FutureProof and EcoClad from Munster joinery

JamesSmith99

HI All
Just got a good a very competitive quote from Munster joinery and was wondering if anyone has installed their Futureproof and/or their Ecoclad/EcoTherm range

http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=33
http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=21
http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=22

I know the reputation of Munster Joinery is far from glowing. I questioned the rep about this and he agreed that their quality during the Celtic Tiger years was not good and coupled with the speed and cost-cutting of builders led to "reputation problems" but he was adamant about the quality of these new ranges.

So if anyone out there has installed these windows I would be very interested to hear your opinions about quality, installation and service

Thanks

heinbloed

I can't comment on the quality of the mentioned products, but if a manufacturer claims: (quote copied from one of the above links):

• Extremely efficient thermal performance • Insulation levels to meet Building Energy Requirements for decades to come ....

then either he/she doesn't know what they're talking about or are willingly taking the potential client for a ride.
No gas filling (Argon, Krypton), no desicater lasts for decades. However if they insist on making such claims the client has an eternal come-back, free replacement of all parts which can not stick-up to this claim.
New panes every ten years, that long the longest guarantee from reputeable manufactuers is. Not any longer, I actually know of only 1 window manufacturer who claims that the insulating properties of his panes last that long. The law of Gauss.

I always stay away from companies who consider their potential clients to be more stupid than their staff responsible for such advertising brochures.

clint_eastman

JamesSmith99 wrote: »

HI All
Just got a good a very competitive quote from Munster joinery and was wondering if anyone has installed their Futureproof and/or their Ecoclad/EcoTherm range

http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=33
http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=21
http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=22

I know the reputation of Munster Joinery is far from glowing. I questioned the rep about this and he agreed that their quality during the Celtic Tiger years was not good and coupled with the speed and cost-cutting of builders led to "reputation problems" but he was adamant about the quality of these new ranges.

So if anyone out there has installed these windows I would be very interested to hear your opinions about quality, installation and service

Thanks

I've just had the Future Proof windows installed. I was always wary of the look of white PVC but I was pleasantly suprised. I went with the triple glazed option but I'm not moved in yet so can't really comment on the performance. Based on aesthetics alone I'm happy and glad that I didn't spend the extra on the eco clad. I knew the rep personally so its difficult to know if I was treated better than anyone else. I found that after much research into about 10 companies and their products you'll still end up taking a certain amount of a leap of faith with your choice and can only hope it works out well given the amount of money involved.

Out Of Order

I got triple glazed future-proof ones lately. The decision was between these and a manufacturer in Mayo that had the same u-valve at same price but these ones had a thicker frame so I went with them.

They are a good sturdy window, but there are some issues due to the installers being a bit careless, which I'm told will be rectified.

I got them in the golden oak effect and they look well with my golden oak fascia and soffit.

I am disappointed however, with the fact that they do not have a WEP cert to verify the claimed u-values, despite being told by the rep that they had. If I was back again, I would have went with the other manufacturer.

The lesson? Ask to SEE the WEP cert!

JamesSmith99

Out Of Order wrote: »

I got triple glazed future-proof ones lately. The decision was between these and a manufacturer in Mayo that had the same u-valve at same price but these ones had a thicker frame so I went with them.

They are a good sturdy window, but there are some issues due to the installers being a bit careless, which I'm told will be rectified.

I got them in the golden oak effect and they look well with my golden oak fascia and soffit.

I am disappointed however, with the fact that they do not have a WEP cert to verify the claimed u-values, despite being told by the rep that they had. If I was back again, I would have went with the other manufacturer.

The lesson? Ask to SEE the WEP cert!

Good comment about the WEP cert, had a look at http://www.nsai.ie/Our-Services/Certification/Agrement-Certification/WEP-(Wind-Energy-Performance)-Scheme.aspx
and found some more companies, might just see if I can get quote from a few of them

cuculainn

JamesSmith99 wrote: »

HI All
Just got a good a very competitive quote from Munster joinery and was wondering if anyone has installed their Futureproof and/or their Ecoclad/EcoTherm range

http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=33
http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=21
http://www.munsterjoinery.ie/products/index.php?pid=22

I know the reputation of Munster Joinery is far from glowing. I questioned the rep about this and he agreed that their quality during the Celtic Tiger years was not good and coupled with the speed and cost-cutting of builders led to "reputation problems" but he was adamant about the quality of these new ranges.

So if anyone out there has installed these windows I would be very interested to hear your opinions about quality, installation and service

Thanks

We went through a similar process as you recently. Really liked the look of the future proof, really disliked the reputation of MJ.

What decided it for us was, that they were 3K dearer than other threble glazed products and a similar U-value.
ALso the FP have NO steel in the frames, only foam......we were a bit concerned about this. A
lso,we couldn't get the FP in the colors we wanted, and when we looked at a house that had the windows, the installers had damaged one window putting them in

Mellor

heinbloed wrote: »

I can't comment on the quality of the mentioned products,

not aiming this directly at you HB, but at EVERYONE,
If you can't comment directly on the quality of the products above then don't.
The products only, I don't care what opinions you have on MJ, or other products, or anything that happen previously with MJ.

but if a manufacturer claims: (quote copied from one of the above links):
then either he/she doesn't know what they're talking about or are willingly taking the potential client for a ride.

I think we are all aware that advertising spin is often overshot, virtualy all companies do this at one stage. The problem bieng the guys in marketing don't have a clue about the product.

No gas filling (Argon, Krypton), no desicater lasts for decades.

They do have the option for either argon or krypton filling.
I understand your point regarding the desicater, but a layperson willl not.

However if they insist on making such claims the client has an eternal come-back, free replacement of all parts which can not stick-up to this claim.
New panes every ten years, that long the longest guarantee from reputeable manufactuers is. Not any longer, I actually know of only 1 window manufacturer who claims that the insulating properties of his panes last that long. The law of Gauss.

This is true, they will degrade like others.
But nowhere do they claim that they don't degrade. They are considerable under the min at the minute and my feeling is that "marketing dept" is spinning this based on the fact that it might take 21 years to degrade past current regs.

All that really matters is the guarantee on paper. So please, nobody try to put any spin on anything, lets stick to facts.

Maybe one of the people who used them can tell us what the guarantee was?

cuculainn wrote: »

What decided it for us was, that they were 3K dearer than other threble glazed products and a similar U-value.
ALso the FP have NO steel in the frames, only foam......we were a bit concerned about this.

Why did this concern you? This is pretty common in high spec windows.
Stell reduces the u-value of the frame, you may of compared with another window that had similar glazing u-value, but a lower over all. Or maybe not didn't, jsut pointing out its possible.

Poor Uncle Tom

This thread is discussing a product from one of the bigger companies/businesses in the country and for that reason we are happy to leave it open. We will not allow a discussion on the company/business itself and any off-topic comments will be deleted, and the posters may be banned.

cuculainn

Mellor wrote: »

Why did this concern you? This is pretty common in high spec windows.
Stell reduces the u-value of the frame, you may of compared with another window that had similar glazing u-value, but a lower over all. Or maybe not didn't, jsut pointing out its possible.

The U-values compared were for the overall window (frame and glass combined), I suppose it wasn't a major concern, I was just pointing it out as an FYI. It is a slight concern though, beccause at the end of the day they are PVC windows and need to be reinforced...However, they do seem very solid and strong so maybe it is not an issue.

mad m

I got EcoClad from MJ...I ended up changing the whole house. I was getting an extension as the time. MJ wouldn't as policy rip out the old ones to the front of the house (My builders would have to do this and install their windows). The new part there was no problem.

The day came and I had windows out myself on the old part. They installed the windows to the new and offered to install the windows for me to the front. Overall I'm happy with the windows and their installed two years now, there still is a little build up of condensation inside but hey what window doesnt have some form of it in our climate, especially this time of year.

The price I got was the best price of any manufacteur I got prices from. The icing on the cake was the rep heard that one of the windows got damaged and offered me a new window or money back. I took the money as the window would of been a hassle to take back out....

Also the windows had the wrong handles on them, one phone call and a MJ van was out the next week with the right handles.

braftery

Can anyone tell me what is the certified Uw (Whole Window) of the MJ Ecoclad Triple Glazed range ?

Mellor

braftery wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what is the certified Uw (Whole Window) of the MJ Ecoclad Triple Glazed range ?

There is no such thing as a U-value for a whole range.

As we've reached a stage where glazing is a better insulation than frames, the situation is that larger windows have lower U-Values for the whole window (the glass beign a higher % of total area)*. Companies often quote glazed values, averages for whole windows, or value for a typical size.


*Don't be folled by thinkign that large windows are therefore better, as they are both heat leaks compared to well insulated walls

braftery

Mellor, you are correct about there being no U-Value for a window range, and I should have worded my question more accurately.

It is standard for window companies to quote a whole window U-Value for a window type. These values are derived from one of two types of EN standard tests, EN10077 (Mathematical Simulation Test Method) and EN12567 (Actual HotBox Test Method)

A test window of dimension 1230mm x 1480mm is used and the cert covers any window +/-25% of this, this is normally what is quoted during a sales pitch.

So my question once more.

Does anyone know the Uw (Whole Window) that Ecoclad Triple Glazed Test window achieved on either of the above EN tests ?

It will be on the certificate that you get for use in your BER test at the end of the build.

kmepll

How do you find the futureproof windows a year on?
Thinking of getting them installed so any insight would be of great help

JamesSmith99

kmepll wrote: »

How do you find the futureproof windows a year on?
Thinking of getting them installed so any insight would be of great help

Actually didn't go with the futureproof in the end, due to the position of the house we can be exposed to very high winds and we were advised that because the Futureproof has a PVC frame it wouldn't be as rigid as the others and therefore might be prone to warping in extreme conditions, which was certainly what we got 2 weeks ago.

we went with a Triple Glazed EcoClad instead.

Troy McClure

It not the PVC frame thats the problem in that senario, its the fact it's a PVC frame with absolutely no metal reinforcment in it. It doesn't need high winds to suggest thats a bad idea.

clint_eastman

I've had these windows in for about 18 months now, triple glazed white pvc future proof, nice profile, very solid i.e. no issues with regard to the high winds being mentioned here. No complaints from me.

Galego

Sorry to resurrect an old one. I am getting this FutureProof Upvc windows and I am doubting between going double or triple glaze. It will be for 4 windows south facing and the house has a BER C3.

The cost different is not around 500eur. What are other people’s thoughts?