27th Apr 2017

20 crucial questions to ask your double glazing installer

When undertaking your next home improvement project, research is a vital part of the process. Before buying a new window, door, or conservatory there are a few key pieces of information you should clarify to avoid disappointment and be confident in your choice of tradesmen.

Here are the 20 crucial questions to ask your double glazing installer.

1. How long have you been in business?

Unsurprisingly, learning how long a possible double glazing installer has been in business can tell you a lot about how skilled and dedicated they are. If an installer has only been operating for a few of months, this makes the quality of their installations harder to judge. Opt for a long-serving double glazier when possible.

2. What areas do you serve?

To avoid initial disappointment upon discovering a double glazing installer that meets all of your home improvement requirements, make sure that your property is within their radius of service. Most will make this clear on their website, but even in rare cases some tradesmen may go beyond their usual remit to help homeowners.

3. What accreditations do you have?

One of the most important ways of learning whether or not your chosen home improvement complies with required industry standards, is by looking at the accreditations they have acquired. Many accreditations are particularly admired and require the highest standards of craftsmanship from a double glazing installer, this is because they are generally awarded by unbiased, independent bodies.

4. Do you offer an Insurance Backed Guarantee?

It’s been a legal requirement for all double glazing installers to offer what’s known as an ‘Insurance backed guarantee’ when carrying out any installation. This protects your money in the event that the company goes into liquidation, protecting your assets and keeping your financials secure.

5. What will the final cost be?

Though obvious sounding, agreeing on a suitable budget early on in the process with your double glazing installer helps to avoid any unwanted or unexpected surprises later on. Any good company should provide an accurate estimation not too long after initially enquiring, so assure this is agreed before signing on the dotted line.

6. Do you employ all your staff directly?

Believe it or not, but some home improvement companies do not directly employ their own employees in-house. This can result in greater delays later on down the train, as your double glazing installer could find themselves waiting on outside third parties who may in turn be delayed and cause possible control issues.

7. Do you have a showroom I can visit?

It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to learn that getting a feel for products up close and personal before making a purchase helps to give you a greater idea of the final result. Any good double glazing installer will have a dedicated showroom in which you can visit at a time that best suits you, within an entirely relaxed and pressure-free environment.

8. Will I need planning permission for my project?

Planning permission is only ever required when the prospect of extending your property enters the realm, meaning that installing windows and doors will not require it. However, conservatories and orangeries may require planning permission should they exceed over half your home size, ask your chosen installer for more information.

9. Do you accept cash and card?

Any trustworthy and reliable double glazing installer will accept any major method of payment that best suits your needs. Generally an installer that only accepts cash in hand doesn’t send the right message, so ensure if this is how you make payment that you receive a receipt. Card transactions are tracked digitally, so should you encounter any fraudulent activity you will have records to refer back to.

10. How long do installations typically take?

All in all, the size of the project will often determine the duration of the installation period. Ensure that your double glazing installer has a plan and schedule in place prior to starting work, but on average the general conservatory installation time is 4-6 weeks.

11. How much experience do you have?

Similar to finding out how many years your choice of double glazing installer has been in business, this isn’t the same thing as experience. Where possible, do some digging to learn just how many installations they have completed. The more high quality installations the better, even with regards to each individual team member.

12. Which colours do you offer?

Opting for a double glazing installer that offers a wide-spanning colour palette means that homeowners who have a craving for a specific style or tone can ensure that their expectations are met. Especially for those who wish to maintain their property’s charm and character, decent tradesmen will offer products in hundreds of RAL colours and woodgrain foils.

13. Do you offer post-installation support?

With every home improvement installation, there’s always a risk of having something unforeseeable go wrong. And while it may be hard to prevent something like a leak or faulty fitting from happening, it pays to opt for a double glazing installer that offers a dedicated post-installation service should ever you need something repaired not long after install.

14. How long will I hear back after initially enquiring?

Making an enquiry acts as the first step on the road to an enhanced home, whether carried out via phone, email, or online message, most double glazing installers will get back to you within 24 hours.

15. Where can I find reviews of your work?

There are many online review sites double glazing installers typically use to collate all their respective positive and negative customer reviews. Trusted Trader, Which?, and Checkatrade all act as a platform to find what people are saying about the work of a particular company, letting weigh up the good and the bad in order to make an informed decision.

16. Do you offer additional glazing services?

Double glazing is quickly becoming the industry standard in the UK in order to ensure required U value levels are being met. To guarantee the very best thermal insulation and energy efficiency, opt for a tradesman that provides additional double or even triple glazing services.

17. Do you have finance payment plans?

Even though your current budget might not facilitate the ability to begin your next home improvement project, reliable double glazing installers will offer clear and understandable finance payment plans with no strings attached. Spreading the cost via monthly payments as opposed to simply outright offers homeowners a greater level of financial flexibility.

18. How secure are your products?

Regardless of whether you’re considering having a new window, door, or conservatory installed, none should come with the compromise of sacrificing security and perhaps even more importantly your peace of mind. Thankfully most modern products integrate multi-point locking as standard to help ward off intruders, but every product differs so ask to find out more.

19. Is there a specific style/material you’d recommend?

Although the style and material choice for your new windows, doors, or conservatory will largely be your own decision, asking an installer once vetted can serve to inspire you if you’re struggling. Consider the benefits of each then cross-referencing with budget preferences is generally considered a sensible approach.

20. Is Associated Windows the double glazing installer of choice?

Having served the people of Bristol for nearly a decade, we have a very good knowledge of architecture styles in the area, serving any property located within a 20-mile radius of our HQ. Complete with the appropriate accreditations, online reviews and of course, products, Associated Windows are a team of reliable and punctual team of home improvement experts

For more information, contact a member of our team today either via phone on 0117 9311777 or online via contact form.