Double Glazing On The Web

Being ‘green’ is a new trend!  Even the celebs are getting onboard, shamelessly plugging their new products and services.  Are you following the herd?  How green is your home?  (Tut tut if your television is on standby!)  The best home improvement that you can make is to ensure your home is running efficiently.  Who would have thought that the words ‘home improvement’ and ‘save money’ could be used in the same sentence!   

Being green is not just about recycling the bottles of Shiraz you bitterly regret on Sunday morning; you can actually save some real cash here folks!  It’s so simple and the best place to start with your energy usage.  Do you have a timer set for your heating?   How well are you keeping that heat in?  There are many low cost measures like a new set of heavy curtains to block out draft and keep heat in.  Draft blockers along the bottoms of your doors can also make a huge difference and speaking of doors, double glazed front and back doors are not only more secure and easier to clean than traditional wooden frames, but can seriously improve your home insulation.

Recycling has become much easier as well with most Councils providing a separate bin for recyclable items.  You can recycle indoors as well, instead of throwing away your Saturday night take-away boxes, give them a wash and use them for storage! 

Just changing your habits and attitudes toward being ‘green’ is a start.  Everyone can help and everyone will benefit from doing so.

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!

 Most people are familiar with the expression ‘your eyes are the mirror to your soul’. Similarly it is an established fact that most people sum-up a stranger within 3 seconds of meeting them. First impressions, in today’s image obsessed world, are everything.

The same principals apply to your home – whether you are looking to sell and impress potential buyers or are simply looking to improve your home and how other people perceptive it, than a new front door can make all the difference to your home.

It’s been six months since new planning regulations introduced by Housing and Planning Minister Caroline Flint, have been in effect. Designed to cut red-tape surrounding home improvements these new regulations have meant that since October 2008 the majority of homeowners, looking to make standard improvements to their homes, have not needed planning permission.

It was estimated that this legislation would save the nation up to £50m by removing approximately 80,000 householder applications from the planning system each year. Also, many people extending their homes will no longer be expected to pay additional council tax as a result.

The changes were introduced with the aim of reducing the stress and the cost associated with extending your home and relieving the pressure on the housing market. Minister Caroline Flint said at the time: “Often people grow out of the family home, but now those who don’t really want to move will find it easier to improve instead.”

Before embarking on any improvement project it is always advisable to check whether you will require planning permission. Click here   to find out more and to see which improvements you can make to your home, without the need for planning permission.
Alternatively you can visit the governments Planning Portal for more info

Conscientious approach to buying and selling homes or bureaucratic complication imposed by a nanny-state? As from April 6th 2009 anyone selling a house must possess a Home Information Pack prior to marketing.

In Green terms, the HIP pack is crucial. The inclusion of an Energy Performance Certificate is expected to considerably influence people’s decisions when buying a home. Even if buyers are not environmentally conscientious, the impact a property’s energy rating has on heating/running costs, should certainly feature highly when accessing a purchase price. 

The HIP provides proof as to whether or not a home is well heated and well insulated; if it’s not, then it’s very likely to affect the property’s price.  It is estimated that without double glazing, a property will achieve around £5,000 less than the market value. Put simply, to get the best market value a property will need to be double glazed.

Whether they will have any effect, other than raising the blood pressure of potential sellers;  HIP’s are with us for the indefinite future.  Click here for more information.

When my husband and I remortgaged last year, had we had a crystal ball, we would never have fixed for five years. Nonetheless, the decision to add a bit to the mortgage and build a conservatory was one of the best we ever made – you win some and you lose some, but when extending your home or making any form of home improvement, you can’t go wrong with doubleglazingontheweb. 

Extending your living space is an investment, not just in the value it adds to your home, but in benefits to your lifestyle; more space, extra facilities, storage etc…

If the decision to extend is a no-brainer then the decisions which follow certainly aren’t – conservatory or extension? One room or two? Open-plan and minimal verse functional and traditional? Windows, doors, fascias, building materials, plumping, gas, electric, flooring, heating, paint, upholstery…. the list goes on, but have you ever spoken to anyone whose improved their home and can fault the double glazing? I haven’t. It’s simple, adaptable, energy efficient, kind on your purse and the environment, looks good, is easy to clean and best of all you can see through it – if only mortgages were so transparent!

Home Improvements Bring Tricky Decisions

When Keith and Rona Mitchell bought Barehillock, in Aberdeenshire, it was nothing more than a derelict cattleshed.  Now, £146,000 later, it is deserving of a place on Channel 4’s Grand Designs programme.  The Mitchells, both former teachers, have a lot to teach us.

Keith Mitchell says, “When we started the development I was quite surprised at how expensive some quotes were — some were for a quarter of a million pounds. We were keen to make the most of what we had, but we wanted to remain within our budget.”  Eventually, the couple teamed up with a local architect and a local builder; they also took advice from a quantity surveyor - Keith Mitchell is convinced that, despite the initial expense of employing these specialists, in the long term it was a money-saving move.

Amongst other refinements, the building has  been given a contemporary edge by the insertion of a southwest glazed “wall,”  which comprises galvanised steel lintels and sliding patio doors that lead into the main living/dining area.  There is also a lead-clad dormer window, which enhances the feeling of spaciousness.  The ground floor “culiminates in a huge window with stunning views.”

However, there’s more to all that glass than stunning views: “The oil heating system is extremely economical, and combined with the high-performance double glazing and super insulation (glass quilt and actis tri-iso super 9), the energy efficiency has been tremendous for such an exposed site. It’s not called Barehillock for nothing.”

Now, you might not have the luxury of building your own home from scratch, but there’s nothing to stop you updating your current home, adding contemporary style and low energy requirements with new windows and doors.

If the thought of replacing your windows scares you half to death, don’t worry, you are not alone; it’s a fear that is perfectly understandable, after all, there’s a lot at stake if it all goes wrong!

The problem is, though, that putting off replacing your windows for too long simply leads to leaky, squeaky, sticky windows that look dreadful.  Eventually, your windows will look so unsightly that they give a negative impression of your house.  At this stage, the rot has literally set in and it’s time to take action.

So, what is the true cost of window replacement, and is it as difficult as it sounds?  Given that replacement windows, doors, and conservatories are our raison d’etre, we are obviously going to say, ‘no, it’s not difficult.’  But, having said that, we want you to know that we pride ourselves on our ethics - and, no, ethics and double glazing is not a contradiction of terms!  The advice we give is honest.  We do provide a fitting service for our products but, sadly, it is not available in all areas.  If you live in an area that we do not cover, we strongly advise you to take advice from a professional window fitter.

All of which means that, as far as the mechanics of window fitting are concerned, as long as you are happy to put the kettle on, you have all the skills you need!

Then we come to the thorny issue of cost; well, it’s thorny for the rest of the industry, anyway, which has not done awfully well in the PR stakes.  Part of our overall vision at DGOTW is to go some way to improving the image of our industry; to this end our pricing strategy is to be totally transparent.  We do not employ salesmen, so there are no extras added to the price of our windows to pay salaries, commissions, and bonuses.  Neither do we indulge in the practice of inflating prices and then slashing them, which gives the impression that you’re getting your double glazing at a knockdown price.

Did you know that the majority of companies give their salesmen an inflated price book.  This enables the salesman to give you a supposed discount which, in fact, only reduces the price to the normal selling price and gives the salesman room to manoeuvre and negotiate when trying to earn the maximum amount of commission from you.  Not nice eh?

All our quotations are broken down to the last penny. We will show you the nett cost for a full technical survey, the cost of the frames, the glass in the frames, installation and for the fixing and sealants we use.  Like we said, we aim to be totally transparent.

As for finance, we never advise that you take interest free credit - banks don’t run their businesses as a charity and their interest will be built into the payments.

At DGOW we can arrange finance.  We have tried to negotiate the very best rates for our customers.  We want to sell uPVC products not finance.  None of our staff receive commission from selling finance products; the document fee you pay is the one charged by the finance company.  We do not mark this up for profit.

Can we be any more transparent?  If there’s something we’ve missed, just contact us, either through our main site or by dialling 0800 783 9176, and ask - we’ll be happy to talk to you.

In the meantime, in answer to the question, “Is it time to Replace your Windows,” the answer has to be ‘probably.’

We look forward to helping you and adding your name to our happy customers’ file.

A recent report by Sky News suggested that the cost of home improvements have risen by at least 20% over the past two years.  Sky itemise the following increases:

• 25% more for a basement conversion
• 21% more for a loft conversion
• 22% more for a conservatory
• 22% more for installation of double glazing

Despite these reported increases, it is still good economic sense in the current financial climate to improve rather than move.

And we really can minimise some of those costs for you.  Double Glazing on the Web does not employ a sales force, so we do not have to pay wages and commissions.  Neither do we indulge in fake ‘money off offers.’  What you see on our site is what you get, so you can budget safe in the knowledge that you won’t be hit with any extra costs.

If you thought that ethical double glazing was a contradiction in terms, it’s time for you to start thinking again.

Building A Greener Britain – Transforming Britain’s Housing Stock  is the title of a paper prepared by the Federation of Master Builders.  It was published in July by Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the report labels UK housing among the worst in Europe when it comes to energy efficiency.  Compared to other countries, we do seem to be a bit lacklustre when it comes to ‘green’ issues.  However, the report suggests a tactic which is sure to get us going pale green, if not emerald green.  It calls for a cut in VAT on housing refurbishment from 17.5 per cent to five per cent, council tax rebates to promote energy efficiency, and a review of energy performance certificates to improve accuracy and reliability.  Anything that saves money in this, frankly, dreadful financial climate has got to be good.

It is becoming more and more apparent that, in the not too distant future, the value of your property will become evermore dependent on how ‘green’ or energy saving it is.  In fact, as the much talked about Home Improvement Packs (HIPs) already contain Energy Performance Certificates, the energy performance of your home already contributes to its marketability.

On one carbon calculator site on the web, installing effective double glazing comes very high in the steps you can take to improve the energy efficiency of your home (and, therefore, its marketability).  The only actions that come higher than double glazing involve turning down your central heating thermostat.

So, whether or not you are a committed green campaigner just by ensuring that your doors and windows keep in the warm and keep out the cold, you will be contributing to the green agenda.