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JULY/AUG <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST<br />

Save hours<br />

on-site with<br />

GLAZED IN<br />

SECONDS<br />

BEADED IN<br />

SECONDS<br />

Award winning bi-folding doors<br />

TI_Cover for JULY/AUG22.indd 1 27/06/<strong>2022</strong> 11:<br />

>>> RETAIL THERAPY • INSTALLER INSIGHTS • BOOM TO GLOOM? • DOOR TRENDS >>>


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Speak to an expert today, call 01923 803 923<br />

www.arkaywindows.com<br />

sales@arkaywindows.com


Loved by Installers<br />

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2.2m x 2.6m per panel. The highly efficient design can achieve 1.4 W/m²K U-Value with our standard double<br />

glazing and is ready for changes to Part L of the Building Regulations coming this June. Best of all, the lightweight<br />

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217 113<br />

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Editor’s Comment<br />

GEORGE LEWIS<br />

EDITOR<br />

GEORGELEWIS@MEDIA-NOW.CO.UK<br />

Save hours<br />

on-site with<br />

As I write this comment, the UK is working its way through the hottest<br />

few days ever seen in the country. We are being told to stay indoors and<br />

go out only when necessary, but when sector forecasts like the recent<br />

Business Pilot Barometer state the home improvement boom is over, can<br />

glazing installers risk getting behind on projects or missing out on work<br />

as demand drops?<br />

Whilst the Business Pilot Barometer (page 10) suggests sales and leads were<br />

down in the last month, the positive news is that order values did climb again<br />

by about 1% on May and by 43% year-on-year, meaning the work is still<br />

there, it’s just that the market is going to be tougher moving forward.<br />

Opportunities do remain, as highlighted by a survey from NatWest that showed<br />

that people planning green home improvements rose from 16% at the end of<br />

2021 to 22% in May this year. So are green products the way forward? Potentially.<br />

We’re delighted to welcome two industry voices in Roy Frost of Listers and Ryan<br />

Bromley of smart home security expert Kubu. In Listers’ new Retail Therapy<br />

column, Roy discusses high-end products and the opportunities available to<br />

installers (p.14), whilst Ryan Bromley warns installers not to get left behind when<br />

it comes to offering homeowners smart security solutions (p.66).<br />

Elsewhere in the issue, I recently got the chance to speak to new Band of<br />

Builders CEO Gavin Crane about his exciting ideas for the construction charity<br />

over the next 10 years (p.44). And our Installer Insights features Leighanne<br />

Cox of family firm Speedy Home Improvements, which is celebrating 35 years<br />

in business this year (p.20).<br />

And that’s just a taste of this issue! So read on for all of the above, plus much more.<br />

Enjoy the issue!<br />

George<br />

GLAZED IN<br />

SECONDS<br />

BEADED IN<br />

SECONDS<br />

Award winning bi-folding doors<br />

TI_Cover for JULY/AUG22.indd 1 27/06/<strong>2022</strong> 11:32<br />

Cover courtesy of Made for Trade. Find out more about the company’s<br />

comprehensive offering at: www.madefortrade.co<br />

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Contents<br />

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS<br />

32 GETTING TO KNOW PART F<br />

Robert Vaughan, Window Ware’s Product Manager, offers<br />

some top tips for any installers still wrestling with the<br />

revised Part F requirements for compulsory trickle vents<br />

and increased background ventilation<br />

44<br />

44 TOTAL TALK: BAND OF BUILDERS<br />

Band of Builders CEO Gavin Crane speaks to George<br />

Lewis about his plans for the charity and explains how<br />

he wants to develop it to help even more construction<br />

professionals who need support<br />

66 A SMART WAY TO GO<br />

Ryan Bromley, Co-Founder of Kubu Smart Security, discusses<br />

the exciting wave of ‘smart home’ products, and why this<br />

could be the key to installers winning new business...<br />

FEATURES<br />

24 MAKING WAVES ON HAYLING<br />

ISLAND<br />

When Alpine Homes looked to create a high-end housing<br />

development with stunning coastal views, Central Windows<br />

was called upon to supply and fit a contemporary solution that<br />

could stand up to the elements. Total Installer hears more...<br />

28 THE COMPLETE PACKAGE<br />

Ian Short, Managing Director of Uni-Blinds manufacturer<br />

Morley Glass, explains why today’s interior trends<br />

and the demand for ‘home tech’ are opening up huge<br />

opportunities for window installers<br />

40 KEEPING UP APPEARANCES<br />

Ian Griffiths, MD at Shepley, discusses the new Visage<br />

Modernist Collection and latest trends in composite<br />

doors<br />

48 IT’S TIME FOR ACTION<br />

Faisal Hussain, Chief Executive of the Double Glazing &<br />

Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS), looks<br />

deeper at the reasons behind the Glass and Glazing<br />

Mental Health Survey’s startling results...<br />

38<br />

52 BRING ILITE INTO YOUR HOME<br />

Wes Clarkson, Sales Director at SupaLite, discusses the<br />

company’s new ILite flat roof orangery system<br />

62 BUY WITHOUT THE HASSLE<br />

Paul Smith, Head of Marketing at F.H. Brundle explores<br />

the rise of glass balustrades, and explains how F.H.<br />

Brundle can make designing them quicker and easier<br />

than ever<br />

70 TRAINING UP<br />

Trevor Rabson, Training Manager at Werner, explains<br />

why training is so important when it comes to working<br />

at height safely, what installers need to consider and<br />

how best practice can make all the difference between<br />

safe working and potential injuries<br />

4 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


REGULARS<br />

14 RETAIL THERAPY<br />

In the first of a new series of columns from Listers,<br />

Group MD Roy Frost explains why premium products<br />

should be high up on your agenda if you want to grow<br />

your company<br />

20 INSTALLER INSIGHTS<br />

This month we put the questions to Leighanne<br />

Cox who forms part of Worthing-based father and<br />

daughter team at Speedy Home Improvements<br />

36 THE VIEW FROM CERTASS<br />

TRADE ASSOCIATION<br />

Jon Vanstone discusses his work with the Lighthouse<br />

Construction Industry Charity and explains why, with<br />

the knowledge that two construction workers commit<br />

suicide everyday, the time to act really is now<br />

INDUSTRY NEWS<br />

06 TACKLING THE SKILLS SHORTAGE<br />

We hear how both the Window Company (Contracts) and the<br />

Glass and Glazing Federation are doing their bit to help the<br />

next generation into the industry<br />

07 SIGNIFICANT EMPLAS ORDER<br />

Emplas has placed an order for a £1million plus Forel Vertical<br />

IGU-line, significantly increasing its capacity but also driving<br />

an uptick in IGU quality<br />

10 BUSINESS PILOT BAROMETER<br />

Neil Cooper-Smith, Senior Analyst at Business Pilot, says the<br />

latest data suggests the market boom is well and truly over,<br />

but as he points out, opportunities still remain for installers...<br />

SECTIONS:<br />

WINDOWS<br />

24<br />

DOORS<br />

38<br />

GLAZED<br />

EXTENSIONS<br />

52<br />

HOME<br />

IMPROVEMENT<br />

62<br />

VEHICLES, TOOLS<br />

& WORKWEAR<br />

70<br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST<br />

JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> T I 5


News Roundup<br />

TEAM MAKES VBH TICK!<br />

WAS KICKSTART A MISSED OPPORTUNITY?<br />

Tom Nicholls has<br />

joined the VBH<br />

team<br />

Hardware manufacturer VBH has been<br />

busy in <strong>2022</strong> recruiting new staff and<br />

giving existing team members new<br />

responsibilities where their proven skillsets<br />

can be brought to the fore.<br />

Simon Monks, MD of VBH, gave us the<br />

following overview of the ‘movers and<br />

shakers’ at the company: “Steve Thomas<br />

has moved from an internal position to<br />

become Area Sales Representative for<br />

South West England. His customers are<br />

already benefiting from Steve’s years of<br />

manufacturing experience. His sales team<br />

colleagues Tyler Shutts, Earl Tate and Colin<br />

Thomas have all been promoted to Regional<br />

Manager, for Northern England, South East<br />

England, and Wales respectively, following<br />

exceptional long-term performance.<br />

Three months after the deadline passed<br />

for hiring unemployed 16-24 year<br />

olds under the government’s Kickstart<br />

scheme, the award-winning installer The<br />

Window Company (Contracts) has asked<br />

why a scheme with so much potential to<br />

attract new young talent into the industry<br />

failed to deliver in anything like the<br />

numbers it promised.<br />

The Window Company (Contracts) took<br />

on Oliver Dixon, pictured right of image,<br />

and Adam Harman, left of image, under<br />

the Kickstart scheme at the start of the year and,<br />

at the end of their six months, both have now been<br />

offered permanent jobs as Trainee Window Fitters.<br />

Katie Thornton, Director of Compliance and<br />

Administration at the Chelmsford-based<br />

commercial installation business, said Kickstart<br />

was the ideal way to give Oliver and Adam a taste<br />

of the industry and see whether they had what it<br />

takes to build a successful career.<br />

She explained: “We provided a comprehensive<br />

training programme which included: manual<br />

handling, working at height, asbestos awareness,<br />

and loading and unloading, and that would have<br />

benefited them even if they hadn’t stayed with us.<br />

However, both fitted in from the very beginning and<br />

showed the kind of commitment and enthusiasm<br />

which meant we were delighted to offer them<br />

permanent roles. We would have been willing to<br />

deliver multiple cycles of Kickstart placements as<br />

the scheme really worked for us. It certainly had<br />

the potential to become a pipeline to attract young<br />

people who might never have considered a career<br />

in fenestration onto apprenticeships or higher-level<br />

training courses.”<br />

www.thewinco.co.uk<br />

“In Scotland, Pamela Paterson is now<br />

Operations Manager at our East Kilbride site<br />

with responsibility for the day-to-day running<br />

of the depot. Internally at the Gillingham<br />

HQ, Karen Campbell moves to the position<br />

of Internal Sales-Co-ordinator, linking the<br />

activities of our sales and marketing teams,<br />

and we have bolstered our Customer Service<br />

team with the recruitment of Leah Organ<br />

and Georgia Rowlatt. Both are new to the<br />

industry but are already getting great reviews<br />

from customers. Most recently, Tom Nicholls<br />

joined our accounts team to help ensure that<br />

everything behind the scenes runs smoothly.<br />

“Simon Eshelby also returns to VBH in the<br />

new position of Distribution & Systems<br />

House Manager, following six years away. It’s<br />

great to have Simon, and all his technical<br />

expertise, back at VBH."<br />

www.vbhgb.com<br />

TACKLING THE SKILLS SHORTAGE HEAD ON<br />

The first cohort of apprentices to join the<br />

Glass & Glazing Federation’s Skilled Pathways<br />

Scheme recently completed a 5 day induction<br />

course at the Milton Keynes site of GGF<br />

scheme partner Total Support Training.<br />

The course itself includes both practical and<br />

written elements, and on top of the technical<br />

knowledge introduced to the trainees, there are<br />

a number of practical tasks which provide a<br />

foundation knowledge of health and safety and<br />

basic glazing and glass processing skills. One of<br />

which is the delivery of the new manual handling<br />

course specific to our industry.<br />

The GGF partners with Total Support Training to<br />

bring the Skilled Pathways Scheme to fruition,<br />

which was created to help GGF members<br />

and the wider sector with a means to attract<br />

talented, skilled workers into the industry; all<br />

whilst contributing towards the Government<br />

estimated requirements of 500,000 additional<br />

skilled workers needed by 2050 to help meet its<br />

Net Zero policies.<br />

www.ggf.org.uk/training/<br />

6 TI JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


For more news and the latest updates, visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />

SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT BY EMPLAS<br />

Emplas has placed an order for a £1million<br />

plus Forel Vertical IGU-line, which it says will<br />

significantly increase its capacity but also<br />

drive an uptick in IGU quality.<br />

Scheduled for delivery in the autumn, the<br />

investment will deliver a 45% uplift in capacity on<br />

its current 10,000 IGU a week capability.<br />

Ryan Johnson, Managing Director, Emplas said:<br />

“It’s a big investment but we can see the return<br />

that it will deliver for us and our customers, not<br />

only this year but a long way into the future,<br />

through faster manufacture, better quality and<br />

greater control of cost.<br />

“I don’t think this year will be quite as volatile as<br />

those that we have just been through but stability<br />

of IGU supply, the availability of glass and the<br />

control of cost, continue to exert a significant<br />

influence on the market.<br />

61% of installers say that ‘improving the<br />

buying experience’ is the primary reason for<br />

seeking new quoting software, according to<br />

latest research from Tommy Trinder.<br />

Tom Barfield, Business Development Consultant<br />

to Tommy Trinder, said: “2021 was all about<br />

saving time. Installers, working all hours to keep<br />

up turned to Framepoint in the need for speed as<br />

a means to get quotes out more efficiently. Quite<br />

honestly, installers just wanted their evenings<br />

and weekends back!<br />

“Our acquisition of Padiham and the investments<br />

that we have made to date give us far greater<br />

control over each of those factors.”<br />

Emplas' new IGU line will feature a Forel Vertical<br />

Washer and Water Treatment plant, plus its<br />

patented CR coating remover.<br />

Emplas has also opted for Forel’s Art AS Flexible<br />

Spacer Applicator.<br />

www.emplas.co.uk<br />

INSTALLERS: 'LET'S IMPROVE THE BUYING EXPERIENCE'<br />

“But this year, the thinking is different. In our<br />

more competitive, post-pandemic environment, installers are recognising that there’s more to<br />

winning hearts & wallets than simply getting a quote out of the door. Installers want software that<br />

will wow customers and help them stand out from the crowd – software that will help them deliver<br />

a great ‘buying experience.’”<br />

Commenting on the drive towards creating a unique customer experience at the sales stage, Chris<br />

Brunsdon, founder & CEO of Tommy Trinder added: “Customers love being able to try before they buy<br />

too – trying out different handles, colours and bar options and instantly seeing the results up close<br />

and in situ. All this adds up to a slick, memorable and fun buying experience. And in a flattening<br />

market, installers are telling us it’s becoming key to winning orders and staying ahead.”<br />

www.tommytrinder.com<br />

NEW WEBSITE GOES LIVE<br />

Following a record breaking year, leading<br />

arched and angled frame manufacturer Premier<br />

Arches has launched an innovative new website,<br />

enabling its fabricator, installer, trade counter<br />

and local builder customers to have full access<br />

to information about the products and services<br />

the company has to offer.<br />

Through the new website, customers now have<br />

easy access to information about Premier<br />

Arches’ full product range, which includes<br />

arched, angled, gable, circular and entirely<br />

bespoke windows and doors in a range of seven<br />

stocked systems, including Residence 9, plus<br />

another five non-stocked systems.<br />

Customers can also find out more about the<br />

company’s three main business principles –<br />

exceptional manufacturing quality, clear, honest<br />

customer service, and a ‘make life easier’<br />

offering, which includes a slick online pricing<br />

and ordering platform that generates informed<br />

quotes on all products at the click of a button.<br />

www.premierarches.co.uk<br />

TRUCK INVESTMENT<br />

National PVC-U Recycling company CNC<br />

Recycling has taken delivery of the first<br />

of two new IVECO S-way tractor units,<br />

purchased as part of the ongoing fleet<br />

replacement and improvement scheme.<br />

Operations and Logistic Director Richie Knaggs<br />

commented: “This represents our continued<br />

investment in our growth, our commitment to<br />

our customers, providing them with the quality<br />

of service that they deserve. This commitment<br />

to service is the very ethos of the company and<br />

something we pride ourselves on. This also<br />

supports our valued members of staff, giving<br />

them the comfort and tools to do their fantastic<br />

work to the best of their ability."<br />

The company says this investment underlines<br />

the strategic growth and improvement for<br />

CNC Recycling this year, which also includes<br />

investment in staff training, IT development,<br />

collection vehicles and new production<br />

equipment. www.upvc-recycling.co.uk/<br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST<br />

JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> TI 7


News Roundup<br />

‘NOBODY LEFT BEHIND’<br />

GQA Qualifications is lending its support<br />

to an initiative for young people called<br />

‘Nobody Left Behind’.<br />

The scheme combines community sports<br />

programmes with construction-related<br />

training and qualifications to improve young<br />

people’s employment prospects for entry-level<br />

construction industry roles.<br />

Nobody Left Behind works with groups of young<br />

people who have predominantly been social care<br />

service users, and gives support to try and steer<br />

them away from dropping into gang culture.<br />

Following a four-week programme of community<br />

sports training with household name sports<br />

stars, students move on to work towards gaining<br />

GQA’s Level 1 Award in Construction Health and<br />

Safety and the GQA green general construction<br />

site Labourer’s CSCS card, as well as H&Srelated<br />

training such as manual handling and<br />

traffic marshalling, all accredited through<br />

GQA. Civil Engineering Careers, the agency<br />

championing the work-related training then<br />

facilitates interviews with construction employers<br />

who look to offer employment opportunities to<br />

programme participants.<br />

GQA’s Technical Officer Phil Douglas said: “I<br />

understand that Nobody Left Behind has set itself<br />

the challenge of getting 1,000 young people into<br />

employment in the next four years, and that’s<br />

a goal we’re honoured to get fully behind. It’s a<br />

pleasure to see the sense of achievement on the<br />

faces of the young people when they are told they<br />

have passed their CSCS card test, and the joy in<br />

their voices when they tell their friends ‘I’m starting<br />

work on Monday’. The initiative is a perfect fit with<br />

GQA’s philosophy of people development.”<br />

www.gqaqualifications.com<br />

EMPLAS INSTALLER HELPS CHILDREN IN NEED<br />

After donating over £4,000 to children in<br />

need in the past year, Emplas installer Global<br />

Windows has renewed its partnership with<br />

Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.<br />

Last May, Global Windows pledged to donate £5 to the<br />

hospice for every window and door installation carried<br />

out, helping to support children with life-threatening<br />

illnesses, as well as their families.<br />

And last <strong>August</strong>, the company also sponsored a hole<br />

in one competition at the Bondhay Golf Club Captains<br />

Charity Golf Day, an event that helped to raise over<br />

£6,700 for the charity.<br />

“Since May last year, we’ve carried out 809<br />

installations across South Yorkshire, which adds up<br />

A group of 13 volunteers have taken on and<br />

completed the iconic Hadrian’s Wall Walk to<br />

raise money for UK construction charity Band<br />

of Builders.<br />

The team tackled the Hadrian’s Wall Path – an 84<br />

mile (135 km) treck from Wallsend, Newcastle upon<br />

Tyne in the east, to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria<br />

on the west coast – adding on a few miles along the<br />

way to hit a total of 90 miles across four days.<br />

The team, backed by two support drivers, walked<br />

over 20 miles a day, braving sweltering heat,<br />

downpours, blisters and injuries to raise more than<br />

£20,000 for Band of Builders, a registered charity<br />

to £4,045 in donations to Bluebell Wood, something<br />

which we’re very proud to have achieved,” said Global<br />

Windows Managing Director Liam Hulme.<br />

www.global-windows.co.uk<br />

STEPPING UP FOR THE BAND OF BUILDERS<br />

Vista Panels has renewed its membership with<br />

the official police security initiative, Secured<br />

by Design (SBD), achieving Police Preferred<br />

Specification (PPS) on an impressive range of<br />

their best-selling doors, locks and hardware.<br />

“Being members and able to make doorsets to the<br />

SBD standard is a must for us as a company – our<br />

customers expect nothing less from us, whether it<br />

is for a commercial or domestic client, replacement<br />

security is always at the top of the list of requirements.<br />

It is reassuring that the option to upgrade to an SBD<br />

For more company news visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />

set up to help members of the UK construction<br />

industry battling illness or injury. Martin O’Donnell,<br />

fundraising coordinator at Band of Builders, led<br />

the team on the challenge. He said: “Most people<br />

take on Hadrian’s Wall across six or seven days,<br />

so to complete it in four days was no mean feat.<br />

We had plenty of highs and lows along the way,<br />

but everyone agreed that blisters, injuries and long<br />

days are worth it to do our bit to help others when<br />

they need it.”<br />

www.bandofbuilders.org/<br />

Read our interview with new Band of Builders<br />

CEO Gavin Crane on page 44<br />

VISTA PANELS RENEWS SBD MEMBERSHIP<br />

specification is always there for them,” commented<br />

Ian Smith, Head of Sales and Marketing.<br />

Secured by Design is owned by the UK Police<br />

Service and works to improve the security of<br />

buildings and their immediate surroundings, with<br />

the specific aim to reduce crime and help people<br />

live more safely. SBD is the only way for companies<br />

to obtain police recognition for security-related<br />

products in the UK.<br />

www.vistapanels.co.uk<br />

8 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


SUPPORTING BETTER<br />

Mental<br />

Health<br />

IN THE GLAZING INDUSTRY<br />

60.5%<br />

76.3%<br />

86.8%<br />

89.5%<br />

believe there is a mental health<br />

crisis in the glazing industry<br />

experiencing burnout from their<br />

workload from the last 2 years<br />

believe there isn’t enough mental<br />

health awareness in our sector<br />

have seen an increase in their<br />

workload since the pandemic<br />

Scan the QR code or visit<br />

qrco.de/DGCOS-mhsurvey<br />

to download the results<br />

from our <strong>2022</strong> mental<br />

health survey.<br />

DGCOS is a consumer protection scheme<br />

for the installation of double glazing products.<br />

Being a member of DGCOS shows that as an<br />

installer you are committed to complying with<br />

high standards of consumer protection.<br />

Faisal Hussain<br />

CEO<br />

Find out more: 0345 053 8975 | info@dgcos.org.uk | installers.dgcos.org.uk


The Business Pilot Barometer<br />

'THE BOOM IS OVER'<br />

Neil Cooper-Smith, Senior Analyst at Business Pilot, says the latest data suggests the market<br />

boom is well and truly over, but as he points out, opportunities still remain for installers...<br />

We can now say with confidence that the<br />

market cooled significantly in the last<br />

quarter, with sales dropping by around<br />

12% in the three months from April to June.<br />

It follows a small drop in average sales in June on<br />

May, down by 3%. The number of new leads also<br />

fell month-on-month, recording a 6% drop.<br />

Those monthly falls aren’t necessarily anything<br />

to write home about. The three-month trend,<br />

is, however, worth noting. The market is down,<br />

inflation has hit, and the boom is over.<br />

Year-on-year, things are stark. Sales are down<br />

June <strong>2022</strong> on June 2021 by 30%. Leads are down<br />

29% over the same period.<br />

As we have stated previously, this doesn’t<br />

indicate that we’re heading for a crash, the yearon-year<br />

change is nonetheless striking.<br />

Average order values, did, however, continue to<br />

climb, up 1% on May. Year-on-year, June <strong>2022</strong><br />

compared to June 2021, the increase is 43%.<br />

As we highlighted last month, we attribute this to a<br />

shift away from single item and ad hoc aspirational<br />

spend, for example the purchase of bi-folds or a<br />

new front door, to a more comprehensive whole<br />

house approach to home improvements.<br />

This is being driven by inflationary pressures,<br />

which is on the one hand driving an element of<br />

market contraction, but on the other creating new<br />

opportunities, particularly in home energy efficiency.<br />

Although the rate of house price inflation has<br />

slowed, simple pressures of supply and demand<br />

mean that the house prices have held firm. As<br />

long as people have equity in their properties and<br />

confidence in the housing market we can expect<br />

them to continue to want to invest.<br />

The Greener Homes Attitudes Tracker from<br />

Natwest showed last month that the number of<br />

people planning green home improvements rose<br />

from 16% at the end of 2021 to 22% in May<br />

this year. It also suggests that homeowners were<br />

bringing improvements forward in response to<br />

rising energy prices.<br />

This indicates that those with a greater<br />

disposable income are continuing to spend. Those<br />

who are feeling the pinch, aren’t.<br />

While council tax rebates and energy relief<br />

payments from government are welcome, they<br />

provide a short-term solution only.<br />

We would argue against this context and as called<br />

for by the Climate Change Committee at the end<br />

of June, the creation of a programme to support all<br />

homeowners in improving the energy efficiency of<br />

their homes is now pressing from an environmental<br />

but also socio-economic perspective.<br />

We believe that this pattern is going to define the<br />

market going forward this year and into much of 2023.<br />

The Bank of England says it expects Inflation to<br />

hit a high of 11% before falling back to around<br />

2% by sometime in 2024.<br />

The market is going to be tougher for the<br />

foreseeable future, so understanding where<br />

your leads are coming from and maximising<br />

conversions is going to be key.<br />

The Business Pilot Barometer offers a monthly analysis of the key trends defining window and door<br />

retail, drawing on real industry data collated by the Business Pilot customer relationship management<br />

system (CRM). Business Pilot uses cloud-based technologies to give installers complete visibility of every<br />

element of their operation from leads and conversions to job scheduling, cost of installation, service<br />

calls, and financial reporting.<br />

www.businesspilot.co.uk www.businesspilot.co.uk/barometer<br />

10 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Contract Retail Therapy Talk<br />

WHY PREMIUM PRODUCTS ARE KEY<br />

TO YOUR GROWTH<br />

In the first of a new series of columns from Listers, Group MD Roy Frost explains why<br />

premium products should be high up on your agenda if you want to grow your company...<br />

The window and door industry is great at<br />

reinventing itself. Colour, foils and flush<br />

systems are a big part of the current<br />

reinvention of PVC-U windows and doors.<br />

It’s worth remembering for a moment that pre-2011,<br />

PVC-U flush casements didn’t exist; The Residence<br />

Collection revolutionised window and door design.<br />

Flush casements are now a very familiar, if not<br />

quite assuming the status of a ‘standard product’.<br />

I’d argue among them R9 and the Residence<br />

Collection is still the standout flush casement<br />

window, something which is a credit to Dan Gill’s<br />

vision more than a decade ago.<br />

Designed way before the current round of revisions<br />

to Part L, with nine chambers, it still comfortably<br />

meets requirements for new build as well as home<br />

improvement, with U-values as low as 0.84W/m 2 K<br />

and A++ Window Energy Ratings.<br />

R7 does the same in a 75mm system. These are<br />

top performing products in a premium tier of the<br />

PVC-U market.<br />

With Timeless, our third flush PVC-U casement, we<br />

offer each in a mitred or traditional 90 butt joint.<br />

In fact, we’ve doubled sales of Residence<br />

Collection products in the last 12 months,<br />

redefining the layout of our factory to allow us to<br />

meet increased demand by doubling the space<br />

allocated to our premium PVC-U lines.<br />

The growth that we’re seeing in aluminium is also<br />

exciting. We’ve been manufacturing Reynaers for<br />

some time but added Sheerline to our range at the<br />

beginning of this year carrying its complete Prestige<br />

offer, including its installation time-saving bi-fold.<br />

Residence Collection, Timeless, Sheerline,<br />

Reynaers – it all adds up to what we see as a very<br />

comprehensive premium offer.<br />

Listers Group MD<br />

Roy Frost<br />

We can also colour match standard colours<br />

across our PVC-U ranges on the same lead times,<br />

including agate-grey-on-white.<br />

This premium offer becomes more important<br />

now going into a period when it appears that the<br />

market is becoming less buoyant.<br />

The pandemic (supply chain disruption aside),<br />

and the ensuing home improvement boom, made<br />

it comparatively easy to make money for most of<br />

2020 and 2021.<br />

As furlough cash has dried up and the costof-living<br />

crisis has hit home, those impulse<br />

purchases which drove sales during consecutive<br />

lockdowns have disappeared.<br />

Instead, what we’re seeing is a clear divide<br />

between people for whom inflation is noticeable<br />

but ultimately won’t change their behaviours, and<br />

those who are now really struggling and have to<br />

reign in their spending.<br />

It’s not so much a contraction but a redefinition<br />

of the market, putting increased focus on<br />

premium products.<br />

And the incentives to spend on home<br />

improvements are now even greater if you<br />

still have the cash to invest – and believe me,<br />

people do.<br />

There are lots of homeowners out there who have<br />

either delayed improvements because it’s been<br />

difficult to pin down a good contractor because<br />

they’ve been so busy, or have perhaps delayed<br />

works in the hope of a better deal.<br />

Energy price increases are also influencing the<br />

market. They represent a double-edged sword for<br />

the window and door industry.<br />

With average bills hitting £2,000 per year and<br />

forecast to hit £2,300 this autumn, energy wholesale<br />

price increases have been a root cause of inflation.<br />

At the same time they deliver a very clear<br />

incentive to make energy efficient home<br />

improvements. If you have the cash, spending<br />

money on new windows and doors to lower your<br />

energy costs is simply logical.<br />

And if you’re in the bracket where inflation isn’t really<br />

hurting you too much and you’ve decided to invest in<br />

your property, it is likely that aesthetics are going to<br />

be as equally important to you as energy savings.<br />

That makes premium products doubly important<br />

in supporting future growth in retail and on two<br />

distinct fronts – energy efficiency and aesthetics.<br />

The products that we offer – Residence Collection,<br />

Timeless, Reynaers and Sheerline – deliver against<br />

each and are available from us on the same lead<br />

times.<br />

You can also hear Roy explain why there is such<br />

demand for high-end products, along with why Listers<br />

is investing heavily in machinery, on Glaze Tube. View<br />

here: http://glaze-tube.co.uk/investment-growthat-listers/<br />

Contact Listers:<br />

01782 391900<br />

www.listerwindows.co.uk/<br />

@ListerTF<br />

14 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Glaze Tube: Video Content<br />

PRESS PLAY ON QUALITY CONTENT<br />

FOR YOUR SECTOR...<br />

Glaze Tube is the platform for digital content from the leading players in your sector.<br />

Easily accessible on any device, Glaze Tube is packed full and constantly updated with<br />

practical, informative and entertaining video content, including how-to’s; project and<br />

product focuses; installation advice; training and webinars; plus interviews and opinions<br />

from those operating throughout the supply chain. Here’s a taste of what you’ll find:<br />

Bohle MD Dave Broxton<br />

discusses the market for glass<br />

and explains how efficiencies<br />

can be made during production<br />

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16 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


GLAZE<br />

TUBE<br />

Listers MD Roy Frost says<br />

there is strong demand<br />

for high-end products,<br />

and explains why the<br />

company is investing<br />

heavily in machinery<br />

Rob McGlennon,<br />

Managing Director of<br />

Deceuninck, explains how<br />

and why sustainability<br />

is at the heart of the<br />

business, and the steps<br />

the team is taking to<br />

ensure a more sustainable<br />

future<br />

So head over to www.glaze-tube.co.uk to view all these videos and so much more, or<br />

if you’d like to make the most of your digital content, contact a member of the team on<br />

01892 732 047 to put your company and products in front of your potential customers.<br />

GLAZE<br />

TUBE<br />

FIND US AT WWW.GLAZE-TUBE.CO.UK<br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST<br />

JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> TI 17


Contract FIT Show 2023 Talk<br />

'A VERY SPECIAL YEAR FOR FIT'<br />

When FIT Show returns in May 2023, it will mark 10 years since the show started. Nickie<br />

West, FIT Show Event Director, says big plans are in store for its anniversary year and tells<br />

When FIT Show returns next May<br />

(Birmingham NEC, 23 - 25 May 2023) it<br />

will mark a full decade since the event<br />

was launched in the same month of 2013.<br />

The sector has evolved significantly over the<br />

years and FIT Show has continued to evolve and<br />

reflect – growing in both size and the breadth of<br />

products and brands on display.<br />

Nickie commented: “We’ve really hit the ground<br />

running hot on the heels of our delayed 2021<br />

event. 2023 is a very special year for FIT Show<br />

as we celebrate a decade of innovation and ten<br />

brilliant years since we launched the fenestration<br />

industry’s only dedicated UK platform.<br />

“We have been extremely fortunate to have<br />

retained the support of so many brands over this<br />

time, many of them have grown with us.<br />

“The floorplan for 2023 is hotting up fast and<br />

there’s a really strong mixture of heritage and<br />

new brands, plus a broadening of materials and<br />

products. Brands such as Haffner, ODL, Glazpart,<br />

Selecta Systems, Renolit, Konig UK and Profitmaker<br />

have signed up to 2023 and, in doing so, have done<br />

every single show with us since we started.<br />

It’s this brand loyalty that sets FIT Show apart from<br />

most shows. We’ve also got some really big brands<br />

who are well known in the industry who have never<br />

exhibited with us before, but who have done their<br />

analysis and are now choosing FIT as a tried and<br />

tested platform – brands like Technal for example.<br />

“We’re always looking at ways to encourage new<br />

and entry level brands to take their first step on<br />

the exhibition ladder with FIT Show. I’m excited to<br />

share the plans of our grassroots initiatives over<br />

the coming weeks.<br />

“I think the support, enthusiasm and success of<br />

our <strong>2022</strong> event reinforces why FIT Show is such a<br />

crucial fixture in the fenestration calendar.<br />

Total Installer what’s happening behind the scenes for 2023...<br />

Above, Top l-r: Matthew Glover, Nickie West and Paul Godwin.<br />

Above: FIT Show celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2023<br />

“There really is no other tried and tested platform<br />

like FIT Show when it comes to delivering the best<br />

possible ROI for exhibitors, and a compelling and<br />

rewarding experience for visitors.”<br />

Chris Reeks, MD of Fentrade Aluminium, exhibited<br />

at FIT Show for the first time in <strong>2022</strong> and shares<br />

his thoughts on why he’s returning for 2023, and<br />

why FIT Show is the industry’s main event.<br />

Chris said: “We are looking to build upon the<br />

success of our inaugural show in <strong>2022</strong> where we<br />

met with existing and potential customers and grew<br />

our presence as an aluminium trade manufacturer.<br />

“We see the 2023 FIT Show as a springboard<br />

to launch the next stage of our growth and<br />

development strategy by increasing our brand<br />

awareness within the industry and further<br />

growing our customer base.<br />

“As a company, one of the deciding factors to<br />

exhibit for 2023 centred around the 10 year<br />

anniversary; there will be an even bigger focus<br />

and emphasis on the show for 2023 because<br />

of this which will drive more footfall to the<br />

exhibition. It will be great to be a part of the<br />

celebrations as we ourselves will be celebrating<br />

our five-year anniversary.<br />

“Having been a visitor to FIT from the first show<br />

in 2013 I have seen it grow, and more importantly<br />

the team learn from each event to keep changing<br />

and adapting to the industry’s needs. It was<br />

always something when launching Fentrade in<br />

2018 that was kept to the forefront as a marketing<br />

strategy when I believed the time was right.<br />

“I see FIT as an integral part of the industry to<br />

showcase new products and to be able to network<br />

with a large amount of customers, suppliers and<br />

industry colleagues in a very short space of time.<br />

It is important to us as a marketing vehicle and<br />

also an opportunity to maximise our resources to<br />

meet and greet customers and suppliers alike.”<br />

Nickie explained what visitors can expect from FIT<br />

Show 2023. She continued: “For visitors, as well<br />

as being able to compare all of the latest products<br />

side-by-side – which you simply cannot do<br />

anywhere else – FIT Show provides a direct link to<br />

manufacturers and the industry experts.<br />

“Additional features, such as our CPD learning<br />

programme and live product demos, help visitors to<br />

broaden their knowledge and to upskill with a view<br />

to doing better business when they leave the show.<br />

“It’s also our ten year anniversary and a big<br />

milestone for the whole industry.<br />

“We’d love for everyone to come together and<br />

help celebrate everything that we have achieved<br />

together over the past decade. I’m hoping that there<br />

will be lots of faces, both old and new, when we<br />

open the doors on a decade of FIT Show next May.”<br />

Contact FIT Show:<br />

0207 886 3100<br />

www.fitshow.co.uk<br />

@fitshow<br />

18 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Installer Insights<br />

IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR<br />

Leighanne Cox forms part of Worthing-based father and daughter team at Speedy Home<br />

Improvements. We caught up with Leighanne to discuss recent projects, the importance of the<br />

personal touch with customers, and the challenges around finding staff that fit with the team...<br />

Total Installer (TI): What was your path into<br />

the sector?<br />

Leighanne Cox (LC): My dad Greg has always<br />

been in the trade, so, when I turned 15-years-old,<br />

he gave me a Saturday job answering the phones<br />

to earn some pocket money.<br />

Pictured: Leighanne Cox and<br />

her father Greg: Speedy Home<br />

Improvements celebrates 35 years<br />

in business this year<br />

After I left school, I became a qualified<br />

hairdresser and worked in the bars at Butlins<br />

before he asked me to give him a hand again, this<br />

time cleaning up the end of a job he had done.<br />

That was 13 years ago, and I’ve never left.<br />

TI: If you had one piece of advice about<br />

starting an installation business, what would<br />

it be?<br />

LC: Invest as much money as you can in<br />

marketing. I’ve learned from business that you<br />

need to create a solid link in your circle for your<br />

brand, advertising, vans being sign written and of<br />

course, recommendations – the power of ‘word of<br />

mouth’ and ‘social’ is huge.<br />

If you let one of the links go, it all starts falling<br />

apart. It’s not an easy trade and I’ve learned lots<br />

of lessons along the way, but it is also rewarding<br />

when you can stand back and look at what you’ve<br />

achieved.<br />

We basically used to have just a ‘shack’ that<br />

we worked from, which suited us at the time.<br />

However, as the business grew, we knew we<br />

needed a professional showroom.<br />

That was probably the best money we’ve ever<br />

spent and has helped us to double sales to £2.5m.<br />

The transformational project is something I’m<br />

personally very proud of.<br />

Continued on page 22<br />

20 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Installer Insights<br />

Continued from page 20<br />

TI: Tell us about a recent project you are<br />

proud of...<br />

LC: We put a job through planning, which has<br />

taken nine months to get approved as we have<br />

had to make some complex changes due to<br />

planning requests.<br />

A recent project completed by<br />

Leighanne and the Speedy Home<br />

Improvements team<br />

This job has everything involved. We are<br />

building a 10-metre orangery with an L-shaped<br />

conservatory wrapped around the orangery to<br />

accommodate an indoor hot tub.<br />

“The power of ‘word of<br />

mouth’ and ‘social’ is<br />

huge”<br />

Our expert fitters are also replacing a flat roof<br />

that is already there and installing a lantern and<br />

‘GRPing’ the new roof and replacement windows<br />

throughout.<br />

This is going to be our biggest project on a single<br />

house, and we are very much looking forward to<br />

getting started on the installation.<br />

TI: What is the most difficult/challenging<br />

project that you’ve worked on?<br />

LC: The biggest challenge we find more than the<br />

individual jobs is the customer. Every client tends<br />

to have different expectations and ways they<br />

would like the project completed, so the challenge<br />

is quickly realising what their expectations are so<br />

that we then put in place a process to meet them.<br />

TI: What’s the most frustrating thing about<br />

your job?<br />

LC: The change in all the new regulations for<br />

building control and every building inspector<br />

wanting slightly different things from us.<br />

TI: And the most satisfying?<br />

LC: Getting great feedback from customers and,<br />

importantly, seeing our staff enjoy their job and the<br />

immense pride they have in what they do. Without<br />

our employees, Speedy Home Improvements<br />

wouldn’t be the great business it is today.<br />

“We feel the personal approach tends to sort<br />

issues out quicker”<br />

TI: How do you deal with difficult customers?<br />

LC: We always pick the phone up rather than<br />

email, as we feel the personal approach tends to<br />

sort issues out quicker. If they don’t answer the<br />

phone, we will pop round and see them.<br />

It is always best to deal with people immediately<br />

rather than leave any issues to fester.<br />

“Without our<br />

employees, Speedy<br />

Home Improvements<br />

wouldn’t be the great<br />

business it is today”<br />

TI: What is your opinion of online reviews? Are<br />

they a blessing or a curse for the installer?<br />

LC: I feel they are a curse. We do lots and lots of<br />

installations but we have only 20 reviews.<br />

The very small minority who take to the keyboards<br />

are often ‘warriors’ and only there to cause a<br />

fuss. It would be good if we could turn the tables<br />

and write reviews about customers!<br />

TI: What’s the biggest issue currently affecting<br />

you as an installer?<br />

LC: Finding staff that fit with the business is<br />

always a challenge and currently there is no<br />

specific course available that brings the next<br />

generation of glazers and fitters though.<br />

We are passionate about changing this and are<br />

actively looking at ways we can create our own<br />

course for them; something they can complete<br />

that will give them the skills they need for the<br />

job, but also a recognised qualification that they<br />

have for the rest of their careers.<br />

It would generate a great sense of<br />

achievement.<br />

Contact Speedy Home Improvements:<br />

0808 149 3569<br />

www.speedybuild.co.uk/<br />

22 TI JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Case study<br />

MAKING WAVES ON HAYLING ISLAND<br />

When Alpine Homes looked to create a high-end housing development with stunning<br />

coastal views, Central Windows was called upon to supply and fit a contemporary<br />

solution that could stand up to the elements. Total Installer finds out more...<br />

Resting in the shadow of its larger sibling the<br />

Isle of Wight, Hayling Island is one of the<br />

nation’s best kept secrets – a seaside retreat<br />

home to over five miles of unspoilt coastline.<br />

REHAU’s TOTAL70 windows<br />

were used throughout the<br />

Yacht Haven project<br />

The close proximity of the cities Portsmouth and<br />

Chichester make the island an ideal location for<br />

both holidaymakers and new residents alike,<br />

which is exactly why Alpine Homes chose it as<br />

the location for their latest housing development,<br />

Yacht Haven.<br />

Since its foundation, the Hampshire-based<br />

company has grown to become one of the most<br />

recognisable names in the county, constructing<br />

over 200 homes throughout the cities and shores<br />

of the South Coast.<br />

Its portfolio spans everything from urban highrise<br />

apartments to traditional country homes.<br />

A place by the sea<br />

Yacht Haven would prove to be one of Alpine<br />

Homes’ most compelling projects to date – a<br />

gated development of six luxury properties with<br />

stunning waterside views, including a pontoon for<br />

each home to access water-based activities.<br />

With the build soon underway, Alpine Homes<br />

called upon locally-based Central Windows to<br />

source and fit window frames that would suit<br />

such high-end surroundings.<br />

Chris Fields, Project Manager at Alpine Homes,<br />

said: “The unique demands of the coastal<br />

environment meant that we needed profiles that<br />

could stand up to the elements.<br />

“However, it was critical that this did not come<br />

at the expense of compromising the modern look<br />

and feel of the build.<br />

“For this reason, we enlisted the help of Central<br />

“The unique demands of the coastal environment<br />

meant that we needed profiles that could stand<br />

up to the elements”<br />

Windows to help us identify the correct product<br />

for our needs.”<br />

Let the sunshine in<br />

Central Windows specified REHAU’s TOTAL70<br />

windows and Invisifold doors in anthracite grey<br />

on white as the best fit for the build.<br />

The tilt-and-turn system’s slender profiles allow<br />

for a larger glass area to let more natural light in,<br />

while also ensuring that it would be resistant to any<br />

corrosion caused by the coastal environment.<br />

Steve Smith, Managing Director at Central<br />

Windows, explained: “We’ve been specifying<br />

REHAU windows for a number of years now and<br />

continue to be impressed by the quality of service<br />

and product they offer. The chamfered system<br />

provided a contemporary look in keeping with<br />

the rest of the property, while also remaining<br />

more cost-effective than timber or aluminium<br />

alternatives.<br />

Continued on page 26<br />

24 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


Total performance<br />

with TOTAL70<br />

Our TOTAL70 window and door system<br />

achieves the highest possible energy ratings<br />

and performance. The unique compound with<br />

a smooth gloss finish ensures that your windows<br />

retain their pristine appearance for years to<br />

come meaning they will never warp, rot or<br />

need repainting.<br />

Windows. Reinvented for modern life.<br />

www.rehau.uk/windows<br />

enquiries@rehau.com<br />

Tel: 01989 762600


Case study<br />

Continued from page 24<br />

Due to the location, the windows<br />

had to be resistant to any corrosion<br />

caused by the coastal environment<br />

“These solutions also allowed us to easily meet<br />

the U-value requirements set out in current<br />

building regulations, meaning that the homeowner<br />

could benefit from a more energy-efficient<br />

property.”<br />

Creating forever homes<br />

Due to their high-performing PVC-U polymer,<br />

REHAU’s TOTAL70 windows achieve an A+<br />

rating for thermal efficiency – the highest<br />

Window Energy Rating (WER) currently<br />

possible.<br />

Double glazed units would also ensure that the<br />

“The TOTAL70 range has<br />

long proved an ideal fit<br />

for residential builds,<br />

and Yacht Haven is no<br />

exception”<br />

residents of Yacht Haven could access peace and<br />

quiet inside of their home whenever it was desired,<br />

despite the close proximity of the waterfront.<br />

Moreover, as the TOTAL70 range makes use of a<br />

unique compound with a smooth gloss finish, the<br />

frames are guaranteed not to rot, warp or be in<br />

need of painting, even after years in place.<br />

Combined with an energy efficiency rating<br />

far exceeding current standards – even in<br />

light of recent uplifting of these requirements<br />

under the Future Homes Standard – Yacht<br />

Haven residents can enjoy long-lasting, quality<br />

frames.<br />

Luke Boban, Area Sales Manager at REHAU,<br />

concluded: “The TOTAL70 range has long proved<br />

an ideal fit for residential builds, and Yacht Haven<br />

is no exception.<br />

“The innate qualities of the product made it an<br />

ideal fit for the coastal environment, ensuring<br />

that the homes would remain energy-efficient and<br />

resistant to the elements without compromising<br />

on views of the surrounding scenery.<br />

“We’ve received glowing feedback from all<br />

involved with this project, so look forward to<br />

working with both Alpine Homes and Central<br />

Windows again in future.”<br />

Contact REHAU:<br />

01989 762601<br />

www.rehau.com/uk-en<br />

@REHAUWindows<br />

26 TI JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


New Part L<br />

Building<br />

Regulations<br />

Compliant.<br />

Oh so<br />

SIMPLE<br />

The Virtuoso Gateway is a quick and simple online tool where you can order<br />

your customer’s new door. You can access the Gateway twenty-four hours a day,<br />

seven days a week. Getting started is easy, just set up a Virtuoso trade account,<br />

and once registered you will have access to your own dashboard, where you can<br />

use the ‘design-a-door’ tool, generate instant quotes and place an order.<br />

There’s Oh So much more to discover, contact<br />

sales@virtuoso-doors.co.uk or visit virtuoso-doors.co.uk/gateway<br />

Nationwide Coverage. Competitive Lead Times. Unlimited Colour Choice.


Integral blinds<br />

With curtains and traditional window<br />

dressings falling out of fashion in recent<br />

years, homeowners are increasingly<br />

turning to blinds to provide the shading and<br />

privacy they are looking for.<br />

But many of us also want clean sightlines and<br />

less clutter in our rooms – something that can<br />

be at odds with ‘standard’ blinds that are usually<br />

wall or frame mounted.<br />

These types of blinds are also incompatible with<br />

bi-fold doors and the large sliding doors that are<br />

very on-trend.<br />

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE<br />

Today’s interior trends and the demand for ‘home tech’ are opening up huge opportunities<br />

for window installers to offer their customers integral blinds as part of a complete package.<br />

Ian Short, Managing Director of Uni-Blinds manufacturer Morley Glass, explains why...<br />

So, many homeowners will be asking how they<br />

incorporate shading and privacy into these<br />

premium products at the very early stages of their<br />

renovation work or extension.<br />

This presents an excellent opportunity to offer<br />

Uni-Blinds integral blinds with all new windows<br />

and doors. Available in cordless, motorised,<br />

solar-powered and corded versions, these sleek<br />

blinds sit between the panes of glass inside<br />

double or triple glazed units. They enable any<br />

accomplished window and door installer to offer<br />

homeowners a package that fits with how they<br />

want their homes to look today – not what they<br />

would have chosen 10 or 20 years ago!<br />

This is why the Uni-Blinds brand is growing<br />

strongly, reflecting the homeowner shift, with<br />

volumes up 50% in 2021 alone. Every Uni-<br />

Blinds unit features high quality ScreenLine blind<br />

systems from Pellini, which are renowned globally<br />

to always look great and function reliably over<br />

time, providing the best value to homeowners.<br />

And it is here where it is important to think about<br />

cost versus value. Adding Uni-Blinds into the<br />

package will obviously increase the overall sale<br />

value, but don’t let this put you off! Remember<br />

that the additional cost compared to windows<br />

and doors without integrated blinds will be offset<br />

by the savings the customer will make by not<br />

having to buy traditional window blinds – we<br />

Above: Uni-Blinds integral blinds provide a solution for large areas of glazing. Inset: Ian Short, Managing Director of Morley Glass.<br />

think it represents a win-win for installers and<br />

the customer!<br />

Unlock a superb sales opportunity<br />

In addition to offering homeowners the highest<br />

quality integral blinds on the market, Uni-Blinds<br />

also provide a solution that caters for a huge<br />

variety of décor styles and property types. This<br />

enables installers to carefully tailor the integral<br />

blinds to fit the customer’s needs.<br />

The Uni-Blinds range includes Venetian and<br />

pleated integral blinds with five different control<br />

systems and a wide variety of colours. And the<br />

good news for installers is that this range is<br />

always evolving to provide integral blinds that can<br />

be finely tuned to different lifestyles and personal<br />

taste, as two of the most recent Uni-Blinds<br />

innovations demonstrate.<br />

The pleated blackout provides all the benefits of<br />

an integral blind with darkness on demand. Ideal<br />

for use in children’s nurseries, bedrooms and<br />

cinema rooms, or anywhere where external light<br />

is causing a nuisance, its design prevents light<br />

‘bleed’ around the edges and along the cords to<br />

give an outstanding result.<br />

Another recent innovation is the SV+ cordless<br />

sliding Venetian integral blind. This is an evolution<br />

of the most popular Uni-Blinds system, the SV,<br />

which is sold in its thousands every month.<br />

The SV+ caters for customers who love the<br />

appeal of the cordless slider to raise, lower<br />

and tilt the blind, but prefer the view through<br />

the windows to be symmetrical. It is a subtle<br />

difference, but one that some end-users will<br />

really value.<br />

Further Uni-Blinds benefits come through the<br />

unrivalled service provided by Morley Glass.<br />

This includes nationwide aftersales support and<br />

complimentary delivery in as little as 10-12 days<br />

when ordered by 10am on Thursdays. This means<br />

no long lead times and no long distance shipping,<br />

so installations can be completed quickly to the<br />

delight of homeowners.<br />

Contact Morley Glass:<br />

0113 277 8722<br />

www.morleyglass.co.uk<br />

@MorleyGlassGlaz<br />

28 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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• 24/7 Online Ordering and Order Tracking<br />

Award Winning Windows & Doors to the Trade<br />

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Building Regulations<br />

GETTING TO KNOW PART F<br />

Robert Vaughan, Window Ware’s Product Manager, offers some top tips for any installers<br />

still wrestling with the revised Part F requirements for compulsory trickle vents and<br />

Months before the revised Part F of<br />

Building Regulations came into effect<br />

in England on 15th June, Window Ware<br />

had invested considerable resources into helping<br />

installers and fabricators to successfully navigate<br />

the changes and get ready to comply.<br />

“In the first instance,” explained Rob, “we quickly<br />

created a useful summary document which aimed<br />

to clarify the key points and help glazing specialists<br />

to quickly establish what the changes to Part F<br />

of Building Regulations really meant for them<br />

and their businesses when it came to supplying<br />

or fitting windows into new builds or property<br />

refurbishments after 15th June.”<br />

This summary is still available to download free of<br />

charge anytime at www.windowware.co.uk/partf<br />

But in a nutshell, this is what installers need to<br />

know:<br />

Part F is part of a bigger plan<br />

The revised Part F is just the first step on the path<br />

to achieving the Government’s Future Homes and<br />

Buildings Standard which comes into force in 2025<br />

and aims to future-proof homes by reducing their<br />

energy usage and greenhouse emissions.<br />

Further changes to building regulations over the<br />

next three years are certain, so be prepared!<br />

There’s no disclaimer for Document F<br />

Everyone in the building trade – from architects<br />

and hardware suppliers, to the fabricators and<br />

fitters – are responsible for compliance with<br />

Document F of Building Regulations. For installers<br />

and glazing retailers specifically, that means<br />

making sure the end user understands why vents<br />

must be fitted and being able to specify to the<br />

fabricator at point of manufacture exactly what<br />

ventilation provision they need to meet Part F<br />

regulations on each job.<br />

increased background ventilation.<br />

In effect, every window leaving the factory should<br />

now have a vent of some sort fitted.<br />

If not, installers need to be wary and willing to<br />

ask questions because it could invalidate their<br />

installation certification.<br />

Higher rates of ventilation are required<br />

As buildings become more airtight to improve energy<br />

efficiency in line with the Future Homes Standard,<br />

greater measures are needed to ensure adequate<br />

ventilation for the health and wellbeing of residents.<br />

The revised Part F aims to address this by<br />

increasing the minimum airflow requirement of<br />

background ventilation (provided by trickle vents,<br />

wall vents or intermittent extractor fans).<br />

For new build dwellings with multiple floors, this<br />

means achieving a minimum Equivalent Area<br />

(EA) of 8,000mm 2 in all habitable rooms e.g.,<br />

kitchens, living rooms or bedrooms.<br />

In new build single-story dwellings, the minimum EA<br />

for habitable rooms is even higher at 10,000mm 2 .<br />

And for non-habitable rooms like bathrooms, it’s a<br />

blanket minimum EA of 4000mm 2 no matter how<br />

many floors the building has.<br />

The rules aren’t quite so clear-cut in the<br />

refurbishment market, but all replacement<br />

windows will require some sort of background<br />

(trickle) ventilation.<br />

If the existing windows already have vents fitted,<br />

the replacement windows should include vents that<br />

achieve at least the same (but definitely not less)<br />

airflow performance. If there are no vents in the<br />

existing windows, then the replacement windows<br />

must have vents fitted that comply with the same<br />

minimum EA requirements mentioned earlier.<br />

Even if you’re only replacing a handful of windows or<br />

extending a property by just a small proportion, it’s<br />

better to play safe and meet the airflow requirements<br />

so the job won’t come back to bite you later.<br />

Wide range of vent options to support<br />

compliance<br />

“The good news is,” said Rob, “that Window Ware<br />

already offers a wide range of vent options which<br />

fabricators and installers can rely on to meet the<br />

increased airflow requirements of Part F.<br />

“In fact, our switched-on brand partners, including<br />

the likes of R W Simon, Glazpart and Yale – had<br />

new compliant vents under development as soon<br />

as Part F changes were confirmed, and together,<br />

we’ve worked flat out to have stock on the shelf in<br />

time for the 15th of June deadline.<br />

“Plus, a customer ventilation survey, carried out<br />

in May earlier this year, confirmed that the vent<br />

stock profile we were building was going to be<br />

bang on the money in terms of brand preferences,<br />

price point and performance.<br />

“Hopefully you and your fabricator are already on<br />

top of Part F compliance, but if not, then Window<br />

Ware has got your back with the right products<br />

and the right advice to help you have these new<br />

regulations down pat!”<br />

Contact Window Ware:<br />

01234 242 724<br />

www.windowware.co.uk<br />

@WindowWare<br />

32 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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book a demo - www.tommytrinder.com


Updates<br />

LISTERS LEAD WITH SHEERLINE<br />

For further windows updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />

Listers has become one of the first trade fabricators to supply the full range of Sheerline products,<br />

including the Prestige Window and S1 Sheerline Lantern.<br />

“After meeting with the engineers right at the start of the Sheerline journey, I could see exactly what<br />

they were trying to do in aluminium,” explained Roy Frost, Listers’ MD. “It is a real breath of fresh air: an<br />

aluminium system designed by PVC system designers.”<br />

The latest development from the aluminium systems company is a new state-of-the-art powder coating facility,<br />

which promises to control quality, and shorten lead times on ex-stock coloured profile, bringing them in line with PVC-U alternatives. For example, black, white and grey<br />

will be supplied by Listers on a two-week lead time, with a further nine on-trend colours available in just four weeks from Listers. “On colours alone, the most popular<br />

are made to stock, so they are available on very short lead times,” Roy said. “Agate grey on white isn’t a stock colour in most aluminium systems. But with Sheerline, it<br />

is on a two-week lead time, which means I can offer installers the same lead time as my PVC-U products.” www.listerwindows.co.uk<br />

REDESIGNED WINDOW WITH PARTS L & F IN MIND<br />

Window manufacturer Victorian Sliders has redesigned its ECOSlide window meaning it now complies with<br />

the requirements of Part L & F.<br />

The upgraded product will deliver U-values of 1.4 and a BFRC Rating of A+14 to meet Part L, and by fitting<br />

each window with the maximum number of trickle vents as standard up to 10,000mm2 (EQA), Victorian Sliders<br />

are ensuring it will meet Part F too. The window will be priced at £249, for any size up to 1300mm x 2400mm.<br />

Group Managing Director Steve Winslet said: “Installers around the country are crying out for products that help<br />

them quickly and easily meet the requirements of Part L and F – and that’s exactly what we’re providing them<br />

with. Trickle vents can ruin the appearance of a window if they’re implemented poorly, but thanks to an ingenious design by our founder and Group CEO<br />

Scot Starkey, this isn’t the case. The vents are concealed, meaning the ECOSlide sash window aesthetics are retained.” www.victoriansliders.co.uk<br />

SENSCHECK MAKES SENSE FOR SIERRA<br />

Yale has announced Sierra Windows as the first official launch partner for SensCheck, the company’s<br />

new range of integrated smart window and door lock sensors.<br />

The partnership will see Sierra Windows – part of the Epwin Group – supply all its PVC casement window, flush<br />

window, and door products with SensCheck compatibility as standard. This will enable homeowners to check the<br />

status of their doors and windows using their smartphones and devices while providing an outstanding smart<br />

advantage for installers.<br />

Yale SensCheck allows installers to offer smart windows and doors within their product range, benefiting<br />

from the association with the company. It is said that the fact that the consumer purchases directly from Yale means there is no risk for the installer –<br />

who is fully supported by Yale’s aftersales support team. www.yalehome.co.uk/sync-smart-home-window-and-door-sensors<br />

A SLIDING WINDOWS MOMENT<br />

Window Warehouse has announced its ‘biggest news of <strong>2022</strong> so far’ – the launch of its own range of<br />

vertical sliding windows.<br />

Remi Cake, Operations Director at the company (pictured) said: “Manufacturing vertical sliding windows<br />

is something we’ve wanted to do for years and to finally see our hard work pay off has been incredibly<br />

uplifting for the entire Window Warehouse team, especially after the challenges that have faced our<br />

industry over the last few years. We can now offer a top quality product that homeowners will love the<br />

look of and can also offer our trade partners a solution that benefits them greatly. We’ve chosen to work with leading suppliers and dedicated hardware<br />

manufacturers so that a Window Warehouse vertical sliding window will stand toe-to-toe with even the most established systems on the market,<br />

meaning our trade customers aren’t compromising on quality for their end users.” www.window-warehouse.co.uk<br />

34 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE<br />

PART L COMPLIANT<br />

PART F COMPLIANT<br />

Worried about recent changes to Part L and Part F of the<br />

building regulations?<br />

You don’t need to be. Victorian Sliders has it covered.<br />

Our celebrated ECOSlide window now delivers U-values of<br />

1.4 and a BFRC Rating of A+ to meet Part L, and by fitting<br />

each window with the maximum number of trickle vents<br />

as standard up to 10,000mm2 (EQA), we’re ensuring it will<br />

meet Part F too – all for just £249, regardless of size.<br />

With it, you’ll have everything you need to keep up with the<br />

latest regulations.<br />

Any size for<br />

£249<br />

Up to 1300mm x 2400mm<br />

1.4<br />

U-Value<br />

A+ rated<br />

Get compliant the easy way –<br />

speak to Victorian Sliders today.<br />

Call 01269 846200<br />

www.victoriansliders.co.uk<br />

*Any size white PVC-U window to a maximum width of 1300mm<br />

by a maximum height 2400mm. Includes white hardware<br />

and trickle vents as standard. Excludes curved, foiled<br />

or sprayed colours and georgian bars/astragal bars.<br />

All prices exclude VAT & delivery. Oversized<br />

windows are available at extra cost. (Maximum<br />

size 1600mm x 3000mm) Subject to any<br />

surcharge at time of sale. E&OE.


Contract The View Talk from Certass TA<br />

Every working day in the UK, two construction<br />

workers commit suicide. Just let that fact<br />

sink in for a moment.<br />

Not only is construction the number one industry for<br />

suicides in the UK, but the same shocking statistic is<br />

also true in Ireland, Australia and the USA.<br />

This is, quite literally, a deadly serious issue and<br />

it needs to be tackled now.<br />

TIME TO ACT<br />

Jon Vanstone, Chair of Certass Trade Association, discusses his work with the<br />

Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity and explains why when it comes to mental<br />

health issues, the time for action is now.<br />

Recent research revealed that the mental health<br />

of our workforce is in a bad way, with more<br />

than 20 percent of work-related illnesses due<br />

to stress, anxiety and depression. As ours is an<br />

industry dominated by men, who notoriously<br />

struggle to talk about their worries and feelings<br />

for fear of being judged, we believe this number is<br />

probably much higher.<br />

Most of us have been told to ‘man up’ at some<br />

point, and maybe we’ve even said it ourselves.<br />

It may seem like a harmless phrase, but it can<br />

reinforce the pressure that men come under to<br />

conform to cultural expectations, such as being<br />

providers and not showing weakness.<br />

This is an incredibly serious problem. We are<br />

becoming increasingly aware of the repercussions<br />

of poor mental health but in order to tackle the<br />

issue effectively, we need people to talk about it<br />

and highlight the gravity of its nature, rather than<br />

let those who are suffering do so in silence.<br />

As a cross industry concern, it’s vital that we<br />

keep enforcing the need for us to do more and<br />

accept the simple fact that without collective<br />

action, the numbers will only get worse.<br />

I am proud to be the ambassador for the<br />

Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, the only<br />

one of its kind that provides emotional, physical<br />

and financial wellbeing support to construction<br />

workers and their families, helping those in need<br />

when times are tough.<br />

The charity was founded more than 65 years ago<br />

by a group of gentlemen who had been attending<br />

a Ministry of Public Buildings and Works<br />

Exhibition on Tyneside.<br />

Finding themselves on the seafront at Whitley Bay<br />

and under the light of St Mary’s Lighthouse, they<br />

vowed to extend the goodwill they enjoyed at the<br />

show by starting something to unite and benefit<br />

the entire industry.<br />

From those humble beginnings, the impact of<br />

the Lighthouse Club has grown significantly year<br />

on year. In 2021, we helped more than 2,800<br />

construction families and our aim is to double<br />

that amount this year.<br />

A crucial element of our strategy is to provide<br />

a range of free and widely available proactive<br />

resources to support the industry, including a<br />

24/7 helpline for employers and employees as a<br />

first point of contact for those who need to access<br />

a variety of completely confidential services.<br />

There’s also a free Construction Industry Helpline App<br />

aimed at those who may not feel comfortable speaking<br />

with someone or would like more information about<br />

how they can help themselves before taking the next<br />

step in seeking professional help.<br />

We also offer a variety of free construction-focused<br />

training programmes, ranging from hour-long<br />

interactive wellbeing sessions through to the MHFA<br />

England-approved Mental Health First Aider course.<br />

The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity<br />

receives no public funding and relies entirely on<br />

the generosity of those within the industry to help<br />

us continue our vital work.<br />

Every penny raised means we can do more, so<br />

any businesses with funds to spare, please look at<br />

donating to our cause or organising a Lighthouse<br />

fundraising event. You can find more information<br />

here: www.lighthouseclub.org/support-us/<br />

Our goal is to break the stigma of talking about<br />

mental health and for everyone to know that there<br />

is always hope, safety and support.<br />

Remember, every working day in the UK, two<br />

construction workers commit suicide. Now is the<br />

time to act.<br />

Jon Vanstone spoke about the importance<br />

of mental health and how we need to do<br />

more at the FIT Show in May<br />

Contact Certass Trade Association:<br />

01292 292 095<br />

certassta.co.uk<br />

@CertassTa<br />

36 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


New Part L<br />

Building<br />

Regulations<br />

Compliant.<br />

ONLY THE SKY’S THE LIMIT<br />

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• 19 stock roofs ready for dispatch<br />

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• Delivery via our own fleet, providing complete care and assurance<br />

• A choice of Regular, Contemporary or Square roof lantern designs<br />

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To find out more or to order and receive your stock lantern in just FIVE DAYS,<br />

visit atlasroofsolutions.co.uk/stock or call 0283 832 7741


Bi-folds<br />

'DESIGNED FOR INSTALLERS'<br />

Paul Bailey, Managing Director at Pyramid Aluminium, explains how the new SlimFold<br />

Developing our new SlimFold bifold<br />

door system has been an<br />

interesting process. We knew<br />

from the start that we wanted to do<br />

things slightly differently and although<br />

many other bi-folds are made mainly<br />

with the homeowner in mind, we knew<br />

that we wanted to make something<br />

which also considered the requirements<br />

of the installer.<br />

Speaking to our installer customers<br />

allowed us to design something<br />

which benefitted both them and the<br />

homeowner. We focused on making<br />

their lives easier by ensuring the door<br />

is easier to fit while still offering the<br />

impressive benefits that homeowners are looking<br />

for.<br />

Part L compliance<br />

There’s been a lot of focus on Part L for the<br />

industry this year, with big changes to the<br />

Building Regulations.<br />

As much as some bi-fold doors claim to be<br />

Part L compliant, this is often only the case when<br />

they’re using a triple glazed unit or special glass<br />

which is much more expensive, or by adding extra<br />

insulating components that can make the door<br />

more vulnerable in operation. SlimFold achieves a<br />

1.4 U-value with standard double glazing.<br />

When we designed SlimFold, we knew the<br />

importance of meeting the new Building<br />

Regulations, which is why we included a range<br />

of features to ensure it met Part L even with a<br />

standard Low-E glass, argon filled, warm edge<br />

double glazed unit. No high-spec glazing required.<br />

The frames also include a flexible insulating strip<br />

which sits between the two polyamide thermal breaks,<br />

providing extra insulation and also creating 4 extra air<br />

chambers for outstanding thermal performance.<br />

We know that the new building regulations have<br />

caused some confusion at times, but SlimFold<br />

gives installers complete peace of mind.<br />

bi-fold door is helping improve the lives of installers...<br />

Pyramid Aluminium has taken onboard feedback from installers in order to make its doors<br />

as easy as possible to install<br />

Easy Click Glazing Bead<br />

As well as making SlimFold comply with Building<br />

Regulations, we wanted to make it super easy for<br />

installers to fit.<br />

After hearing our customers speak to us about<br />

the glazing process, we knew it would be a huge<br />

benefit to be able to speed this up and make it<br />

much easier for installers.<br />

The development of the easy click glazing bead<br />

makes light work of glazing bi-fold doors, with<br />

the aluminium bead simply clicking into place to<br />

drastically reduce installation time.<br />

Pre-fitted Sill<br />

There were two major things we wanted to achieve<br />

with SlimFold. We wanted to maximise the amount<br />

of glass and make it easy to install. The sill helped<br />

achieve both of these objectives.<br />

Rather than the door sitting on top of the sill, we’ve<br />

factory fitted it to the outer frame. This removes the<br />

timely process of unpacking the sill, fitting it with<br />

silicone and then fitting the door after.<br />

With SlimFold you simply fit the door with the sill<br />

included, meaning along with the easy click bead,<br />

you save even more time on site.<br />

As well as the installation benefits, having the sill<br />

fitted to the outer frame provides an extra 30mm<br />

of glass, as it removes the additional height you<br />

get when the door sits on top.<br />

This means homeowners can maximise<br />

the amount of natural light coming<br />

into their home and minimise the<br />

obstruction of outside views.<br />

4100mm sightlines<br />

The slim profiles also helped us further<br />

maximise the glass area on the SlimFold<br />

door, to help homeowners create fantastic<br />

light-filled spaces in their home.<br />

The ‘more glass, less frame’ trend has<br />

always been popular, and one of the<br />

main reasons for choosing wide span<br />

doors is to gain more natural light.<br />

However, bi-folds with normal frame<br />

widths can block the light coming in and obscure<br />

the view. With 100mm sightlines, SlimFold is one<br />

of the slimmest on the market, helping to create<br />

light and airy living spaces, which impresses<br />

homeowners and makes it much easier to sell.<br />

Anti-stretch thermal gaskets<br />

We’ve put a lot of detail into developing every<br />

detail of the SlimFold door to be the best it<br />

possibly can, including the seals. We’ve used<br />

anti-stretch gaskets to increase the performance<br />

of the door and also simplify life for installers. The<br />

anti-stretch feature means that it stays in place<br />

for longer and there’s no need to return to site for<br />

costly call backs. It also means the door performs<br />

for longer with significant weatherproofing<br />

benefits.<br />

SlimFold – made with installers in mind<br />

We’ve been able to include all of these features<br />

by working with direct feedback from installers<br />

and doing things differently. Everything that we’ve<br />

included in the SlimFold is designed to help<br />

simplify life for installers and make fitting and<br />

selling aluminium bi-folds as easy as possible.<br />

Contact Pyramid Aluminium:<br />

01543 454242<br />

www.pyramid-profiles.co.uk/<br />

38 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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or call 01453 826884.


Composite door trends<br />

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES<br />

Ian Griffiths, Managing Director at Shepley, discusses the latest trends in composite doors<br />

and how the new Visage Modernist collection helps installers make the most of new trends...<br />

The level of design flexibility offered by<br />

composite doors is not only one of the key<br />

benefits, but also one of the main reasons<br />

for their rapid rise in the market.<br />

A regular in the top ten most popular home<br />

improvements in surveys, replacing the front<br />

door gives homeowners the chance to express<br />

themselves and create something which is truly<br />

unique to them, and there are so many different<br />

styles and designs to choose from. Just a quick<br />

walk down most streets will show you how many<br />

different types are out there.<br />

With appearance being such a big reason for<br />

homeowners opting for a new front door, installers<br />

need to be able to offer a wide range of composite<br />

styles to help homeowners find what they’re<br />

looking for and help increase sales volume.<br />

Having standard colours and designs isn’t a bad<br />

way to go – you’ll probably have something to<br />

cover most markets – but there has been a rise<br />

in homeowners wanting to stand out with their<br />

entrances, so it’s important to be able to offer<br />

them doors which are unique and on trend.<br />

As a supplier, we have also had to adapt our product<br />

range to keep up with these trends and expand our<br />

offering to help installers offer a bigger selection of<br />

choices. But what are the trends at the moment and<br />

how can installers make the most of them?<br />

Making a statement<br />

The vast array of options available to<br />

homeowners for their front doors is clear for<br />

everyone to see. Some homeowners stick with<br />

traditional styles and colours with a modern twist,<br />

whereas many others will go the opposite way<br />

and choose a more contemporary door. Typically,<br />

the anthracite grey door with a long bar handle is<br />

a staple of what people consider to be the ‘must<br />

have’ style door. But demand for these doors is on<br />

the decline slightly, with newer trends taking over<br />

Shepley has added new vibrant colour schemes for its doors,<br />

including Colza Yellow (above)<br />

as people are now looking for more eye-catching<br />

and unique options. More and more homeowners<br />

are wanting something bright and bold to make a<br />

statement, and 1 in 4 of our composite door sales<br />

reflect this.<br />

Front doors have become a trend setter in<br />

home improvements and through our Visage<br />

brand, Shepley has developed the flexibility that<br />

installers need to adapt quickly to market trends<br />

and avoid missing out on offering homeowners<br />

statement-making styles.<br />

The new Modernist range from Visage is the<br />

perfect tool to add to your weaponry and achieve<br />

just that. Named after innovative artists, the<br />

doors offer the best of contemporary styling with<br />

exciting new groove designs, as well as colours<br />

and stunning glass options to allow homeowners<br />

to express themselves and choose something<br />

which makes them stand out from the crowd.<br />

New colours and glass<br />

The main ways which homeowners will<br />

personalise their composite doors are through<br />

glass and colour. The colour is the main thing<br />

people notice and helps set the tone. Colour<br />

trends are constantly changing, and we’ve<br />

reflected this rise in demand for more eyecatching<br />

doors by expanding our range of options.<br />

We’ve added bold and exciting colours, including<br />

Telemagenta, a bold and vibrant pink, and Colza<br />

Yellow, another radiant tone, as well as many<br />

more statement colours. All of these are designed<br />

to help installers capture the market of those<br />

looking for something to stand out.<br />

Glass is also a great way of customising your<br />

composite door. Although slightly more subtle<br />

than the colour, the glass has a huge effect on<br />

overall appearance and also helps people put their<br />

personal stamp on it. We’ve increased the number<br />

of glass options to include some outstanding new<br />

designs, such as New Orleans and Horizon, offering<br />

an interesting twist to the contemporary aesthetic.<br />

There is also a range of more traditional styles<br />

for those looking for a striking contrast between<br />

classic and modern design.<br />

Greater choice<br />

These new colours and designs have also been<br />

extended across the complete range of Visage<br />

composite doors to give homeowners a huge<br />

level of choice for their property. Homeowners<br />

expect lots of options when it comes to designing<br />

their front door as they want something which is<br />

personal to them. Being able to offer a greater<br />

level of choice is a huge point of difference for<br />

installers and this is something which can be<br />

easily achieved with the Visage range.<br />

With 48 door styles and 40 colour options, your<br />

customers will have the world at their fingertips<br />

and the greater level of options available will help<br />

you sell more and ensure that you’re not missing<br />

out on any potential customers.<br />

Contact Shepley/Visage Online:<br />

0161 339 2433<br />

www.visageonline.co.uk<br />

@VisageOnline<br />

40 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


Innovation comes built-in<br />

60<br />

Quotes<br />

available in<br />

60 minutes<br />

VERSATILE PRIVACY AND<br />

SHADING FOR EVERY DOOR<br />

Our bespoke integral blinds are made to measure to suit<br />

all window and door applications (including bi-folding<br />

and sliding doors).<br />

Morley Glass & Glazing Ltd<br />

Unit 3<br />

Leeds 27 Industrial Estate<br />

Bruntcliffe Way<br />

Leeds LS27 0HH<br />

morleyglass.co.uk<br />

0113 277 8722 sales@morleyglass.co.uk


Updates<br />

VBH, the company behind the greenteQ range of hardware and furniture, has reported a steep rise in<br />

registrations for its Q-secure consumer security guarantee.<br />

Q-secure guarantees the security of windows, doors and patio doors up to a potential £8000 payout, which is paid<br />

direct to the end user in the event of a break in through a registered product.<br />

Installations must have been carried out by an approved Q-secure installer and registered direct with VBH.<br />

VBH advised that registrations in the first quarter of <strong>2022</strong> are 87% up on those in the final three months of 2021.<br />

Marketing Manager Gary Gleeson said: “A near doubling of registrations is really encouraging and shows that our<br />

guarantee is proving a hit with our customers who find it to be a real help in closing deals. Q-secure Network members have a valuable, but free, extra carrot to dangle<br />

now that sales people once again have to work hard to achieve new business.” To find out more or join the network, email: info@vbhgb.com<br />

TIMBERLOOK IS JUST A TAP AWAY!<br />

PROTEQ10 PROFILE POPULARITY RISES<br />

For further doors updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />

Q-SECURE BOOST WITH STEEP REGISTRATION RISE<br />

Tommy Trinder has teamed up with trade supplier Affordable Window Systems to make its<br />

Timberlook range of heritage windows and doors available to show off to homeowners in a tap.<br />

Tommy Trinder’s patented Framepoint Technology allows users to free draw windows and doors with<br />

their finger or mouse, just like sketching on a pad. Installers can show clients how new windows will look<br />

in their homes with a click. Phil Myers, Sales Director of Affordable Window Group, commented on the new<br />

partnership: “Teaming up with Tommy Trinder has been fascinating. The Framepoint platform makes it<br />

easy for installers to demonstrate the value of our carefully designed heritage products. The in-app pricing<br />

function saves considerable time, enabling installers to provide professional and accurate quotations<br />

within minutes. It will set our trade customers apart from the rest of the competition!” www.tommytrinder.com / www.timberlook.com<br />

VBH (GB) has reported a continued increase in take up of its proteQ10 profile cylinder guarantee.<br />

proteQ10 is a free guarantee offered with each greenteQ Orion TS007 3 star profile cylinder.<br />

If the Orion cylinder is snapped in situ, allowing the door to be opened unlawfully, VBH will pay the resident £2000 direct<br />

in compensation, according to the terms of the guarantee.<br />

Orion was launched early in 2021 and is said to have proven to be very popular among manufacturers of all kinds of<br />

doors, from residential doors through to bi-folds and sliders.<br />

VBH advise that the guarantee is also proving to be a hit with consumers as the numbers of cylinders registered under<br />

the scheme in the combined months of April and May were 25% up on the previous two months. Gary Gleeson of VBH<br />

said: “We get nothing but positive feedback on Orion both from industry professionals and from consumers. End users really appreciate the fact that their locks are<br />

guaranteed to the tune of £2000, and the fact that the operation of Orion is guaranteed for 10 years.” www.vbhgb.com<br />

VBH (GB) TEAM CELEBRATE 4O YEARS IN STYLE!<br />

Hardware specialist VBH (GB) turned 40 in <strong>July</strong>!<br />

After originally supplying British fabricators direct from Germany, Peter Kinze of VBH group company Heinz<br />

Wagner persuaded the board that a local company was needed to capitalise fully on the riches that the<br />

fledgling UK market could bring. Peter recruited Graham Organ and Barry Amey, and Heinz Wagner (GB) Ltd<br />

opened in Rochester on 7th <strong>July</strong> 1982. This company changed its name to VBH (GB) in 2009.<br />

The first product lines were mainly European and Wagner even sold door panels for a while. Although many<br />

of the brands have disappeared from the range, some, such as Roto and Deventer, are still very much part of<br />

VBH’s product portfolio, alongside the company’s own greenteQ brand. The VBH team celebrated in style with<br />

a dinner/dance at Leeds Castle in Kent in May. Staff from all three UK sites got together to remember old<br />

colleagues and, in many cases, to meet new ones. www.vbhgb.com/<br />

42 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


Advertorial: Solidor<br />

BUILDING REGS CHANGES: ARE<br />

INSTALLERS PREPARED?<br />

Patrick Dean, Sales Director at Solidor, explains what the changes to Part L of the<br />

Building Regulations mean for installers and how Solidors can help them achieve the<br />

Some key changes to Part L of the Building<br />

Regulations in England – which focus on<br />

thermal performance and energy efficiency<br />

– came into force on 15 June <strong>2022</strong>, alongside<br />

associated regulations on ventilation (Part F) and<br />

overheating (Part O). Similar changes will come<br />

into effect in Wales on 23 November <strong>2022</strong>.<br />

The uplift in Part L of the regulations includes a<br />

requirement for new homes to produce around<br />

31% less CO2 than current standards and a 27%<br />

reduction of emissions from other new buildings,<br />

including offices and shops.<br />

required U-values.<br />

These changes will help move us closer to the<br />

requirements of the Future Homes Standard (for<br />

dwellings) and the Future Buildings Standard (for<br />

non-domestic buildings). Both standards come<br />

into force in 2025 and are designed to give us<br />

buildings which are zero-carbon ready, equipped<br />

with low carbon heating systems and achieve<br />

world-leading levels of energy efficiency.<br />

Impact on installers<br />

Installers have a responsibility to ensure the<br />

products they use are going to meet the required<br />

performance standards.<br />

This means that products must meet increasingly<br />

strict thermal performance criteria and achieve<br />

lower U values than before. They play a key role<br />

in improving the energy efficiency of a building.<br />

As of 15 June, doors fitted in new homes must<br />

achieve U-values of 1.6 W/(m 2 .K). In existing<br />

dwellings they must achieve 1.4 W/(m 2 .K). This<br />

means that installers should pay particular<br />

attention to the materials being used to<br />

manufacture the products they are fitting.<br />

While Building Regulations do not apply directly to<br />

individual construction products, timber door products<br />

play a very important part in helping architects,<br />

builders and developers meet the new requirements.<br />

Working with the UK government and trade<br />

association partners including the British<br />

Woodworking Federation (BWF), a consensus<br />

was reached that there was limited scope<br />

to immediately improve further the thermal<br />

performance of certain products.<br />

This includes a range of products, including<br />

doorsets where:<br />

• The door leaves are primarily solid timber slabs<br />

formed of laminated timber in single or multiple<br />

layers (Solidor falls into this category), or;<br />

• Are panelled timber door leaves formed from<br />

traditional stile and rail construction with infill panels.<br />

It does not matter what material is used for the<br />

door frames or the facing material, as it is the<br />

timber door leaf that is limiting the component.<br />

For timber doors, a maximum U-value of 1.8 W/(m 2 .K)<br />

or Doorset Energy Rating Band E is permissible until<br />

14 June 2023, but from 15 June 2023 the full stand of<br />

1.6 W/(m 2 .K) for new dwellings and 1.4 W/(m 2 .K) for<br />

existing dwellings applies.<br />

Under the Building Regulations, Solidors are<br />

classed as timber product due to its 44mm<br />

timber core with 2mm ABS skins.<br />

Reassurances from Solidor<br />

Solidor makes its products using a high-quality<br />

composite of materials that help ensure strength,<br />

durability and kerb appeal. Composite doors are one of<br />

the most energy efficient products you can choose.<br />

Solidor products have a solid timber core, rather<br />

than one made from compressed polyurethane<br />

foam, which comes from sustainable forests and<br />

is easily recycled. At 48mm, timber core composite<br />

doors are thicker than other types of door.<br />

Timber core composite doors have Acrylonitrile<br />

Butadiene Styrene skins which provide a robust<br />

thermo-plastic door skin, making them incredibly<br />

durable.<br />

The result is a product that is far more resilient than<br />

a standard UPVC door that is both better at insulating<br />

homes and protecting them from unwanted intruders.<br />

Contact Solidor:<br />

0808 115 5741<br />

www.solidor.co.uk<br />

@SolidorLtd<br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST<br />

JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> T I 43


Total Talk: Band of Builders<br />

A HELPING HAND<br />

Band of Builders CEO Gavin Crane speaks to George Lewis about his plans for the charity and<br />

how he wants to develop it to help even more construction professionals who need support...<br />

“We want to be for construction what<br />

Help for Heroes is to the military”,<br />

proclaimed Gavin Crane, the<br />

first ever CEO of construction charity Band of<br />

Builders.<br />

I recently spoke to Gavin about his career in the<br />

industry leading up to joining Band of Builders,<br />

and his ambitious plans to build on its already<br />

solid foundations and ‘expand its scope, reach and<br />

influence within the industry over the next five to<br />

ten years and beyond’.<br />

The Band of Builders has been on an upward curve<br />

since 2016 when Addam Smith helped friend and<br />

employee Keith Ellick who had been given the<br />

devastating news that he had terminal cancer.<br />

Construction workers<br />

can have a chat and<br />

a brew with other<br />

members of the industry<br />

during the many Big<br />

Brew events<br />

Addam and 50 other volunteers from plumbers,<br />

builders, tilers, plasterers and landscapers all<br />

helped to transform Keith’s home.<br />

Gavin, a landscaper by trade, saw this project from<br />

afar and wanted to get involved as soon as he<br />

could. The second project was announced for the<br />

following year, and being a landscaping project, it<br />

was the perfect fit for Gavin.<br />

Gavin said: “Because it was a landscaping project,<br />

I thought it would be the one I’d have most impact on.”<br />

Gavin was right. He became the project lead over<br />

a two-week period which saw 150 different trades<br />

turn up to support. He added: “It’s so rewarding to<br />

get stuck in and hands on.<br />

“If you ask anyone that volunteers as part of the<br />

Band of Builders, they’ll say it’s addictive; it’s like<br />

a drug. Once you’ve done one you can’t wait for the<br />

next one.”<br />

Gavin was hooked from then on and wanted<br />

to be part of every project. He expressed an<br />

interest to join the backroom team looking at the<br />

fundraisers and events and subsequently joined<br />

the administration team as a volunteer.<br />

Band of Builders is built on the work of its<br />

volunteers, and it is only in the last year that the<br />

charity has been in a position to employ people.<br />

Now able to hire people, Band of Builders asked<br />

Gavin to become a trustee. It was at this time that<br />

Band of Builders was applying for charity status<br />

and Gavin explained that during his time as a<br />

trustee he helped finalise the process with Band of<br />

Builders achieving charity status in 2019.<br />

But Gavin wasn’t done there. He then became<br />

Chairman of the Board of trustees and has now<br />

become its first ever CEO, which means Gavin is in a<br />

prime position to build on the success of the charity.<br />

He is so passionate about Band of Builders and<br />

sees such a strong need for the charity’s services<br />

both now and in the future that he stepped away<br />

“I consider myself very fortunate that<br />

I have been given this opportunity<br />

where my passion can become my<br />

profession”<br />

from his landscaping business to take on the<br />

full-time role of Band of Builders CEO. But it’s<br />

a decision he doesn’t regret it one bit; quite the<br />

opposite: “I consider myself very fortunate that I<br />

have been given this opportunity where my passion<br />

can become my profession.”<br />

Part of his new role is to map out the charity’s<br />

strategy and vision, and that means looking 5-10<br />

years in advance, whilst building further strategic<br />

partnerships and developing more fundraising<br />

opportunities.<br />

Band of Builders relies on merchants for materials<br />

for projects such as national partners Jewson,<br />

DeWALT, Gibbs & Dandy and Talasey. Nearly all<br />

materials for the Band of Builders’ projects are<br />

supplied by donations from merchants.<br />

Continued on page 46<br />

44 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Total Talk: Band of Builders<br />

Continued from page 44<br />

Gavin said: “The merchants are so generous and<br />

willing to support what we do. There is a real<br />

community spirit around the supply chain.”<br />

All projects are volunteer led and involve<br />

members of the industry from different trades<br />

Gavin explained that another portion of the<br />

charity’s strategy includes the ‘ambition to be a<br />

positive voice on issues affecting the construction<br />

industry, such as apprenticeships, the skills gap,<br />

inclusion and gender discrimination’.<br />

He said: “We want to work collaboratively with<br />

industry to address the skills gap. Only 12% of new<br />

learners at a construction college come out and<br />

into a trade. We need new people (in the industry)<br />

and part of that is improving diversity, equality and<br />

inclusion.”<br />

But interestingly, also as part of his vision for the<br />

next 12 months, Gavin wants to have drawn up<br />

plans to devolve the national Band of Builders and<br />

create regional divisions. He believes that this will<br />

allow the charity to do more projects and therefore<br />

increase the amount of support they can provide.<br />

“Where we’re looking to do one event a month<br />

nationally, if we can devolve Band of Builders into<br />

regional sections we can probably try to do two or<br />

three per region per month”, he explained.<br />

He added that he hopes to reach a target of 250<br />

Big Brew events this year, which is over 100 more<br />

than last year.<br />

The Big Brew events aim to highlight mental health<br />

struggles within the construction industry and<br />

raise funds to expand on Band of Builders’ recently<br />

launched wellbeing support service by offering<br />

construction workers a chance to take time out to<br />

talk to someone whilst having a ‘brew’.<br />

“We really want to focus on mental health<br />

support”, he said. According to the Office for<br />

National Statistics, more than 1,400 construction<br />

workers committed suicide in the UK between 2011<br />

and 2017, and that figure is why Gavin and the<br />

Band of Builders are on hand to help construction<br />

workers when they potentially need it most.<br />

That support includes a closed Facebook group<br />

where members can open up on any problems they<br />

are going through.<br />

Surprisingly, Gavin said that members of the group<br />

tend to open up to others more than friends or family<br />

as it is someone completely unknown to them.<br />

He explained: “As soon as they take that leap (in<br />

talking to someone) others soon follow and they<br />

realise they are not alone because others are going<br />

through the same thing.”<br />

And Gavin feels that there are even more problems<br />

currently facing the industry. He said: “We’ve<br />

already seen an increase in demand for our grants<br />

service due to cost of living.”<br />

Part of Gavin’s long-term vision for the Band of<br />

Builders is to develop an emergency housing<br />

strategy for members of construction. This would<br />

mean the Band of Builders initiating projects to<br />

develop its own properties for emergency housing<br />

use.<br />

But he also said that his ‘ultimate goal’ would be<br />

for the Band of Builders to have its own national<br />

wellbeing recovery and rehab centre for the injured<br />

at work, members with addiction amongst others,<br />

but this could be in the next phase of his vision<br />

10-15 years from now. It’s an ambitious goal,<br />

but with the rapid growth of Band of Builders and<br />

support of those involved, not an unrealistic one.<br />

When asked what someone reading this article<br />

should do if they know someone who is struggling,<br />

Gavin said: “ask, and ask again”. He explained<br />

that someone can self-refer themselves via the<br />

Band of Builders website and can also use the free<br />

counselling service of which Gavin said the uptake<br />

had already been “really encouraging”.<br />

The charity also wants to urge people to “know<br />

their STATS”. Gavin explained that STATS is a<br />

simple mnemonic for remembering how to look for<br />

other people who may be experiencing a mental<br />

health crisis. It stands for:<br />

S – Support each other<br />

T – Talk about it<br />

A – Always ask twice<br />

T – Take it seriously<br />

S – Stop the cycle<br />

But wanting to end on a lighter note, we asked<br />

Gavin for his stand out moments during his time<br />

at Band of Builders. He said: “There are lots. But<br />

nothing beats seeing the difference the impact our<br />

work has on each of our beneficiaries.”<br />

He concluded that he is ‘proud of our mental health<br />

and wellbeing path’, and if the last few years are<br />

anything to go by, that upward curve of which Band<br />

of Builders is on is nowhere near ready to slow<br />

down just yet.<br />

Contact Band of Builders:<br />

0300 015 4808<br />

bandofbuilders.org/<br />

@bandofbuilders<br />

46 TI JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Mental health focus<br />

IT'S TIME FOR ACTION<br />

Total Installer hears from Faisal Hussain, Chief Executive of the Double Glazing &<br />

Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS), who looks deeper at the reasons behind the<br />

Glass and Glazing Mental Health Survey’s startling results...<br />

DGCOS Chief Executive<br />

Faisal Hussain<br />

When we released the Glass and Glazing<br />

Mental Health Survey <strong>2022</strong> last month, we<br />

could not have predicted the outpouring of<br />

support and interest, and in some cases, installers<br />

sharing their own personal battles with us.<br />

The survey shows the price we’re paying in<br />

terms of mental health as a sector: 89.5% of<br />

respondents have seen an increase in their<br />

workload since the Pandemic; 76.3% are<br />

experiencing burnout from their workload; 86.8%<br />

believe there isn’t enough awareness about<br />

mental health and sadly, 60.5% believe there is a<br />

mental health crisis in the glazing industry.<br />

Almost half of those questioned say they have felt<br />

‘very stressed’ over the last two years, with more<br />

than one in three feeling ‘very anxious’.<br />

Behind the stats<br />

We’re all aware of the battering the global supply<br />

chain has taken in recent years, and the fact is,<br />

it’s not growing fast or sustainably enough.<br />

The challenges of Brexit, new immigration bills,<br />

tariffs, containers stuck in the Suez Canal,<br />

unpredictable weather, erratic buying patterns,<br />

are all still out of control and having significant<br />

“We have a perfect<br />

storm when it comes to<br />

levels of stress”<br />

impact on our sector in terms of supply.<br />

Combine this with the home improvement boom<br />

at the start of the Pandemic, when the UK used<br />

a whole year’s supply of fencing and paint in just<br />

one month, and we have a perfect storm when it<br />

comes to levels of stress.<br />

Does nobody care any longer?<br />

But based on many of the verbatim comments<br />

given in the survey, it’s clear there’s something<br />

else going on.<br />

The majority of people, when asked to say in their<br />

own words what the main causes of stress were,<br />

named supplier issues.<br />

Here’s a selection of the comments: “Why are<br />

materials arriving in the wrong colour and wrong<br />

size? Is it because nobody cares anymore?”;<br />

“My supplier won’t pick up the phone to me”;<br />

“Very poor manufacturing”;<br />

“Supplier quality issues and learning to work with<br />

a 6 month rather than 2 month lead time;”;<br />

“I’ve often thought there must be an easier way<br />

to make a living.”<br />

The fact is, COVID can no longer be seen as an<br />

excuse for poor customer service.<br />

Sadly, the fact is that supply chain, safety, and<br />

staffing challenges are well-established market<br />

conditions now and can no longer be blamed on<br />

the Pandemic.<br />

It’s just part of the everyday problems that<br />

occur when running a business or dealing<br />

with customers, and no matter what happens,<br />

customer and supplier trust must be maintained.<br />

The situation is also surprising when you consider<br />

that according to the UK Customer Satisfaction<br />

Index (UKCSI) there has been huge growth in the<br />

number of customers prepared to pay more for<br />

better service since the beginning of the Pandemic.<br />

Keep communication lines open<br />

Poor communication when things go wrong has<br />

also been mentioned in the survey, with some<br />

respondents saying they just can’t get hold of<br />

their supplier on the phone or that emails aren’t<br />

48 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


eing answered.<br />

The stress that this adds to retail businesses,<br />

already working at capacity to meet demand is<br />

immense.<br />

Therefore, one of the simplest solutions is to talk<br />

to each other. Installers will accept longer lead<br />

times on certain products, as long as the supplier<br />

communicates the facts.<br />

This is something Thom Emerson brought up<br />

in our mental health podcast conversation<br />

too and an issue regularly discussed when<br />

DGCOS supports customers in mediation and<br />

disputes.<br />

The fact is, when we have all the information –<br />

good and bad – we can plan, and installers can<br />

keep their customers updated.<br />

What is difficult for installers to accept, is<br />

incorrect or part-filled orders for no reason other<br />

than a mishandled order.<br />

This is unacceptable with any buying experience,<br />

so why should our industry think otherwise?<br />

The survey indicates the failing supply chain<br />

remains a big problem and is one that needs<br />

tackling head on.<br />

DGCOS is never afraid to talk about the issues<br />

that others steer clear of in the hope that<br />

collectively we can resolve these challenges in a<br />

positive and constructive way, and in so doing,<br />

give voice to the hundreds of installers out there<br />

who are struggling, and the industry as a whole.<br />

To download the full report, visit the Double<br />

Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman website.<br />

Contact DGCOS:<br />

0345 053 8975<br />

www.dgcos.org.uk<br />

@DGCOS<br />

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industry to start talking more<br />

about our mental health<br />

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JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> TI 49


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Eurocell’s wide range of innovative and<br />

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have continued to offer the trade what it needs<br />

to meet consumer expectations and shifting trends.<br />

Now, with newly expanded warehouse and<br />

manufacturing capacity, and a list of exciting<br />

products launched, this year has seen Eurocell’s<br />

collaboration and support for its network of<br />

valued installers go to the next level.<br />

Eurocell offers a wide range<br />

of conservatories to meet<br />

changing customer demand<br />

Product highlights<br />

Recently extending its range of outdoor living<br />

solutions with the launch of new contemporary<br />

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Highly insulated to provide all-year round comfort,<br />

the new Kyube Plus option is available in 13 sizes<br />

ranging from 2 x 2m up to 5.8 x 3.3m.<br />

For customers requiring a bespoke solution beyond<br />

the standard sizes, Eurocell can also create one off<br />

designs. Additional features such as front canopies<br />

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Whilst the British climate can often be a<br />

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Extending the home and garden footprint,<br />

Eurocell’s new Oasis range offers a stylish appeal<br />

with practical benefits, helping make the most of<br />

gardens in all weathers.<br />

The Oasis veranda is available in both a glazed<br />

roof and polycarbonate, with the polycarbonate roof<br />

coming in four different colour options. In<br />

addition, there is the choice of three frame<br />

colours and two types of leg, guttering, and<br />

footplate, meaning they can be customised<br />

to taste.<br />

Eurocell has also introduced the Oasis<br />

pergolas range. The Deluxe option takes<br />

the pergola to a new level of sophistication<br />

and style. Thanks to the introduction of<br />

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50 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


CERTIFICATE 12/4895<br />

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Conservatories and orangeries<br />

In addition to this, Eurocell has also extended<br />

its range of market-leading conservatory and<br />

orangery solutions with the launch of new<br />

contemporary designs that create desirable<br />

extended living spaces or can modernise existing<br />

and traditional conservatory structures.<br />

Responding to increased consumer demand for<br />

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greater use of glass, reduced brickwork, superior<br />

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aesthetic for shape and colour.<br />

Eurocell has added a raft of new quality-led<br />

features that improve liveability and reflect<br />

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Conservatories and orangeries have, for<br />

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spaces, providing homeowners with alternative<br />

spaces in which to unwind, socialise, and work.<br />

The latest conservatory designs bring together a<br />

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Orangery systems<br />

BRINGING ILITE INTO YOUR HOME<br />

Wes Clarkson, Sales Director at SupaLite, talks to Total Installer about the company’s new<br />

ILite flat roof orangery system, which is said to deliver ‘unrivalled strength and rigidity’...<br />

Preston-based roof manufacturer SupaLite<br />

has added a brand-new flat roof orangery<br />

system to its portfolio of existing products.<br />

ILite is said to be one of the strongest, most<br />

thermally efficient and quickest to install flat<br />

roof orangery systems and has reportedly proved<br />

incredibly popular with SupaLite customers.<br />

Factory fabricated in the UK, the new flat roof orangery<br />

system has a design that has been successfully<br />

engineered with ease and durability in mind.<br />

Wes Clarkson, Sales Director of SupaLite, said:<br />

“ILite is a pod-based flat roof orangery system<br />

which is lightweight but incredibly strong.<br />

“In today’s current climate, we know how<br />

important it is for installers to use products which<br />

allow them to work more efficiently.<br />

“Creating a complete system like ILite means<br />

installers will spend less time on site.<br />

“A traditional system can sometimes take weeks<br />

or days to install but the new SupaLite flat roof<br />

orangery system can be installed in hours, which<br />

is a huge benefit for many installers.<br />

“At SupaLite, we’re always looking to develop and<br />

manufacture high quality products that support<br />

our customers and we’ve received a positive<br />

response as well as an increase in demand for<br />

ILite since it launched earlier this year.”<br />

Innovative design<br />

The innovative ILite flat roof orangery system has<br />

been cleverly engineered to deliver strength and<br />

rigidity, Wes explained.<br />

He said: “The ILite is incredibly strong and<br />

dimensionally stable and therefore doesn’t distort<br />

or shrink.<br />

“Made from timber I-Beams which not only reach<br />

spans of approximately five metres but are also<br />

lighter than conventional large timber trusses<br />

and steel, means less pressure is placed on the<br />

“In today’s current climate, we know how<br />

important it is for installers to use products<br />

which allow them to work more efficiently”<br />

supporting walls and frames.”<br />

Like all SupaLite products, ILite has been<br />

expertly designed and rigorously tested. As a<br />

result, the product exceeds Building Regulations<br />

requirements by offering an impressive U-value of<br />

0.13W/m 2 K, outperforming most competitor roof<br />

systems and traditional orangery constructions.<br />

Celebrating 10 years<br />

This year marks an important milestone for<br />

SupaLite which has been manufacturing and<br />

supplying its tiled roof systems and products in the<br />

retrofit and new conservatory market for ten years.<br />

SupaLite has continuously delivered quality<br />

products and services to installers across the UK<br />

in the last decade and this newest product proves<br />

the team is still as dedicated and passionate as<br />

they were in 2012.<br />

“Throughout the last ten years we’ve worked hard<br />

to provide an exceptional service to our trade<br />

partners. We continuously update and tweak<br />

our full product range to make sure we create<br />

first-class products, and we also explore ways to<br />

introduce brand-new systems into the market,”<br />

added Wes.<br />

“Our experience of the industry empowers us to<br />

develop and manufacture products which are a<br />

step ahead of others in the market and our latest<br />

flat roof orangery system is no exception.<br />

“Engineered with products that should last a<br />

lifetime, the system is incredibly strong, durable<br />

and very quick to install. It makes the perfect<br />

addition to our existing unrivalled SupaLite<br />

products and it’s already generating lots of<br />

positive interest amongst our customers.<br />

“We’ve accomplished so much with our products and<br />

as a business in the last ten years. We’re incredibly<br />

passionate about continuing to push forward and drive<br />

to new heights and I’m looking forward to seeing what<br />

the next decade has in store.”<br />

SupaLite offers a full range of highly<br />

desirable, replacement roof solutions for both<br />

conservatories and orangeries, all of which have<br />

achieved Building Regulations approval.<br />

Contact Supalite:<br />

01772 828060<br />

www.supaliteroof.co.uk<br />

@SupaLiteRoofs<br />

52 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Article Garden rooms<br />

MORE THAN JUST AN IDEAL HOME<br />

Ryan Crossley, Director of Making Your Space, discusses a recent article from Sarah Beeny<br />

which highlights the trend for garden rooms and the subsequent opportunities for installers...<br />

<strong>2022</strong> is the year of the garden room as<br />

reported in Ideal Home Magazine and<br />

according to renovating expert and TV host<br />

Sarah Beeny, as part of her work on the Renovate<br />

Don’t Relocate programme.<br />

By their very definition, rooflights require the<br />

installer to work at height, often a precarious<br />

operation. Working at height remains the biggest<br />

cause of fatalities and major injuries (source:<br />

hse.gov.uk).<br />

With hybrid working now the norm, an<br />

increasing number of homeowners are now<br />

looking for separate additional living space in<br />

which to work, entertain, exercise and relax.<br />

Others have even decided to relocate small<br />

businesses back within the confines of home.<br />

‘If you can just get that sense that you leave the<br />

house, even if it’s four steps, it’s really good for<br />

your mind to separate your work and your home,’<br />

Sarah Beeny explained.<br />

The article in Ideal Home concluded by suggesting<br />

that a garden room can add 150% of the cost<br />

to the value of a property, or it could even save<br />

you from moving to a larger property to facilitate<br />

working from home.<br />

The fact is we need more living space than ever<br />

before and with the UK having one of the smallest<br />

property footprints in Europe and beyond, there’s<br />

considerable demand and opportunity for this<br />

emerging market sector.<br />

This has allowed for the emergence of a number of<br />

dedicated garden room building specialists across<br />

the UK including the likes of Creating Spaces in<br />

Halifax, a Making Your Space Design Partner.<br />

Making Your Space is a trade only manufacturer<br />

of bespoke garden rooms with a marketing<br />

programme to help ignite the sector and portable<br />

mini rooms available for existing showrooms and<br />

office sites.<br />

Making Your Space offer bespoke garden<br />

rooms. Inset: Ryan Crossley<br />

We’ve also spent 18 months<br />

perfecting our off-site construction<br />

techniques, so the installation process is quick<br />

and simple with the panels simply locking into<br />

place and we’ve even integrated a vermin barrier<br />

as part of the premium design philosophy.<br />

There’s a rapidly growing nationwide network of<br />

Design Partners for Making Your Space and the<br />

plan is to grow this carefully with the right calibre<br />

of installation businesses and the promise of<br />

exclusive areas.<br />

There are first build assists, technical training<br />

workshops and a programme of development<br />

more akin to a fully blown installer programme.<br />

While the budget end of the garden room sector<br />

doesn’t cater for a long-term luxury retreat due<br />

to materials used and construction techniques,<br />

we’ve made sure ours is a bespoke solution<br />

with different types of cladding, flooring and the<br />

option of both aluminium and PVC-U windows<br />

and doors.<br />

But our real point of differentiation is the Garden<br />

Room Designer, a real-time 3D configurator which<br />

allows Design Partners and indeed consumers<br />

to build a bespoke room in just a matter of<br />

minutes using cutting edge software developed<br />

by tech experts Business Micros and The<br />

Consultancy.<br />

We can even add clever space saving solutions<br />

including a concealed shed/storage area, along<br />

with a popular canopy overhang which can be<br />

used all-year round as a place to entertain,<br />

cook or relax.<br />

A garden room should also be considered<br />

as a permanent room and an area of<br />

extended, functional living space.<br />

Given the climate in the UK, a garden<br />

room can make all-year round use of<br />

the space at hand, something again<br />

highlighted by Sarah Beeny.<br />

She commented: ‘‘We don’t have that many<br />

sunny days in this country, so there’s a whole<br />

load of square footage that you have paid for, but<br />

you never ever use. So you need to enjoy looking<br />

at it or use it in some way, and a garden room is<br />

a really good way of doing that.”<br />

The garden room market is already starting to see<br />

some strong adoption as we have seen with our<br />

Design Partners.<br />

Our off-site construction techniques, combined<br />

with existing trade skills make it a perfect bolt on<br />

revenue channel and there are some very good<br />

margins to be made in the short, medium, and<br />

long-term.<br />

But get in there early, harness the opportunity<br />

and let us help you become a successful Design<br />

Partner for premium garden rooms in your<br />

designated area.<br />

Contact Making Your Space:<br />

01422 385613<br />

www.makingyourspace.co.uk/<br />

54 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


sales@britmet.co.uk | 01295 250998 | www.britmet.co.uk | #TheBritmethod<br />

Liteslate<br />

designed with the environment in mind<br />

Lightweight Composite Slate | Lightweight Granulated Tile Panels | Lightweight Tile Effect Sheets | Flat-to-Pitch Roof Systems<br />

Structural Liner Trays | Door Canopies | Decorative Exterior Paint<br />

RAISING THE STANDARDS IN LIGHTWEIGHT ROOFING


Updates<br />

For further glazed extensions updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />

A MINI ROOM WITH BIG POTENTIAL<br />

'ADD VALUE TO<br />

YOUR PORTFOLIO'<br />

Leka Systems has launched its new ecotech<br />

roofing system giving fabricators and<br />

installers even more opportunities to add<br />

value to their portfolio.<br />

The Leka ecotech roof is said to be one of the<br />

most technologically advanced roofing systems<br />

on the market, achieving 0.15w/m 2 k whilst being<br />

economic in the process.<br />

Commenting on the new product introduction,<br />

Rhys Hoddinott, Managing Director of Leka<br />

Systems, said: “Our new Leka ecotech roofing<br />

system ensures compliance for installers but just<br />

as importantly maintains a competitive pricing<br />

point in the process.<br />

“The new ecotech roof is thermally efficient by<br />

design and is a further extension of our popular<br />

Leka Warm Roof, Leka Orangery and Leka xi roofing<br />

products, but at a more competitive pricing point.”<br />

He added: “The conservatory roof market is<br />

changing rapidly and fabricators need to ensure<br />

they’re offering the products that installers need to<br />

compete in the new landscape.<br />

“The changes to Part L of Building Regulations<br />

covering thermal efficiency have had a huge impact<br />

on many solid roof manufacturers, and it has never<br />

been more important for fabricators and installers<br />

to offer the best in energy-compliant products.<br />

“And with the rise in energy prices, more<br />

consumers will be looking at ways to improve<br />

the thermal efficiency of their conservatories and<br />

extensions too.”<br />

This shift is said to form part of the recent home<br />

improvement boom, with many homeowners either<br />

extending their properties or repurposing existing<br />

conservatory extensions.<br />

Making Your Space has<br />

launched Mini-Room, a<br />

showroom sample of its<br />

Garden Room system that’s<br />

been designed to make<br />

installation quick and easy<br />

thanks to the adoption of the<br />

latest off-site construction<br />

techniques.<br />

The Mini-Rooms can be<br />

customised in terms of<br />

finish and detail and are<br />

ready to order now as part<br />

of an integrated marketing<br />

support programme, and<br />

they are also portable too, for use on multi-site<br />

events, local shows and even to take on-site for<br />

consumer enquiries.<br />

Ryan Crossley, Director of Making Your Space<br />

,has been pleased with the introduction of<br />

this latest sales tool and commented: “The<br />

introduction of the Mini-Room helps our Design<br />

Partners who don’t currently<br />

have a showsite. “Along<br />

with the unique configurator<br />

developed by The Consultancy,<br />

we have everything marketingwise<br />

to help generate and<br />

close sales of garden rooms,<br />

which are expected to grow<br />

strongly this year according to<br />

consumer experts.”<br />

He added: “We’re the only<br />

nationwide garden room<br />

company that is dedicated to<br />

the trade, making premium,<br />

flat packed garden rooms<br />

that can be easily assembled in just a few days.<br />

“With home and hybrid working now the norm,<br />

it’s the perfect revenue stream using existing<br />

skills for installers and we’re keen to build our<br />

nationwide network of Design Partners with the<br />

promise of our proven marketing programme.”<br />

makingyourspace.co.uk<br />

ILITE SHINES BRIGHT FOR SUPALITE<br />

Preston-based tiled roof specialist SupaLite<br />

has added a flat roof orangery system to its<br />

existing portfolio of products.<br />

It has been designed and specially<br />

manufactured to be one of the strongest, most<br />

thermally efficient and quickest to install flat<br />

roof orangery systems, and the ILite is perfect<br />

for both the new build or retrofit market.<br />

Factory fabricated in the UK, its design has<br />

reportedly been successfully engineered with ease and durability in mind.<br />

The system is also said to exceed Building Regulation requirements by offering an impressive<br />

U-value of 013w/m 2 K as standard, meaning it outperforms most competitor roof systems and<br />

traditional orangery constructions.<br />

Wes Clarkson, Sales Director of SupaLite, said: “We’re incredibly proud to launch this exciting<br />

new addition to our portfolio of products, and it is already generating lots of interest amongst our<br />

customers. We wanted to make a flat roof orangery system unlike anything else on the market that<br />

was easy to install, but still maintained our renowned levels of strength and thermal performance.<br />

“Unlike conventional flat roof orangeries that can take days, sometimes weeks to construct and<br />

complete, the ILite system saves huge amounts of time for installers and can be built in hours.”<br />

www.supaliteroof.co.uk<br />

www.lekasystems.co.uk<br />

56 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


REQUEST INFO<br />

YOUR PERFECT TRADE PARTNER<br />

FOR WINDOWS, DOORS & ROOFS<br />

01226 890 890 | WWW.SOLROOFS.CO.UK | QUOTES@SOLROOFS.CO.UK


Business Advice<br />

PROTECTING YOUR CASHFLOW USING<br />

REAL-TIME CREDIT INTELLIGENCE<br />

In the latest instalment of our regular business column, the experts at Know-it look at the<br />

use of real-time credit intelligence and how it can alleviate the risk of late payments on a<br />

company’s cashflow...<br />

One of the biggest barriers to a healthy<br />

cashflow is invoices not being paid on time.<br />

Late payments are only getting worse with<br />

the FSB warning that 400,000 businesses could be<br />

forced to close as a result of the late payment crisis<br />

gripping the nation.<br />

It’s not just cashflow that is hampered by late<br />

payments, productivity also takes a hit with<br />

businesses found to spend 56.4 million hours a year<br />

chasing late invoices according to the CPA.<br />

But it doesn’t need to be this way. Real-time credit<br />

intelligence, once reserved for huge multinational<br />

corporations, is now accessible to businesses of<br />

all sizes and will allow you to better understand the<br />

companies you do business with, in turn helping you<br />

mitigate the risk of late payment on your cashflow.<br />

“We’re now beginning<br />

to see what many saw<br />

as the inevitable now<br />

that state support for<br />

businesses throughout<br />

the pandemic has<br />

stopped”<br />

Credit checking the companies you do<br />

business with<br />

Credit checking is fundamental and the very first<br />

step in an effective credit control process.<br />

It is vital you mitigate as much credit risk as<br />

possible, as leaving yourself open to this sort of risk<br />

can put your cashflow under immense pressure<br />

when things don’t go to plan and invoices aren’t<br />

paid on time.<br />

Checking a company’s credit rating, credit limit and<br />

previous payment behaviour is the very first thing<br />

you should do when you receive an order. How else<br />

will you know if they’re in good enough shape to pay<br />

you on time?<br />

Even a simple credit check will give you an<br />

indication as to a suitable sized order according<br />

to past payment behaviour and the shape of their<br />

credit file.<br />

Of course, how much credit you grant is to your<br />

discretion but one way to protect yourself against<br />

future cashflow problems is offering credit terms<br />

that your customer will be able to pay on time.<br />

continued on page 60<br />

Continued on page 58<br />

58 T I MAY <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


Contract Business Talk Advice<br />

Continued from page 58<br />

A stringent and effective company credit check will<br />

answer three key questions:<br />

• Can the full amount owed be paid within the<br />

defined timeframe?<br />

• Is your customer likely to run into financial issues<br />

soon which could impact whether they can pay you<br />

on time?<br />

• Do they have a record of late payment to other<br />

suppliers?<br />

Combining credit and company intelligence<br />

Credit information on a company from a reputable<br />

credit bureau such as Graydon is the foundation of<br />

a good company credit check.<br />

However, we’d always recommend going a step<br />

further and do your research on the company, their<br />

directors and check for any Notices on The Gazette.<br />

Layering this company information from the public<br />

domain with credit intelligence will give a more<br />

complete picture of the companies you’re doing<br />

business with.<br />

Unsecured Creditor Claims<br />

Unsecured Creditor Claims reveal a wealth of<br />

valuable data not found in typical credit reports.<br />

It allows you to see losses suffered by your<br />

customer as a result of their own customers going<br />

into liquidation or administration.<br />

Why is this so important to know?<br />

Think about it this way. The credit cycle can be<br />

extremely fragile. If your customer misses out on<br />

“It is vital you mitigate as much credit risk as<br />

possible, as leaving yourself open to this sort<br />

of risk can put your cashflow under immense<br />

pressure when things don’t go to plan and<br />

invoices aren’t paid on time”<br />

a substantial amount that they’re owed, it could<br />

indicate that they will have issues paying your<br />

invoices.<br />

Automated company credit checking and<br />

monitoring<br />

Check-it automates your credit checking process<br />

using real-time data from reliable sources such<br />

as Graydon Companies House, The Gazette and<br />

Unsecured Creditor Claims to give you a complete<br />

picture of the creditworthiness of your customer.<br />

Check-it integrates with your accountancy software<br />

so you’ll be able to credit check and monitor every<br />

company on your sales ledger and be instantly<br />

alerted to any changes to your customer’s credit file<br />

that could impact you.<br />

Always being in the know and keeping up to date with<br />

changes to your customer’s credit file minimises the<br />

credit risk you’re exposed to since you’ll be able to<br />

make more informed credit decisions.<br />

Check-it is part of Know-it, the all-in-one credit<br />

management platform, empowering you to credit<br />

check and monitor companies, automatically chase<br />

late payments and collect overdue invoices in one<br />

platform.<br />

Contact Know-it<br />

www.know-it.co.uk<br />

@Knowitglobal<br />

60 TI JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


IO<br />

YEARS<br />

OF FIT<br />

HERE<br />

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LONG<br />

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fitshow.co.uk<br />

YEARS<br />

OF FIT<br />

EVERYONE’S GOING


Glass balustrades<br />

BUY WITHOUT THE HASSLE<br />

Paul Smith, Head of Marketing at F.H. Brundle, explores the rise of glass balustrades and<br />

explains how F.H. Brundle can make designing them quicker and easier than ever.<br />

If I asked you to picture what the average ‘70s<br />

home looked like inside, I think you’d instantly<br />

have a very clear image in your head.<br />

F.H Brundle offers a<br />

comprehensive range of<br />

glass balustrades<br />

The same would be the case if it was the ‘80s or<br />

the ‘90s – each decade had its own distinctive<br />

style when it came to home and garden décor,<br />

with key features all of us who were around at the<br />

time can remember.<br />

So what are the standout features of the design of<br />

the 2020s? There are obviously several. But one<br />

of the biggest has to be glass – lots of glass.<br />

That’s in no small part why there’s been such a<br />

surge of interest in glass balustrades.<br />

Why do people like glass? Because it’s stylish,<br />

easily maintained, brings a sense of airiness and<br />

space, and, most of all, lets in natural light and<br />

makes the most of scenic views.<br />

And why do people like glass balustrades?<br />

Because they take the sort of practical, opaque<br />

barriers that traditionally blocked out the light and<br />

the views and makes them transparent.<br />

A versatile range<br />

Their soaring popularity in recent decades has<br />

seen F.H. Brundle supply a growing range of<br />

outstanding balustrade products, suitable for a<br />

huge array of different projects and properties, as<br />

well as budgets.<br />

Pre-assembled post ranges include Timeless with<br />

a handrail and Contemplation without a handrail,<br />

both of which come with glass clamps and base<br />

plates already fitted to save valuable installation<br />

time.<br />

Also available are posts for wire rope and<br />

crossbar holders.<br />

Posts are available to bolt down, concrete-in and<br />

side fix to cover all installation requirements,<br />

which are available in stainless steel grades 304<br />

and 316 satin finish and mirror polished finish<br />

ideal for coastal locations.<br />

With 10mm thickness standard glass panels<br />

available from stock, in 100mm increments<br />

up to 1100mm width, your installations<br />

couldn’t be quicker, easier or more costeffective.<br />

If you are looking for a glass balustrade that<br />

offers uninterrupted views, then look no further<br />

than our range of outstanding frameless glass<br />

balustrade systems, including Wedge-Loc, Tilt-<br />

Loc and Posi-Glaze, providing spectacular results<br />

every time.<br />

They are quick to install and available as base or side<br />

fix options. Finishes are satin anodised, PPC black or a<br />

mill finish to powder coat to a colour of your choice.<br />

There is also a choice of easy-to-fit glass spigots,<br />

supplied in aluminium or Duplex 2205 (ultramarine<br />

stainless), and glass stand-off adaptors,<br />

a discrete and simple way of holding glass panels<br />

in place whilst offering a contemporary touch<br />

of elegance to glass balustrades, railings or<br />

staircases.<br />

These are available in a satin or mirror finish and<br />

now also PPC matt black.<br />

12mm thickness standard glass panels for our<br />

frameless glass balustrades are available from<br />

stock, in 100mm increments up to 1200mm<br />

width.<br />

Continued on page 64<br />

62 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


The<br />

Power to<br />

WOW!<br />

AFTER<br />

BEFORE<br />

Only Freefoam installers have<br />

the power to transform homes<br />

Homeowners want to feel good about their<br />

homes and like them to be admired. So, help<br />

your customers transform their homes to<br />

stand out from the crowd.<br />

Freefoam’s comprehensive range of stunning,<br />

easy to install, long-lasting roofline systems<br />

transform the look of a home, giving it that<br />

exclusive kerb appeal.<br />

Call 01604 591110 now if<br />

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#HelpingCustomersGrow<br />

With thanks to<br />

Call 01604 591110 freefoam.com info@freefoam.com BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS


Glass balustrades<br />

Continued from page 62<br />

Bespoke glass<br />

Bespoke glass panels, which can be supplied<br />

with radius corners, shaped and drilled, as well<br />

as a range of coloured glass, etched glass and<br />

self-clean coatings, are also available.<br />

Our custom panels are polished on all edges and<br />

come with docked corners for safety.<br />

Balustrade design made simple<br />

Even better, we give you an extremely quick and<br />

easy way of configuring the perfect balustrade<br />

product for the project you’re working on.<br />

Liveconfigurator is a user-friendly online<br />

platform that lets you quickly and easily design<br />

a balustrade to yours (and your customer’s)<br />

specifications, using standard components.<br />

And best of all, within minutes of completing your<br />

design, you will receive a full set of CAD drawings<br />

absolutely free, along with a detailed quotation<br />

– saving you hours of drawing time and making<br />

designing balustrades a breeze.<br />

You can choose from glass channel, spigots,<br />

stand-off adaptors, as well as pre-assembled<br />

posts where you can select your post centres.<br />

The system automatically configures the design<br />

to the dimensions you input, and supports layouts<br />

that will suit the most common applications.<br />

All in all, it’s an incredibly powerful tool for<br />

helping you capitalise on both the booming<br />

interest in balustrades, and the ever-growing<br />

popularity of more bespoke products.<br />

Liveconfigurator offers installers the possibility to design<br />

their own balustrades with the homeowner’s input<br />

Contact F.H Brundle:<br />

01708 39 80 48<br />

www.fhbrundle.co.uk<br />

@fh_brundle<br />

64 TI JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


Article Thought leader: Smart security<br />

DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND!<br />

In the first of a series of thought-provoking comments, Ryan Bromley, Co-Founder of Kubu<br />

Smart Security, discusses the exciting wave of ‘smart home’ products, and why this could be<br />

the key to installers winning new business...<br />

Technology is nothing new in the fenestration<br />

industry. It has been used on various<br />

products for years – from simple contact<br />

sensors to full-on biometric access control<br />

systems – yet these “Smart” systems never<br />

seem to have caught on with consumers.<br />

Is it a comfort thing, or a lack of trust? Is it price-point<br />

or is it looks? Personally, I think it’s a bit of everything.<br />

Ugly contact sensors and huge ‘locks’ hanging<br />

on the door are a bit of a turn off for your average<br />

house-proud Brit. Bad press surrounding product<br />

failures have harboured fear and trust issues. It’s<br />

been a case of going too smart, too soon.<br />

Mix this with high price points and a lack of product<br />

flexibility, your target market is limited to early<br />

adopters and bleeding-edge tech fans. An extremely<br />

important demographic, but they certainly won’t keep<br />

the wolf from the door in the long term.<br />

With Smart Tech becoming ubiquitous in our lives, if<br />

there’s one thing for sure it is that it isn’t going away.<br />

Homeowners and consumers now expect smart<br />

technology in their homes, and new homes are being<br />

pre-fitted with smart tech to help manage costs,<br />

protect the environment and avoid costly accidents.<br />

So how then, in the fenestration industry, do we<br />

create that trust and appeal that is needed to<br />

drive mass-market penetration?<br />

Another industry – not too far removed from<br />

fenestration – has undergone this exact journey in the<br />

recent past and the transformation is nothing short of<br />

incredible. I’m talking about the heating sector.<br />

Heating was a well established industry where little<br />

had changed for many years, with hardware products<br />

being fitted as a household investment by professional<br />

tradespeople – remind you of anything?<br />

Then an unknown company called Nest invented<br />

a ‘Smart’ heating system.<br />

Smart home apps controlled by your phone are becoming the<br />

norm. Above, inset: Kubu Co-Founder Ryan Bromley<br />

At first it was seen as a gimmick. Then slowly but<br />

surely consumers started to see the benefits and<br />

demand increased. Other companies caught on,<br />

developed their own versions of the same tech,<br />

and the race was well and truly on.<br />

Manufacturers soon partnered with Smart Suppliers,<br />

allowing installers to offer Smart as an upsell option.<br />

Fast forward 10 years and the heating industry<br />

has changed beyond recognition.<br />

Stable, proven tech and competition in the market<br />

raised awareness. Consumers started to pull<br />

Smart tech through the industry and sales grew<br />

exponentially until ‘Smart’ was no longer an<br />

upsell, it is fitted as standard.<br />

Installers don’t sell boilers because it’s a<br />

Worcester or a Vailant anymore. These days it’s<br />

because it ‘Works with’ Nest or Hive or Tado…<br />

Installers that embraced the change WON the<br />

majority of sales and became market leaders. Those<br />

that resisted got left behind, and I firmly believe the<br />

Fenestration industry is on a similar path.<br />

To answer an earlier question, how do we create<br />

the trust to drive this change? It has to come from<br />

reliability of the product and confidence from the<br />

installer, right?<br />

By developing a system that is “Just Smart<br />

Enough”, we aimed to introduce a level of tech<br />

that doesn’t hold any security concerns for the<br />

consumer, doesn’t limit their choice, doesn’t ruin<br />

the aesthetics of their investment, and most<br />

importantly doesn’t cost the earth!<br />

Our approach seems to have resonated, as we<br />

are seeing competitors emerge - just like in the<br />

heating sector. Healthy competition can only be a<br />

good thing for our industry, as it will help to drive<br />

consumer awareness, increase adoption and<br />

ensure ongoing product development.<br />

What does this all mean for you?<br />

What’s great is that the concept makes it<br />

so simple for the fitter. For no extra cost or<br />

installation time, an installer can offer their<br />

customers a door or window that is ready to<br />

accept Smart technology. For the more brave it<br />

can even be fully activated as part of the service.<br />

After nearly three years on the market we are<br />

now starting to see Installers offer Kubu Smart<br />

Security fitted and activated as standard across<br />

all products. Just like in the heating industry,<br />

these installers have seen the benefits of using<br />

the technology as a differentiator, and are starting<br />

to win business over their competitors.<br />

With the COVID peak subsiding, differentiators<br />

will be key to winning business, and ‘Smart’ will<br />

become an increasingly important sales tool over<br />

the coming years. Choosing to join the Smart<br />

Journey will be crucial for short term stability and<br />

long term success.<br />

Exciting, isn’t it?<br />

Contact Kubu:<br />

0800 124 4308<br />

kubu-home.com/<br />

@GetKubu<br />

66 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Updates<br />

For further home improvement updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />

CAN YOU #KEEPITUP FOR CHARITY WITH KEYLITE?<br />

Following the reported success of last year’s initiative, Kick It With Keylite returns for <strong>2022</strong> –<br />

bigger and better than before.<br />

This year, Keylite Roof Windows (Keylite) is challenging trades to ‘Keep It Up’ in the name of raising<br />

money for Mates in Mind, a leading charity addressing the stigma of poor mental health within the<br />

construction sector. Mixing it up for <strong>2022</strong>, Keylite is challenging merchants, installers and trades<br />

across the industry to record themselves doing as many keepie uppies as they can, share on social,<br />

donate to the charity and nominate a ‘mate in mind’ to get involved using the hashtag #KeepItUp.<br />

No matter the chosen sport or ability – anyone can get involved. Matthew King, Sales Director at<br />

Keylite, said: “Our message this year is to #KeepItUp, not only for the keepie uppie challenge, but also as a<br />

reminder to keep talking to each other, keep breaking the stigma, and keep being a mate – you never know who might need it.” Keylite is encouraging installers to make<br />

a donation via its JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kick-it-with-keylite and to start conversations around mental health amongst workmates.<br />

FREEFOAM IS TOP PICK FOR C & A BUILDING PRODUCTS<br />

One of the largest independent UK stockholders of plastic building products, C & A Building Products,<br />

has seen such an increase in sales of Freefoam, that its range of products now accounts for a significant<br />

proportion of the company’s portfolio.<br />

Based in the South East, C & A Building Products has been specialising in plastic building products since 1968.<br />

Managing Director Chris Candlin said: “When we switched over to Freefoam, our range of roofline exploded. There<br />

was more colours and more choices and customers like the quality of the products.<br />

“Sales, for us, increased over time. We have put a little more emphasis, a little bit more push towards Freefoam.<br />

We now stock a comprehensive range, including interior products and exterior products. We do stock white as<br />

standard, but we also specialise in the colours. Anthracite grey is very popular!” www.cabp.co.uk<br />

SWINDON SHOWROOM READY TO OPEN<br />

TWC, one of Wiltshire’s home improvement specialists, has officially opened the doors to its new<br />

£250,000 Swindon showroom.<br />

The showroom marks an exciting eighteen months for the business that has also seen it increase sales by 30%.<br />

The new showroom is said to offer the largest window and door showcase in the South West, featuring more than<br />

20 different doors and an extensive selection of UPVC and aluminium windows in many shapes, sizes and colours.<br />

Greg Kane, CEO of Conservatory Outlet, of which TWC became part of at the end of 2018, added his support. He<br />

said: “It has been fantastic to see the growth of TWC and the ambition the business has to become the biggest and<br />

best home improvement specialist in the South West. The showroom is an important next step in achieving this vision and will help improve the customer<br />

experience even further – something that is at the heart of the network and how Conservatory Outlet operates.” www.twchome.co.uk<br />

IN THE FRAME WITH CRL'S GLASS BALUSTRADE SYSTEMS<br />

MEGAgrip is a fully adjustable 3kN commercial balustrade system from CR Laurence, designed as a highlydurable<br />

public safety barrier for large commercial constructs, such as sports stadiums, transport hubs and<br />

similar venues where there is a risk of overcrowding.<br />

Said to be one of the simplest balustrade systems to fit and adjust thanks to its patented screw-clamp technology<br />

to secure the glass in place, MEGAgrip is a dry-glazed system, with no specialist tools required, so the glass can<br />

easily be removed and replaced if required. Internal glass clamps make alignment of the glass within the channel<br />

simple, and as they are compatible with a wide range of glass thicknesses, MEGAgrip is one of the most adaptable<br />

balustrade systems on the market. Lightweight and strong, the balustrade system can easily be upgraded with a<br />

simple conversion kit, to become a bomb-resistant or bulletproof balustrade system. www.crlaurence.co.uk<br />

68 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Safety at Height<br />

TRAINING UP<br />

In the first of a new mini-series, Trevor Rabson, Training Manager at Werner, looks at why<br />

training is so important when it comes to working at height safely, explains what installers<br />

need to consider and outlines how best practice can make all the difference between safe<br />

Werner, manufacturer and distributor<br />

of ladders and access equipment, is<br />

championing health and safety training<br />

with the launch of its new campaign ‘Stepping up<br />

to Safety’.<br />

According to the latest reports from the Health<br />

and Safety Executive (HSE), falls from height<br />

accounted for 44% of all non-fatal injuries over<br />

the past 5 years and 25% of all fatal injuries.<br />

Therefore it’s crucial that installers top up their<br />

training and follow best practice guidelines to<br />

make working at height both easier and safer.<br />

Education is a very real issue when it comes to<br />

overcoming falls from height.<br />

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) are<br />

very clear that anyone who works at height must<br />

be ‘competent’ to do so.<br />

However, there is a widespread perception that<br />

working and potential injuries.<br />

ladders and working at height equipment are<br />

simple to use, so why would you need training?<br />

It is this complacency that leads to falls from height<br />

incidents and a mindset that needs to be changed.<br />

But what regulations should be adhered to?<br />

What are the Work at Height Regulations<br />

(WAHR) 2005?<br />

The WAHR are a set of rules that must be followed<br />

when any work is undertaken at a height with the<br />

aim of preventing deaths and injuries.<br />

They are mandatory for all employers and people who<br />

control work at height, and are enforceable by law.<br />

The regulations define work at height as any task<br />

where there is a risk of staff falling from one level<br />

to another.<br />

This includes work above the ground or floor,<br />

near an edge where someone could fall through<br />

an opening or surface, and at ground level where<br />

someone could fall through an opening.<br />

Employers and those in control of any work at<br />

height activity must make sure work is properly<br />

planned, supervised and carried out by competent<br />

people.<br />

This includes using the right type of equipment for<br />

working at height.<br />

The WAHR are also very clear that employees<br />

have general legal duties to take reasonable care<br />

of themselves and others who may be affected<br />

by their actions, and to co-operate with their<br />

employer to enable their health and safety duties<br />

and requirements to be complied with.<br />

However, to minimise any confusion, we’ve<br />

busted some common myths surrounding the<br />

WAHR, below.<br />

•Ladders and stepladders are banned for<br />

work at height: This isn’t true and both ladders<br />

Continued on page 72<br />

Falls from height accounted<br />

for 44% of all non-fatal<br />

injuries over the past 5 years<br />

Continued on page 78<br />

70 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


Does your secondary glazing supplier<br />

leave you in the dark?<br />

Switch.<br />

Secondary glazing is simplicity itself.<br />

It’s simple to sell, survey and install. It offers great acoustic and<br />

thermal performance. It has great profit margins. And it gets you<br />

into projects you couldn’t normally get into.<br />

So why make it more complicated? Call Roseview today and ask<br />

about adding Incarnation secondary glazing to your range.<br />

phone: 01234 712657 | email: hello@roseview.co.uk | web: roseview.co.uk


Safety at Height<br />

Continued from page 76<br />

Continued from page 70<br />

and stepladders are suitable for low-risk, short<br />

duration tasks.<br />

However, they do need to be used by someone<br />

who is competent and knows what faults to check<br />

for before use.<br />

• Employers are solely responsible for work<br />

at height: While an employer does shoulder the<br />

majority of responsibility, the regulations include<br />

employee responsibilities as well.<br />

• Work at height includes jobs that involve<br />

walking up and down a staircase: The<br />

regulations do not apply to permanent staircases<br />

in buildings.<br />

Werner’s Stepping up to Safety campaign<br />

has been launched to help professionals<br />

stay safe when working at height<br />

• Work at height includes slips or trips on<br />

the level: This is untrue. Although you are<br />

technically falling from your own ‘height’, the<br />

regulations only apply to falls from one level to<br />

another level below.<br />

•A competent person must be professionally<br />

qualified: This isn’t true, though the level of<br />

competence needs to be appropriate to the job<br />

at hand. Competence isn’t just training, but a<br />

combination of training, skills, experience and<br />

knowledge.<br />

Over the last couple of years, there has been<br />

a steady increase in the uptake of training, but<br />

nowhere near enough with the staggering number<br />

of people using working at height equipment on a<br />

daily basis.<br />

Needless to say, knowing how to use working at<br />

height equipment safely is of vital importance and<br />

can quite literally save a life.<br />

Training has to be a priority if we’re to see any<br />

positive change to the accident figures.<br />

Contact Werner<br />

www.wernerco.co.uk<br />

@WernerLadderUK<br />

72 TI JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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Updates<br />

MORE THAN FIT FOR PURPOSE<br />

For further vehicles, tools & workwear updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />

Snickers Workwear says its trouser families are suited to any kind of work on site.<br />

Said to deliver maximum functionality, comfort, protection and mobility, they’re the products<br />

of choice among discerning professional tradesmen and women.<br />

The company says hi-tech fabrics, functionality and fit are the hallmarks of these products, and<br />

the AllroundWork trousers are ready for any kind of work in any trade.<br />

FlexiWork trousers are said to deliver superior freedom of movement, while LiteWork trousers keep<br />

you cool, dry and ventilated.<br />

Then there’s RuffWork trousers, reinforced and tough for the roughest work on site; ProtecWork<br />

protective wear for hazardous environments; and certified High-Vis trousers when personal visibility on site is a priority. Snickers Workwear trousers also deliver<br />

certified protection with the patented KneeGuard System for greater flexibility, comfort and durability.<br />

www.snickersworkwear.co.uk<br />

SCREWFIX SHINES BRIGHT WITH 800TH STORE OPENING<br />

Screwfix, has opened its 800th store in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire. Earlier this year Screwfix announced its store target of 80 new stores<br />

across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, creating more than 800 new jobs by the end of January 2023.<br />

This latest opening brings Screwfix closer to its overall target of 1,000 stores across the UK and Republic of<br />

Ireland. The new store creates 12 jobs for the local community.<br />

To mark this significant milestone, the store was opened with a launch event, with colleagues and senior<br />

representatives from Screwfix, including Operations and Property Director, Scott Parsons, and Managing Director<br />

for UK and Ireland, Max Britten. Newly recruited staff at the Bourton-on-the-Water store will have the opportunity to<br />

participate in the retailer’s apprenticeship scheme, joining the already 850 apprentices currently training across the<br />

business. www.screwfix.com/<br />

MAKING LITEWORK OF THE HEAT ON SITE<br />

As temperatures soar, stay cool and safe at work with Snickers Workwear’s Summer Topwear.<br />

From top to toe and inside out, Snickers Workwear clothing will look after your wellbeing and working efficiency on site this<br />

summer. For sunny weather, there’s new LiteWork topwear and accessories that deliver UPF 40+ sun protection – a must<br />

if you’re working outside for long periods. Look out for Snickers Workwear clothing which uses the quick-drying 37.5 fabric<br />

technology with advanced ventilation. It’s said to be really good at ‘wicking’ moisture away from the body.<br />

It also keeps you dry so you can work with an optimal body temperature if it’s warm, or if the weather cools off. As well<br />

as shirts, there’s new shorts, work trousers and hoodies in a range of styles and colours in the LiteWork range. And, with a<br />

close eye on sustainability, they come in body-mapping designs for an amazing fit, outstanding functionality and long-lasting<br />

comfort – all day, every day. www.snickersworkwear.co.uk<br />

100 NOT OUT FOR WERNER!<br />

Werner, the manufacturer of ladders and access equipment, is celebrating its 100th anniversary<br />

this year.<br />

With an ongoing commitment to product innovation, the company holds over 600 patents and has<br />

received notable industry-leading awards and accolades over the years.<br />

Justin White, Managing Director of WernerCo UK, said: “The Werner name has achieved many<br />

milestones over the past 100 years. As a brand, our main focus has always been innovation, and<br />

pushing change within the industry by improving work at height safety through both our exceptionally<br />

safe products and internal and external training initiatives; with the end goal of helping the end-user to<br />

achieve more, and work safely.” wernerco.co.uk<br />

74 T I JULY/AUGUST <strong>2022</strong><br />

PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST


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