I can later share some of the quotes I am getting including installation if that would be interesting. It certainly is a massive cost and I am particularly looking at the part on how the install is done. It may be well worth spending an extra £1000 for a good installation to ensure they close air gaps and cold bridges rather than working about whether the U Value is 0.8 or 0.9.
Agreed. I have windows that claim Ug = 0.8 and Uf = 1 but the installation was hopeless. The company went bust shortly after I exhausted sensible discussion and lodged a formal complaint so I ended up sealing frames to reveals myself.
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Yeah thats true, I guess most of the very qualified in the know installers also supply triple glazing. Or at least the suppliers have a limited number of reputable installers they prefer you to use? Please do share quotes when you can. Keep install costs seperate.
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I still don’t have any final window and doors install costs as the manufacturers separate these as well. I also got one for Norrsken, who’s windows were about the same as 21 degrees but they estimated an installation price to be around £5000 plus £1000 for an initial survey and £550 for silicon (Everbuild 825 Mastic). I need to clarify which windows are included for this as I had the quote for several options and asked for bay window panel pricing as well and maybe they have included that for the estimate. This installation cost seems a bit excessive for 2 windows and 3 doors on the ground floor.
Does anybody have a more general idea of install costs? How much per day for a decent installer team of maybe 2? @Tim_Gilbert I was originally thinking this shouldn’t be more than £2-3000 and would take perhaps 2-3 days as it includes a wider balcony door as well.
Another question for anybody here is what kind of paper work and certification would be valuable to get for the work?
Is there anything to get at the end that says the insulation and airtightness is up to scratch? I mean other than keeping a record and journal myself? I am obviously aware of EnerPhit, but when you do things in stages what would people want to see to perhaps build on themselves from? Does the AECB have some intermediate certs or something to increase trust in the work?
Thank you.
The AECB has a 2 step retrofit standard. Step 1 is heat pump ready and step 2 is the full works. I doubt that your windows would be included in step one unless there is Freeform logging of installed measures
I don’t know how current prices are for installation but can well imagine that the shortage of skilled and committed tradesmen/women has pushed prices up.
If it helps, we got 14 double glazed windows (various sizes in a cottage) installed for £8,580.00 plus vat in 2022.
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What do you do if you don’t want to start with the heat pump? It seems like the wrong way around and would lead to oversizing the heat pump and then you are locked in with higher energy consumption for decades. That can’t really be the goal, can it?
Do you know if this has to be started with the heat pump? Thanks.
The lower standard is “heat pump ready”. In effect they are saying “don’t fit a heat pump before your house reaches this standard”. They are not saying “now fit the heat pump”.
If you have an efficient boiler with plenty of live left in it I can certainly see that you might want to get more retrofit done before swapping. The BUS grant doesn’t help as it requires a heat pump that meets current rather than projected demand and that demand is always pessimistic.
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Aside from the initial cost and the space a large heat pump demands, there is not actually a machanical problem, providing the heat pump can modulate down far enough. If it can modulate down to the new lower demand you have after more refurbishments, you are ok.
The issue is if it can not and the ASHP is constantly switching on and off.
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Just to keep everybody in the loop, while I made good progress on windows and doors, I still don’t have a builder for the project. I had two coming over and promising me a quote with a week and still nothing even after more than a month and chasing.
Another one is coming over on Monday.
Unfortunately the Retrofit Coop also can’t support the project.
Although I have to thank @Russell_Selby for helping me in the meantime discussing aspects of the build and learning a lot.
I am even now thinking to get the PHPP model from the AECB and learn it a bit myself. 
If you are thinking of following the PHPP route I suggest that you stop work on the house, get your model sorted and then follow the plan. The last thing you want to do is do something now and then discover it was wrong (like my windows)
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It is a good point. @Russell_Selby has already done the PHPP model with me. We even got a plan.
Anyway, what went wrong with your windows?
I had good experience of Everest, having bought their windows in the 1980s and went with them again in 2018. Big mistake. By then they were a failing company with contract staff almost throwing windows into openings and leaving them as they landed, so they were no longer in the top league for efficiency and they were poorly fitted.
A friend and I have stripped off trim to reveal the flaws in installation, sealed the gaps and added airtightness but they still aren’t performing as they should.
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Sorry to hear that, but I can feel your pain. Still the issue today. This all comes down to the quality of the installers and whether or not you know to tell them you care about air tightness and insulation and then check up on them.
And this is despite many of them charging seemingly super high day rates, some just optimise for profit alone and they can get away with it because how would you judge the quality once it is all plastered up. They would probably not even feel bad about it as the standard is low anywhere and they just want to offer a more ‘price competitive’ job.
Anyway, I can see that there are certain things you can’t easily fix after the window is sized and installed. But I am really happy we have this forum here to discuss these geeky but important things. Also a big thank you, Tim, for your constant support here. It makes a big difference to people like me.
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Ooo. I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy! Thank you for your kind comments.
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