So you've found a company to replace your windows and doors. The price is great, so affordable and you like the way they look in the brochure. Time now to sit back and let the proffessionals take over. Nothing to worry about - right?

Wrong

Finding a company to replace your windows and doors is by no means a straight forward approach. There's the hard sell that spme companies will use like starting off with a very high price and then taking off 50%. This is just a sales ploy to grab your attention and bait you into buying. There's the companies that will say free quotes, 12 month to think it over. Again so what. Most companies will provide free estimates and time to mull it over. Then there's the brochure. Looks nice in the catalogue but hands on is always best. We advise giving companies a wide berth unless you can actually feel the product. A good door or window should feel weighty. Taking into account the amount of glass in the unit or door. A good test is moving it from side to side. If its light its shite.

What about fitting?

Now in our experience the fitting of the units is where most of the companies including some of the big boys that advertise on the TV fall over. In our experience as repair specialists the majority of our clients have issues with their doors or windows that have been fitted poorly. These fitters sub contract from one company to another and it is almost a lottery to get a team of fitters that will take on a job and carry it out to the highest standards it deserves.

A top tip is to find a company that employ their own dedicated fitters.

Their guarantee

When you have windows and doors fitted the job usually comes with a 10 year guarantee, but in our experience it is very rarely hel up. Here are some examples that some of our customers have been told by their installers.

1. Its wear and tear.
2. Have you maintained it? Yes, not supposed to use that lubricant. No, signed on completion that you would maintain it.
3. Just bought the house, sorry the guarantee was with the previous owner.
4. We can come out but there will be a £75 + vat call out fee to look at the door.
5. The guarantee doesn't cover that.
6. They have already attended twice so that's it.
7. We can't do anything its due to settling {sorry poor fitting}. Example a customer was told that the sill in his french doors was bowed up due to moisture in his foundations. We put a straight edge on the sill and it was level. The problem was that the internal shootbolt was fitted in the wrong place causing the door to stick.

Just some examples but true.

Our advise is to find a company that has been recommended. We know of only 2 companies in the Glasgow area that we would trust to replace our windows and doors.

Author

Steve Neary

A.L.S. Locksmith