Clearview National January 2015 - Issue 158 | Page 48

vertical sliders

Your sash window
questions answered
Willie Kerr, managing director of Roseview Windows, answers
some of the key questions faced by sash window installers.
»»Having spoken to
countless window installers
during my 30 year career in the
industry, I have noticed there is
sometimes a little apprehension
when it comes to PVCu vertical
sliding (VS) sash windows.
Vertical sliding sash windows
are not an everyday purchase for
the typical installer - casement
windows are their ‘bread and
butter’ – and installers are
sometimes unsure about the
ordering process, what product
they should choose and whether
there will be any installation
issues. We speak to several new
installers every week who have
at least one of the following
concerns;.
What PVCu sash
window should
I choose?
If it’s a new build property or
commercial contract you will
probably require something a
little more contemporary that
offers excellent energy efficiency
(ideally an ‘A’ Window Energy

Rating), security (ideally carrying
Secured by Design accreditation)
and low maintenance. We offer a
product called the Charisma Rose
(which is manufactured using
the Eurocell profile) that ticks all
these boxes. If your customer is a
high end homeowner who wants
the look of timber but none of
the associated maintenance issues
you will need to choose a truly
authentic looking product. Ideally
you will want a window that has
intricate details such as a deep
bottom rail, putty line glass lines,
woolpile covers and incredibly
slim sightlines. Our solution
is the Heritage Rose which is
manufactured using REHAU
profile. If you are installing into
a conservation area you will
need a sash window that looks
identical to timber– much like
the Ultimate Rose. This has a
mechanically jointed sash and
outerframe, perfectly emulating
a timber joint and our in-house
developed run-through sash horn,
which has a flush fitting end
cap.

48 » JAN 2015 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M

Are sash windows
difficult to install?
VS windows may be a highly
specialised and a precision
manufactured product – but
the fact is they can be easier to
install than a casement window,
especially when replacing a
timber box sash. In many ways
replacing a timber box sash with
a casement is like trying to fit a
square peg in a round hole. The
dimensions of the two products
aren’t the same and you will need
additional trims to fill the gap,
resulting in an unnecessarily
tricky installation and higher
material costs. To support
customers new to sash windows
we offer installation training from
our headquarters, we will even
accompany customers on site.
How do I order my
sash window?
I can understand why some
installers are a little unsure how
to go about it at first and this
apprehension surrounding VS
windows is the very reason we

set up our own dedicated New
Business Division, with a team
of staff that literally guides new
customers through every stage of
the ordering and sales process.
We have specially designed, sash
window specific order forms and
we help installers fill out their
first few forms, provide detailed
technical support.
A lucrative market
A typical order value can be
double than that of a casement
job without the need for
additional fitters – and we can see
from our manufacturing volumes
that demand is clearly growing.
I hope this article has answered
some of the questions you have
about sash windows but if you
would like to know more please
feel free to contact me.
For more information
call Roseview on 01234 712 657
or visit www.roseview.co.uk