Irish say no to PVC windows

It’s the precendent set that’s possibly the worst aspect of it – within months they creep down streets and roads into neighbouring properties. And sometimes people ask their neighbours if they’d like it done as well at the same time, reducing the cost, whilst increasing the damage to the street and buildings.

Certainly there are many people who are simply unaware of the damage being done, but so much is carried out by persons only too well in tune with what they’re at, esp developers. Many people as you say simply don’t agree with being told what to do – an issue highlighted fairly recently on the radio, albeit a bit off-topic, with Victorian owners in south Dublin annoyed at being prevented from removing railings and paving over front gardens.

Nice to see someone cares:

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: The provision of a vehicular entrance and one parking space, replacing section of boundary fence with matching ironwork gates at Palmerston Park, Rathmines, Dublin.

DECISION

REFUSE permission for the above proposed development based on the reasons and considerations set out below.

REASONS AND CONSIDERATIONS

The existing dwelling at Palmerston Park is included in the Record of Protected Structures, and the site of the proposed development is located in an area designated, in the current Dublin City Development Plan, with zoning objective Z2 – “To protect and/or improve the amenities of Residential Conservation areas”. It is the policy of the planning authority to protect and enhance such areas. It is considered that the proposed development, entailing removal of a section of the original front railings and plinth wall, its replacement by vehicular entrance gates and conversion of part of the front garden area to car parking use, would detract from the streetscape character of the area and from the setting of the protected structure and would set a precedent for further similar development in the area. Accordingly, the proposed development would conflict with the reasonable policy of the planning authority, would materially and adversely affect a protected structure and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Member of An Bord Pleanála duly authorised to authenticatet the seal of the Board.

The situation isn’t exactly clear cut here but I see your point alright Diaspora. This entire facade’s window stock is made up of a particularly nasty variety of replacement steel window which appear to have been put in in the 50s, and make the building look like a Russian mental asylum.
What’s happened is that rather than replacing the tens and tens of frames with original sashes, the deteriorated opening parts of a few have been replaced with PVC parts – attached to the steel frames – which makes such a mess it has to be seen to be believed. I didn’t think it was even possible to do that – unfortunately it is.

Saying that, the PVC appears to be quite a few years old – if it makes it that bit more excusable. But still, especially considering the new Luas stop and regeneration of the immediate area, not to mention the beautiful architecture here, there is no excuse now for wooden sashes not to go back in.
The neighbouring rear of the Four Courts looks fantastic with its sombre brown sashes and rustic granite. Some of its windows even have some shimmering cylinder sheet glass intact.

No Frank,

It is not a good idea to paint them, unless you want to do it with a spray can, no normal paint for windows would last long.

The smooth surface of the PVC unlike rough wood doesn’t take the paint at all, it is like trying to paint glass.

Coloured PVC windows are made from lengths of PVC that are moulded in that colour usually they look like teak or oak and have a grain effect so you have to be on top of them before you think theyre not teak.

PVC doors are OK for a back door where they aren’t really seen but I wouldn’t recommend them for from doors, the planners usually make problems inside in the main streets of towns with them as well.

I usually recommend Teak front doors with stained glass if the customers can afford them.

Yikes – if that’s not a strong enough an indicator to avoid the stuff by a mile I don’t know what is!
I was wondering this only recently, if you could paint them – considering the amount of tatty specimens around all ready.
The link below describes a PVC paint that’s available that goes directly on without a primer – as to whether it works I don’t know. I suspect that cracks will appear at the brittle corner joints of the frames pretty early on, regardless of what you use, whatever about peeling.
The cracking of window frames and handles as you mention is becoming a big problem now in schools and similar insitutions, where components break off from a lot of use and being battered about, but cannot be replaced. I’ve seen brand new PVCs tied with string to hooks screwed into window cills to keep them closed.
http://www.uktvstyle.co.uk/HomesAndProperty/Index.cfm?ccs=527&cs=2176

PVC King, I think you need to take the issue of PVC a bit more seriously. The tongue in cheek approach is not really working and is not contributing to the discussion topic.

Originally posted by Devin
PVC King, I think you need to take the issue of PVC a bit more seriously. The tongue in cheek approach is not really working and is not contributing to the discussion topic.

God I’d hate to get stuck in a lift with some of the people in these threads. Lighten up! I can only assume that your lack of humour and irony means that you’re not practicing architects! God knows you need a sense of humour to work in this country.

Any news on the Hanlon’s pub windows?

LOL 😀

It think the nature of the issue in this country is perfectly summed up by the fact that the Taoiseach’s very own constituency office is fitted out with PVC. The fact that it’s a charming 100 year-old Edwardian suburban house makes it all the more pertinent.

Those pictures are literally stomach-churning, not least the Wyatt building. It really just beggars belief!
There is a beauty in the decrepit old pile of a place depicted in the first picture, yet the happy clappy ‘newly renovated’ building shown next to it not only bears little resemblance to the first image, but is thoroughly ugly too.

That window is the building – without it it’s reduced almost to nothing. And not only has the fenestration been marred, the quoins have disappeared into the morass of pukey banana ice-cream, the shopfront has virtually no distinction from the upper floors, and the upper facade has been adorned with delightful feature ventilation grids!

As for the view across the quay – one dreads to think what it looks like now with that yoke thrown in in place of what was the most charming of all buildings in that terrace. And the neighbouring sashes we not only visually pleasing – they were living indicators of the history of glass-making, with the first floor windows being the only ones afforded the luxury of early cylinder glass: the Georgians having survived up till recent times.

And as for that last building – serendipity indeed… And look what they’ve done to the corbels – they’re like two dead parrots! 🙁

These photos are testimony to what you have been saying over the past while Devin about this practice being as rampant as ever – it is a crying shame.
Yes ACAs seem to be the only way forward in protecting streetscapes, and their rolling out cannot happen quickly enough based on this and anecdotal evidence from around the country.

Yes the chimney was just charming – so distinctive and unusual. And the staggered nature of the terrace has been ruined now with the latest addition/replacement.

Also note the chimney between the two tallest Georgians on the extreme right has been removed and the roof patched with a handful of synthetic slates :rolleyes:
At least none of the buildings have lost their slates as some consolation…