[Familyofmonkeys]

Have just posted this on another thread, but thought it would be intersting to start a new one here.

We are planning to get UPVC windows when we finally get house built as we don't want aluminium frames (and all that condensation :wah) and they are still cheaper than the wood/aluminium composite windows here in NZ. So far we have found a few companies who import to NZ.....

http://www.eurowindows.co.nz/index.html

http://www.epcsheerframe.co.nz/7895/html/page.htm

Thought this might be useful to anyone considering replacement windows, or if anyone has any other window companies to add :)

[Derv]

Totally agree with you on aluminium frames; not only do they have major condensation problems, but even if they are so-called "double-glazed" there's no thermal break in the frame. Plus, in my view, they always look like greenhouse windows.

uPVC is the only way to go and there are an increasing number of companies who make them here in NZ, both for new build and for retro-fit as well.

[Familyofmonkeys]

Totally agree with you on aluminium frames; not only do they have major condensation problems, but even if they are so-called "double-glazed" there's no thermal break in the frame. Plus, in my view, they always look like greenhouse windows.

uPVC is the only way to go and there are an increasing number of companies who make them here in NZ, both for new build and for retro-fit as well.

Do you know of any other companies who supply them on 'the mainland'?

[Derv]

Talk to Dagmar at NK Windows in Chch - www.nkwindows.co.nz - she's excellent on all the technical aspects and so are the company's windows.

[Derv]

And I should have added that they do low-e and argon-filled options too. And woodgrain effect, as well as white or ivory. And they also retro-fit.

And no I don't work for them!!!

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought someone was going to ask if they could bring theirs with them from the UK!

Might make the house even harder to sell :laugh

[Familyofmonkeys]

Talk to Dagmar at NK Windows in Chch - www.nkwindows.co.nz - she's excellent on all the technical aspects and so are the company's windows.

:nice1

[marcia]

I would also advise looking at having tinted glass put in, the sun is very strong over here and can soon fade your carpets and upholstery - unless you LIKE having net curtains :no

We have had our windows covered with a special tinting film - not cleap and speaking to a building friend of ours would have been about the same price to have had the tinted glass - (the people who had the house build possibly couldn't afford either option and perhaps thought net curtains were nice :uhoh)

Anyway just another option to think about for those people having houses built or changing existing windows!

[JandM]

LOL - you evidently have the same love of net curtains as I do myself.:D

[victoria]

Hi
I've tried these sites and Safari can't find the server. I also tries various google searches. Could they have moved and are now under a different address?
Cheers

[Familyofmonkeys]

Hi
I've tried these sites and Safari can't find the server. I also tries various google searches. Could they have moved and are now under a different address?
Cheers

All work fine for me just now, although noticed I missed of the 'l' of one of the links....here it is again....

http://www.epcsheerframe.co.nz/7895/html/page.html

[victoria]

Thanks! That's worked.

[Caroline and Dave]

http://buildyourdream.co.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?t=342&highlight
http://www.smarterhomes.org.nz/design/glazing/frame-options/


We decided on aluminium with a thermal break which we are assured is very good. We had UPVC in the UK and this is only our personal opinion but we think they looked ugly and also the windows we had which were exposed to sun after 5 years yellowed and looked awfull. We did consider UPVC but the price quoted was dearer than the aluminium and as we are not great fans of it opted for aluminium. We also considered wood but that was a horrendous price.
Bear in mind the opinions on build your dream are 18 months ago and things have moved on a bit since then but it is an interesting read.

[Familyofmonkeys]

We had UPVC in the UK and this is only our personal opinion but we think they looked ugly and also the windows we had which were exposed to sun after 5 years yellowed and looked awfull.

At one point this was a big problem in UK 10 years or so ago due to contamination of the materials that went into the frames. There was a big thing about one large batch which turned pinky coloured after few years.....can't imagine having pink window frames :laugh Just goes to show though, that you need to be careful where your window frames are manufactured and imported from.

If you have windows or doors that suffer 'Pinking' you will readily know that the framework is at fault, and no amount of elbow grease will make it better. Usually only parts of the frame are affected, with some white and some off colour.

There was a particular problem with one well known profile manufacturer in the late half of the 1990's (who I will not name) and a number of it's trade customers are in the 'piggy in the middle' situation of an unhappy home owner and their at fault material supplier. The problem is a difficult one for the blameless window fitting company as the proposal by their supplier is to mask up and spray all the windows on site with a special compound to make them white again. The problem with this solution is two fold: 1. The process (which is used to make coloured windows) is not best suited to outside conditions and is best performed in factory conditions. 2. The window company has the embarrassment of it's 'new' windows being what may look like them being 're-sprayed' for all the world to see, definitely not good for business.

The funny thing about real 'pinking' is that it seems to have nothing to do with ultra violet light stability, because the Sun tends to 'bleach out' the discolouration and in fact the problem shows up worst on the North side where there is less direct sunlight.

[beano_bill]

Have just posted this on another thread, but thought it would be intersting to start a new one here.

.........
http://www.eurowindows.co.nz/index.html

http://www.epcsheerframe.co.nz/7895/html/page.htm

Thought this might be useful to anyone considering replacement windows, or if anyone has any other window companies to add :)

You've just made my day!!! After a break from here since Feb 08 (through laziness mainly) and being flattened by a quote from First Windows ($60k :exit) I couldn't find any other double glazing installers.

Thanks!!

[PeteS]

Talk to Dagmar at NK Windows in Chch - www.nkwindows.co.nz - she's excellent on all the technical aspects and so are the company's windows.

We had a Building Inspector looking at our little build project this morning and I said we were having double glazed uPVC windows from NK in Chch, he said he'd just built a house and had fitted NK windows and was very happy with the service and the product.

[red]

This is a great thread! We are in the initial stages of planning our build and would prefer UPVC windows. Some of the builders we have spoken to are not very enthusuastic about them and are worried about how they will stand up to the UV rays in NZ.

I would love to hear from someone who has had UPVC windows for a few years to see how they are holding up:)

[Super_BQ]

....windows we had which were exposed to sun after 5 years yellowed and looked awfull....

There was a period that PVC framed windows and exterior siding had this problems here in Canada too. However, i'm confident that the PVC made products today are far superior to those made 10+ years ago.

When shopping, what you really need to look for is what kind of warranty the windows have?

I would also advise looking at having tinted glass put in, the sun is very strong over here and can soon fade your carpets and upholstery - unless you LIKE having net curtains....

What stops the UV light is based on the type of lamination the panes have. There are various types of coating and some virtually block all the UV light which is known to damage the carpets and furniture.

I've just ordered 2 large windows last week with a quote of around $3400 cdn installed. Labour was $640. My original intention was for triple pane, Low E 366 coated, Argon (or Krypton) gas filled. The R value for these window is far superior than any window i've seen in NZ but present a major problem. The extra weight posed a problem with distorting the PVC frame and even more worse, compressing the timber framed walls. I needed casement 95" x 59" (8ft x 5ft) with twin mechanical crank window vents on each side and the installer highly advised not going triple plane due to the size. I estimated the window alone would be well over 300 lbs which is a LOT OF WEIGHT from 2nd story.

I would also advise that not all Low E coated windows are the same. The mfg I chose had these options:

http://www.gienow.com/options-glass.html

In addition to an impressive 20 year warranty on the PVC extrusion and 10 years on the laminated glass and sealed unit.

http://www.gienow.com/cswarranty.html

So I decided to get the best double pane casements available, which have an R value around 4 (U value 1.4) - 2 to 3 times better than the original double panes installed 30 years ago. In fact, as good or better than triple pane windows with no coating or gas sealed units.

The house we live in Chch was built with all NK double pane windows. Though from appearance, they may look like a PVC framed window/door, they are actually aluminum framed with a PVC coating over the extrusion. A whole PVC framed window will still be better in terms of energy efficiency as the framing is insulated. Aluminum is a conductor and can easily sap heat from the stud walls of the house - direct to the outside cladding. Even with a thermal break, the aluminum extruded portion closest to the outside wall will still be colder and can still conduct through the framed studs. If you're gonna go aluminum for the look, then you're better to go with a wood framed window with sealed aluminum exterior cladding over it. But then again, aluminum reacts with the salt in the air so you can't win.

Our NK windows in the bathroom condensate like hell. To the point that water runs off it after each shower we've have during the cold winters. My 1st discovery was upon close examination of our bathroom window, I could see mold grow on the black rubber seals. Definitely a condensation problem!

So to combat this condenstion, we must turn the heater on in the bathroom just so the temperature is high enough from the dew point. But this is not really being energy green - having to burn electricity to heat the air. Also after the shower, it takes the vented ceiling fan about 30 minutes for all the condensation to disappear off the window.

BQ