Beware the pitfalls

System

Iwanttobefree wrote: »

On a separate issue to anyone thinking of getting double glazing, the cost of the windows to make is very very little.

I am sick of them quoting over 10K for the average house, I know person after person who has gone with these quotes.

A few years ago I had one of the two best known firms come round and give me a quote, they quoted me 13k for 9 windows.

I told them they are having a laugh. They asked what I would be prepared to pay, I said 3K.

They then went through a charade I have witnessed before in the past, where they phone their manager, then tell me they have people laid up due to a job falling through and due to that, they can do it at the special price of £3200. But I would have to sign there and then.

So from £13,000 to £3,200 in 5 minutes.

I told them no and to leave. The following day I phoned up their main competitor, told them that I had got them down to £3k, I didn't want someone coming around giving me !!!!!!!!, are they prepared to match that price, and they jumped to it.

I spoke to a couple of friends about this, one an accountant for a smaller but reasonably big windows firm, the other someone who has worked in the building industry for years.

The friend who was an accountant, said the markup is criminal, they buy the stuff for pence. The friend in the building trade said I could have got them down much further and he would never pay more than £150 to £200 fitted.

Someone quoted by friends over 100K for 20-30 windows, eventually settled on around 40K I believe (including a huge stained glass one).