Long story short, but I'm in the process of having replacement PVCu windows, doors and roofline fitted, which is turning into a minefield in terms of fit and finish.
Can anyone shed light on the following:
1)
PVCu windows have been fitted into the brickwork apperture but are of a lesser frame depth/thickness than the soft wood items they replace.
The resulting gap between the inside edge of the window frame and the interior wall has been bridged by affixing a plastic trim-strip with flexible mastic. If this trim-strip is removed, then the cavity wall void can be clearly seen.
Is this standard practice, or should the gap first be filled with foam/packing material, prior to fitment of the trim-strip? The trim-strip itself seems to be a magnet for condensation as it's the only barrier between warm internal air and the cold of the cavity.
2)
The window handles fitted to the sash's are positioned worryingly close to the fixed frame rails and almost foul these when the sash's are opened/closed, to the point where the handles themselves are starting to wear the internal sash seals. Is this acceptable and how could this issue occur during manufacture?
3)
Is there an industry regulator who controls standards and to whom I can relay specifics, for assistance and guidance, before paying for, what could turn out to be, a sub-standard job?
Thanks in advance.
