Retrofit double glazed window company recommendations!?

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333 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#3248377 13-Jun-2024 12:20

Fisher Windows did ours. Cost was good (25k for a bifold (replace ranch slider), a french, a new backdoor, and 7 normal sized windows + 1 double sized. All double glazed. Would have got thermal break if I had of known about the condensation, tho thats solved with a wet vac for 3 months of the year.

ANZ do a 1% loan which covers them too.

They installed. It was the Pukekohe branch, but they have on in porirua.

This was for pulling out ALL of the frame (just hole + cladding left) and then put back to the point where we can paint the skirting board. Reduc happy with the results.

if privacy is a thing (eg bathroom) they can do a opaique thing where the INSIDE of the panel is sand blasted so you can't see thru. it's awesome. Wish I got it on 4 more of them.

Nic Wise - fastchicken.co.nz

panda123

172 posts

Master Geek

#3248468 13-Jun-2024 15:39

Got home last night to check the windows and aluminium frames. A little bit of condensation on the edges of the windows but the aluminium frame was all wet.

Will try find a few companies to give me a quote for frame + window replacement

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3248471 13-Jun-2024 15:45

panda123:

Got home last night to check the windows and aluminium frames. A little bit of condensation on the edges of the windows but the aluminium frame was all wet.

Will try find a few companies to give me a quote for frame + window replacement

got a pic at all?

a 60's house has probably got smaller windows which would suit pvc quite well. pvc can have issues with large windows (as per 70's on) as they have to add steel etc into it for strength. that where aluminum windows can be better. there was someone is SI that was importing good pvc windows that exceeded nz specs and a whole lot cheaper than anything made in nz.

nic.wise

333 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#3248536 13-Jun-2024 17:15

@panda123 saved ya 25k...

https://www.kaercher.com/nz/home-garden/window-vac.html

Nic Wise - fastchicken.co.nz

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3248544 13-Jun-2024 18:01

nic.wise:

@panda123 saved ya 25k...

https://www.kaercher.com/nz/home-garden/window-vac.html

except for all the heat loss.

the old thermally unbroken double glazing was the biggest con in the building industry. the performance figures was the glass only, they left out the fact that the frame could loose so much heat that it was worse than single glazing wooden frames.

panda123

172 posts

Master Geek

#3249115 14-Jun-2024 18:03

As you can see, the windows are pretty big in the living room and bedrooms. Most nights there will be condensation on the framing and condensation on both the frame and

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3249120 14-Jun-2024 18:22

thats 80's onwards windows. 70's had the rubber seal on the outside. it must have had a major reno done at some point.

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panda123

172 posts

Master Geek

#3249126 14-Jun-2024 18:47

Still advise to replace whole windows instead of retrofitting?

any advice on new aluminium vs uPVC frames and what companies people have used? (preferably Wellington based companies)

timmmay

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#3249142 14-Jun-2024 19:39

You'll get a better result with new frames. I think PVC is generally better than aluminium. I gave some advice on the previous page including a recommendation for a vendor.

panda123

172 posts

Master Geek

#3249146 14-Jun-2024 19:52

timmmay: You'll get a better result with new frames. I think PVC is generally better than aluminium. I gave some advice on the previous page including a recommendation for a vendor.

Thanks, I have messaged them already. Waiting to hear back from them

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3249147 14-Jun-2024 19:53

panda123:

Still advise to replace whole windows instead of retrofitting?

any advice on new aluminium vs uPVC frames and what companies people have used? (preferably Wellington based companies)

i wouldn't bother using those old frames.

upvc is cheaper for better thermals but can run into issues with large windows.

that big window, which looks like a lounge, was probably a french door originally.

timmmay

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#3249202 14-Jun-2024 20:06

panda123:
timmmay: You'll get a better result with new frames. I think PVC is generally better than aluminium. I gave some advice on the previous page including a recommendation for a vendor.

Thanks, I have messaged them already. Waiting to hear back from them

Patience will be required, but they do a good job 🙂

mulac

155 posts

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#3249884 17-Jun-2024 11:05

timmmay:

Patience will be required, but they do a good job 🙂

I had a friend that just had some windows installed from ThermalFrame, 3 weeks from measure to install. Those 9 month wait times are a thing of the past as far as I can tell!

timmmay

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#3249892 17-Jun-2024 11:43

Interesting, that's good. Mine wasn't so bad but a few years ago their queue was close to a year.

Struikrover

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3253400 26-Jun-2024 10:21

I just finished a full retrofit with aluminium TB inserts, double-glazing with Argon Low-E and 6mm Laminate. For 23 windows in original timber framing (50's bungalow), I paid approx $36K (incl. scaffolding, with KiwiDoubleglazing, being based in Auckland. From call to rough measurements (2 people) was about 1-2 weeks, and precise measurements (2 people) were finalized shortly after first deposit (5% I think it was?). Then windows were produced after 50% deposit, with installation (2-4 people, took 2 days) after. From call to install was maybe 2-2.5 months max. No issues whatsoever with the company, professional and I highly recommend.

What I learned from hours of looking into this. Curtains, hung properly, are really good at retaining heat. For windows, if I recall correctly, wood framing is most insulative followed by TB PVC, then aluminium TB, then all the unbroken stuff. However, all of the TB framing is much much better at heat-preservation than unbroken stuff. If spending lots of money on DB then no reason to cut corners on frames. I think any company worth its salt should offer this standard, and our install included this 'free' of charge. Problem with wooden framing is the poor sealing and drafting due to warping summer to winter. Can't avoid it. Reason I went with aluminium is that as material it tends to have good longevity.

Happy so far. Everything about them is absolutely solid. Seals, handles, glazing, functioning. Bonus is that it locks out noise and is safer than single glazing. Our house is street-side and high-wind zone, but we can barely hear anything of that. Before DB install we used a Kaercher window vacuum. They're actually really good at sucking condensation of the windows and well worth the money. we don't need it anymore, you can have ours =)

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