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Is Honesty always the best policy? Double Glazing Bristol

Double Glazing Guy — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 06:32:59 +0000

I’m a little confused so I’m hoping you can help me out here is my predicament:

I went over to Clifton in Bristol for a Double Glazing appointment on approaching the building there was one thing very evident to me and that was looking at the character of the building and the majority of properties around it that my PVC window just wouldn’t look right in the property.

I went through the process of listening to the potential customer I measured up the windows that we had discussed and gave the lady the price. I had been advising the lady through the process that I felt the windows really would of been better in Timber and I explained the reasonings why? Bearing in mind I don’t sell timber windows, at the end of the appointment she thanked me for my honesty and I left with no order.

A few months later I was back in the area and decided to look at the property to see if she had done her windows and how the windows (which I expected to be timber) looked. When I got to the property the lady had installed PVC windows and they looked awful, I was intrigued by this and thought I would see if anyone was home, so I knocked the door sure enough the lady answered, strangely she actually remembered me and I said you did your windows then, and she looked a little stressed (which wasn’t my intention) I had a good chat to her and she wished she had never installed them, all of her lovely sash timber surrounds had gone the window styles didn’t work and the PVC window had just mashed the look of the house. If the lady had gone for PVCu Box Sash windows then the character would of been kept but it was a budgetary purchase so the styles were awful.

My point is should I of kept my mouth shut and thought it’s the customers money and signed up £8,000 worth of windows or should I of told the truth???? Someone ended up doing the job and perhaps it’s not my job to say whether or not things would suit the style of peoples property what do you think?

Conservatory Marketing Campaign..

Double Glazing Guy — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:16:02 +0000

I’ve been thinking recently about sprucing up my marketing and I’ve been looking into some really outrageous ways of getting my name in front of people.

After a flyer came through from Jon Twigge at Roofwright – (Yes Jon I do read them) I ordered a book called Outrageous Advertising, Now I’ve had a look at some of the ideas in there and thought some of them are good, but I’m always worried about the visual impact of the brand (if I have one). Sometimes I wonder if I’m to worried about how the brand will look and as a result miss out on a thoroughly good way of getting my name around.

Greenway has always had a good name locally but now as I’m trying to build the brand in Gloucester and Bristol I need a a fast way of getting my name out there and on the shopping list of people looking for Windows and Conservatories in Bristol and Gloucester. What I’m thinkning about is throwing out there to you guys to come up with a totally outrageous way of getting my name known across the Bridge.

Short of nudity there’s not alot I wouldn’t do to get known very quickly as long as it’s legal I want to have a bit of fun with Greenway whilst not damaging the brand locally. I want to throw away the normal and go for impact.

So get your thinking caps on and help me out the best campaign will get used I may have to ask RCG to do a final Poll for me as I don’t have the facility on here and also he’ll have far more readers to get a good idea of what will really work.

Everest Prices:— Out of this world…

Double Glazing Guy — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:10:33 +0000

I’ve just had my Sales Guy report to me from a lead in Cardiff for the following products:

2 x Six segment bays one upstairs, one downstairs

1 x Back door

All products are finished in White with Chrome handles, fully re-inforced with structural baypoles as necessary, the potential clients are pensioners but very switched on.

Everest Price : 26,000 that’s TWENTY SIX THOUSAND POUNDS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greenway Price: 6,000 that’s SIX THOUSAND POUNDS !!!!!!!!!

That’s with energy rated glass “B” rated not “A” rated like Everest but I’m sure I may be able to upgrade to “A” Rated for twenty grand. What planet are you from Everest even the potential customer said to us we may be old but we are not stupid…

I thinks it may be about time that the nationals started to give the buying public a bit of credit for their intelligence, and stopped all these massively inflated prices Everest will probably drop to around 8k but why bother with all that starting price rubbish, just be honest with the price and let the customer decide, it’s time to change.

Phoenix Companies!! – Good Or Bad

Double Glazing Guy — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:13:32 +0000

I read alot about companies going through and coming back to life as another entity with the same Directors and same people working there you know the scenario – con men?

I’m undecided sure there are alot of companies out there that do it regularly and repeatedly so yeah sure there are some scum bags in the double glazing industry, but surely no one sets out to fail -Do They?

I read other blogs and think what are we achieving, some companies have worked for years to build a brand and through economic conditions can no longer trade, some people would say bad management and they should of seen it coming, but how do you run a company in the current climate, if you’ve been trading for quite a few years and you need to downsize quickly you can’t just lay people off, there’s consultations for employees and redundancy payouts and if you’ve had people working for you for a long time this can run into tens of thousands of pounds, which inevitably would for most companies make it a non viable proposition.

If the companies go to speak to an accountant about the issues they inevitably tell the companies to liquidate and shed the staff to get the government to pay off the redundancies. Some MDs are loyal to there workforce who let’s face it alot of the time wouldn’t care who they worked for. Some MDs are just incredibly nice people, but do NICE companies survive in rocky climates or is it the structured ruthless companies that survive, people complain about Anglian, still surviving, Management style: profits first, employee second.

SOME people are good people that get into bad situations, other people are scum bags, should they all be labelled with the same thing and should they both be put into a category of not to be trusted?

The scum bags should shut up shop, but should th nice guys be sent into the world as failures? I feel annoyed sometimes as I feel all companies are labelled the same if they fail they are all deemed as bad as the guy who does it as a regular thing.

My company was formed when another company went through, that company went through due to alot of factors, MD too nice didn’t want to lay people off costs got to high got taken for money, and went through.

Should this be the same as someone who runs up huge bills takes loads of deposits and then folds, other companies just start other companies leaving the other one live and wait for their suppliers to wind them up, which alot don’t do because it would cost them money to do it.

I suppose what I am saying are there legitimate phoenix companies? Or are we all Scum bags and should be labelled as such.

Anglian Home Improvements – Another complaint

Double Glazing Guy — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:31:45 +0000

I could just make this entire blog about the problems with Anglian fitting but that would be completely wrong of me so with a little help I’ve picked on this case, you’ll be really interested in reading all the faults in the report also, It’s a long read but is well worth it for anyone looking to purchase from Anglian, just make sure they don’t do this to you, if you purchase from them.

Anglian Problems Video.. Anglian problems 2

Sorry about the links to the videos just trying to sort myself out with that, I’m new at this you know! Well a month and a half anyway.

It just seems so wrong that one person could have so many issues, sure every company has mis-measured a window now and again, but this one takes the biscuit, most companies would remake the winodws but then again most companies would actually use fixings to put the windows in as well, shocking bit of work on this job.

I’m not saying all of Anglians work is like this but “Oh My Word” this is probably the worst bit of fitting I’ve ever seen.. These definately wont be reccomending Anglian to anyone, so once again it’s “Most customers, NOT most reccomended”.

47 Campbell Street

Report on Windows

*Item*		*Location*	*Description*
1.		Ground floor front window	The window measures 1.833 wide by 1.614 high consisting of 4 opening casements and 2 fixed panes. In order to view the extent of the problems the brickwork to the right hand side of the casement forming the entrance porch has been removed to expose the rear of the frame. At the time of inspection the frame was still in situe. The head of the window is the wall plate of the projecting canopy of the bay window and porch area.
Defects: The window itself has simply been wedged into the opening and the rear face of the UPVC profile has been planed off to fit tightly into the opening with no tolerance whatsoever. The code of practice states that a window of this size should be manufactured with an expansion gap amounting to 10mm. In this situation there is no gap. The fact that the frame has been effectively wedged in position has caused damage to the profiles resulting in the lower right hand mitre breaking. There are no visible fixings where the window has been placed against the brickwork and the stability of this window is entirely reliant on a small bead of mastic on the exterior. At the window head level there is a gap of approximately 12mm between the underside of the wall plate and the frame. In this area there is no evidence of any hard packing or shimming to provide any form of support to the wall plate above. The opening casements of the windows have been manufactured to such poor tolerance that both of the lower casements are only 5mm larger than the opening. They do not come into contact with the draft stripping leaving a gap of approximately 10mm on each side. The casement is therefore too small for the opening in the frame. The fixed light and the right hand casement are not square and this can be seen from the sealed unit glazing whereby the visible silver strip is level with the frame on the right hand side and approximately 5mm below the frame on the left hand side. This corresponds with a similar lack of tolerance at the window head. This defect is also replicated on the right hand casement. The cause of this is the fact that neither of the casements is actually square and over the height of the casement is a deviation of approximately 3-4 mm. In conclusion therefore, the principal defects are as follows:
1.	The frames are not fitted to the structure in accordance with the code of practice as there are no fixings.
2.	The large opening casements do not fit within the openings.
3.	The casements are not square.
*Item*		*Location*	*Description*
2.		Ground floor rear window	The window measure 1.058 by 1.461 high consisting of 1 opening casement, 1 fixed light and opening transom. The window here has been fixed tight into the reveal with no visible fixings suggesting that again the profile to the back edge of the frame has been planed and then wedged into place. This again needs to tolerance whatsoever. The width of the opening casement at its internal point is 516mm and the internal opening of the frame is 510mm giving an overlap of 3mm per side. The large casement does not sit square in the opening at its closing point there is virtually no overlap between the frame and the casement. The frame itself having been hammered into position has caused it to bow and on the right hand reveal shows bow in the middle of approximately 4mm.
Defects: In summary the defects are:
1.	Unfixed window frame with no tolerance.
2.	Incorrectly sized casement.
3.	Externally where the brickwork was damaged instead of pointing up the brickwork with a cement mortar the gap has been filled with a silicone mastic.
*Item*		*Location*	*Description*
3.		Kitchen Window	1.793 x 1.031. This is a 3 panel window with 2 opening casements and a central opening transom light on a fixed pane. This window again has no visible fixing into the brickwork and has been wedged in place and fixed using silicone mastic to the perimeter. In parts the tolerances are so tight that the wedging in position slightly distorted the frame.
Defects: In summary this window is capable of being salvaged albeit that it will require fixing in position in accordance with the code of practice.
*Item*		*Location*	*Description*
4.		Wc window	This window again has complete absence of any fixings and has been wedged into position with virtually zero tolerance to the perimeter and then sealed with silicone mastic. Due to the size of the window it is possible that this can be reused with the addition of appropriate fixing.
5		Bathroom window	This is a fixed light and singe opening casement window that again has complete absence of fixings. Furthermore a frame has been wedged into the opening to such an extent that it has distorted the right hand section of the frame by approximately 5mm. Whilst the window is not square but due to its size provided the window is taken out, the openings modified and then the window fixed correctly with the appropriate tolerances in accordance with the code of practice then reuse is possible.
6.		First floor front window	Window measures 1.786 x 1.188 comprising 2 opening casements, fixed light and an opening transom light. The plaster to the window reveals has been removed in this window to establish the tolerances and fixings. Again there are no fixings whatsoever the window is merely wedged into the opening. Other than the undulations in the brickwork reveals the frame has been modified on site to give virtually no tolerance whatsoever and then simply wedged into the reveal and silicone mastic applied to the exterior. With the plaster work reveal removed it is possible to move the frame within the opening where it does not wedge against the brickwork. It would be possible to remove the frame, slightly amend the brickwork to provide an expansion gap and re fix the window.
7.		Rear bedroom window	1.060 x 1.472. Here again the window is unfixed and wedged into the opening. The transom to the left hand side of the window above the fixed pane bows approximately 5mm over its length. The opening casement has virtually no overlap between the casement and the frame and daylight is visible on the top edge. This window is sufficiently poor to require replacement.
8.		Rear extension bedroom	This window measures 1.060 x 1.464. 1no fixed light 1no opening casement and a transom light. This window is very similar to the rear bedroom where the transom is approximately 5mm out of level over the fixed light. Again the window has not been fixed and movement is evident so is cracking to the perimeter. Externally the brickwork has been damaged and a large hole filed with silicon mastic. The tolerance in the opening casement is such that daylight is visible. If it were not for the fact that the window is very tightly wedged into the opening and damaged caused this frame may have been salvageable however the top rail of the frame is sufficiently bowed to warrant replacement.

Anglian Home Improvements sort yourself out!!!

Double Glazing Guy — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:56:11 +0000

There blinking at it again, how do the customers know which is the right price????

I’ve just been blown out of the water by an Anglian price, get this a 3.5 x 3.5 connie for eight thousand five hundred pounds!!! You may say, so they beat you fair and square, not so, I took a deal off them a few weeks back similar size connie they were 12k now where is it.

I appreciate your fitters around Wales are having a rough time, but if you keep selling things out for no money your going to be out of business again ( sorry cheap shot you’ve not been out of business yet) and the banks wont be able to bail you out this time.

I feel sorry for the poor customers out there who are actually paying 12k for one from you, do you have a pricing policy??? It just seems to be get it for what you can at the moment , a few suggestions, use a price book which:

Keeps you solvent
Pays your salesmen
Doesn’t increase when the surveyor gets there
And finally doesn’t de-value your product.

When you send out this mixed message it makes it feel like you have no faith in your product being worth what you are asking for it…

Get it sorted you’ve got alot of people who’s jobs you have to pay for, if you keep giving it away then you’re giving away their futures. To any customers thinking of buying from Anglian, wait for the 3rd phonecall, then if you want to buy from them they’ll of reached their bare minimum, just make sure to ask what frame you are getting, and if you’re happy, make them sign on the contract that this price will not go up on survey (this is VERY IMPORTANT).

I think timber windows are too expensive!

Double Glazing Guy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:10:43 +0000

I’ve just checked out Renegade conservatory Guys site and he’s doing an article on which is best timber or upvc? I’ve found this article now o.k. it is in dollars and I have no Idea what a few of the descriptions are, but the average order value for vynil (PVCu) windows seems to be about the same as we would pay in Britain where as the average order value for wood in the U.S. is much, much, in fact very much cheaper than the u.k.

Is the timber window industry taking us for a ride on the actual cost to produce these windows? I have a friend who runs a carpentry company and talking to him it certainly doesn’t sound there’s a vast difference in material costs. Can it be that the labour cost to manufacture the windows is that much more to warrant three times the cost of PVCu, or are we just being taken for a ride. The market expects timber windows to be more expensive are we right? Here’s the article and I would be interested in your thoughts.

Best 10 Home Improvements for Return on Investment

Every consideration should be taken regarding market value of homes in an area. Market value is the key indicator of actual return on investment and so the numbers described below are based on U.S. national averages (Remodeling Online Survey by Hanley Wood, 2008).

Siding Replacement (Fiber Cement) – average costs are $13,212 and the return on investment is 88.1%
Deck Addition (Wood) – average costs are $10,347 and the return on investment is 85.4%
Siding Replacement (Vinyl) – average costs are $9,910 and the return on investment is 83.2%
Minor Kitchen Remodel – average costs are $21,185 and the return on investment is 83%
Siding Replacement (Foam Backed Vinyl) – average costs are $12, 132 and the return on investment is 79.7%
Windows (Vinyl) – average costs are $10,448 and the return on investment is 79.3%
Windows (Wood) – average costs are $11,384 and the return on investment is 79.3%
Bathroom Remodel – average costs are $15,789 and the return on investment is 78.3%
Major Kitchen Remodel – average costs are $55,503 and the return on investment is 78.1%
Deck Addition (Composite) – average costs are $15,039 and the return on investment is 77.6%

Other points to consider are not to over improve your home. Any improvement which raises the selling price of your home beyond neighborhood market value is a risk. Also, remodeling work completed by a professional contractor increases return on investment.

Source: Suite101.com