Home Improvements | Christian Home Making

WINDOWS:My Eighteen months dabbling in the
seedy underworld of doubleglazing

About a year ago a neighbour on our street got burgled.The police knocked on our door
and asked if we realised our windows are externally glazed.
My husband then decided to get a quote for having a security alarm fitted .
The security salesman also confirmed that an alarm would
just be a deterrent which would mean we were still vulnerable to professional burglars.
We needed to have more secure windows fitted.

So we started saving.Then the hunt began for a transperant,trustworthy doubleglazing installer.There are so many cowboys
out there some I have met too. It’s a needle in a haystack. I asked around at work,
my swimming class and at church.
I was shocked to find that a lot of people didn’t know the difference
between externally glazed, single glazed ,aluminium ,upvc or timberframed.
They didn’t even care about security or energy effiency they only cared if the windows
matched and were aesthetically pleasing. Just before this burglary strong winds knocked
clips from our down pipes but we ignored it.
Eighteen months later, Moss started to grow and water started seeping into the bricks as it had nowhere else to go.
Then our baby started walking coupled with the fact we homeschool and my husband works from home.
I felt we needed more space and to upgrade our security. Then the family car broke down yet again.
However that is a subject for another posting.

We then toyed with the idea of moving. We visited houses in Clacton -on- Sea, Colchester and Chelmsford.
They were either too far away from my workplace or they needed considerable modernisation and refurbishment.
In a global economic crisis it is a good time to buy but a bad time to sell.
The quote the estate agent used was “don’t sell if you don’t absolutely have to.”
Fancy that an honest estate agent talking himself out of business.

So it was back to Home Improvements. I won’t bore you with the ins and outs of how I went about my research
and what I uncovered but I will tell you some useful tips and some official websites you can check out at the end of this posting.
I won’t even tell you how one guy from the biggest national Window company in the UK stayed in our house for 5 hours. Nor will I tell you of the racial tirade one guy went on. Great way to sell windows ,insult your potential customers !

Here is the specifications on the windows we were looking for
# It had to be Elegant yet understated PVCU profiles in brilliant white – the Zenith windows
we had inherited had started to become discoloured
# 28mm sealed units
# Planitherm high insulation low E glass (clearer and more energy efficient than Pilkington K)
# Argon gas filing (for insulation and longer life)
# Edgetech warm edge spacer bar (gives greater insulation plus reduces noise transmittance and internal condensation)
# Internal beading – for security as pointed out to us by the Security salesman and the police officer
# Multi point shoot, hook bolt and hinge guard locking.-for security its not how many locks but the quality and the materials used
# A-Rated – The best you can get on the market today nothing else will do
# Eezi Clean –Its real handy so you don’t have to get up a ladder or hire a window cleaner.
The window has a mechanism that folds back so you have easy access from the inside

Here are a few tips to finding a good doubleglazing company
*Make sure they are registered with FENSA,GGF and DGOS preferably
*Check them out on companies house website- you don’t want a firm who has a history of bankruptcy
*Check out reviews online as well as get recommendations from friends and relatives
*Check completed work they have done
*Go Local then you don’t have to deal with head offices Up in Northern Ireland or Manchester if things go wrong.
*Get 3 or more written quotes

It took us over a period of 2 months at 30 hours or more interviewing 12 companies.
We came across the good the bad and the ugly and saw first hand the nasty tactics that earned these guys their
reputation in this cut throat industry. After Endless hours going through review websites, pamphlets and textbooks
Yellow pages and Newspaper ads. Drumroll please the winner was UPPER GLASS CONSERVATORY LTD.

REVIEW
Overall I was happy with Martin their sales guy I was put at ease with his relaxed friendly manner
immediately. He thoroughly explained the products and the pros and CONS.Simon rang us with our installation dates and time.
The installation team was great they were clean,professional and courteous, they even mopped up after themselves and
brought their own lunch and their own tea. They took 3 days to complete as there manufacturer didn’t deliver
to their offices on time. They kept us informed by phone of the delay.

They got them to deliver to our house instead which meant a late start which meant returning
the next day to complete. The next day the weather took a turn for the worse and it snowed.
I said to my husband “I bet they won’t turn up.” To my surprise they did.
They have really restored my faith in their industry. I would definitely
use them again and would recommend them to my neighbours and friends.

On a side note They are a DGCOS member. Its fairly new Double glazing scheme.However I like what it stands for and hope
it will get rid of the cowboys out there. It offers peace of mind and protection for us the consumers but only time will tell .
I got Upper Glass’ contact details from ringing the DGOS.
They were a bit chatty asking me questions but I had become so stressed out and distrustful.
Why ? Some companies pretend to be doubleglazing installers instead they were just middle men who sold
our email addresses and contacts to other fitters in our area. The cheek!
As a result I am being inundated with phone calls ,emails and junk mail.
I have slept ,drank,eaten daydreamed and talked about nothing but Doubleglazing and Home Improvements

WEBSITE’s you must check out before you buy doubleglazing
Glass & Glazing Federation website http://www.ggf.co.uk/default.aspx
FENSA website http://www.fensa.org.uk/
Trustmark website http://www.trustmark.org.uk/home_trustmark_Results.asp?postcode=rm188rr&trade=28&button=Search

DGCOS website
http://www.dgcos.co.uk/about_benefits.html

Companies House- http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/

Which website- http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/home-improvements/guides/how-to-buy-double-glazing/

Reviews- http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews254140.html
This is a blog on a guy who owns a double glazing firm- http://renegadeconservatoryguy.co.uk/

Pictures Comming soon and no I am not being paid I just believe in sharing something when its worked for you. Just like I try to share JESUS

BEFORE WINDOWS & ROOFLINE