Side return: anyone used Culmax, IQ Glass or Fineline Aluminium for patio doors/glass roof?

[alaska721]

We are just about to extend into our side return and wondered if anyone had any experience of Culmax, IQ Glass or Fineline Aluminium for patio doors or glass roof?

A friend of ours who is an architect has told us to avoid IQ Glass and I've read very negative reviews of Culmax on the Nappy Valley forum. I can't seem to find anything on Fineline Aluminium except that they are very expensive.

[archic]

Avoid IQ glass. These are absolute crooks. The owner nearly killed my clients some time ago ! Not professionals at all.

David.

[Svgolan]

Hello-Alaska 271-I have the exact same question as doing a rear extension shortly. Really keen on slim framed sliding doors and these 3 companies are the main contenders. May I ask who you went for in the end? Or anyone else out there who would recommend

[alaska721]

hi Svgolan. In the end we went for "Slimline Aluminium". I'll send you a PM now why we chose that firm over Culmax, IQ and Fineline.

[montassa]

I had quotes from all 4.

Went for culmax. They were installed two weeks back and look great.

I went for three big sliding doors in their 20mm profiles

[radhabee]

Hi, we used Fineline, mainly because we needed an enormous (over a storey high and almost as wide) single piece of glass for a back extension and we were told at the time (a couple of years ago) they were the only ones who could guarantee a perfect piece, together with a glazing system that would be guaranteed for 25 years.

Pros:

*Meticulous regarding the product. Our glazing was sent back four times to the manufacturer in Germany owing to tiny, tiny defects.

*Good installation, worked like a dream. Glazing had to be craned over the house so this was no small feat.

Cons:

*Poor customer service, communications / admin. Timescales would slip and Fineline were not good at communicating that. They would also tell the architect one thing and us another. Different people in the company would have different assessment of progress; right hand didn't seem to know what the left one was doing all the time.

*Following the installation of the major pieces of glass, it was hard to get Fineline back to finish the job. On several occasions they would say they were coming and then not turn up. In the end I had to call them out on twitter; following that they were quick to get in touch. Even now, they have not finished the job and are still sending final invoices. Chaotic.

*Expensive for the service level.

If you'd like more info, DM me. Hope this helps.

[JRW3]

Hi there

I'm new to the forum but found this post. Does anyone have an update on their sliding door experience 6 months on? We're about to choose and would love any feedback on your choice of door would be great. Sounds like we should avoid IQ, and Fineline have poor customer service, but Slimline and Culmax ? Thoughts?

Thanks a bunch!

[jameswetrek]

HI

I've had quotes from IQ glass, Fine line and am worried to order from either due to comments above. I was thinking of going with IQ but the comments worry me, has anyone else had any experience of them since comments above.

[Beaky]

We are just about to go with SunSquare for Roof Lights and Kloeber for doors - not sure if that helps in your search

[se15mum]

We used slimline who got the job done in the end but the process was painful and LONG

I wouldn't be rushing to use them again

[Lox]

Agree we se15mum. We used slimline. The doors look beautiful and we were really pleased with the quality and fitting service. However, we struggled with client communication issues and a drawn out process which soured relations somewhat . PM me if you want any more details.

[Nanny]

I'm also sourcing for a side return extension in ED and the architect has spec'd IQ Glass sliding, slim profile doors and IQ glass roof light, so any experiences/recommendations or feedback is welcomed as he's keen to spend my money and I want to research the best options and learn from other people's experience.

Also keen to hear pros and cons of sliding and bi-fold doors from the kitchen to the garden. Has anyone had one type fitted but wish they'd chosen the other?

Please PM me any advice or suggestions on side return extensions. It's a huge financial outlay for what is effectively a metre added to the width of the kitchen but feel the change in layout of the house will make it more useable for 21st century living.

[alex_b]

We used Schuco for our bifold doors and glass roof side return (plus a skylight in the loft). We think they're great and can't imagine having sliding doors instead. Our builder used bi-fold door company for the folding doors, they were terrible and took three attempts to fit them correctly. We used OM double glazing for the roof and they were brilliant.

There is another thread worth reading here http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1867830.

PM Me if you want any more details of would like to have a look at what we did.

[jdf]

I had quotes from IQ for the doors and rooflights. Ended up going bi-fold not sliding, and got them through Hedgehog, which is IQ's aluminium brand. They did what seems to me to be a great job, on v big bi-folds (2.9m high).

No regrets on bi-folds, but mainly because ours only stretch 2/3 across the back of the house, so the opening is already restricted. Sliding would have left an opening only 1/3 the width of the property. Being able to open the bi-folds the whole way is great.

Ended up using another company for the rooflights as IQ was expensive, but I wouldn't recommend the other lot.

PM me if you'd like any more details.

[iseult]

Hi,

We are about to get slim framed sliding doors but we're looking at Ultraline and Maxlight doors, has anyone heard of them or had any experience with them?

We had quotes off IQ but they were very expensive. Out of interest, alaska721 why did your architect say to avoid them? Ours is trying to push us to use them.