Home Improvement Tips for Wet Weather

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

cleaning guttersWell it’s a dry morning as finish off this article but I think it would be fair to say that this is the wettest Summer we’ve had on record in Ireland. With nature in this state of mind there is the threat of more severe damage being caused because of the continuous bad weather. There are a number of things you should be looking out for to ensure you are not affected.

A good starting point would be to check out that guttering. Any damaged or missing guttering will allow all of this heavy rain water to run down your external walls, doors, and windows, causing damage to the bricks and mortar and even the internal structure of the building. As we have seen constant rain fall over the past few months, this damaged guttering could be causing serious damp conditions in your home. Making this small check and spending a little to ensure your guttering is effective could save you thousands of pounds in the long run. If you do notice some damage, you can pick up a repair kit from a DIY store to fix the problem although be aware that the problem could come back; if it does it might be a better idea to replace a piece of the gutter. Gutters can also leak or overflow water if they are blocked by leaves and debris so check this out if there are no visible breaks in the guttering itself.

Roof damage is probably one of the most common side effects of bad weather with the roof being the most exposed. It’s also not the safest thing to check over in this weather so if you’re not a professional, great care should be taken. Broken or missing tiles can allow water to leak through into the attic and cause damp patches on ceilings. It is highly recommended to get a professional to avoid further damage and for your own safety if you find yourself in this situation. Damp patches can imply water is collecting above and can cause a ceiling to bow, and even collapse, so it is important that the job is done properly and quickly. In doing this, you will be able to cover the damp patches up easily.

If you have cavity wall insulation then be sure to keep an eye out for damp patches externally as well as internally. If the wall is exposed to this weather for a long period of time, the insulation between the walls can become saturated by water seeping in or being collected. Cavity wall is a tricky one and can have devastating effects if not approached in the right way. It is suggested that it should dry out but it is likely to become mouldy in the meantime so it is strongly advised to get a professional to take a look at the effect the wet weather has had; especially if you do notice damp.

Then we have  mould. Where moisture levels are high, mould thrives and will develop and breed quickly. It takes just 24 hours for mould to develop so act fast to prevent it spreading in the rest of the house and potential health problems that come with it. Once you have dealt with the matter in hand you can tackle the after effects. You might prefer to call a professional but if the effects are small you can do it yourself. Take care; wear gloves and ideally a mask if you are tackling an exposed.  Bleach can kill mould but be careful what type of surface you apply it on because it is very corrosive.  If you are unsure, try it on a small area that is out of sight first to make sure or as I said above ask an expert to advise such as a building surveyor.

Take care of your home during this bleak weather. It is the unforeseen damages and effects that will be the costly ones.  And if you don’t want to tackle these jobs yourself you can post your job on Tradesmen.ie to get up to 4 quotes fast from rated tradesmen😉

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie

Posted in diy, tips | 2 Comments

Programmer/Developer Internship

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

Programmers Developers

The Tradesmen.ie Programmer/Developer internship will give the intern valuable experience in writing detailed specification documents, programming and web application development following professional coding techniques. You will get to work with the manager and the other members of this dynamic and energetic team.  You will not only get to write really great code but you will get an opportunity to see the bigger picture and how your work really makes a positive impact on the whole business process and the brand that you represent.

Ideally you would work at our office here in Co. Laois but but other arrangements can be made if that is not suitable as long as it is acceptable for your placement supervisor.

Duties:

  1. Learn how to develop detailed specification documents with clear project deliverables and timelines, and to ensure timely completion of deliverables.
  2. Learn how to determine appropriate architecture, and other technical solutions
  3. Learn how to engage in outside-the-box thinking to provide high value-of-service to the company.
  4. Learn how to identify emerging technologies, web and mobile applications and the opportunities to integrate them into operations and activities.
  5. Odd Jobs / Errands

Qualifications:

  1. You should be studying computer science or a related field
  2. You should have experience with HTML/XHTML and CSS
  3. You should have experience with PHP, ASP, ASP.NET or Java
  4. You should have experience working with relational database systems such as MySQL or MSSQL

Pay

This is an unpaid position but we will pay expenses, please ask for further details

Tips For Your Application

When applying for jobs or internships make sure to write a cover letter that shows you have researched what the company is about and that you have the relevant skills and experience appropriate for the job or internship you are applying for.  Here are some tips below to help with your job or internship application

Tips to Improve your CV

  1.  Put the most relevant programming experience and qualifications at the top
  2. Use bullet points to display important information
  3. Spell check and proofread your resume several times

Tips to Improve a Cover Letter

  1.  Address your cover letter to the right person
  2. Capture the reader’s attention, mention some programming interests or experience here
  3. Spell check and proofread your cover letter several times

On your cover letter and CV find a way to show that you are smart, love programming, and are constantly growing, learning, and exploring new ideas. Talk about your relevant hobbies if you have any, like contributing to open source projects, community support forums or volunteering to teach local children programming. Let them know if you like programming or computers enough to deal with them outside of your work or studies.

It is a really simple formula for the employer. While two candidates may be equal today, the candidate with passion will be far more advanced in the weeks and months to come than the candidate who treats it as “just a job.”  And if you haven’t been partaking in any of these activities outside of your studies up to now, start as soon as you can and it will really develop your skills, help you to network with other like minded people and open up new opportunities that would otherwise never have been possible.

By following these tips you will be well on your way to getting noticed by employers in the hope of being called for an interview. The whole purpose of a CV and cover letter is to get an interview, so the work you put into improving your documents is well worth the effort

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie

Posted in Jobs, news | 4 Comments

Gardening Tips For Wet Weather

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

gardening tips in wet weatherIt is fair to say that the weather in Ireland has been atrocious in the last 6 weeks as we make our way through the apparent summer season. Gardens are suffering and efforts throughout the spring destroyed. However, there are some simple things that you can consider or do to reverse and overcome the effects (By the way I hope that by publishing this article today that Murphy’s Law will work the other way around and that the rain will stop:))

One problem we are facing is drainage. Realistically, it is not always possible to avoid drainage issues; you can use plastic covering although this isn’t the most practical method and can be a hassle to secure. On the other hand, planting your vegetables or flowers in raised beds can do the trick. If you use freestanding containers then even better; you can elevate them easily using bricks or even bring them inside if you have the suitable space or a garage. If you are looking to create your garden now, position beds and borders close to the house.

Avoid walking on your grass or mowing whilst it is wet. If you live in a built up area then you will know that there is no need to watch the weather for the moment when you can get out there; the sound of mowers far and wide will alert you to take action!

To tackle the damage your garden has already endured, remove dead or damaged flowers to encourage new flowers to form. Feed plants often as the constant rain is washing the nutrients out of the soil. Weeds will be popping up everywhere and are a constant for gardeners ensuring there is always something to do whatever the weather!

Slugs are a big problem that comes with the continuous wet weather. They are multiplying, fast. They are no doubt in their element at this moment and are happily feasting on your vegetable patches and destroying flower beds. If you are looking to protect a vegetable patch then for health reasons sprays aren’t usually an option. Pellets are a hazard to other small animals and are therefore not recommended although there is nothing to say that you can’t take this route if you wish. What options are left? Most people tend to go for one of two options; salt or by hand. Salt is very effective and a popular choice, especially for the squeamish! Cutting back plants can be helpful to increase visibility for birds. Blackbirds and Thrushes will be more than happy to give you a helping hand.

If you want to start a fresh and replace those damaged plants or vegetables, you can. As we are already in July the easiest thing to do is check out the packaging when buying your seeds as they tend to be able to advise. Options for this time of year include cabbage, peas, carrots and celery. Radish and lettuce grow quickly so should be okay as well.

The bad weather isn’t the end of your garden, even this late in the year. Rescue your garden so you can relax and make the most of those occasional bouts of sunshine!

If you have any tips of your own please feel free to comment below.  And don’t forget that if you don’t want the hassle of doing all this work yourself, you can always get up to 4 gardening quotes fast from rated gardeners here on Tradesmen.ie:)

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie

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Tradesmen.ie Blogger/Journalist/Writer Internship

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

blogger writer journalist InternshipThe Tradesmen.ie blogger/ Journalist/writer internship will give the intern valuable experience writing articles following professional journalist techniques. You will gain experience in the identification of suitable news stories, topical events and home improvement issues that need solving to create really useful and relevant articles that will be of genuine benefit to readers.   You will get to work with the managing director of this award winning company and you will get to co-ordinate with other award winning bloggers, journalists and writers to learn from the best.  You will not only get to write really great articles but you will get an opportunity to see the bigger picture and how your work really makes a positive impact on your readers and the brand that you represent.

Ideally you must be social media and web savvy as you will also be required to use various social media tools for marketing purposes.  Graduate students are preferred and the selection process is very competitive.

Our company is based in Ireland but this is a virtual position and can be done from anywhere.  If you live in our area you are welcome to use our facilities here in Co. Laois.

Your duties would be as follows:-

  • to research and write articles daily.  We will need at least 3 short articles (300-500 words) a day
  • to set up interviews with celebrities and industry experts that we would like to feature on our blog.
  • to come up with new ideas for other types of content that would relevant for our readers.
  • to promote articles across relevant social media.

Qualifications:

  • You should be studying Public Relations, Journalism, English, Writing or Marketing
  • You should have experience in blogging, researching, and writing
  • You should be internet saavy
  • You should have excellent communication skills

Tasks / Skills

Blogging
Email Marketing
Events
Scheduling / Phone Calls
Social Media
PR / Marketing
SEO
Odd Jobs / Errands

Pay

This is an unpaid position but we will pay expenses, please ask for further details

Tips For Your Application

When applying for jobs or internships make sure to write a cover letter that shows you have researched what the company is about and that you have the relevant skills and experience appropriate for the job or internship you are applying for.  Here are some tips below to help with your job or internship application

Tips to Improve your CV

  • Put the most relevant experience and qualifications at the top
  • Use bullet points to display important information
  • Spell check and proofread your resume several times

Tips to Improve a Cover Letter

  • Address your cover letter to the right person
  • Capture the reader’s attention
  • Spell check and proofread your cover letter several times
  • Ask for an interview at the end of your letter

By following these tips you will be well on your way to getting noticed by employers in the hope of being called for an interview. The whole purpose of a CV and cover letter is to get an interview, so the work you put into improving your documents is well worth the effort

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie

 

Posted in Jobs, news | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Conservatory Prices and Sunroom Prices

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

conservatory and sunroom prices

Hi folks,

here’s a quick survey that we carried out today for conservatory and sunroom prices.  The survey was directed at conservatory and sunroom builders in Ireland.  Our question was as follows:- “We are looking for a price on a typical size 1. conservatory and 2. sunroom that you have done.   Both would require knocking out part of the wall of the living room of the house in order to join it on”.  Below you can see the answers that we got back which make very interesting reading for anyone looking to extend their home using either of these methods..

Mathew S

1. Conservatory. 12ft by 8ft, Blockwork, Steel frame, 5FT high windows,

Double door, proper hip slated roof. 12,500EURO.

2. Sunroom. 12ft by 12ft, Blockwork, steel frame, 4ft high windows, double

door, slate roof. 18,500EURO.

 

Gavin S

4m*4m about 18000e

 

Mick A

Typical size for Conservatories to rear of house no planning required up to 6m x 6m2, Conservatory or sun room block up to 600mm rest glass or Conservatory full glass both same price including knocking through from house and moving pipe work and sewer, approx €10,000 depending on finish

 

James O’ C

In relation to the sunrooms it would depend on whether they need path around the sunroom and whether they are actually completely open up from the kitchen in to the sunroom, or using the existing double doors they may have, what type of heating, and if they would be ok with electric rad.   A 16m2 bulk standards would cost in the region of €15,000 – €16,000 including vat.  This would be for a slated roof, windows all round, skim inside this would be fairly standard.

A 12-13m2 sunroom with vaulted slated roof and timber ceiling would cost about €2000 less for the same spec.  If they are going for a big bigger, with stone or brick external finish, higher quality windows etc you could be talking about €18,000-€20,000

 

TJ M

Approx, 16ft x 16ft, french doors, two windows, €15,000, fully finished

 

Rory O’ C

Usually when people are building a sun room etc they go for exempt of planning. Which may vary in different county’s. Exempt of planning gives the total sq ft you can build on to your property with out applying for planning. Example 200 to 400 sq ft. 20ft by 20ft= 400sq ft you can check exempt of planning by logging in to your local county planning office and look for exempt of planning it will give you all the info online.

 

Size 1 extension 200 sq ft approx price 17 to 20k + Vat at 13 1/2%. Size 2 extension 400 sq ft approx price 35 to 40k + Vat at 13 1\2%. Prices vary depending on location site conditions and finish requested. Standard spec or high spec. I hope this helps.
Also I am noticing may people do not have drawings for jobs to price off. It makes a contractors job much easier when there is a set of drawings to work of.
You know exactly what your pricing for and there is no issues when it comes to final payment.  I’m seeing it on a regular bases it brings clarity to projects for all party’s involved.  It may be something to think about for architects looking for work.

 

Jim K

Not sure about a conservatory but for a sunroom with
high rated windows, french doors and two velux in the roof, painted and
tiled you’d be talking between 22 and 26,000
euro. Hope this is of help to you

 

John H

That’s is a hard question without any sizes, but a 4meter square conservatory170 square ft would be around €12/15,000 and a sunroom in the same size would be around €14/18,000

 

Keith D

A conservatory that would consist of heating and electrics a concrete

kingspan insulated floor base and A rated windows and roof, size 12ft X

16FT €17,500 INCL VAT @13.5%

 

A sunroom that would consist of a concrete kingspan insulated floor base

and walls, Apex timber roof with two velux windows, one set of A rated

french doors and two a rated u.p.v.c windows, heating and electrics ,all

skim finished and paths around extension and grass seeded size 20ft X

20FT €35,000 INCL VAT @13.5%

 

Derek C

It is very hard to give a good accurate price without seeing plans and a site visit but I can tell you the last sunroom I built was approximately 100sqft and I did it for around €12,800 plus vat at @ 13.5%= €14,528
The last conservatory I did was 12×15 which is 180sqft and that cost around €13,000 including vat.  I hope this is of some use to you.

 

Liam C

Conservatory 12  \18 cost 24000 euro .sunroom 18\20 cost 22000 euro

 

Liam G

Typical 1. Conservatory 144sq ft € 13800 2. Sunroom 180sq ft € 17500

 

Miron O

Depends always what involves how many windows, side door or french door what kind of roof how many velux windows.You may calculate to say 6 by 4 metres= 24 sqm at 800/sqm and whatever you allow to include in this and else you will say is extra. I will say in 800/sqm include foundation walls one window one french door rad 6 spots one out side light one velux

 

Stephen G

I built a flat pack conservatory 6meters x 6meters, Dwarf wall, triple poly carbonate single hip roof, french doors. 4 double sockets, light, dwarf wall plastered.
Labour, materials including flat pack conservatory
15,000 euro

 

Derek F

A Typical 4mtr x 4mtr conservatory , breaking out opening and
installation of RSJ , windows etc … would roughly cost between
€12,000 & €15,000. Depending on clients requirements .

 

Neil T

For a conservatory of approx 20sqm in size our average price is €16K and a sunroom is approximately €20k . That is ex vat prices, includes all ground works through to painting with the glazing achieving 1.4 w/m2K

 

Colm M

A rough price would be 3.600 wide x 4200 long it would come in at €24,000 ex vat but could be higher depending on ground works ,access and spec of the sun room . Hope this helps . 1600/m2

 

Tommie F

A 12ft by12ft conservatory with slate roof would cost 12,000+vat

John M
for your average 25sq m , depending on windows and insulation spec , your looking at €22,000

———————————

There’s a huge variety of prices, sizes and dimensions there but I did some rough calculations per square metre and I found that the conservatories are working out at between €800 and €1,100 per square metre with €1,000 being the most common price.  Sunrooms are averaging between 900 and €1,600 per square metre (most between €1,000 and €1,200 per square metre)

 

Please remember that when you’re deciding who should build your conservatory or sunroom to always put quality ahead of price.  Some important tips are as follows, (a) get references, qualifications and insurance details from each contractor who quotes for the job, (b) make sure to have an independent certifier sign off on each stage of the build (c) only pay for each stage as it’s signed off by the certifier (d) consider using an escrow payment facility to manage the payments and to safeguard both you and the contractor.

I hope this helps some of you who are planning to extend your home in the future and if you decide to go ahead with it you can get a number of conservatory and sunroom prices here and get up to 4 quotes fast from rated tradesmen!

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey

Here are some other articles that you might be interested in below:-
http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2012/04/do-i-need-planning-permission

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2012/04/certifying-my-building-or-renovation

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2011/10/attic-conversion-prices-dublin-ireland

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2012/04/house-extension-prices-dublin-ireland

Posted in Price Comparisons | 4 Comments

Results of Monthly Draw

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey


Hi folks,

Each month we have a draw for cash prizes for everyone who posts a job on our site and provides feedback.  So not only do you get up to 4 quotes Fast from Rated Tradesmen but you could also win a cash prize as well!  The draw for everyone who provided feedback in May was held today and the 1st prize of €100 cash went to Keith Manning, Chapelizod, Dublin 20  and the 2nd prize of €30 went to Sarah Whelan, Citywest, Dublin 24.  Congratulations to you both and thanks to everyone who provided feedback on our site as it helps to improve the experience for everyone.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Wifi and 3GAnd for everyone who hires a Tradesman and provides feedback in May, June or July there will be a competition later to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab Wifi and 3G worth over 600euro!!  So be sure to post your job on Tradesmen.ie if you need up to 4 Quotes Fast from Rated Tradesmen!”

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie
27th June 2012

 

Posted in Prizes and Competitions | Leave a comment

Free Gifts and Sponsors Wanted for Home or Building Related Products

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

free gifts wantedHi folks,
if you have a company which would like to promote your home, building or DIY related products in Ireland we have the solution for you.  We have over 10,000 customer subscribers and over 10,000 tradesmen subscribers for our newsletters, blog and social networking sites.  We would like to reward our customer’s and tradesmen’s loyalty by offering free gifts or rewards from time to time.  The gifts can be as big or small as you like but must be real gifts and must be home, building or DIY related.  It can also be a gift of a service as long as it is genuine we are happy to consider it.  Alternatively, if you have a blog or newsletter subscriber list based in Ireland and you wish to reward your subscribers, we may also be interested in providing a free gift to you.  This is a great way to promote your product, service or blog and we look forward to hearing from you so if you have anything to offer please contact us here

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie

 

Posted in Prizes and Competitions | Leave a comment

47,000 Jobs Posted on Tradesmen.ie!!

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

47000 Jobs Posted on Tradesmen.ieHi folks,
today we exceeded 47,000 jobs posted on Tradesmen.ie since we launched the website in 2008.  I’d just like to thank all of the customers and tradesmen, from the bottom of my heart, who have supported us over the last 4 years.  We really appreciate your help and especially the many many referrals that you send to us each day.  It just goes to show that there is still a lot of work available and this service makes it easier for customers and tradesmen to find each other quickly and hopefully get a better quality job done more cost effectively than normally would have been the case.  Please continue to help us to spread the good news about Tradesmen.ie and help us do our bit to create and sustain jobs in Ireland!

Many Thanks
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie

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Plumbers Dublin – How to find plumbers in Dublin

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

PlumberHi folks,
sometimes it’s really hard to find a local plumber when you need one.  You spend hours looking for plumbers in the Golden Pages and searching on the Internet, ringing numbers and sending emails and eventhough it’s supposed to be a recession it seems like everyone is too busy to deal with your problem.  Well don’t worry because Tradesmen.ie just might be the answer to your problem.  For example if you are looking for plumbers in Dublin all you need to do is go to Plumbers Dublin, fill in one simple form with your contact details and a description of your job and within as little as an hour you can have up to 4 plumbers quoting for the job.  The service is free to the customer and you can also read the references and reviews that the plumbers have received from previous customers before making up your mind who to choose.  Also be sure to ask for insurance details, qualifications and any other details that you need to be sure that you are absolutely happy with the plumber that you are hiring for the job.  Make sure to always go for quality first over price and pick the plumbers with the most references and reviews to ensure the best job is carried out.

Plumbers will carry out a variety of work from fixing a leaking tap to installing a new bathroom suite to putting a water tank in the attic.  The companies registered as plumbers often have a team of people working for them so they can manage a complete bathroom renovation which may involve other trades such as block layers, plasterers, tilers and carpenters.

There is also an escrow payment facility available that you can use which lets you pay money into a holding account and it is only released when you or an expert has signed off on the work.

I hope you found this article useful and if you have any questions or comments we’d welcome them below.  In the meantime if you are looking for a plumber in Dublin post your job today at Plumbers Dublin and get up to 4 quotes fast from rated plumbers!

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie

Posted in tips | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Window and Door Prices in Dublin

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Oliver Dempsey

PVC Window ProfileHi folks,
the other day we ran a quick survey to ask window installers in Dublin and surrounding counties for a rough price to replace the windows and doors in a 3 bed semi D.  In summary they were asked to price a door & livingroom window on groundfloor front and one bedroom window on the 1st floor at the front.  At the back there would be a kitchen window, back door and bathroom window on ground floor and two bedroom windows on the 1st floor.  All windows to have a u-value* of 1.3.  Here were the replies below:-

 

Aidan C: Price based on standard 7 windows, french doors and front door in uPvc. Double glazing with a U-Value of 1.1. (or option of 0.8 in certain circumstances) would generally be estimated at €7500 – €8000. Of course this could differ on a site survey.
Martin D: 7 white pvc windows & 2 doors €3500 plus vat aprox
Andrew S: Price for windows replacement will be around €5k including all materials & labour.
Derek F: The 3 bed semi D with 8 units , a rough estimate would be about
€4,500 + V.A.T
Rory W: I would be pricing this at €3,900 inc vat . This would cover removing the
old windows and disposing of and patching around replacing reveals on the
inside when the new windows are fitted
Martin D: it would be about 4300 euro for that as standard fit with 1.3 u you can get them down to 1 or below now but are more expensive
Martin H: €3400 for white pvc inc. please note prices may vary greatly depending on quality of windows my quote is for top quality. Price includes front and back white pvc doors
Keith D: It would cost €5,900 incl vat @ 13.5% for standard white. We only use A rated which is .3 value (that value includes the frame not just the glass)
Alan B: There are a lot of variables but I priced for A rated white upvc standard doors supply and fit and removal of okd windows would cost €3100 plus vat
Tony C: Budget cost for windows/doors fitted. 6500 plus vat @13.5%
John K: further to your spec quotation for windows 4300 inc vat
Martin D: its not easy with no measures of amount of opes or tilt and turn escapes etc but 6 average size windows and 2 doors for semi d fitted would be about 4650 euros
Alan M: The price u require for windows and door all a rated 5300+ vat @13.5% (oliver:this only includes one door so would be at least 6200+ vat with an extra door)
Shane K: all houses different but a quick guide for white windows is 400
per window inc vat and fitting a small bathroom one may be 300 but a big
sitting room one may be 500 so about 400 each is never too far away so 7
windows fitted is about 2800 back door about 800 front door 1100 so 7
windows 2 doors white is about 4600 and 15%extra for colour
Damian M: I’ve priced your quote as follows, I’ve also given you sizes of windows to give you an indication of overall costs. Obviously if there is a big difference between that quoted and the actual windows it will impact on the cost.
1 Living Room Window 6′ * 4′
2 Bedroom Windows 4′ * 4′
1 Bedroom Window 6′ * 4′
1 Kitchen Window 4 * 4′
1 Bathroom Window 4’*4′
Front & Back Door White PVC Clear Glass
All above A rated doors / windows = €3,800 This will give you a U value of 1.4

As you can see there is a wide variation of prices here as in previous surveys that we have carried out but the most important thing is to compare like with like.  Our survey was very rough with no measurements on the windows so some of the higher prices above may be allowing for larger size windows.  However, the main thing that it demonstrates is the need to get a number of prices when planning your window replacement job.  Make sure to ask does the price include or exclude VAT, does the price include or exclude disposal of the original windows and doors and does it include patching around the reveals.

A friend of mine got her windows replaced about a year ago and she was very disappointed to find when the job was done that the price had not included patching around the reveals.  This fact was included in the contract that she signed when purchasing the windows but she hadn’t read the small print.

You will notice above that we used a u-value of 1.3 which is a pretty good u-value but by no means the best u-value.  The lower the u-value of the window the more it will retain the heat in your home and save on your heating bill.  There are lots of places in your home where heat can be lost but in the past the windows and doors would have been the week points.  These days you can get windows and doors that are so well insulated that they will retain the heat far better than the walls, floors and ceilings.  However, you have to weigh up the cost benefit in having windows and doors that are exceptionally good at keeping in the heat if the heat ends up going out through your walls, floors and ceilings instead.  This is particularly the case if there is no prospect of the walls, floors and ceilings ever being improved in the future or if budget is an issue.

If I was buying windows and doors for my own home I would certainly insist that they are certified so that I can be sure what standard they are.  I would have thought in fact that it would be mandatory to have all new replacement windows and doors certified in this day and age.  However, I did some research on the subject and it’s not obvious whether it is mandatory to have windows certification in Ireland. I found one article that said that CE Certification would be mandatory for upvc windows and doors from the 1st of February 2010 throughout Europe. Then there is the NSAI which provides a certification for windows in Ireland. But I couldn’t find anything to indicate if it is mandatory to have certification and if so what type of certification from which body would be required. I will continue to look into this matter and it might be a topic for a future blog.  In the mean time if anyone can shed any light on the matter please put your comments below.

If you are unsure what u-value your windows should be I would suggest asking an independent expert such as a BER assessor or a building surveyor at least for an opinion and I’m sure they won’t charge too much.

If you do decide to go ahead with the window and door replacement job you can get a number of window prices here or if you want to hire a BER Assessor or Building Surveyor just Browse Trades by Category

If you have any other comments  or suggestions please feel free to comment below

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie

Here are some other articles that you might be interested in below:-

Flooring Prices

Tiling Prices

House Painting Prices

Gas Boiler Service Price

* Thermal transmittance (U-value) relates to a building component or structure, and is a measure of the rate at which heat passes through that component or structure when unit temperature difference is maintained between the ambient air temperatures on each side. It is expressed in units of Watts per square metre per degree of air temperature difference (W/m2K).  Source: Building Regulations Technical Guidance Document, Conservation of Fuel and Energy 2007, Part L, paragraph 0.3.4.

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