Double Glazing On The Web

So Christmas is over and somehow you managed to shoehorn the entire family; pets, granny, uncles and aunts and the cousins into the one room again to open their presents and watch the Queen’s speech…  but wouldn’t it have been lovely to have had some extra space?  With the credit crunch still looming, the ‘improve or move’ question is larger than ever and a conservatory can often be the best solution.

If you decide to take the ‘improve’ route then read on!  A UPVC conservatory is always high up on people’s wish list and you can be almost certain that you will add instant value to your much loved property.  Virtually maintenance free, double glazing only needs a wipe clean every now and then to keep it looking nearly new. 

Imagine all that extra space!  With various conservatory styles to choose from, you could improve your home both inside and out.  Just think, this Christmas you could be enjoying a mince pie and sherry in the warm new conservatory.  Leaving the kids to play in the lounge if you like!

I know they won’t fit in a stocking, they don’t smell fancy and you certainly can’t wear them, but you’d be surprised how many people are getting them for Christmas.

It seems the credit crunch has left people disillusioned with Christmas; the same old rubbish and useless gift packs flood back into the shops and we find ourselves buying for the sake of buying, recycling the novelty hot chocolate kit or fragranced cooking oil, careful not to give it back to the person we received it from last year… it’s not even the money anymore, although that’s certainly important, it’s more seeing through the sheer nonsense of it all.

Seen in this light, it’s easy to see why couples in particular, are forgoing the usual exchange of gifts and pooling their money instead for more practical purchases such as energy efficient windows. Sounds boring I know, but the benefits are permanent: reduced carbon foot print, reduced waste energy, reduced energy bills, kinder to the environment, home improvement… the list goes on.

Practical? Absolutely. Exciting? Certainly not, but then they’re not going to be left at the back of the draw until next Christmas either. Just make sure you talk it over with the wife before swapping the Channel for the upvc!

Windows are one of those things we take for granted – will I do at least, but then I took central heating for granted until my boiler packed up! If your windows are in a poor state of repair, especially at this time of the year, whether they are double glazed or wooden frames, they will be leaking considerable heat from your property. This in turn directly impacts on the bottom-line of your heating bills. Not only that, but they can also be a security risk and an easy target for burglars.

If you are unlucky enough during the credit crunch to be in the market for replacement doors or windows, then at least you can be consoled that after the initial outlay, in the longer term your new windows and doors will be saving you money, saving the environment and securing your property.

What does your HIP say about you?  Are you really as energy efficient as you think….or more importantly need to be to get a buyer?  The UK housing market has been hit so hard in this current economic crisis, with house prices at an all-time low; you can’t help but ask yourself whether you bought at the right time?  Or more importantly, when is the best time for me to SELL!

Regardless of which wrung of the ladder you are on….if you are on it, you want to stay on it.  However during a credit-crunch, how can we make low cost home improvements that add value to our property for its approaching sale? 

Research shows that simple changes such as a new double glazed front door, a modest and simple conservatory or a fresh new bathroom window can increase the value of your property, by more than the amount that it cost to install these improvements.   Surprisingly, the simpler things are actually higher up on people’s wish lists when buying a new home. 

If you are considering low cost home improvements, be sure to research well and select reputable suppliers and skilled professionals to ensure you are investing wisely in real opportunities that your property has to offer.  Improved energy efficiency is the absolute key, so go on….unlock that potential!

You can’t beat a good old home make-over programme with your tea and biscuits, it’s classic ‘triumph over tragedy’ TV! You also can’t help but feel envious.  A team of professionals arriving at your home to reverse your embarrassing amateur attempt at ‘chic’ is nothing short of a dream come true.  In 60 minutes your dwelling could be transformed into magnificence AND you’ll be on telly! 

The recent credit-crunch has led to a significant increase in DIY home improvements and research shows that in order to save money, DIY enthusiast’s are attempting large projects that normally require a skilled professional.  Surely Double Glazing installation isn’t something that anyone would have a stab at……unbelievably, yes it is!

Many DIY projects fail miserably and end up costing considerably more in the long run.  If you are planning DIY home improvements, especially something as ambitious as new windows and doors, be realistic: do you really have the ability, skills and time to do this work yourself?  If a skilled professional isn’t within your budget, perhaps you should consider delaying the project until such a time arrives.  The cost of rectifying your ‘efforts’ could amount to more than it would have cost in the first place for the professional.  It’s also highly likely that your spouse will never let you forget either!

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.

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!

Did you know that one of the most popular items on E-bay is the humble back door?

I find this amazing. Fighting passed the mental image of someone trying to jam a back door in a post-box and forgetting the suggestion that anyone would want to buy a second-hand back door, it is still very difficult to believe that with all the professional and very competitive companies in the market, specialising in replacement back doors, that anyone would decide that E-bay would be the best place to look for one.

Clearly more and more people are recognising that items bought on the web, offer terrific value for money. The web solution can offer a real bargain when it comes to back doors and by using a specialist, web-based double glazing company, you could even beat e-bay on price and service!

In a bid to stop people turning to cowboy workmen, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has urged the government to drop VAT on home renovations, such as double glazing, insulation and other improvement work from the current level of 15%t to just 5%.

Supported by the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC), the FSB acknowledges that by avoiding VAT, cowboy builders have been able to offer discounts on work. The warning to homeowners is that employing an unqualified builder can prove a false economy as projects are left unfinished and can often fail to meet necessary standards.