Double Glazing On The Web

Are you familiar with this scenario, “he started off quoting X for our conservatory and, after four calls to his manager, came down on his offer by two thirds, but we had to decide immediately and give him a 20% deposit”?

Not surprisingly people are getting wise to this form of pressurized selling, the result is that rising stars in the internet based glazing industry don’t mess around with pricing, they offer one price and one price only - the very best they can offer, with no hidden discounts or schemes and the price is the same if you order one window or ten.

What’s more, you go to them if and when you need new or replacement windows or doors- there’s no knocking on doors or cold calling. Successful double glazing firms in these troubled times, have recognized that to be successful  in today’s very competitive market, the sales pitch and the entire sales process, needs to be as transparent as the windows themselves.

Handy Tip:
When receiving a quote for new or replacement glazing, the quotation should be equally transparent, broken down comprehensively to the nearest 1p. You should be able to see the net cost for a full technical survey, the cost of the frames, the glass in the frames, installation, fixing and even the sealants used.

Price, Service and Quality – not the first things to pop into your head when thinking about double glazing salesmen? It’s a real shame that the old stereotype has yet to die, even though in the real world he’s long gone. All stereotypes are based on truth somewhere along the line: in the late 80’s you couldn’t open your front door without falling over a double glazing salesman on your doorstep. By the early 90’s chances were when you picked up the phone there’d be a double glazing salesman on the end of the line desperate to sell you a deal! Not so anymore.

The industry has been plagued with the bad name it developed in those early days, so much so that double glazing firms in the 21st century have had to dramatically rethink their approach. Glazing firms have had to adapt to the marketplace like everybody else, in today’s customer driven world, it’s always price, service and quality which drive sales and brings in repeat custom.

September 22nd marks the Equinox and the first day of Autumn. So folks, it’s official, the evenings are drawing in, the mornings are getting darker and pretty soon we’ll be getting up in the dark, going to work in the dark, coming home in the dark and going to bed in the dark…. Depressing? Not really. Personally I can’t wait;  I love the warm cozy evenings in front of the fire, with the rain lashing on the double glazing and hammering out a tattoo on the conservatory roof, while I’m all snug and warm indoors!

We are always reading about how beneficial double glazing, insulation and efficient boilers can be for our properties, our utility bills and the environment, so much so that many of us take it completely for granted. However, for me it’s always the first few days of autumn, when I first detect that fresh damp chill in air and notice that I can see my own breath on the air, that I really appreciate just how wonderful double glazing and all my creature comforts truly are.

It’s that time of year again; the kids are back at school, the evenings are drawing in, in a week or two the supermarkets will start wheeling out the Christmas cards again and it won’t be long before you have to turn the heating back on.

Given the impact of the credit crunch, none of the above are comfortable prospects and all are expensive. For those of us in nice warm double glazed homes this time of year is bad enough, but for those without double glazing, energy bills can be extortionate. Double glazing alone can cut waste energy by 20% and there are lots of techniques beside which could reduce energy bills still further, such as cavity wall and loft insulation.

Because of the green credentials associated with saving energy, according to UK Energy Saving.  there are various grants available for buying and installing insulation. Alternatively using draft excluders around the house can make a difference and believe it or not, it is even suggested that sticking aluminium foil behind radiators to reflect heat away, can prevent walls from soaking up and wasting a lot of your heat!

Apparently police have the authority to try the doors of private properties without warning in an attempt to remind people of the need to be security conscious. Over the years various initiatives have been run by local police forces with surprising results.

Unless you live in a remote corner of the country or have a pack of very large dogs, most people nowadays lock their doors as a matter of routine. However  in a recent operation conducted in Liverpool, out of 3,500 doors checked by police, 66 were unlocked. A further 14 had large ground floor windows open.

Obviously self-locking Yale fitted doors bypass human error, but the popular uPVC doors with handles have to be locked from the inside.

Sadly we no longer live in an era when we can leave our doors unlocked uncase the neighbour’s pop round or the kids are out playing. Make sure both your front and back doors are solid or uPVC with Yale or upgraded locks and if they do have glass panels, make sure they are double glazed and for securities sake remember to lock your doors them at all times!

Fact: Double glazing increases the energy efficiency of your home, therefore reducing climate change and your energy bills.

Problem: The government recognise this fact and in a desperate attempt to reach their target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from home heating by 29 per cent, there are rumours circulating that homes without double glazing could end up falling into higher council tax bands as a green penalty.

This appears to be countermanded by similar rumours concerning a detailed tax on properties, which takes into account views, conservatories and … you guessed it Double Glazing!

Does the term ‘dammed if you do, dammed if you don’t’ spring to mind?