UPVC window companies

Mgman1965 · 7 October 2017 at 10:49PM

Looking to get new windows in the front of my house but am dreading having to let these people into my house having heard the horror stories of determined salesman virtually chaining themselves to your sofa for hours, simply refusing to take no for an answer, and all the bull about "quote only valid if you sign up now", the amazing discounts, but they end that day, and the famous "I'll call my manager at the office and lask how much I can knock off".

I know people say tell them to bog off, throw them out etc but I simply find it hard to be rude to people (although I'm not gullible or a pushover).

My sisters advice was as she did, before they even get through the door simply say to them "I have an amount I'm prepared to pay, give me your best price straight away, no bull about one day discounts, call my manager etc etc and I will say yes or no, and if no, you leave".

njk1012 · 7 October 2017 at 11:11PM

We had the windows and door replaced on the front of the house earlier this year. We tried to get several quotes from several companies national and local and ended up going with a small local company. We were not disappointed.

We had several larger company salesmen sat on our sofa for over an hour (sometimes two) and they were a complete pain to get rid of. I had a list of questions that were relevant Fensa registered? etc. but they wanted to go into the whole step by step process of manufacture and finish styles. I ended up feeling really rude and asking them to leave, because i suddenly had a urgent appointment!

The company we went with in the end came to the house for approximately 30 mins to measure all windows and doors that needed replacing and they invited us to their premises to choose the frames and glass finishes following this. They gave us a quote (which was the final price) the same day.

We found the national company's price started at about double the price we paid, and before they left approx 25% was amazingly offered as a discount if we signed a contract that day. Almost a year later we are still getting calls asking why we didn't use their service. 1, they were rude/arrogant, 2, the price was double that of even the mid priced local companies, 3, I hate being pressured and spoken at for over an hour in my own home.

The company we went with in the end wasn't the cheapest, but it came recommended by people in the area and the owner of the business that quoted us seemed genuinely interested in what we wanted rather than sales targets. We will be asking them to replace the windows on the back of our house also within the next 3 months.

hazyjo · 7 October 2017 at 11:12PM

Try a local independent company. I went through the same thing once and lost HOURS of my life I'll never get back lol!

G_M · 7 October 2017 at 11:30PM

Another vote for a local independant company.

But make sure they belong to

* FENSA, or
* CERTASS
* GGF

Ideally check your local Trading Standards - they'll have lists of approved local companies.

also make sure:

* any warranty/guarantee is insurance-backed (in case they go out of business)
* they don't ask too much cash up front. They all ask for something (fair enough, they are making made-to-measure windows!) but I'd stick for £25% with the rest paid on completion when you're happy

Davesnave · 8 October 2017 at 12:22AM

GM has pretty much covered it, although membership of trade bodies, like the GGF, doesn't necessarily mean a good standard of workmanship, as I have discovered.

I think the Trusted Traders scheme shows more commitment to high standards, but there's a dearth of companies in that scheme in some locations.

chappers · 8 October 2017 at 10:49AM

Find a few local independent companies and get them to quote. Depending which side of Northamptonshire you are I have some friends who own a window and door company.
PM me if you like.

G_M · 8 October 2017 at 10:58AM

Ah! Northampton?

I had 3 windows fitted last year by a Northampton company. I got quotes from 3:

* one was rude and had pages and pages of small print in the contract
* one was expensive
* one did an excellent job at a reasonable price

Richard_Webster · 8 October 2017 at 1:03PM

also make sure:

* any warranty/guarantee is insurance-backed (in case they go out of business)

And keep the original agreement from the window company because usually the insurance backed guarantee only mirrors the terms of the company's agreement - so if it is for 10 years then the insurance company will only cover for 10 years.

I used to find that people would produce the insurance backed guarantee but it was meaningless without the original agreement as the insurance company would only back up what the company said it would do. If you've throewn away the company's aperwork then you can't claimon the insuarcne because nobody will know what is being guaranteed!

Smodlet · 8 October 2017 at 1:11PM

If I could only borrow the TARDIS for ten minutes and go back to being young, the things I would do differently would make a book but, if I could go back only to the start of this year, the one thing I would not do is go with a certain, large "home" (for which, read "desperately needs") improvements firm based in Norwich. I did not want to but was dumb enough to be caught up in OH's enthusiasm and have regretted it ever since.

Our next door neighbours replaced their windows a couple of months after we did ours (and the doors!) using a local firm of installers who buy their windows from a local manufacturer. They have a far superior product, whose installation included a great deal of extra work (replacing a course of bricks under each window, removing tiles in the kitchen) which we did not require, plus new window sills/cills which we did not have for, you've guessed it, about £2k less than we paid.

OK, they did not replace their doors but the professionalism of the fitters left that of the national firm's standing and they don't have to use both hands to open the windows, nor struggle with locks, nor did they have two different "service engineers" visit to correct idiotic mistakes after installation. Why, oh why did I cave in? Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Local firms all the way and maybe knock on some doors if you see boards outside and ask the people if they are happy with the firm they used. What a wonderful thing hindsight is.

Davesnave · 8 October 2017 at 1:32PM

Richard_Webster wrote: »

And keep the original agreement from the window company because usually the insurance backed guarantee only mirrors the terms of the company's agreement - so if it is for 10 years then the insurance company will only cover for 10 years.

I would echo this. That crummy bit of paper with all the T&C on the back looked very unimpressive, but it proved invaluable when I found myself up against complete intransigence.

I'd tied myself in knots previously, arguing this way and that without any meaningful response from a local company, trading for 40 years.

Then I discovered the company had broken the T&C in the contract.

Put a whole new light on it all.

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UPVC window companies

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