A quick questions for all of you already in oz.

[marty and debs]

Hey all, we are coming over on a 175 visa as i am a carpenter, i have spent a few years fitting upvc windows in england and was wondering if they are popular in oz.

[juderay]

Hi mate - am afraid you won't find anything like that in Perth, in fact we have never seen any upvc windows at all anywhere over there. They all tend to be aluminium, powder coated, casement/sliding windows. Perhaps you could start up a manufacturing plant for them and I will join you in the business!!

[calNgary]

Same in Brisbane ,steel/ally powder coated seem the norm,,if you can adapt to that with the amount of house building im pretty sure you would get a job,
Cal x

[fatpom]

Yep! I suppose sliding windows are the only practical option since tilt and swing (outwards) would prevent mozzie screens... more essential than the glass much of the time (except for mexicans... victorians that is).

[marty and debs]

Thanks for that all, i thought you would have had that out there, maybe there is a business idea for when we get out hopefully middle of next year.

[fatpom]

There are other issues that I've just thought of with PVC windows. The temperature difference can be substantial between non-shade day time and night time particularly in the higher altitudes. Then you'd need to find a PVC with very good UV resistance. Static plastic components are OK but moving items like windows could break pretty easily over time as the plastic gets more and more brittle.

[marty and debs]

Thanks for that Fatpom, i wasn't sure if the heat would affect the plastic, i guessed it would when everyone said they wern't common. You obviously know more about the technical stuff, I just put them in.

[tazthemedic]

hello all we came to perth june 07 before that had 20 years in window industry in uk ran own company for the last 7 year prior to coming over here pvc no good here the heat is too much we are starting our own window company here now could probably do with some fitters the windows here are rubbish about 25 years behind uk or europe best thing we ever did coming over here better life more time for living and family loads of jobs here in perth lucky the guy who worked for me in the uk is sports mad and used to train rugby players in uk and aussies or kiwis who were playing in uk told him we were looking at living in perth turns out he had a guy who played profesional rugby for wakefield trinity and the perth reds so we stayed with him and family when we arrived here so weve been realy fortunate its gets hard at times but we came here to give our son who is ten a better life and he loves it now if you need any advice we would be happy to help

[Tyke]

We don't see them here in Adelaide much either.
I have seen one van with sign writing mentioning UPVC.