BUYERS GUIDE TO CHOOSING WINDOWS & DOORS

INVITATION TO FREE IN-HOUSE DESIGN CONSULTATION


Signature Windows & Doors would like to invite you to a free in-house design consultation with our resident window and door design expert on Saturday 28th March 10:30am – 3pm at our Dublin Showroom 71/72 Grove Road, Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland Dublin 6. Free parking.




This is a one off opportunity for you to understand the true impact of every detail of good window design and to stamp your home with authenticity, personality and timeless appeal.




You will take home your personalised portfolio which includes relevant case-studies, drawings, design options, technical data and product specification specific to your needs.




To book your appointment in your nearest Signature showroom




Please phone: Dublin 01 4066440/ Dunlavin 045 401000




Email: [email protected]

SIGNATURE WINDOWS & DOORS


Signature Windows & Doors provides an integrated service including design, supply and installation and has a specialist replacement division.




There are Signature showrooms in Dublin and Dunlavin.




The experienced team of 40 employees in the company include design technicians, sales, paint shop and professional installation.




The total number of homes completed by Signature Windows & Doors is over 4000 ranging from complete new builds and replacement to one window installation.

DESIGN/CHOOSING AN ARCHITECT


-Professional qualification: RIAI RIBA




-Local projects: Case studies




-Referrals




-Capacity to carry out your work




-Scale of fees




-Professional Indemnity Insurance

KEY DESIGN ASPECTS OF WINDOWS Windows and Doors are the eyes of your building and link the exterior views with your interiors. They are critical to the overall design of your home and are something you will look through every day.




WINDOWS SIZE SHAPE AND ARRANGEMENT OF OPENINGS


“Windows are perhaps the most difficult aspect of houses to get right”

ASSYMMETRY NOT UNCOMMON

LARGE OPENINGS ARE POSSIBLE

WINDOWS PROPORTION DIVISION & MATERIALS


“Windows are one of the most important features of a building; the choice of window style affects the visual personality of a house.”

PROPORTION AND VERTICAL EMPHASIS: SIMPLE RULES OF THUMB

WINDOWS PROPORTION DIVISION & MATERIALS PROPORTION AND VERTICAL EMPHASIS: SIMPLE RULES OF THUMB CONTINUED

WINDOW PROPORTION

WINDOW PROPORTION & DIVISION

WINDOW PROPORTION & DIVISION

Combine Round Top With French Doors

WINDOWS PROPORTION DIVISION & MATERIALS


Larger windows can offer spectacular views, but the length to width ratio needs to be considered. In many cases, a series of smaller windows with vertical emphasis, or of square proportion, sit more comfortably than larger horizontal openings.




Windows will shape your views of the exterior and detailed design can give you the ability to customise your view. This may apply to a feature window or to a particularly attractive exterior view

WAYS TO INCORPORATE HORIZONTAL OPENINGS IN YOUR HOME

AUTHENTIC/ELEGANT PROFILE

Wall to Wall Glazing With Warm Interior Feel

Exterior at night

Corner feature interior view

Exterior View

Alu Clad Bi-Fold Doors

Interior view of bi-fold doors

Exterior with bi-fold doors

Stained Oak Bi-Fold Doors

Four Panel Sliding Door

Bay window with single panel glazed door

AESTHETICS OF WINDOWS


Kerb Appeal

SIGHTLINES FRAME YOUR VIEW

SIGHTLINES Bad Window Division

SIGHTLINES BEFORE

SIGHTLINES AFTER

SIGHTLINES BEFORE

SIGHTLINES AFTER

SASHES OVERLAPPING THE FRAME

SASHES FITTING NEATLY INSIDE THE FRAMES

CHOICES OF MATERIAL


“Windows should be made of the best quality materials affordable, both in terms of appearance and performance. Traditionally windows were made of painted timber which has several advantages including freshness of colour, slenderness of sections and depth of profile.”





PVC accounts for over 70% of the overall window market for a number of reasons: percieved as maintenance free, cheap to buy and short lead times--suiting the builders requirements!

“ Some plastic window systems can appear very chunky and two dimensional, especially where false georgian bar strips are used--something which should be especially avoided.”

WINDOW PROFILE

CHOICES OF MATERIAL


WOOD


Wood is the traditional material used for windows and doors and is ideal for providing an interior warmth and colour.




Wood can be reworked in a few years by changing the paint colour, staining or clear wood grain etc so you can obtain the feeling that you have new windows. Suppliers can also provide unrivalled profile shapes to give a luxurious feeling and unrivalled aesthetics.

Species of wood








• Pine (finger-joint or solid) • Oak • Meranti • Mahogany • Other species of traditional (eucalyptus, larch) or exotic (hemlock,oregon, white saraya) timber

Heritage Bespoke Windows/Conservation


For period homes and conservation areas wood is the only option – the additional costs tend to be more than compensated by the increased values to be obtained in these locations

LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN WINDOW MATERIAL Composite Windows and doors Composite Windows




The latest technology is composite windows i.e. windows manufactured from two materials typically a hard wearing low maintenance exterior e.g. Aluminium or PVC while retaining the benefits of a wood interior. For the home owner the benefits are obvious – little maintenance beyond washing down occasionally on the exterior and all the warmth and beauty and design of wood interiors.

COMPOSITE WINDOWS OUTSIDE

COMPOSITE WINDOWS INSIDE

BUYERS GUIDE TO CHOOSING WINDOWS AND DOORS FOR YOUR HOME



Product Details Seals -External Finish -Sound Deadening -Cleaning -Knots and Defects - Architraves and Extended Jambs - Wood Profile - Hardware - Painting - Heating and Cooling - U Values

THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE DETAIL Seals
Your supplier should be able to demonstrate the seals used in fixing the double glazing to the frame materials. Is it visible and exposed to sunlight? – exposed plastic type seals can be unsightly and may tend to breakdown in the corner joint if continually expanded and contracted whilst the debilitating effects of sunlight make them lose their plasticity.

EXTERNAL FINISH

SOUND DEADENING

LEVELS OF SOUND DEADENING 28DB -- standard  34DB -- glass mod!  42DB -- secondary/triple glazing 

Plain Wood Casement

ARCHITRAVE & EXTENDED JAMB - PAINTED

ARCHITRAVE & EXTENDED JAMB - VARNISHED

Sliding Sash with Georgian Glazing Pattern and Architrave / Inswing French Doors Interior painted white

PAINTING

LOW E - LOW EMISSIVITY

Heat absorbed and retained

Low E stands for “Low Emissivity” Designed to Improve Thermal Performance

Summer Sun reflected

Low E is coated with Metal or Metallic Oxide to reflect or absorb the suns warmth as well as reduce the damage from UV Rays

HEATING & COOLING

Triple Glazing

ECONOMY OF HIGH QUALITY WINDOWS % of Window cost to total building cost




House cost 250,00

1,500 Sq.ft




P.V.C.
cost up to 8,000

3%




Aluminium/Timber/Composite
From €15,500 to €25,000

6%-10%

In 1890 John Ruskin commented on the subject of getting what you pay for. “The common law of Business” It is unwise to pay too much, but its worse to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money-that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot-it cant be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run.

% BREADKDOWN OF COST





Type A - Reasonable cost + Design+ All in Service Type B- Low Cost -- 25% Risk of Design --15% Service -- 10%

SERVICE/REPUTATION


Who you are buying from




Showroom




Design Support




Warranties




Service




Capacity & Delivery




Integrated Service




Value for money




Value vs Cost

DESIGNED AROUND YOU




Stocks or ‘Designed Around You’




Your supplier may have to buy minimum levels of stock from manufacturers – this will result in them stocking the most common items. It is obviously better to have your products designed firstly to suit your project and then ‘made for you’ in this way you can be assured that your requirements are getting priority and not the stock concerns of your supplier.

Original Design

PLAIN SLIDING SASH

VICTORIAN SLIDING SASH

GEORGIAN SLIDING SASH

Original Front Elevation

Plain Sliding Sash Windows

Victorian Sliding Sash

Painted Sliding Sash

Painted Victorian Sash Windows

Sliding Sash: Georgian Glazing Bar Interior Painted White Windows

Original Design

Plain Casement Windows

CONSTRUCTION DRAWING OF SCREEN

Casement windows with glazing pattern

Queen Anne Sliding Sash

CONSTRUCTION DRAWING OF SCREEN

Certification 

All Signature Window & Door products are marked with CE mark.



Signature Window & Door services is committed to bringing you products of the highest quality and value. We are just as committed to backing up our products with quick responsive service and a comprehensive warranty. Windows and doors are covered by a limited warranty guaranteeing they will remain free from defects in manufacturing, materials and workmanship for 10 years from the purchase date.



Signature Windows & Doors recognises the need to limit our impact on the environment – respect for the environment is important to us. Sustainability is about responsible materials sourcing, energy efficiency, recycling, carbon emissions and life expectancy of products.

Summary


The presentation looked the how good window design is critical to the overall success of your build.




Listed the criteria for choosing windows and doors most suitable to your build




The importance of window aesthetics




Viewing windows and doors as long term investment.

Contact Details Signature Windows & Doors Dublin Showroom: 71/72 Grove Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Tel: 01 406 6440 / Email: [email protected] Website: www.signaturewindows.ie Signature Windows & Doors Dunlavin Showroom: Stephen Street, Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow Tel: 045 401 000 / Email: [email protected] Website: www.signaturewindows.ie