Not a Recommendation
If anyone is looking for new double glazed windows, can I please NOT recommend Penicuik Double Glazing?
It's been an absolute shambles from start to finish - and it is not finished yet.
1) the scaffolding that we were not informed would be used. scaffolders turned up late on the first day, meaning that the window fitters couldn't start work. Then, because they hadn't properly checked the site, working purely from a Google map image apparently, they tried to anchor one leg of the scaffold on my neighbour's path (bridge) to which she objected vociferously - and they had no one onsite who could adjust the plans, meaning they had to come back another day.
2) the windows that were fitted were not exactly what we were sold - we had ordered "casement" fitting windows for the kitchen area, and "tilt and turn" in the living room, but we were given "tilt and turn" for all windows ... ostensibly because being an upper floor (2nd UK, 3rd US) 'tilt and turn' are legally required for safety. However the sales person did not tell us this and the price was calculated with the casement style (slightly more expensive) and there has been no offer of a refund.
3) we were sold "light oak effect" surround for the front windows and smooth white finish for the kitchen. what was fitted was the 'oak effect' on all windows - and 'oak effect' turns out to be a plastic fake wood that scratches at the slightest touch. no plant pots on the window ledges - the new window ledges are much narrower than the old window ledges anyway.
4) once the fitters departed we found that (a) several of the large windows could not be opened properly, or if opened, could not be closed again. also, the street noise through the new double glazed windows was higher than through the 30 year old windows they replaced. This was July. at the end of August an engineer came to fix this. In November, when the gales started, we discovered that several of the windows are not airtight and a strong cold breeze blows through when the wind is in the wrong direction - causing the temperature in the house to drop drastically. it took a couple of weeks to get hold of the company who fitted them, and another couple of weeks to get an appointment for an engineer to visit. I took a morning off work for that - but he didn't arrive until late afternoon. DH was home and was told that the windows had been fitted "without enough cams" and that he would have to order the parts. Another few weeks passed, with no contact, till finally in mid December they called and said that the first available date to fit these missing parts was 14 January. it would "only take an hour or so" but they couldn't give a time or even a morning/afternoon estimate, so DH had to arrange a whole day off work to sit around waiting. That was today. No body showed - apparently "there's a flu type bug going about", and the next available date is at the end of the month (when DH is on holiday anyway fortunately). but meanwhile the drafts continue. I currently have a rug around my legs, although the heating is on full. this did not happen with the 30 year old windows.
5) when the original fitters were here they borrowed my small folding step ladder. it is fitted with a safety catch so that it doesn't fold up when you're standing on it - but this means when you're moving it, you have to operate the catch to fold the ladder. must have been too much work - once they had gone I found they had broken the catch off the ladder. and when I got up on the ladder to clean up some of the dust and mess left behind I found they had broken one of my fridge magnets - a lovely little one I bought in Hydra in Greece - and hidden the pieces on top of a shelf out of sight (unless you were standing on a ladder)
It's been an absolute shambles from start to finish - and it is not finished yet.
1) the scaffolding that we were not informed would be used. scaffolders turned up late on the first day, meaning that the window fitters couldn't start work. Then, because they hadn't properly checked the site, working purely from a Google map image apparently, they tried to anchor one leg of the scaffold on my neighbour's path (bridge) to which she objected vociferously - and they had no one onsite who could adjust the plans, meaning they had to come back another day.
2) the windows that were fitted were not exactly what we were sold - we had ordered "casement" fitting windows for the kitchen area, and "tilt and turn" in the living room, but we were given "tilt and turn" for all windows ... ostensibly because being an upper floor (2nd UK, 3rd US) 'tilt and turn' are legally required for safety. However the sales person did not tell us this and the price was calculated with the casement style (slightly more expensive) and there has been no offer of a refund.
3) we were sold "light oak effect" surround for the front windows and smooth white finish for the kitchen. what was fitted was the 'oak effect' on all windows - and 'oak effect' turns out to be a plastic fake wood that scratches at the slightest touch. no plant pots on the window ledges - the new window ledges are much narrower than the old window ledges anyway.
4) once the fitters departed we found that (a) several of the large windows could not be opened properly, or if opened, could not be closed again. also, the street noise through the new double glazed windows was higher than through the 30 year old windows they replaced. This was July. at the end of August an engineer came to fix this. In November, when the gales started, we discovered that several of the windows are not airtight and a strong cold breeze blows through when the wind is in the wrong direction - causing the temperature in the house to drop drastically. it took a couple of weeks to get hold of the company who fitted them, and another couple of weeks to get an appointment for an engineer to visit. I took a morning off work for that - but he didn't arrive until late afternoon. DH was home and was told that the windows had been fitted "without enough cams" and that he would have to order the parts. Another few weeks passed, with no contact, till finally in mid December they called and said that the first available date to fit these missing parts was 14 January. it would "only take an hour or so" but they couldn't give a time or even a morning/afternoon estimate, so DH had to arrange a whole day off work to sit around waiting. That was today. No body showed - apparently "there's a flu type bug going about", and the next available date is at the end of the month (when DH is on holiday anyway fortunately). but meanwhile the drafts continue. I currently have a rug around my legs, although the heating is on full. this did not happen with the 30 year old windows.
5) when the original fitters were here they borrowed my small folding step ladder. it is fitted with a safety catch so that it doesn't fold up when you're standing on it - but this means when you're moving it, you have to operate the catch to fold the ladder. must have been too much work - once they had gone I found they had broken the catch off the ladder. and when I got up on the ladder to clean up some of the dust and mess left behind I found they had broken one of my fridge magnets - a lovely little one I bought in Hydra in Greece - and hidden the pieces on top of a shelf out of sight (unless you were standing on a ladder)