Brand new house with beyond horrible windows

Footermo · Apr 24, 2024 8:57 am

I am in a difficult situation. Long story short I have been handed over my brand new home in Sydney with everything in the house being great except the windows that were installed in the front of the house are to put it bluntly.. horrible. The acoustic properties of this glass and the framing system does nothing to block sound. I can have a chat on the path outside my house and I could hear it as if it's right inside the room with me. I hear every single car that passes and without looking I could likely identify the type of car it is based on the sound alone. It's that bad.
It's a single glazed system which I upgraded to hush glass which might as well a single layer of drawing paper due to how useless it is. The frame has gaps and the seal is barely pressed down on from the glass when closed. The whole system is pretty bad compared to others that I have seen online. I was talked out of double glazing by the builder for a few reasons, one being told that hush glass will be fine with the semi busy road I am infront of. So far big mistake.

The builders are having the window company return to the house to install thicker seals around the window frames but I have a feeling this will have little improvement so I need to prepare for the worst.

In total I have a large awning windows in the images shown downstairs and 7 smaller windows upstairs of the same design.

I have gotten a quote to retrofit the windows with a single glazing but it came out to about $1200 per m2 (Rough estimate would end up being $20,000 to retro fit the front windows) and is extremely ugly. At this cost I assumed I might as well look into having them replaced entirely with a brand new double glazed window or perhaps there is a way I could have reuse the existing glass in a new double glazed system?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should go about this?
Is there anyway I could reuse my existing hush glass in a new double glazed system to reduce cost?

Thanks everyone
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ECOECO · May 02, 2024 5:33 pm

Sorry, I have been trying to get to your post... I'll get back tomorrow or Saturday.

Ed

Footermo · May 10, 2024 2:19 pm

No worries mate.

I am currently looking into replacing the windows entirely for 2x or 3x glazing as well as new front doors. I sadly have no other choice due the window system being so poor for sound insulation.

ECOECO · May 27, 2024 5:07 pm

Pay again? No retribution? Your glass has a specific performance get this app and see how much your windows are leaking, then challenge the supplier.

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Footermo · Jun 19, 2024 10:41 am

Sadly the glass is performing just fine.
It's the aluminum framing system from the company they use which is beyond poor. Does not seal well and is not air tight.

ECOECO · Jun 19, 2024 11:33 am

I expected that.

If I had supplied the windows I would change them free of charge. My window has been lab tested and will deliver Rw34 with our standard glazing (4mm/air/4mm). It performs the same in the field.

If you order VLAM Hush glass, you expect it to perform and you expect your window to perform with it installed.

Viridian knows the glass is only as good as the frame and the installation..

You would have a good chance of winning in court - yes I know, who wants to go to court... your builder and your window supplier also don't want to go to court, so I would tell them what I want and expect to get it.

Ed