| |
| |
|
Home Improvement Information |
|
|
|
How To Buy Double Glazing In The UK
Double glazing reduces heat loss through your windows. You can save money on your heating bills. However, it will be a long time before you save enough money equal to the cost of the windows. If you can't afford to replace *all* your windows, choose the rooms that cost you the most money to heat. Double glazed windows come in a variety of sizes and styles. Check for any planning restrictions on your house due to age and location. Sometimes planning permission may be required, in the case in listed buildings and conservation areas. Also if you are converting a flat window into a bay window. Check this with the local authority. Don't rely on the Yellow Pages or advertisements to choose a supplier. Anyone can place an advert, join a trade body, or display badges they're not entitled to. Always use a reputable company that you have had independently checked out. Don't rely on the fact that you have heard of them as even some of the biggest advertisers may have had several incarnations. It's very easy in Britain to shut down one company and open up again under a similar name. A 10% deposit is normal. A larger one is appropriate only if the work is 'bespoke' - such as unique timber window designs. Try to pay in stages according as the work in completed, and withhold the final payment until the work is completed to your satisfaction. Do not go for the cheapest quotation. There's a price point below which you'll be buying rubbish. Do not try to beat the price down too much. Less professional suppliers will agree to it, but sell you short later. Get the best you can afford. Ask your supplier how long the delivery will be. Have this stipulated on your contract. Additionally ask for an estimate of how long the work will take to finish once they are on-site. Always pay deposits by credit card, as this will afford you some level of protection under the Consumer Credit Act. If the company will accept credit cards for the whole job then that's even better. You have 30 days to make a claim with your credit-card company. You have to show how you were given bad goods or workmanship i.e. they contracted to give you X and gave you Y instead. Check, double check and get independent advice on the contract before you sign, as some contracts are considerably more onerous than others. The best way to avoid salesmen's traps is to be sure of what you want before the salesman arrives. Present him with your requirements and use that as your bargaining chip. Get a specific quote against a specific set of requirements. Then you can be certain of getting like-for-like quotations. Ask if your chosen double glazing installer is a member of the Glass and Glazing Federation, check for FENSA accreditation and make sure that all products carry the safety standard kite mark. Company checks to carry out: How long have they been in business? Check with Companies House. What guarantees do they offer? Are they insurance backed, lifetime or limited, are they transferable? Membership of independent or paid for trading organisations. These could include: G.G.F. - Glass and Glazing Federation B.P.F. - British Plastics Federation. F.M.B. - Federation of Master Builders Conservatory Council Conservatory Association Consumer Protection Association Guild of Master Craftsman E.B.C. - European Builders Confederation Quality standards: BS5750 B.B.A. certification Public liability insurance. Will the fitters and the company be covered if something should go wrong? You should look for at least 2 million pounds cover and check the certification covers the people who are actually doing the work. Product standards to check out: B.S.I. - British standards (kitemarks), for locking, security, safety, product, glass etc. B.B.A. - British board of Agrement FENSA - Document L of the building regulations. You should make up a comparison checklist and confirm all claims independently of any sales claim or literature. The *good* contractors get work by word-of-mouth referrals from previous clients. They've plenty of work to keep them going, and so are worth waiting a few months for. The bad ones are doing too many jobs at once, moving workers from site to site, don't supervise them properly, and thus do poor work. Ask yourself: Have I been given: 1. Full and honest information. 2. Samples 3. Installations locally to look at 4. Recommendations. 5. The small print 6. Acceptable levels of deposits and payment terms 7. Full drawings and specification (if you don't have them prepared first). 8. Time to think! About the author: T. O' Donnell (http://www.tigertom.com/double-glazing-uk/index.shtml) offers double glazing quotes, advice, and an ebook, in London, UK.
MORE RESOURCES:
Home-Improvement - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Inspecting your Swimming Pool With the varied availability of swimming pool equipment and designs, you have a lot to think about when it comes to safety. Whether you use different types of swimming pool liners, or think about purchasing a new swimming pool toy, there are a lot of pool inspection tips you should consider. Worktops and Countertops for Kitchens - Buyers Guide to Materials Worktops and Countertops for Kitchens - Buyers Guide to MaterialsThe worktop or countertop is not only necessary for a kitchen it is also an integral part of its design. Food preparation can deliver a large amount of wear and tear to the surfaces in the kitchen. Easy Renovations for Your Home Renovating should be a fun and exciting process (really!). The key is to plan the project out in advance, hire the right people, allot the appropriate amount of time, and make provisions for delays. How To Care For Your Leather Furniture Leather is the most durable fabric used for furniture today. Although leather is so resistant to harm, it is always wise to take precautions when taking care of you're furniture in order to ensure it always looks great. The Great American Dream Are you ready to starting building your dream home. House plan designs are abundant and easy to customize. Use the FHA Mortgage Specifically Created for Home Improvement Almost everyone knows about FHA mortgages. They are tailor-made for first time homebuyers and others with less than perfect credit or other financial issues. Bamboo Flooring Is Taking The Design World By Storm Are you looking for something different for your house? Maybe you do not want to be like all of your neighbors and you want to stand out from the crowd? Alternatively, perhaps you simply need a flooring option that will stand up to a lot of wear and tear and you like the natural look? Whatever your reasons are, bamboo flooring is a hot new trend in the interior design world and for good reason.The Benefits Of Bamboo FlooringThe three main reasons to use bamboo flooring are very simple. What Two Words Will Double the Space in Your Home? Just two words and a bit of explanation about them will help you to double, maybe even triple, the space in your home now. Those two words are "Go vertical. The Benefits of Steel Storage Buildings Steel is gaining in popularity as a building material due to the many options it offers, its strength, and its affordability. Steel storage buildings are one of the many options available; they range from airplane hangars to garden sheds. Bring Out the Comforters for Back to School If the weather is turning chilly it must time for the kids to go back to school. Bring out the comforters, flannel bed linens, quilts and stadium blankets. Mexico: Who Farted? Do you have embarrassing gas problems? Do you find this problem creeping up on you when you least expect it? I bet not.If you have lived in the United States all your life, I bet you've never seen a gas main or line and have just taken it on faith that it is there pumping gas into your house. Buying Replacement Windows While most buyers of double glazing are looking for replacement windows to help reduce their energy costs, or because their old windows are rattling in their frames, there's a whole class of buyers who are 'trading up' - replacing perfectly good window frames for the sake of having the windows they want. They may be looking to replace all of their windows with a different style, or trying to restore their home to its architectural period. Kitchen Remodeling Costs It is important to prepare a budget for your kitchen remodeling plan before you start implementing it. Without a complete and detailed budget prepared before the kitchen renovation begins, you may get swept into a spending spiral of unbudgeted extras. Are You In or Out of Balance? CLUTTER: When clutter starts to accumulate in an environment, imbalance in our personal, professional and social lives always follows. This can range from health and financial challenges to struggle and conflict with friends, family, co workers, affiliates, as well as with buyers and sellers. Non Slip Maintenance Of Honed Interior Marble A honed finish is a satin surface with relatively little light reflection. It is specified for floors, thresholds and other locations where the presence of water might make a polished finish slippery, or where heavy traffic would wear off the polished finish. Rustic Stone House Signs You may own a remarkably constructed, attractive house that is perfect from every angle. The outside of the house is designed to demand a second look from anyone passing by. Successful Motor Protection Formulae As we have discussed before, all overload relays have one major limitation - because they operate on line current, they do not directly sense the motor temperatures.However, with proper heater selection and careful attention to the factors that affect heater performance, the overload relay can work extremely well to protect the motors. Deck Decorating On my blog, I once wrote about life on the Veranda - a favorite Southern, summer pastime.Picture a Charleston side-porch house, facing the obligatory magnolia tree, refreshing gin and tonics or the standard mint julep. Planning Permission Tips UK - How to Avoid Boundary Disputes when Extending or Redeveloping a Site The quest for more living space these days means making more efficient use of the sites available space in which to extend or develop. This invariably means building right up to the properties boundary line in many cases. Natural Gas vs Charcoal Grills - Which One Is Right For You? Barbequing outdoors is a pleasure that anyone can partake in and with so many types of grills available you can practically cook anywhere. One exception to the list is a natural gas grill which needs a permanent hook up.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
