Posted By: cc64Looking for some suggestions on windows installers who will work in the North London area capable of installing using illbruck's tapes and foams system to an air tight standard?

Ask Illbruck for recommendations?

When we installed our windows, my carpenters and some other warm bodies who happened to be on site carried the windows into position (we installed from inside), the carpenters fastened them into place, and I did all the taping etc.

edit: my point being that taping is not a particularly skilled or difficult job; more important is the mental commitment and the patience to do the job right.

Posted By: gravelldIt's not particularly skilled or difficult, djh is right. All the same, 95% of the window installers in this country have never even heard of air tight tape and will look at you funny. Whatever you do, you MUST look for either experience in this area or a GENUINE openness to learn and not a "that's the way I normally do it" mentality.

Most important of all you must closely supervise and make sure they do it properly. IMHO the best way to do that is to do it yourself first, at least once. Second best would be to send somebody on a course.

+1 for Ecohaus Internorm, they did our windows near Bath so clearly work in a fairly wide area, but as wookey says maybe no help if you aren't using internorm windows.

I also rate Bowtie Construction as general builders in the London area. They're probably too big now to take on a window-fitting project but they might be kind enough to point you towards who they use for window fitting.
https://www.bowtieconstruction.co.uk/

For what it's worth, there's also a great illustrated explanation of taping etc. here which any diligent fitter could follow: https://foursevenfive.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-high-performance-windows/

Posted By: revoranother video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duOXpsAncB8" rel="nofollow" >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duOXpsAncB8

There doesn't seem to be space for much insulation on the side frames of the dormer!

Posted By: revorOnly issue is that people have commented how fat my dormers look.

That is because conventional dormer construction (here and in the UK) is rubbish

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions; I contracted with someone in Birmingham who specialises in Velfac and Rationel windows. I will update later once the experience is completed.

I agree with comment above re:dormers; mine are (were) absurdly rubbish; a 4mm ply sheet formed the base of the dormer and was nailed direct to the head of the window frame; said base finished 3cm short of the lintel, to which was blob and dobbed the internal plasterboard; this arrangement handily achieved continuity of the blobndob volume (INSIDE) and that within the dormer (OUTSIDE). No prizes for guessing why 'its hard work keeping warm in these houses' (says a neighbour). The arrangement turbocharges the stack effect by providing a handy chimney for heated air loss.

Has anyone experience of osborneenergy.co.uk ? I came across them as 'founder member of the retrofit academy' this last weekend; said academy looks a good idea if now dated with all docs dated 2011; will the current administration give the impetus necessary to improve the nation's housing stock? According to to the retrofit acad if we are to achieve our 2050 emission commitments a house needs to be improved each and every minute.

mat