Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most popular door styles?
How do prices and service of TimberWindows.Com Registered Installers compare to the 'local joiner'?
Will replacement timber windows and doors add value to my home?
Who will install the windows for me?
Can I buy unpainted windows and doors?
How often will my windows need re-decorated?
Are timber windows good for the environment?
What are the most popular door styles?
Choosing a design for your front door is a difficult decision! Here are some popular choices:
What is multi-layer timber?
The use of multi-layer timber is long established in Britain for long span timber structures in demanding environments such as swimming pools and bridges. In common use on the continent, but very rare in Britain, is the use for window and door sections. This multi-layer structure is particularly effective in resisting warping and twisting as the opposing grains even out natural moisture movement. And It is the twisting of timber during wet weather, more than the swelling itself, which causes windows and doors to stick. Multi-layer timber sections are used as standard throughout our range.
Are timber windows expensive?
Timber windows and doors may cost up to three times the price of PVCu frames. As a very rough rule of thumb replacing all windows and doors in a property often works out to cost the equivalent of 5% of the property’s retail value. This is an interesting statistic when you consider that more than 25% of a building’s external fabric is windows! Furthermore one needs to bear in mind that timber replacements windows and doors that combine character and performance will almost certainly add value to your home; It is likely that the value of your property will increase over and above the cost of having your timber windows and doors installed, making timber an excellent investment.
How do prices and service of TimberWindows.Com Registered Installers compare to the 'local joiner'?
Your local joiner (if he is worth his salt) will be able to make you a reasonable quality timber window although, that said, there are a huge number of technical innovations designed into the TimberWindows.Com range that your joiner will be simply unable to replicate. More fundamentally, many joinery companies will not factory finish (i.e paint) the frames for you, neither will they glaze them. Furthermore most joiners are not window experts. Few will offer to come and measure for your new windows accurately, and even fewer will offer an installation service or provide you with a guarantee that covers fitting. The task of having timber windows installed therefore turns into quite a project involving the co-ordination of many trades; a joiner to make the windows, a carpenter to fit them, a painter to decorate them and a glazier to glaze them. A TimberWindows.Com Registered Installer is a one-stop shop. They will provide you with a clear detailed quotation from the outset to complete the entire project, with no other tradesmen involved. When like-for-like costs are compared there is little difference between the final price of having windows made and installed using the 'joiner' route, compared to using a TimberWindows.Com Registered Installer.
Will replacement timber windows and doors add value to my home?
Timber window and door replacements that combine character and performance will almost certainly add value to your home. Whereas PVCu windows, inappropriately specified, can detract from the value of a property. Naomi Cleaver of the Daily Telegraph writes:
"While uPVC windows might be cheaper upfront... if you live in anything other than a new building in a contemporary design those uPVC windows can cost you dear. Taste might be subjective, but it still has a price... a quick call around to agents up and down the country - from Peter Shaw in the Fulham office of Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward to Mark Rimell of Strutt & Parker, nationwide specialists in country properties - indicated this overwhelming view: the majority of buyers find uPVC windows a turn-off and typically when making an offer on a property with uPVC windows will reduce it by the several thousand pounds it will cost to replace all those "ghastly windows" with "nice timber ones". (Full article here)
Who will install the windows for me?
Our products are installed through a network of Approved Registered Installers. Each TimberWindows.com Registered Installer employs experienced craftsmen who have been trained by TimberWindows.com in the installation of our products.
What is the guarantee?
Many traditional timber windows in Britain have lasted for centuries and are still in good working order. We are confident that with minimal maintenance our timber windows and doors will provide a lifetime of high performance. Your Registered Installer will provide you with the following guarantees:
30 Years - Rot & Fungal infection
10 Years - Double glazed units
10 Years - Hardware
8 Years - Paint finishes
5 Years - Stain finishes
* These guarantees do not apply to hand oiled oak options
In addition most Registered Installers will offer a 10 Year warranty on workmanship.
Full terms and conditions available on request.
Can I buy unpainted windows and doors?
No! For the simple reason that this is highly likely to cause performance problems with the products. As soon as untreated timber is exposed to the elements it spells trouble – water will penetrate the frames, leading to problems of swelling and warping and early decay. We therefore insist that all painting is carried out in a controlled environment on our production lines before the products leave the factory. Every item receives a base coat of timber preservative, then a primer coat, followed by two coats of micro-porous paint. Factory finishing also greatly improves the quality of these processes and, of course, makes for a much quicker and less disruptive installation in your home.
How often will my windows need re-decorated?
Broadly speaking one should expect our coatings to last for 5 to 8 years without the need for re-decoration. The precise cycle will depend on a number of environmental factors such as the geographic location of your property and the particuar aspect and amount of exposure to the elements the window receives. Re-decorating itself is a very simple task as there is no sanding down or preparation required. An average window should take about 15 to 30 minutes to re-decorate! Some of our Registered Installers offer a maintenance package - speak to them for further advice.
Are timber windows good for the environment?
According to Greenpeace "As long as timber is sourced from properly managed forests...timber windows are by far the best environmental choice" (Greenpeace Briefing: Installing New Windows 1997).
TimberWindows.Com take our environmental responsibilities very seriously. Please visit our environmental page for details.
What is the normal delivery period?
Our lead time fluctuates slightly with demand but generally 6 to 8 weeks should be allowed between survey and installation of our products. A current estimate of lead time will be included on the written quote provided by your Registered Installer. We like to work in a methodical and orderly fashion, with rigorous quality control points within the process, regrettably therefore we are unable to accommodate requests for 'rush orders'.
What are the payment terms?
In general a 50% deposit is payable to your Registered Installer when your place your order. The balance will be payable to installers on the day of completion. Any variation to these terms will be specified in advance on your written quotation.
Where can I view the TimberWindows.Com range?
We have a network of showrooms across the country where you can inspect the quality of our products first hand. Each showroom is stocked with samples of all our products from Traditional Flush Casement Windows through to Urbane Entrance Doors. Click here to find your nearest showroom.
