House under construction - ideas for details like windows, materials, etc.

Are there any other assessments of Josko (aluminum) vs. actual (wood-aluminum / all-glass)?

I'm a bit unsure about that. I was a window manufacturer, but not a designer myself. We didn't have frameless and slim-frame components yet, and I don't dare to evaluate them based on my own assessment.

In general, there is currently a trend towards fancy junk in wood-aluminum. I consider aluminum cladding on plastic to be much more suitable than laminates and also somewhat less critical for dark colors, but I would still not overdo it. For front doors and lift-and-slide elements, I would always choose aluminum, even if you might otherwise feel adequately served with plastic.

A small tip about special heights: many window "manufacturers" nowadays are only assemblers of supplied profiles, glass, etc. Ordering directly from their licensors, other dimensions may be possible, whereas the local window "manufacturer's" processing machines often limit the piece length to 2.40 m.

Hello and thank you very much for the answers so far!

We would actually not want to do plastic with foil – it also didn’t convince us visually. However, the window manufacturer apparently coordinated the specifications for the necessary skylights for the >2.50m high patio door with the Drutex factory, so I don’t think there’s anything left to do here... With another manufacturer it would probably be possible, but then we would also be in the price range of the wood-aluminum windows...

: What do you mean by "nice junk", it would be interesting to learn more here so that we don’t choose this option

: What do you mean by "chic junk",

Wood-aluminum requires the highest quality in raw materials and preparation by the most experienced craftsmen, but unfortunately costs accordingly. Even the higher tool wear when processing harder woods already makes itself noticeable in the price. In the window market, however, most money is currently "earned" with cheap junk under the appearance of high surface quality (I tend to the formulation "swindled"). If wood-aluminum is offered at prices below "pure aluminum," it can only be of counterfeit quality: due to construction reasons it is more expensive, and the price-performance ratio among manufacturers does not vary so widely that a cheap wood-aluminum provider would come in below pure aluminum. At least not in practice: in absolute stock sizes like 110/135 tilt-and-turn white right it might be conceivable – but those are "not the domain" of customers for the more noble surfaces. It is fashionable that builders try to keep their budget on track for windows and doors and are susceptible to discount offers. This tempts some window manufacturers to process woods in window profiles that would rot in record time without the aluminum "protective layer." The wooden frames are already multi-layered in construction, the inner visible side no longer has to be more than just a face. In the core, there follows a "superior roof batten" quality, over which the late Ede Zimmermann would probably do a special show today.

[...]

If wood-aluminum is offered at prices below "pure aluminum," it can only be of counterfeit quality: due to its construction, it is more expensive, and the price-performance ratio within the manufacturer range does not vary so widely that a cheap wood-aluminum provider would come below pure aluminum.

[...]

Source? I cannot verify this with offers from several window manufacturers.

Source? I cannot understand it with offers from several window manufacturers.

I have already written the source several times: I was a window manufacturer (aluminum) and thoroughly debated the "make or buy" question back and forth; and for that exact reason, I also cannot understand offers from some window manufacturers.

Hello 11ant, thank you very much for the detailed answer. That explains why, for example, with Actual the "frameless" loft (= the invisible aluminum frame is "hidden" in the screed, side wall cutout, and ceiling) is cheaper than the same version in wood-aluminum. The limitless loft look can already look very nice.

Would you say that the additional cost of €15,000 - €20,000 from Drutex plastic to Josko or Actual aluminum or wood-aluminum also results in better quality and durability, or did you only refer to the wood selection in wood-aluminum with the inferior discount offers?

One more question currently concerns us: venetian blinds yes or no.

On the large window front facing southeast, these can only be realized as box venetian blinds together with the window (due to the protruding seat window above, no front-mounted venetian blinds are possible). However, there is no window lintel here, so these would practically be installed on the window in the wall opening and would probably have to be clad accordingly with insulation.


We already have an offer for this from one company, and we are still waiting for one from another.

Does this make sense from your point of view, or would you pull the windows up to the ceiling and realize privacy protection with curtains?