right...
Very poor showmanship IMHO