Topic: Importing double glazed windows to NZ

Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

Anyone out there with practical experience of this? I will shortly be looking for quotes for 18 or so timber / UPVC DG windows for our Dunedin villa project.

There seems to be a decent amount of choice with companies supplying Euro-standard DG. So I wondered if users here think that NZ DG standards have risen sufficiently to make importing windows unnecessary? Or can significant cost savings still be made?

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

G'day,
I own a PVCu Window and Door company as well as central and solar heating business. If you need any advice or guidance on using PVCu I'm happy to answer any questions. There are many myths and misconceptions around PVCu due to its 'newness' in New Zealand. Our PVCu windows in particular are BRANZ appraised and made specifically for the New Zealand weather conditions. I'd say that importing your own is probably not neccessary. To give you an example of cost comparison - our windows are extremely high quality, thermally efficient and secure and will generally always price up less than thermally broken aluminium.

We also have a coloured range of PVCu that is comparative price wise to normal aluminium.

We have villas being restored in Dunedin shortly and can put you onto the builder who is a great fan of PVCu joinery, so much so that he's installing it in his own house.

We are based in Central Otago and are often in Dunedin if you wanted a rep to come and show you some samples etc.

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

Hi Thermalspec, can you provide some contact, email etc... Thanks...

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

Thanks Mr Thermalspec. I found your site easily (www.thermalspec.co.nz) and will email you a list of my needs for a quote. Cheers Nick

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

And all uPVC frames are fusion welded anyway!!

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

If something has a BRANDZ appraisal it means they spent $30k and proved a 15 year life expectancy plus meets any local standards. It also meant councils will approve it - no questions asked. It doesnt mean its a good or efficient.

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

A common thread here is that NK or Eurowindows are the way to go. Fat lot of good that is - NK only does the South Island (I'm on the North) and as for Eurowindows.... I have spent a fruitless week and a bit trying to get them to simply acknowledge my emailed request for a quote. NO response at all to numerous voice mail requests (and eventually pleas). It's a damn shame that Double-Glazed in Napier has gone out of business - their product was good and they always responded promptly and intelligently.

Even if EW does get back to me now, I would be extremely nervous to go with them, If they can't even return a phone call, how reliable will they be with delivery dates?

Does anyone else have recent experience with them?

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

I wouldn't put too much weight on that.
When we visited them they were very busy and we had a good impression of their products.
DG is out of business and EW is busy. Don't you wonder why?

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

Thanks anon - it's good to know that they are still around. But no company should ignore potential customers, no matter how busy they are. How long does it take to send a canned email with an estimate of the response time. I'm speaking with a builder now - how long should I wait for EW? One week, two weeks, a month? I might be prepared to wait for a month, but I need to know it will be a month to make that decision. Silence is not a good communication strategy.

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

NZ business still hasn't cottoned on to something called Service. I believe its because of our small size and lack of competition that a lot of business's just cannot be bothered to reply to emails etc. For a lot of stuff there are few suppliers so they couldn't care less.
I tried for weeks to get a quote for a conservatory from Thermaframe in Wellington, gave up in the end, bugger them, now that I want to put in a house lot of uPVC windows, external doors and a conservatory Im certainly not going back to them.

Mike

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

Give Oleg a call at Warm Windows.

Cascade International Ltd
PO Box 258-004, Botany
Manukau 2163
Auckland , New Zealand.
Tel. + 64 – 9 – 265 0341
Fax. + 64 – 9 – 265 0342
Mob. + 64 – 21 – 107 7643
e-mail : info@warmwindows.co.nz
www.warmwindows.co.nz

I am more than satisfied with their quality and service. No connection with the company just a very happy customer.
Some pictures of the windows I bought from them in among these
http://picasaweb.google.com/lansdownescouts/ConstructionPhotos#

Pete

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

Thanks Mike and Pete for the useful information.

As I have criticised Eurowindows in this forum, I have to be fair and say that I have now received a response - it arrived overnight (sent at 1:22 am). The response apologised for the delay and provided comprehensive pricing and useful comment on the non-conventional build. The prices are (as expected) slightly on the higher side, but definitely not outrageous. But I'm sticking to my thought that sending a canned reply with the eta for a quote makes sound business sense.

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

Think they're a bit behind due to their attending the Auckland Home Show which means both Manfred and Gayaneh were away for a few days

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

Hi Nick, I hope you noticed that almost no one actually answered your question, but went off on tangents about locally available uPVC windows. No one is wrong with what they say however; here’s my perspective.

I have done exactly what you asked, imported windows from overseas (www.superwindow.info) not because the quality was necessarily bad here but because I could not get the features in NZ that I wanted at a reasonable cost.

I wanted nailing fins to seal the RO, Integrated insect screens, as well as all the super efficient things like LowE coatings, Argon fill and insulated profiles.

We found a supplier in Spokane USA who was will to give us all our required features for a decent price. We then had to get the windows certified to meet NZ standards, first round was >$20k. We now have homes form Dunedin and Alexandra to Raglan and Wellington with these great windows with all the features.

I expect the uPVC to last longer then the homes they are installed in and never need painting.

I found that window manufacturers in NZ are stymied by the excessive charges of full on double glazing. I just paid more to replace my double glazing in one window, that I charged for the window in the first place!

So don’t import anything without some serious thought and be prepared to prove the windows you get are to NZ standards. We picked the USA because of their features and pricing, however they also survive the litigious confines of the USA, where if they are bad, they would get sued in a heartbeat.

Good luck on your quest, always happy to assist.

Cheers

Ron Theaker CD
GM
EEH

Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

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Re: Importing double glazed windows to NZ 

As I understand EuroWindows are a small hands-on husband & wife outfit (no other employees), so it wouldn't take many jobs for them to be snowed under.

However they also offer another an alternative service where the windows can be manufactured in Germany, from the same company that supplies their uPVC, then imported into NZ.

On the downside this whole process can take about 12 weeks until the windows to arrive in NZ but they cost about 14% less than what EuroWindows would charge for the same thing they would make here. The cost is cheaper apparently because the German factory is fully automated, and glass is cheaper to buy in Germany than the price NZ glass suppliers charge here.