"Roger Mills" wrote in message
...

snip


uPVC windows have always had thicker sections than other types - although
some of the modern ones seem better than previous models in this respect.

They *can* look very heavy - particularly on smallish windows, where the
glass to aperture ratio is particularly poor.

I'd go along with that. There is a rather unfortunate case in a house near
to us.

The house in question is a small victorian workers terrace house, flat
single fronted. There is a small bay window at the front (possibly about
1.5m x 1.5m) and it's been replaced with uPVC, and has three separate
vertical glazed sections, the side two opening. The glass area looks to be
only about 1/3 of the total window area, the rest being frame. I don't know
what went on there, but it does look truly awful.


It is for this very reason that all the windows in my house are thermal
break aluminium - and I believe that they are well worth the extra cost.

Roger


I'd also go along with that! We had an old aluminium framed window replaced
with a pair of opening doors in the dining room a few years ago. uPVC would
have required pretty thick frames, but the Monarch coated aluminium doors
look completely natural, and have an operational precise feel to them that
none of the uPVC windows in the house come close to. When we get round to
replacing the large sliding patio door in the kitchen I want to put another
one of those into it, and will only be looking at the coated aluminium
framed ones.

I'm hoping the the reduction in glazed area compared to the existing
door/window will allow for some reduction in required u values for the
replacements.....

Richard

--
Richard Sampson

email me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk