Find a Window Installer you can trust in Ferndown.

No matter how big or small a building is, it can only be as good as it’s foundation - and that’s a fact! It all starts from the footing and when it isn’t deep enough, unlike badly installed gutters or gapped hardwood flooring, can make the whole building collapse to the ground. Just like any code recommendations, the depth of the footings of your porch is a parameter that must be complied with and adjusted to suit your local code requirements.

As a rule of thumb, you should always dig below the frost line when excavating your footings. At this depth level, the moisture present in the soil will be frozen. Ultimately, this will help the ground to act as a barrier to insulate the soil below the footing from freezing during the cold months. As a result, in regions where the weather is almost always very cold the depth of your footings is expected to be at least 48 inches. But in areas featuring a warm climate, you may be allowed to install your footings on grade.

In addition, it’s compulsory that your footings must be installed at a minimum depth of 12 inches below unsettled soil. However, if you’re constructing the structure into a steep hill’s side or by the side of a retaining wall, it’s required that you maintain the least distance to grade both vertically and laterally. In the event whereby you need to achieve a good lateral barrier, you’ll need to have your foundation dug a lot deeper compared to if it’s on a flat surface. For a more accurate and updated information, you can consult your local building inspection department to get familiar with the requirements in your area.

You can only repair blown double glazed windows in the sense that you can replace the sealed unit (the glass part of the window) instead of having to replace the entire window.

When a double glazed window is blown, it means that the seal around the window has failed and is now letting air in and out. Often the first sign that the sealed unit has blown is condensation on the inside of the window, which is annoying since there’s no way to get rid of it! When your sealed unit has blown, you’ll be losing heat out of the window, meaning you could be spending more on your energy bills.

As a temporary fix, you could see if you can buy a misting repair kit online, but the condensation will eventually occur again as the air gets in. The best thing to do is ask a window installer or glazier to replace the sealed unit for you.

It's simple to replace the glass in a window – the specialist will remove the beading around the window, remove the blown glass from your window frame and set it to one side. They will then clean up around the frame before adding spacers in, then fitting the new sealed unit into the frame. They’ll make sure it’s a snug fit before replacing the beading back around the window to secure it.

There's no reason to put off repairing a blown double glazed window since the cost is generally much less than replacing the entire thing. A sealed unit with installation costs an average of £100, whereas a completely new window will cost around £400. You’ll soon notice that it’s less draughty and will be able see out of your window once you’ve had the blown glass replaced.

After fitting your new windows, your installer should take away and dispose of your old windows. If you want to keep them, just let your installer know before they start work. The UPVC frames are melted down and used on the unseen parts of new windows. Aluminium frames are re-smelted and wooden are broken down and used as chipboard.

• The glass has smashed from an impact such as a stone hitting it from a lawnmower
• You have been broken into and suspects used the window to gain entry
• The glass has blown (lost its airtightness) from constant water build-up around the seals, which is common in bathrooms
• Extreme weather or pressure changes have caused a crack

1. Including the beading (the plastic and rubber seals around the windows that can be removed), measure the width of the window frame.
2. Do the same for the height of the window, making sure you include the beading.
3. Then, take 10mm off each measurement, and you have the approximate size of your glass.

There are so many benefits that comes with building a porch in your home premises. It’s an extra space where a lot can be achieved such as drying a dripping wet dog, taking off your dirty shoes or boot and lots more. So if you’re considering to construct a porch, it’s definitely going to be a wise decision. However, before you get started, there’s a need to determine if you’ll need planning permission for a porch. It’s important to take note that planning laws are dynamic and can be updated at any point, so be sure only to use trusted sources only as your guide. If you’re the homeowner or landlord, it’s entirely your responsibility to obtain the right approval for any development project you wish to carry out within your premises.

A Porch can not be termed as an extension and neither is it a conservatory, they’re basically built to the home’s front covering the main entrance using a stone base or a brick. As a result, a porch does not need planning permission due to the fact that it’s covered by the permitted development rights if the specific guidelines for porches are complied with. Below are the instances where you WILL need planning permission for a porch.

✓ If the floor space is more than 3sqm (the wall inclusive).

✓ The highest point has a height of more than 3 metres.

✓ If the porch is situated within 2 metres of a boundary directly facing on to the road.

You may need planning permission if the house is a listed building, designated area or falls under an Article 4 Direction.

In order to build a porch without planning permission, you need to consider all the criteria stated above. You can also visit the Planning Portal website to get more detailed information before getting started.

Coloured double glazing windows are more expensive than white ones, in general. uPVC is the cheapest material to use for double glazing, and white is the standard colour. But there are endless possibilities in terms of colours you can have, and they do come at additional cost.

Some people choose to have coloured double glazing that matches or opposes the colour of the exterior of their house. Another popular option is a woodgrain effect, which from a distance looks just like more expensive timber windows. The best thing about a wood effect is that you can have the stylish look of wooden windows without the maintenance, and they should last longer.

While coloured double glazing is more expensive than white ones, it doesn’t have to break the bank. The best thing to do is get in touch with a range of window companies and ask them to come round to give you a quote. They should be able to offer you brochures or links to websites of different brands of windows that offer coloured frames. From there, you can decide on the installers you liked most and the brand you preferred.

It’s worth bearing in mind that it’s not always best to go with the cheapest coloured windows. While there lots of good, inexpensive options out there, sometimes very cheap windows won’t be good quality and may not last as long as other slightly more expensive brands. Speak to your installer about guarantees that may come with the windows and how long they would expect them to last before making your final decision.

Tiling a porch roof is a very important but laborious and difficult task. A project of this magnitude will require a large investment in planning and preparation way before the actual installation process takes place. It can be a brand new porch roofing tile or a replacement of the existing one, either way it’s crucial to get the right technique. If you lack proper training or experience in this field, we’d recommend you hire the services of a reliable professional probably within your local area to guarantee the best results and to save yourself some time and money. This guide will give you a good insight into the porch roof tiling process. Let’s have a look!

• With the crown looking upwards, put the first tile on the batten and centre the tile from side to side.

• Hammer a 10d nail at the base of the tile and into the batten (make sure not to overdrive the nail).

• To provide a much needed support, apply a little mortar under the first tile.

• Identify the inner end of the first tile and place another tile on top. Take a measurement from the outer end and adjust the end of the second tile to fit.

• Just like you’ve done with the first tile, nail the second tile into the batten.

• Position two tiles at the both ends of the ridge and proceed with the installation just as you’ve done with the previous tiles.

• Take a measurement of the distance across the ridge from the first tile’s outer end. Once done, you can then calculate the number of tiles required by subtracting 16 inches from your measurement and divide the answer by 8.

• Beginning at the second tile on one end of the ridge, install the half the number of ridge tiles towards the centre of the ridge. Now install the remaining tiles working from the opposite end to the ridge’s centre. At the centre of ridge should be a key tile with mortar.