June 2024
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JUNE <strong>2024</strong><br />
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST<br />
AWARD-WINNING<br />
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AND WINDOWS<br />
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after Internal Door, this latest launch is the right product to be offering at the right time.<br />
Don’t get left behind. Stand out from the competition and<br />
futureproof your business by opening an account with Origin today.<br />
Call 0808 192 0015 or visit origin-global.com/partner-with-origin<br />
Bi-fold Doors Front Doors Internal Doors Sliding Doors Windows<br />
ORG5542_Total Installer (Trade) <strong>June</strong>_OFC_28/05/24_v2.indd 1 22/05/<strong>2024</strong> 12:2<br />
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ORG5542_Total Installer (Trade) <strong>June</strong>_OFC_28/05/24_v2.indd 1 22/05/<strong>2024</strong> 12:29<br />
Editor’s Comment<br />
SOPHIE STEVENS<br />
EDITOR<br />
SOPHIESTEVENS@MEDIA-NOW.CO.UK<br />
AWARD-WINNING<br />
ALUMINIUM DOORS<br />
AND WINDOWS<br />
The Soho External Door<br />
(OB-36 + )<br />
In times of adversity, it is always those who adapt to the conditions that<br />
thrive, while those who fail to do so, often fall by the wayside.<br />
In Danelle Vanstone’s latest report from the Certass TA Facebook Forum<br />
(see p.16), members attribute the recent demise of Everest to an unresponsive<br />
and ‘outdated’ business model, while in this month’s news pages, Sternfenster’s<br />
Mike Parczuk urges the industry to “work harder and work smarter” in order to<br />
win new business (see p.10).<br />
Thankfully, this issue of Total Installer is packed with examples of ways the<br />
industry is putting this proactive approach into practice, through diversification,<br />
improved service and user experience, or tools to help customers thrive.<br />
On page 18, we hear how hardware supplier, VBH (GB), is striving to better<br />
last year’s sales figures with the help of a pioneering new guarantee scheme;<br />
Distinction Doors’ Gareth Roberts discusses how the company is maximising<br />
installer opportunities in the fire door sector on page 28; and on page 46,<br />
Guardian Building Systems reveals how it is helping installers diversify into the<br />
thriving, post-Covid glazed extension market.<br />
Meanwhile in this month’s Kubu Column on page 60, Head of Marketing<br />
and Technology, Marc Henson, explores the pivotal role of customer service<br />
in ensuring business success, noting how “customer service is not just a<br />
department, but the lifeblood of any business”.<br />
Read on for all of this, and more from the likes of Clever Bean Accounting,<br />
DGCOS, Tommy Trinder, Howells Patent Glazing, A Plus Aluminium, RegaLead and<br />
Made for Trade to name a few...<br />
And if that wasn’t enough, as a summer of football kicks off on <strong>June</strong> 14th, make<br />
sure you track your team’s progress at the Euro <strong>2024</strong> tournament and play along<br />
with your FREE Wall Chart and Sweepstake Kit courtesy of SupaLite!<br />
Here’s hoping you pick a winner!<br />
Sophie<br />
FOLLOW US:<br />
Steel-look design meets unparalleled thermal performance. Complementing the highly sought<br />
after Internal Door, this latest launch is the right product to be offering at the right time.<br />
Don’t get left behind. Stand out from the competition and<br />
futureproof your business by opening an account with Origin today.<br />
Call 0808 192 0015 or visit origin-global.com/partner-with-origin<br />
Bi-fold Doors Front Doors Internal Doors Sliding Doors Windows<br />
Cover artwork courtesy of Origin: Find out more about the company’s<br />
extensive offering, including the Soho External Door, at origin-global.com<br />
TOTAL INSTALLER MAGAZINE<br />
SIGN UP FOR YOUR REGULAR E-BLAST AT<br />
WWW.TOTAL-INSTALLER.CO.UK<br />
Editorial Director: Matt Downs<br />
DD: 01892 730890<br />
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Email: mattdowns@media-now.co.uk<br />
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Supported by:<br />
Editor: Sophie Stevens<br />
DD: 01892 730890<br />
Email: sophiestevens@media-now.co.uk<br />
AWARD-WINNING<br />
ALUMINIUM DOORS<br />
AND WINDOWS<br />
Don’t get left behind. Stand out from the<br />
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by opening an account with Origin today.<br />
Call 0808 192 0015 or visit<br />
origin-global.com/partner-with-origin<br />
NOW AVAILABLE<br />
The Soho External Door<br />
(OB-36 + )
Contents<br />
ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS<br />
46<br />
18 FIT & FORGET, GUARANTEED<br />
Dan Powell and Gary Gleeson of VBH (GB) tell Total<br />
Installer about the new guarantee scheme set to make<br />
‘fit and forget’ a reality for installers<br />
30 STEEL APPEAL<br />
RegaLead’s Guy Hubble explains how to create an<br />
authentic steel look with Urban Bar<br />
42 I’T’S NOT YOUR MONEY!<br />
Clever Bean Accounting’s Simon Jarman explains the<br />
legalities of Director’s Loan Accounts<br />
46 INSTALLERS IN MIND<br />
Guardian Building Systems welcomes Total Installer to<br />
Dublin to hear about its innovative home extension<br />
offering and the benefits for installers<br />
FEATURES<br />
16 FROM EVEREST TO IBGS<br />
Certass’ Danelle Vanstone reports on the latest<br />
Certass Members’ Facebook Forum discussions, with<br />
the demise of Everest and IBGs in focus<br />
20 BEYOND TOOLS<br />
DGCOS’s Faisal Hussain discusses the organisation’s<br />
latest podcast series focusing on business support<br />
28 FIRE DOOR OPPORTUNITIES<br />
Distinction Doors’ Gareth Roberts discusses how<br />
the company is supporting installers in maximising<br />
opportunities in the fire door sector<br />
44 SKILLED UP<br />
Howells Patent Glazing’s Tracey Jackson discusses the<br />
skills shortage and customer opportunities for training<br />
50 BRINGING THE ‘WOW’ FACTOR<br />
The renovation of a ‘60s family home showcases the value<br />
of a strong fabricator/installer partnership<br />
52 GETTING SET TO SHOW<br />
64<br />
Made for Trade tells Total Installer what visitors<br />
can expect from its presence at the Homebuilding &<br />
Renovating Show this Autumn<br />
62 INVISIBLE DANGER<br />
Snickers Workwear’s Ben Stacey explains how to work<br />
safely in the sun and manage the risks posed by UV<br />
exposure<br />
64 THE PRICE OF A MESSY VAN<br />
From mess to modifications, Quotezone.co.uk highlights<br />
five factors which can invalidate van insurance<br />
4 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
REGULARS<br />
38 THE SKETCH<br />
Software specialist Tommy Trinder reveals the<br />
very latest stats on aluminium bi-folds<br />
40 THE VIEW FROM CERTASS<br />
Certass’s Jason Clemmit explains the laws<br />
and standards in domestic glazing that installers<br />
must navigate<br />
60 THE KUBU COLUMN<br />
Kubu’s Marc Henson ponders the pivotal role of<br />
customer service in ensuring business success<br />
SECTIONS:<br />
WINDOWS<br />
22<br />
DOORS<br />
28<br />
60<br />
GLAZED<br />
EXTENSIONS<br />
44<br />
HOME<br />
IMPROVEMENT<br />
INDUSTRY NEWS<br />
06 HOMEOWNERS TURN GREEN<br />
Barbour ABI claims that homeowners are turning to<br />
green energy upgrades as home improvement activity<br />
declines<br />
10 £98M TOOLS NICKED<br />
Tools worth £98m were stolen from tradespeople in 2023<br />
according to new analysis by Direct Line<br />
50<br />
VEHICLES, TOOLS<br />
& WORKWEAR<br />
62<br />
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST<br />
JUNE <strong>2024</strong> T I 5
News Roundup<br />
ANGLIAN ACQUIRES<br />
EVEREST ASSETS<br />
Anglian Home Improvements (trading<br />
as ASHI Group Ltd), has now completed<br />
the transaction to acquire the assets of<br />
Everest 2020, after the retail giant entered<br />
administration at the end of April.<br />
Anglian's acquisition includes the customer<br />
order book, brand, intellectual property, and<br />
certain other assets from its former rival.<br />
The transaction ensures that, where possible,<br />
Everest 2020 customers impacted by its<br />
insolvency will have the opportunity to have<br />
their home improvement projects carried out<br />
by Anglian.<br />
Peter Mottershead, Executive Chairman of<br />
Anglian, said:“Since reaching an agreement with<br />
the joint administrators to take on the Everest<br />
2020 order book, our customer service teams<br />
have been working hard to make contact with<br />
all customers impacted, to review the status<br />
of their orders and, where possible, progress<br />
their project. Having been manufacturing and<br />
installing home improvements for around 60<br />
years, we are looking forward to helping them<br />
transform their homes.”<br />
Cameron Gunn, joint administrator of Everest<br />
and senior partner at ReSolve, said: “We are<br />
pleased to have completed the transaction<br />
with Anglian which will provide much needed<br />
certainty to customers over their home<br />
improvement projects. We will continue to<br />
provide support to the affected employees<br />
throughout this process.”<br />
The demise of Everest has been described<br />
as "disheartening" by its former CEO, and<br />
Total Installer columnist, Simon Jarman, who<br />
attributed its loss, in part, to a "failure to evolve".<br />
As news of the administration broke at the<br />
end of April, Certass' Jon Vanstone said the<br />
failure of the household name would "dent<br />
confidence in our glazing industry amongst<br />
homeowners and housebuilders", and called<br />
for a "swift and public resolution".<br />
HOMEOWNERS TURN TO GREEN UPGRADES<br />
Barbour ABI reports that homeowners are<br />
turning to green energy upgrades as<br />
home improvement activity declines.<br />
The data analyst says demand for<br />
extensions, loft conversions and<br />
garden work has fallen dramatically<br />
following a post-pandemic boom,<br />
as homeowners switch focus to green<br />
energy upgrades to reduce bills. Barbour ABI says<br />
the number of home improvement applications<br />
has fallen by 27% overall since 2021, with 2023<br />
seeing the lowest numbers since 2013, but points<br />
out he fall follows an unprecedented spike in<br />
activity following the pandemic that saw nearly<br />
450k applications in 2021.<br />
However, Barbour ABI says in 2023 there were<br />
two-and-a-half times as many applications<br />
citing solar panels as in 2019, whilst insulation<br />
applications are one-and-a-half times higher<br />
than in 2019, and 60% up since 2021.<br />
The new insight into homeowner spending trends<br />
is revealed in the Home Improvement Index; a<br />
new study launched by Barbour ABI to monitor<br />
For more news and the latest updates, visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />
activity across the sector.<br />
Barbour ABI Consulting Analyst, Brian<br />
Green said: “There has been a<br />
swift transition over the past year<br />
or so in the motivations for home<br />
improvement among households.<br />
From a pandemic-prompted eagerness<br />
to invest in improving outside space, or a<br />
home office, we have seen households increasingly<br />
driven by the cost-of-living crisis. It’s clear that<br />
a desire to cut household energy bills is driving a<br />
shift to green energy solutions.<br />
"While home improvement applications fell, the<br />
number including solar panels is sky-rocketing.<br />
Insulation is on the up too – people are looking<br />
for easy adjustments that they can make to try<br />
and bring energy bills under control. The upshot is<br />
that there are challenges ahead for those working<br />
within the home improvement sector. However,<br />
there are also opportunities for businesses who<br />
can adapt to shifting market trends.”<br />
See more at: barbour-abi.com/homeimprovement-index-<strong>2024</strong><br />
COMPETENCE IN FOCUS AT BSR CONFERENCE<br />
Certass reports that 'significant strides in<br />
enhancing competence within the building<br />
safety sector', were made at the recent Building<br />
Safety Regulator (BSR) Conference <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
The conference, which took place at<br />
Birmingham's NEC, commenced<br />
with an in-depth presentation on<br />
the ICC’s role in improving industry<br />
competence. Certass' Jon Vanstone,<br />
in his capacity as ICC Chair, detailed the<br />
committee’s objectives, which include setting<br />
clear industry standards and guiding professionals<br />
on effective implementation practices.<br />
A dedicated panel discussion explored the future<br />
steps for Registered Building Inspectors (RBIs)<br />
in maintaining and enhancing their competence.<br />
Emphasis was placed on the importance of<br />
Continuing Professional Development (CPD),<br />
structured peer reviews, and the introduction<br />
Jon Vanstone<br />
of modern apprenticeships to foster practical<br />
learning and mentorship.<br />
Another critical session explored the practical<br />
aspects of competence. Discussions<br />
highlighted the necessity for ongoing<br />
CPD, real-time performance<br />
monitoring, and periodic internal<br />
audits to ensure continuous<br />
professional growth and adherence to<br />
regulatory standards.<br />
The conference also addressed recent<br />
developments in the Competent Person Scheme<br />
system, focusing on ensuring that industry<br />
professionals are adequately assessed and<br />
qualified to meet stringent regulatory requirements.<br />
Contact Certass for more information on the<br />
outcomes of the BSR Conference <strong>2024</strong>:<br />
info@certass.co.uk<br />
6 TI JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
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News Roundup<br />
£98M WORTH OF<br />
TOOLS STOLEN<br />
Tools worth £98m were stolen from<br />
tradespeople in 2023 according to new<br />
analysis by Direct Line business insurance.<br />
In total, 44,514 incidents of tool theft were<br />
reported to police forces in 2023, a 5%<br />
increase from 2022, which equates to a tool<br />
theft reported every 12 minutes.<br />
Last year saw 24,543 reports of tool theft<br />
from a vehicle, up 14% from the previous<br />
year, accounting for over half (55%) of<br />
all tool thefts in 2023. This comes even<br />
though 94% of tradespeople are taking<br />
extra precautions to secure their tools, with<br />
tradespeople spending on average £626<br />
retrofitting their vans with additional security<br />
including additional locks, drill plates,<br />
trackers and alarms.<br />
Over half (56%) of tool thefts from a vehicle<br />
occur at night, with thefts most commonly<br />
occurring while the vehicle is parked<br />
overnight at the tradespersons home or in a<br />
car park.<br />
Tool theft has a massive financial impact on<br />
tradespeople. As well as the cost of replacing<br />
tools, 83% say they lost business because of<br />
the theft and not having their tools to work.<br />
Tradespeople reported losing work worth an<br />
average £1,836 the last time their tools were<br />
stolen, meaning an estimated £82m worth of<br />
jobs were lost by trades in 2023.<br />
London’s Metropolitan Police accounted for<br />
over half (54%) of all tool theft, but when<br />
the size of the local population is assessed,<br />
Cleveland police had more tool thefts per<br />
resident than London.<br />
Tool theft, according to the data, is seasonal,<br />
typically peaking after the clocks go back in<br />
October, with 4,517 thefts in this month last<br />
year, usually hitting a low in April when the<br />
clocks move forward. The same pattern is<br />
visible for tool theft from vans, with a peak of<br />
2,511 in October 2023, compared with 1,632<br />
in April.<br />
DOC F CHANGES FUEL DEMAND FOR VENTS<br />
Hardware specialist, Carl F Groupco, reports<br />
an increase in demand for acoustic vents,<br />
'highlighting the real-world impact of the<br />
changes to building regulations in 2022'.<br />
John Mitchell, Technical Director at Carl F<br />
Groupco, said: “Sales volumes of acoustic vents<br />
have doubled year on year, with the majority<br />
of sales going to new customers. This<br />
clearly demonstrates the anticipated<br />
impact from the recent changes<br />
to Document F of the building<br />
regulations, which relate to the<br />
ventilation in new and existing<br />
buildings.<br />
He continued: “The 2022 amendment<br />
was particularly significant regarding testing<br />
requirements, which is why we were proactive in<br />
educating our customer base on the regulatory<br />
changes. At the same time, we were acutely<br />
aware of the importance of collaboration within<br />
the supply chain. For us, that meant leveraging<br />
our strong supplier relationships to secure a<br />
For more news and the latest updates, visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />
consistent supply of compliant-ready products,<br />
whilst also expanding our product range and<br />
providing in-house technical support. This<br />
ensured our customers could depend on us as the<br />
new regulations become mandatory. Today, our<br />
approach remains unchanged; our customers can<br />
always rely on us to provide as much support as<br />
we are able.”<br />
Document F of the building<br />
regulations sets the ventilation<br />
requirements to maintain indoor<br />
air quality and, following the<br />
2022 changes, Local Authority<br />
Building Control (LABC) is now in<br />
charge of policing new-build projects,<br />
requiring confirmation that each building<br />
complies.<br />
According to Carl F Groupco, the most 'economical<br />
and practical solution' to meet the ventilation<br />
requirements of Document F is to use trickle vents,<br />
and the hardware supplier has found this to be 'the<br />
route that most installers prefer'.<br />
'WORK HARDER, WORK SMARTER' SAYS MD<br />
Mike Parczuk, Managing Director of<br />
fabricator, Sternfenster, has urged the<br />
industry to 'work harder and work smarter' to<br />
win new business in adverse conditions,<br />
maintaining that 'there are plenty of<br />
signs that things are picking up'.<br />
In an open letter to the industry,<br />
Mike said: 'As a nation we're too<br />
quick to talk ourselves down – you<br />
turn on the news, and it’s always bad.<br />
'This lack of positivity can be very damaging.<br />
For example, I think the economic prospects for<br />
the second half of the year will be better than the<br />
first. Inflation seems to be under control. We've<br />
got a general election, which normally means<br />
money is going to get thrown at everybody to try<br />
to win votes. And I think customers will be in a<br />
better position to part with their cash as interest<br />
rates come down, so there will be more consumer<br />
confidence in the market.<br />
Mike Parczuk<br />
'But I do think that our job as business leaders<br />
is not to talk everything down, and instead be a<br />
bit more positive. Yes, the market is tough, but<br />
we've been here before and we'll be here<br />
again. It just means that we must work<br />
harder and work smarter to win new<br />
business.<br />
'It’s a conversation we regularly<br />
have with our customers, because<br />
we have a range of tools that can<br />
help them win business and keep their<br />
operations running efficiently and profitably...<br />
Customers who want to learn more about our<br />
product ranges are engaging more successfully<br />
with homeowners, because they can more easily<br />
sell them a dream with a wide choice.<br />
'You can’t sit and wait for the phone to ring and<br />
expect the leads to come flooding in – in fact, it is<br />
this mentality that fuels the race-to-the-bottom<br />
on price.'<br />
10 TI JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
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News Roundup<br />
9 NOMS FOR SHEERLINE<br />
Sheerline is a finalist in nine categories for<br />
this year’s National Fenestration Awards.<br />
As well as being nominated for Aluminium<br />
Systems Company of the Year and Systems<br />
Company of the Year, three members of the<br />
team have nominations, including CEO Roger<br />
Hartshorn for Director/Managing Director of<br />
the Year.<br />
Unveiled at the FIT Show 2023, two of<br />
Sheerline’s newest innovations are also up for<br />
awards. SheerVent – ‘a revolutionary approach<br />
to intelligent roof lantern ventilation combining<br />
practical features with the company’s signature<br />
sleek styling’ and S2, which offers ‘a fresh<br />
approach’ to glazed conservatory roof systems.<br />
Built on the foundations of the K2, the S2 has<br />
been updated for a contemporary audience<br />
while also tackling issues such as thermal<br />
efficiency and leak-proof ventilation.<br />
S2 is in the running for Conservatory Product<br />
of the Year. In addition, the company has been<br />
nominated for Best Use of Video, and Colour<br />
Specialist of the Year.<br />
UNIQUE'S 'NEW LOOK FOR A NEW CHAPTER'<br />
Unique Window Systems says it is 'preparing<br />
for the next chapter in its ongoing success<br />
story', with a new identity which will help to<br />
position it for further 'evolution and expansion'.<br />
Sunil Patel, joint managing director at the awardwinning<br />
fabricator, said: “Unique’s previous brand<br />
identity has served us well having been in place<br />
since our incorporation almost 20 years ago. During<br />
that time, we have enjoyed incredible success and<br />
growth, which includes our turnover surging from<br />
£20.8m to £39.2m between 2020 and 2022.<br />
“Times and design styles change however, and<br />
it’s important for us as a business to change<br />
with them. Our new brand identity is more<br />
reflective of the company we have become and<br />
better epitomises our position as a large, highly<br />
professional, and quality-focused organisation.”<br />
The rebrand is undergoing a soft launch as part of<br />
Unique's environmental policy to avoid the creation<br />
of 'unnecessary consumption and waste'.<br />
The brand will be introduced gradually as existing<br />
assets and materials are replaced or updated.<br />
Following the rebrand, the Unique Window Systems<br />
For more news and the latest updates, visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />
name remains but is now complemented with the<br />
addition of a distinctive 'U' brand mark. In addition,<br />
a new corporate font is being adopted whilst the<br />
company’s corporate colours are evolving slightly<br />
but retaining a connection to the previous brand<br />
identity to preserve existing brand equity.<br />
The new strapline: ‘Our future in fenestration’<br />
aims to reflect the breadth of the Unique offer,<br />
catering for customers in the commercial, newbuild<br />
and trade sectors to help shape 'a mutually<br />
beneficial future'.<br />
Sunil added: “The introduction of the new Unique<br />
brand is an exciting development and a clear<br />
statement of intent. We may have achieved a great<br />
deal to date but we’re not about to rest on our<br />
laurels." www.uws.co.uk<br />
NEW APPOINTMENTS STRENGTHEN VBH TEAM<br />
VBH, the hardware specialist behind the<br />
greenteQ range, has announced two new<br />
appointments that further strengthen the<br />
company’s technical and sales teams.<br />
Roger Hartshorn, Sheerline CEO, commented:<br />
“Being nominated in nine award categories<br />
is brilliant! It’s a testament to the hard work<br />
and commitment of everyone at Sheerline and<br />
shows what you can achieve with strategic<br />
vision, the right investment, and the right<br />
people. Good luck to everyone who has been<br />
shortlisted. We’re looking forward to the<br />
awards night.”<br />
View the full list of finalists and vote for<br />
Sheerline at:<br />
www.fenestrationawards.co.uk/nfa24<br />
Daran Woodcock has joined VBH in the role of<br />
External Technical Sales Supervisor within the<br />
New Product Development/Technical team.<br />
'Vastly experienced', Daran and his team of<br />
engineers provide hands-on technical support to<br />
colleagues and VBH customers, both on site and<br />
in the factory.<br />
VBH advises that Daran’s skills surrounding<br />
new product fit-up demonstrations, test sample<br />
manufacture, problem solving and his general<br />
industry know-how are already proving to be an<br />
invaluable asset to the company.<br />
Daran Woodcock (left) and Ollie Safhill have joined VBH<br />
Ollie Safhill also joined the company on the same<br />
day in the position of Regional Manager – North<br />
– England. He brings much knowledge with him,<br />
gained during many years within the industry,<br />
including previous experience of hardware sales.<br />
VBH says that Ollie has ‘hit the ground running’,<br />
and is already proving popular with his customers<br />
across the North of England.<br />
www.vbhgb.com<br />
14 TI JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
BUILDING YOUR<br />
KNOWLEDGE<br />
AND MORE...<br />
A new partnership<br />
programme for today<br />
and tomorrow<br />
Kömmerling At Home is not<br />
just another industry badge,<br />
our partnership offers real<br />
support, relevant training,<br />
dedicated expert advice and<br />
investment from a global brand<br />
to make you stand out from the<br />
rest for today and tomorrow.<br />
To register your interest<br />
today please visit<br />
kommerlingathome.co.uk<br />
hello@kommerlingathome.co.uk<br />
01623 579600<br />
D E Q
Contract Certass TA Talk Members’ Forum<br />
HONESTY, HOPE & HEROES<br />
Reporting from the Certass TA Members’ Facebook Forum, Danelle Vanstone, Head of Member<br />
Communications, highlights the hottest topics of discussion this month, from Everest to IBGs...<br />
It’s no secret that recent economic and political<br />
stats paint a bleak picture for the industry,<br />
but recent conversations in our members’<br />
forum have filled me with hope for the future of<br />
the trade. This month’s dialogue highlighted key<br />
issues and opportunities: the uplifting embrace of<br />
honesty in sales, and the critical reassessment<br />
of the challenges posed by Insurance Backed<br />
Guarantees (IBGs).<br />
Honesty in sales; moving beyond the old<br />
national model: Everest’s financial troubles<br />
and sales were hot topics in the forum due<br />
to the breaking news of its collapse, sparking<br />
discussions around the industry’s outdated sales<br />
strategies. National companies like Everest and<br />
Anglian Windows have relied on high-pressure<br />
sales tactics and overblown guarantees that the<br />
modern consumer no longer buys into. Most of<br />
our members agree that their sales models are<br />
not only outdated but downright dishonest.<br />
When asked if it was time to re-evaluate strategies,<br />
many members were almost offended by the mere<br />
suggestion. They argue that Everest, and the like,<br />
are relics of the past and their business models<br />
simply don’t suit current market dynamics. With<br />
a downsizing market and changing consumer<br />
behaviour, it’s imperative that local glazing<br />
companies are dynamic and proactive.<br />
Fortunately, many members have already chosen<br />
a different path, with the COVID-19 pandemic<br />
serving as a catalyst for this change. The<br />
recurring word in describing their sales approach<br />
is “honesty.” Which makes me incredibly proud.<br />
Unpacking honesty in sales means educating<br />
customers about potential product pitfalls like<br />
woodgrain infill panels splitting over time or<br />
coloured PVC swelling in the heat. It means giving<br />
the best price upfront, without any high-pressure<br />
gimmicks. As one member put it: “No fancy<br />
BOGOFs, no salesman spiel, no buy-now-or-price<br />
increase nonsense.”<br />
Instead, it’s about giving customers the confidence<br />
that you’re offering them your best price, product,<br />
and service, straight out of the gate. Building trust<br />
through transparency and being straightforward<br />
about the strengths and limitations of the products<br />
is key. It’s refreshing to see installers putting<br />
their reputation first and taking pride in their work<br />
rather than falling into the trap of high-volume,<br />
low-margin models that have tripped up the big<br />
national names in recent years.<br />
Frustration with IBGs: are they worth the<br />
paper they’re written on?: Another significant<br />
theme that’s surfaced is the growing frustration<br />
with Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBGs).<br />
Everest’s collapse has left many customers<br />
wondering if their IBGs are worth the paper<br />
they’re written on. Several members have noted<br />
that IBGs often don’t serve their intended purpose<br />
and simply add to installer costs, lining the<br />
pockets of insurance companies.<br />
Danelle Vanstone<br />
“Members argue that<br />
Everest, and the like,<br />
are relics of the past”<br />
As one member pointed out: “I can go home and<br />
print out a piece of paper saying I’ll guarantee<br />
your windows, and it has more credibility than<br />
most of these IBGs.” Another commented that it’s<br />
“fraud,” with the small print enabling insurers to<br />
wriggle out of backing up any issue.<br />
Instead of offering meaningful protection to<br />
consumers, IBGs increase costs for installers<br />
and fail to reinvest back into the industry. Given<br />
Everest’s collapse and similar issues with other<br />
nationals, it’s no wonder many feel IBGs do little<br />
more than raise the price of installations.<br />
A forum that works together: Our forum is<br />
not just a place to discuss industry woes; it’s a<br />
platform for peer support and practical solutions.<br />
A recent post exemplifies this beautifully: A<br />
member sought advice on replacing an existing<br />
French casement window directly on the<br />
pavement. The thread that followed was a robust<br />
exchange of insights, showcasing the supportive<br />
nature and camaraderie of our members. This<br />
high level of engagement highlights not only the<br />
collective expertise of the forum, but also our<br />
commitment to helping one another navigate<br />
complex situations with practical, sound advice.<br />
In these challenging times, it’s inspiring to see<br />
our members prioritising honesty and reputation<br />
over outdated business models and high-pressure<br />
sales tactics. By embracing transparency and<br />
educating consumers about their choices, local<br />
glazing installers are redefining what it means to<br />
do business in this industry. It’s also clear that<br />
many believe it’s time to re-evaluate the role<br />
of IBGs and to find better ways to protect both<br />
consumers and installers.<br />
So, here’s to honesty, hope, and the local heroes<br />
transforming our industry one window at a time.<br />
Contact Danelle for further information:<br />
0191 249 6434<br />
Danelle.vanstone@certass.co.uk<br />
16 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
BEYOND TOOLS FOR INSTALLERS:<br />
Navigating<br />
Business Success<br />
FAISAL HUSSAIN<br />
JON VANSTONE<br />
PAUL CLIFTON<br />
THOM EMERSON<br />
DGCOS<br />
CERTASS<br />
WINDOW SALES LAB<br />
IDEAL WINDOW SOLUTIONS<br />
Unlock the secrets to success in the double<br />
glazing industry with a new business<br />
support podcast series produced by<br />
DGCOS in partnership with the NHIC.<br />
PODCAST LAUNCH 14/06/<strong>2024</strong><br />
The Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS) is a consumer protection<br />
scheme for the installation of double glazing products. Being a member of DGCOS shows that<br />
as an installer you are committed to complying with high standards of consumer protection.<br />
0345 053 8975 | info@dgcos.org.uk | installers.dgcos.org.uk
Hardware<br />
FIT AND FORGET, GUARANTEED<br />
With callbacks a necessary evil for most reputable installers, Dan Powell<br />
and Gary Gleeson of hardware supplier, VBH (GB), tell Total Installer about<br />
the new guarantee scheme set to make ‘fit and forget’ a reality…<br />
Having capitalised on the opportunities<br />
created by the Covid home improvement<br />
boom, VBH (GB)’s Head of Brand, Dan<br />
Powell, is honest about the choppier waters the<br />
company - and the fenestration<br />
industry at large - is currently<br />
navigating.<br />
Speaking from the hardware<br />
supplier’s UK headquarters in<br />
Gillingham, Kent, alongside<br />
long-standing Marketing<br />
Manager, Gary Gleeson, Dan<br />
admits it’s been a “tough year” so far, with the<br />
company riding a roller-coaster of “good and bad<br />
months”, as everything from the cost of living<br />
crisis, to overseas wars and political instability,<br />
takes its toll on the market.<br />
But despite these challenges, VBH (GB), which<br />
forms part of the German-based VBH Holding,<br />
employing 2000 personnel across 23 countries, is<br />
still striving to better last year’s impressive £27m<br />
in sales, with a new guarantee scheme central to<br />
this objective.<br />
Gary highlights VBH’s mission to provide “a worldclass<br />
customer experience”, not just through the<br />
products themselves, but also via “exceptional<br />
service levels and tools to make working with<br />
VBH easier than working with anybody else”.<br />
According to Dan, “homeowners love a guarantee<br />
scheme”, but it’s not just the end-user that is set to<br />
benefit from the hardware supplier’s latest offering.<br />
With customers already enjoying access to the<br />
recently revamped VBH24 online ordering and<br />
information portal, an OTIF score approaching<br />
98.9%, as well as extensive technical support,<br />
the new initiative promises to benefit the whole<br />
supply chain, from fabricators and installers,<br />
right through to the end-user.<br />
“We will stand behind<br />
our guarantee”<br />
Surface guarantees<br />
Featuring 20 and 25-year surface guarantees on<br />
its greenteQ Suite and architeQ range respectively<br />
across all core finishes, plus a comprehensive<br />
10-year mechanical guarantee, Gary and Dan<br />
believe the new offer is a great way to help<br />
selected, qualifying VBH customers differentiate<br />
themselves from the competition.<br />
“We’re never going to be a supplier of cheap<br />
hardware,” Dan states, “but we do give customers<br />
confidence that they won’t get callbacks and<br />
problems; we will stand behind our guarantee.”<br />
Offering a “true suite” for all PVC-U, aluminium<br />
and timber applications, with greenteQ products<br />
ranging from handles and hinges to knockers and<br />
letterplates, and an array of colours including black,<br />
white, chrome and anthracite grey, VBH promises<br />
to replace any item of qualifying furniture within<br />
the guarantee period, with any claims handled by<br />
VBH directly. To take advantage of this benefit, the<br />
fabricator must buy all their furniture from VBH,<br />
“as this protects against any confusion about<br />
what is, and what is not, covered”, says Gary.<br />
Cutting out the middle man<br />
Gary and Dan attest that by cutting out the<br />
middle man when it comes to callbacks,<br />
VBH is “making life a lot easier” for its<br />
customers. Instead of contacting the<br />
installer – traditionally the first port<br />
of call for disgruntled homeowners<br />
– a QR code sticker, placed on the<br />
window or door frame, will lead<br />
the end-user to a website where<br />
they can register the furniture<br />
directly with VBH, bypassing the<br />
installer and fabricator should an issue<br />
arise further down the line.<br />
In the event of a claim, VBH will deal directly with<br />
the end-user, sending out a replacement part, or<br />
arranging a site visit to fit replacement furniture<br />
where necessary.<br />
Full written and/or video instructions will be<br />
available to the homeowner to make product<br />
replacement quick and easy without a call-out.<br />
“We are seeing a shift in consumer preferences”,<br />
says Dan, referring to the speed and convenience<br />
of the DIY problem-solving approach increasingly<br />
favoured by modern day end-users, most notably<br />
the younger, tech-savvy generations. For those who<br />
require or prefer professional assistance, VBH will<br />
be on hand to send out an engineer, negating the<br />
need for the installer to return to site.<br />
Every six months following registration, the enduser<br />
will receive an email from VBH to remind<br />
them to maintain their furniture in accordance<br />
with the terms and conditions of the guarantee,<br />
helping to avoid rejected claims, and prolonging<br />
the life of the installation.<br />
As well as the greenteQ surface guarantees, VBH<br />
also offers the ProteQ10 10-year performance<br />
guarantee, 10-year snap guarantee and key<br />
security scheme for its greenteQ Orion TS007 3<br />
star cylinder.<br />
18 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
How it works:<br />
• The VBH customer will receive QR code<br />
stickers to place on each door/window<br />
• The code takes the end-user to<br />
www.greenteQguarantee.co.uk<br />
where they register their furniture<br />
direct with VBH<br />
VBH’s Dan Powell (centre) with Garrard Windows who recently went live with the greenteQ guarantee scheme. © Dan Powell<br />
“We have simplified the guarantee process for<br />
the whole supply chain... The result is hardware<br />
that the installer really can fit and forget”<br />
• Upon registering, the end-user will<br />
receive a confirmation email from<br />
VBH. This will provide: a link to the<br />
Guarantee Dashboard, where they<br />
can view their guarantee certificate,<br />
and update their contact details if<br />
required; details of the simple online<br />
claim process<br />
• In the event of a claim, VBH will deal<br />
directly with the end-user, sending out<br />
a replacement part, or arranging a site<br />
visit to fit replacement furniture where<br />
necessary<br />
“In the unlikely event of one of our Orion cylinders<br />
failing during normal use within 10 years of<br />
installation, we promise to provide the end-user<br />
with a replacement cylinder,” says Gary.<br />
Should an Orion cylinder snap and allow a<br />
break-in via manipulation of the door lock, within<br />
10 years of installation, VBH has pledged to pay<br />
the end-user £2000 compensation direct.<br />
To take advantage of the ProteQ10 key security<br />
scheme, the end-user must register their Orion<br />
cylinder with VBH to activate their performance<br />
and proteQ10 guarantees and again, the<br />
fabricator and installer are not involved with any<br />
aspect of this process.<br />
Helping installers sell<br />
As an additional tool to help installers<br />
differentiate their offering during the selling<br />
process, VBH also offers Q-secure; a free to offer<br />
hardware guarantee for windows, resi-doors and<br />
patio doors, that pledges to pay the registrant up<br />
to £9000 in compensation if a break-in occurs.<br />
Installers buying windows and doors fitted with<br />
greenteQ iQ locks which work with Kubu to connect<br />
windows and doors to a smart home network, can<br />
offer VBH’s Premium Plus option, offering further<br />
benefits to be introduced later this year.<br />
As long as the manufacturer has used hardware<br />
from VBH’s Q-secure-approved range, alongside<br />
compatible profiles, the installation has been<br />
carried out in accordance with the systems<br />
company’s instructions and registered by the<br />
end-user directly with VBH, VBH will handle any<br />
claims directly, without any involvement of the<br />
fabricator or installer.<br />
“Callbacks are a big headache for manufacturers<br />
and installers,” says Dan. “There is often confusion<br />
over the various guarantee periods offered, and the<br />
process can turn out to be a lot more complicated<br />
and time-consuming than it should be.<br />
“We have made our guarantees as transparent<br />
as possible for all parties involved, including the<br />
homeowner, to simplify the entire process for the<br />
whole supply chain and support our partners all<br />
the way to the end-user. The result is hardware<br />
that the installer really can fit and forget.”<br />
Qualifying fabricators/installers must:<br />
• Fit greenteQ furniture to the door/<br />
window types that they want to cover<br />
with the guarantee<br />
• Tell their customers about the<br />
guarantee during the sales-pitch<br />
process to help close the deal<br />
• Fix the QR code stickers to the frames<br />
before installation<br />
• Remind the end-user to register online<br />
within 28 days<br />
Contact VBH (GB)<br />
01634 263 263<br />
www.vbhgb.com<br />
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST<br />
JUNE <strong>2024</strong> TI 19
Contract DGCOS Podcast Talk<br />
NAVIGATING BUSINESS SUCCESS<br />
Faisal Hussain, Chief Executive of the Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman<br />
Scheme (DGCOS), discusses the organisation’s latest collaborative podcast series<br />
focusing on business support, which goes live in <strong>June</strong>...<br />
Our new podcast series, ‘Beyond Tools:<br />
Navigating Business Success’, navigates<br />
the difficulties that can come with<br />
business ownership.<br />
Running a business in the glazing industry is a<br />
challenging, yet rewarding, journey filled with<br />
opportunities for growth and success. However,<br />
the path to success for many aspiring business<br />
owners may be a bit trickier than they first<br />
thought. Recognising the need for guidance and<br />
support within the sector, our new podcast series,<br />
created in partnership with the National Housing<br />
Improvement Council (NHIC), seeks to address<br />
these challenges.<br />
Building on better mental health<br />
In our first podcast series focused on breaking the<br />
silence around mental health, one of the recurring<br />
topics of conversation was the challenges many<br />
faced in running a business, so it made perfect<br />
sense for this to be the focus of our second<br />
podcast series. We wanted to build on these<br />
conversations and explore practical solutions for<br />
the challenges faced by talking to specialists who<br />
were willing to share their experiences with host<br />
Anna Scothern (Chair of the NHIC and host of its<br />
popular podcast), and members of the DGCOS<br />
and HIES teams. Together we unpick the issues<br />
and offer useful tips to businesses in the glazing<br />
and wider home improvement sector.<br />
The episodes include:<br />
Legal and compliance<br />
Jon Vanstone, Chair of Certass and the HSE’s<br />
Industry Competence Committee (ICC) is well<br />
placed to offer advice on what the glazing<br />
industry needs to be aware of when it comes to<br />
the legal and compliance requirements we should<br />
be meeting, as well as upcoming changes we<br />
need to be ready for, particularly when it comes to<br />
Building Safety Regulations.<br />
Financial management<br />
Paul Clifton is a window industry Sales & Profit<br />
Consultant with Window Sales Lab. He has<br />
worked with many companies in our sector and<br />
even published a book in 1989 – “What Master<br />
Salesmen Know That Average Salesmen Don’t” –<br />
about his experience of being a top double glazing<br />
salesman with Coastal, where he achieved an<br />
annual 82% conversion rate, when at the time,<br />
the group average was 34%. In this episode, we<br />
discuss the complexities of managing money<br />
and unpick some of the buzz words many find<br />
confusing when it comes to the financial side of<br />
the business.<br />
Business operations<br />
Thom Emerson is Sales Director of Ideal<br />
Window Solutions, a successful window and<br />
door installation business in the South. Thom<br />
discusses operational challenges and the<br />
correlation between managing your business<br />
and mental health. Together we discuss the<br />
importance of building a team, putting the right<br />
people with the right skills in place to support<br />
you, having the right processes in place, and<br />
the importance of being strategic in picking the<br />
projects that are right for your business.<br />
Advice for the home improvement sector<br />
Our sister scheme, HIES Consumer Code, which<br />
covers the installation of renewable energy and<br />
home energy efficiency products, focuses on the<br />
challenges this sector is currently facing. It’s<br />
a sector that is still in its infancy and can be<br />
unpredictable with a fluctuating supply chain.<br />
We’re also a long way from meeting renewable<br />
energy targets set by the government, so in these<br />
episodes we’re discussing how collaboration can<br />
empower and support businesses to grow and<br />
adapt with Jack White from Segen; offering tips<br />
on effective sales and marketing techniques with<br />
Rhys Jones from TrustMark; and we explore and<br />
understand the current grants and incentives<br />
available with Stew Horne from the Energy<br />
Savings Trust.<br />
The new ‘Beyond Tools: Navigating Business<br />
Success’ podcast series with the NHIC launches<br />
on the 13th <strong>June</strong>, with a total of six episodes<br />
being released on a weekly basis during <strong>June</strong> and<br />
July.<br />
Head over to nhic.org.uk/the-nhic-podcastbeyond-tools-navigating-business-successseries/<br />
or follow us on LinkedIn for updates:<br />
www.linkedin.com/company/dgcos-doubleglazing-and-conservatory-ombudsman-scheme/<br />
Contact DGCOS:<br />
info@dgcos.org.uk<br />
www.dgcos.org.uk<br />
20 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
The<br />
Furniture Guarantees<br />
20 year surface guarantee on all furniture in the greenteQ Suite<br />
25 year surface guarantee on all furniture in the architeQ range<br />
BENEFITS INCLUDE:<br />
Consumer registers direct with VBH<br />
VBH deals direct with the consumer in the event of a claim<br />
Perfect for busy fabricators and installers – fit and forget<br />
Includes ALL 13 finishes of both ranges<br />
Contact us to find out more<br />
customerservice@vbhgb.com<br />
@vbhgb
CMS & Quoting Software<br />
550 INSTALLERS NOW USING TOMMY<br />
Quoting software provider, Tommy Trinder, is<br />
celebrating as the total number of window<br />
companies using the sales platform passes 550.<br />
Founder and CEO, Chris Brunsdon, said: “We<br />
are on a mission to put the fun back<br />
into selling windows. Getting to 550<br />
subscribers is a sign we’re making<br />
progress!”<br />
Describing itself as ‘the go-to app<br />
for installers looking to add zip to their<br />
sales process’, the firm’s patented Framepoint<br />
Technology allows users to free draw PVC-U,<br />
aluminium and timber windows and doors with<br />
your finger or mouse, just like sketching on a<br />
pad. It’s easy to chop-and-change ironmongery,<br />
colour, and bar options until the homeowner<br />
is happy and the price is right. And in a tap<br />
installers can show clients how their new<br />
windows and doors will look in situ.<br />
The value of work quoted by installers on Tommy<br />
Trinder is also on the rise, with £200m-worth of<br />
work is quoted to homeowners via the platform<br />
each month. High average quote values are also<br />
Windowlink reports that its software is helping<br />
installer, Droylsden Glass, impress potential<br />
customers and win new business.<br />
The firm uses Windowlink’s Focus and Vector<br />
software to enhance its sales process, as well as<br />
the customer experience.<br />
Tommy Trinder’s sales platform has hit 550<br />
subscribers. Left: Chris Brunsdon<br />
a feature, with values climbing towards £7,400<br />
over the last six months.<br />
Chris said: “We are seeing premium materials<br />
making significant market gains; aluminium and<br />
timber combined now account for around half of<br />
everything quoted by installers. And when it comes<br />
to PVC-U, Tommy subscribers are managing to get<br />
a bit more on every job by routinely showing off<br />
value-added features such as foils, dual colours,<br />
dummy vents, mechanical joints, flush casements,<br />
dummy peg-stays and surface mounted bars in a<br />
visual and compelling way.”<br />
Installers can find out more about Tommy Trinder<br />
and book a free demo at www.tommytrinder.com<br />
WINDOWLINK STREAMLINES SALES<br />
Focus for windows and doors streamlines quoting, simplifies product configuration, and allows<br />
homeowners to visualise how products will look in their homes. Meanwhile, Vector assists with<br />
conservatory and glazed extension design, quotations, and order processing.<br />
Kevin Thackeray, Managing Director of Droylsden Glass, said: “We’ve used Focus and Vector for<br />
several years now. In addition to offering a great visual aid during the selling process, we also use<br />
the pricing engine, which has been an invaluable tool for us.<br />
“With Windowlink, the big advantage is that they can make bespoke amendments to the software,<br />
tailoring it to our needs. Windowlink have been a great benefit to our business, and we highly<br />
recommend them.”<br />
Mark Dudley, Managing Director of Windowlink, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for Droylsden<br />
Glass’s continued support. We’re thrilled to see how our software has empowered them to<br />
streamline their sales process and deliver an exceptional customer experience.<br />
“Droylsden Glass exemplifies the kind of passionate, quality-focused installer we love to do<br />
business with.” www.windowlink.com<br />
BP LAUNCHES<br />
ZAPIER UPDATE<br />
Business Pilot has released its biggest<br />
update yet, which offers window companies<br />
‘more opportunities than ever before to<br />
improve efficiency, increase profitability,<br />
and create the best user journey possible<br />
for their customers’.<br />
Launched live online to audiences on Facebook<br />
and YouTube in May, Business Pilot unveiled its<br />
new Zapier integration, a development that will<br />
allow users to link the Business Pilot Software<br />
to virtually any other application.<br />
From here, users can create automated<br />
tasks, and leverage the functionality of other<br />
applications from within Business Pilot.<br />
Business Pilot’s Managing Director, Elton<br />
Boocock, said: “When we launched Business<br />
Pilot in 2019, our overriding aim was to improve<br />
the lives of installers.<br />
“This directly led to linking software such as<br />
Tommy Trinder, Windowlink, FENSA and Xero via<br />
APIs [Application Programming Interface] which<br />
allows users to easily integrate third-party<br />
software into Business Pilot, without the need<br />
for double data input.<br />
“Zapier takes this idea to a whole new level,<br />
because this one update can link Business Pilot<br />
to more than 7,000 apps, creating opportunities<br />
on an almost unimaginable scale.<br />
“When you have a ‘Trigger’ in one app, and<br />
an ‘Action’ in another app, this is known as<br />
a ‘Zap’,” Elton said. “When a Zap runs, it is<br />
known as a ‘Task’.<br />
“By creating Zaps and running Tasks, you can<br />
construct a world where operations are carried out<br />
more efficiently, saving you money in the process,<br />
all while improving the customer journey.”<br />
To find out more visit www.businesspilot.co.uk<br />
22 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
We celebrate<br />
75 years of<br />
enhancing lives.<br />
Since the day Helmut Wagner founded REHAU<br />
in 1948, our company has radically transformed<br />
itself and created innovations that have changed<br />
the world.<br />
The number 75 is of great value to REHAU.<br />
It stands for a time in which a 3-man company<br />
has grown into a global corporation. This number<br />
stands for the tireless commitment of our great<br />
employees, who work on new solutions for our<br />
customers every day, and it represents important<br />
years of learning, further development and<br />
exciting projects.<br />
www.rehau.com/group-en/75-years-rehau
Updates<br />
PLANT MANAGER AIMS FOR 70% RECOVERED POLYMER<br />
The newly appointed Plant Manager at REHAU’s PVCR polymer recycling site is looking to increase the share of<br />
recovered PVC in the company’s new frames by further enhancing the facility’s processing capacity.<br />
John Jones joined the REHAU Group in October 2022 as a Lean Management Expert and Training Manager before taking<br />
on his new role. Since its opening in 2019, Runcorn-based PVCR has taken on a key role in helping REHAU UK ensure its<br />
frame output contains 55% recycled materials. The site currently processes 15,000 tonnes of post-consumer polymer, with<br />
targets to expand this further while increasing the percentage of recycled materials in frames to 70%.<br />
John said: “Striving for positive change and accepting what’s good enough today will not be good enough tomorrow, so<br />
making small changes in everything we do can make a big difference to our sustainability goals.<br />
“Leaving the world in a better place for our future generations is important to us at PVCR, so we are continuing to work on<br />
longer-term strategies to enhance REHAU’s overall sustainability.” www.pvcr.co.uk<br />
John Jones<br />
FIRE-RATED WINDOWS FROM STOCK AT EUROGLAZE<br />
Euroglaze is reminding installers who need 30-minute PVC-U fire windows in a hurry that they can once<br />
again order the two most popular sizes (600mm x 1000mm and 1000mm x 1000mm) from stock, and<br />
receive delivery nationwide in just five working days.<br />
The Barnsley-based fabricator, one of only a handful of accredited companies in the UK ‘trained and trusted’<br />
by REHAU to manufacture its RAUFERNO range of fire-rated windows, says demand has risen this year for<br />
applications in fire escapes, entrance halls and integral garages.<br />
On small and large scale contracts where just one or two fire-rated windows are needed for protected areas,<br />
Euroglaze’s service means installers can call off the windows they need as and when, without worrying that the<br />
job will be held up waiting for deliveries. www.euroglaze.co.uk/fire-rated-windows.html<br />
EPWIN RAMPS UP RECYCLED CONTENT<br />
Epwin Window Systems has invested further in sustainable manufacturing practices, enabling it to introduce<br />
additional co-extruded profiles that use post-consumer recycled PVC-U into its product offer.<br />
The material is all reprocessed in the UK from recycled window profiles with a demonstratable chain of custody, in line<br />
with proposed future legislation. This year, the company will introduce multiple new Optima mainframe tools that will<br />
incorporate a recycled core that won’t be visible when manufactured. On average, each section will contain 45% recycled<br />
content. Phil Parry, Technical Director at Epwin Window Systems, said: “Forecasts suggest that demand for PVC in Western<br />
Europe will increase at a rate higher than GDP between <strong>2024</strong> and 2028. This will put pressure on raw materials and we are<br />
taking the lead on being prepared for that shift. Our latest investments enable us to produce class-leading, sustainably<br />
manufactured systems efficiently, while also building our capacity for future growth.” www.epwinwindowsystems.co.uk<br />
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION STAYS HIGH AT SHEERLINE<br />
Sheerline reports that vertical integration, internal communications, ‘and a focus on providing an agile<br />
service’ have enabled it to achieve a ‘world class’ OTIF (on time, in full) of 99.1% in February, followed by<br />
99% in March – helping maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.<br />
Steve Musgrave, Sheerline Operations Director, commented: “Receiving an OTIF of just over 99% in February is<br />
an enormous achievement for the team, but we cannot let complacency set in. Our challenge now is to improve<br />
further and then maintain those levels, so customer satisfaction remains high. We’re passionate about continuous<br />
improvement, striving for perfection and the highest possible standards across every element of the business,<br />
which is why our processes receive the same attention as our products. Ultimately, the result is happy customers<br />
who know what they’re getting, when they’re getting it, and that they can depend on us.” www.sheerline.com<br />
24 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Updates<br />
Affordable Window Systems has launched a new ‘Installer Pack’ which will be made available free of<br />
charge to installers of the popular heritage PVC-U brand Timberlook.<br />
The packs are designed to provide new and existing installers with everything they need to promote and<br />
install Timberlook flush sash windows and doors. As well as a practical dummy sash removal tool, the packs<br />
include branded Timberlook apparel such as a hoodie, t-shirt, cap and beanie hat, allowing installers to<br />
showcase their affiliation with the Timberlook brand and boost customer confidence.<br />
“We’re dedicated to fostering strong partnerships with our installers, and their success is our top priority,”<br />
says Amelia Gaughan, Head of Marketing at Affordable Window Systems. “And now, by equipping installers<br />
with branded apparel, we can help them showcase their Timberlook affiliation, project a professional image,<br />
and ultimately win more business within the booming heritage market.” www.timberlook.com<br />
For further window updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />
'WIN MORE BUSINESS' WITH TIMBERLOOK INSTALLER PACKS<br />
BRINGING PERIOD AUTHENTICITY TO SLIDING SASHES<br />
Universal Trade Frames has added a new ultra-slim meeting rail option to its Spectus Vertical Sliding<br />
Sash Window, adding additional period detailing to its market leading offer.<br />
Available Fully Kitemarked and certified to PAS24, the Spectus Vertical Sliding Sash Window has an<br />
established reputation for faithfully replicating the appearance of traditional sash windows.<br />
Universal Trade Frames has now built on this core offer with the addition of a new meeting rail option,<br />
featuring slim sightlines of just 37mm.<br />
Richard Hammond, Sales Director, Universal Trade Frames, said that combined with a deep bottom rail,<br />
classical hardware and a wide choice of colour combinations, the Spectus VS from Universal brought new period<br />
authenticity to sliding sash window replacements. www.utfl.co.uk<br />
PARTNERSHIP BRINGS NEW WOOD-ALUMINIUM SYSTEM<br />
The ‘shared ideals and values of improving standards and quality in the market’ has culminated in a strategic<br />
partnership between GUTMANN and The Joinery Network, to create a new GUTMANN LIGNUM wood-aluminium<br />
window and door system.<br />
The new timber-aluclad product has been specifically designed by aluminium specialist, GUTMANN, and The Joinery<br />
Network, to suit the UK’s housing stock. The system benefits from the certification and Secured By Design accreditation<br />
awarded across the comprehensive Lignum range of windows and doors.<br />
Paul Barden, GUTMANN Director UK & Ireland, said: “The Joinery Network is a natural partner for GUTMANN as we share a<br />
vision of producing top quality, sustainable window and door systems. We have utilised each other’s strengths and knowledge<br />
to develop a high-performance product, ensuring the aesthetics were right for UK homes.” www.thejoinerynetwork.co.uk<br />
Dekko’s Kurt Greatrex<br />
SMART & SEAMLESS FROM KUBU & DEKKO<br />
Kubu is set to collaborate with Dekko to deliver a fully seamless smart window.<br />
Having successfully launched what it claims is ‘the world’s first fully seamless window’, thanks to an exclusivity<br />
agreement with machinery expert Haffner, Dekko is now planning to incorporate smart security sensors from Kubu.<br />
The Infinity window boasts a fully seamless sash which Dekko says is the first of its kind, and will soon also offer<br />
the latest in smart home tech, ‘empowering’ its trade installer customers ‘to stay ahead of the curve’.<br />
Kubu is already available on Dekko’s PVC-U and composite doors.<br />
Dekko’s Sales Director, Kurt Greatrex, said: “We understand the growing demand for smart home features. That’s<br />
why we are planning to incorporate Kubu smart security sensors into our innovative product range.”<br />
www.dekkowindows.com<br />
26 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Stand out<br />
with Mercury<br />
Elevate your door projects with the sleek versatility of<br />
aluminium sliding doors or the expansive qualities of bifold<br />
options, all backed by Mercury’s commitment to quality and<br />
competitive turnaround.<br />
Bifold Doors<br />
Sliding Doors<br />
Designer Doors<br />
Heritage Doors<br />
Entrance Doors<br />
Commercial Doors<br />
T: 01452 383 344<br />
E: sales@mercuryspecialistframes.co.uk<br />
www.mercuryglazing.co.uk<br />
Mercury Glazing Supplies Ltd Unit E1, Goodridge Business Park, Goodridge Avenue, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL2 5EB
Fire Doors<br />
INSTALLER OPPORTUNITIES<br />
Head of fds sales at Distinction Doors, Gareth Roberts discusses the company’s fire door<br />
system and explains how it is supporting installers in maximising opportunities in this arena.<br />
There is a huge amount of potential in the<br />
fire door market, especially for composite<br />
fire doors. Post-Grenfell, timber gained<br />
market share as decision makers moved away<br />
from composites, but the tide is turning. We<br />
are proving that modern composite fire doors<br />
are fit for a safer future. There have been<br />
significant advances including testing, third party<br />
certification and supply chain transparency.<br />
We launched our fire door system, fds almost<br />
four years ago now, since then it has gained<br />
a reputation for being a robust and consistent<br />
composite fire door solution. Stakeholders are<br />
reassured by the peace of mind it affords, not<br />
least for the residents.<br />
We have achieved this by exceeding<br />
requirements and expectations through testing<br />
and transparency – both critical factors in the<br />
specification, manufacture, and installation of<br />
any fire safety product.<br />
Exceeding standards<br />
Our high-performance composite fds fire doorset<br />
is independently tested to the more demanding<br />
BS EN 1634-1:2014, rather than the older<br />
BS476-22:1987, although both are currently<br />
accepted for Building Regulation compliance.<br />
For internal applications it meets the demands<br />
of EN1634-3:2004 (ambient smoke control), and<br />
for external use, BS 6375 (weathertightness).<br />
It complies with Approved Document L (thermal<br />
performance) and PAS 24:2022 (security) which<br />
is strengthened by additional Secured by Design<br />
status.<br />
Most recently, the doorset gained UKCA mark<br />
status. Our UKCA accredited fds fabricators<br />
can now produce a UKCA marked external fire<br />
doorset and issue a Declaration of Performance<br />
that references both BS EN 14351-1, the external<br />
pedestrian doorset standard and BS EN 16034,<br />
the standard for fire resisting and/or smoke<br />
control pedestrian doorsets proving compliance<br />
for external use. UKCA marking currently applies<br />
to external fire doorsets only.<br />
Future-proof fire doorset<br />
This level of commitment sends a clear signal<br />
to the construction industry; you can achieve<br />
consistent fire resistance, compliance and peace<br />
of mind with GRP composite fire doors. It also<br />
equips our fabricators and installers with the<br />
necessary tools to succeed in this market.<br />
We offer further support by making our test<br />
data, fire certification documents and other<br />
technical information readily available, and<br />
providing footage of every fire test for complete<br />
transparency. These documents can then be built<br />
into any door data tag.<br />
Gareth Roberts<br />
“We are putting plans<br />
in place to support<br />
our installers further<br />
with product-specific<br />
training”<br />
The fds system is proven to perform with a variety<br />
of data tags including digital asset management<br />
– BORIS software. Following another fire test,<br />
our fabricators can supply installers with a<br />
future-proof fire doorset which meets and<br />
exceeds current requirements and supports the<br />
Responsible Person in fulfilling their legislative<br />
obligation to the Building Safety Act.<br />
Installer training and certification<br />
As a supplier, it is our duty to provide expertise<br />
and assurances, and we have a responsibility<br />
to deliver this at every stage of the process.<br />
We work with our fabricator/installers and our<br />
fabricator’s preferred installation teams to ensure<br />
they are equipped with the appropriate knowledge<br />
and skills to install our fds doorset competently<br />
and to a consistently safe and high standard. We<br />
are putting plans in place to support our installers<br />
further with product-specific training.<br />
In addition, we encourage installers to<br />
demonstrate competence through BM Trada’s<br />
Q-Mark fire door installation certification (STD<br />
052) compliance. This is one of the many<br />
steps we are taking to promote confidence and<br />
give greater assurance, alongside auditing our<br />
manufacturing partners to meet BM Trada’s<br />
Q-Mark STD 170 and STD 050. Currently, this is<br />
over and above the mandatory requirements of<br />
building regulations.<br />
If you’re an experienced fire door installer, or<br />
someone wishing to break into this market,<br />
then please get in touch. We can support you,<br />
putting you in contact with one of our approved<br />
fds manufacturers, and ensuring you are fully<br />
prepared to maximise opportunities in the internal<br />
and external composite fire door market.<br />
Contact information:<br />
0345 2000 816<br />
www.firedoorsystems.co.uk<br />
28 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
‘How to’ Guide<br />
CREATING THE STEEL LOOK<br />
Guy Hubble, Joint Managing Director at RegaLead, explains how to attach Urban Bar to<br />
a standard unglazed French door to create an authentic steel look.<br />
The industrial heritage look is an aspirational trend that has gripped<br />
many homeowners over the last few years. It’s raw style combines<br />
contemporary and vintage design for a cool, urban aesthetic.<br />
Steel-look windows and doors are a key component of achieving that<br />
industrial-chic effect. However, in order to achieve that look, various complex<br />
and often expensive systems have been developed that involve multiple glass<br />
units, interlocking transoms and mullions.<br />
The Urban Bar clip-on aluminium astragal bar system means you can create<br />
this sought-after style simply and cost-effectively. Here’s our ‘how to’ guide<br />
on how to attach them to a standard unglazed French door…<br />
Insulated glass units<br />
For the purpose of this guide, we’re going to install Urban Bar on a pair of French doors and the glass<br />
units already have the bar inside of them.<br />
To create the look of separate glass units, a simulated divided light bar is used within the insulated<br />
glass unit. These can be created using specially designed single bars or with a ‘duplex’ system.<br />
To ensure the optimal look on the completed installation, we recommend the following bar widths:<br />
• 25mm Urban - 22m Simulated Light Bar<br />
• 40mm Urban - 2 x 18mm Simulated Divided Light Bars adjacent to each other<br />
The Urban clip system<br />
The patented spring steel clips ensure that the bars are located accurately and they prevent the risk of bars<br />
‘popping off’ which is common with adhesive tape applied bars.<br />
The clips are designed to allow for movement within the system.<br />
The Urban Bar system uses 2 types of clips:<br />
• Single Clip<br />
• Cruciform Clip<br />
Clip locations<br />
For single bar applications use only the single clips and they need to be located close to the edges of the glass unit and if the expanse is over 600mm, a<br />
further clip should be added centrally.<br />
For multi-bar designs with cross-overs, using the Cruciform Clip is recommended. The double ended Cruciform Clip goes under the continuous bar and<br />
ensures that the bars joining it are in line. Single clips should also be applied as close to any joints as possible.<br />
For multi-bar applications, it is recommended that the horizontal bars are continuous, and the vertical bars are split.<br />
Adhesive tape<br />
Clips are applied to the glass surface with a high performance foamed acrylic tape (Urbantape) which has been rigorously tested to ensure long term adhesion.<br />
The double sided tape is available in either Black or White. Tape is to be applied across the full span of the clip and, as it is a pressure sensitive adhesive, it<br />
must be pressed down firmly so that the adhesive can ‘wet-out’.<br />
Urban clips are available pre-taped. Continued on page 32<br />
30 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
AWARD-WINNING<br />
ALUMINIUM DOORS<br />
AND WINDOWS<br />
NOW AVAILABLE<br />
The Soho External Door<br />
(OB-36 + )<br />
Steel-look design meets unparalleled thermal performance. Complementing the highly sought<br />
after Internal Door, this latest launch is the right product to be offering at the right time.<br />
Don’t get left behind. Stand out from the competition and<br />
futureproof your business by opening an account with Origin today.<br />
Call 0808 192 0015 or visit origin-global.com/partner-with-origin<br />
Bi-fold Doors Front Doors Internal Doors Sliding Doors Windows
‘How to’ Guide<br />
Continued from page 30<br />
Cleaning and applying the clips<br />
1. As most doors will need toe and heeling, the<br />
simulated divided bars should not be used as a<br />
location reference when applying clips. To ensure<br />
horizontal lines are accurate, the use of a laser level<br />
is recommended and clips should be placed along the<br />
laser line.<br />
2. Ensure the glass is completely clean and greasefree<br />
before applying clips. Alcohol wipes or an<br />
alcohol-based cleaner, such as RegaClean No1, are<br />
recommended.<br />
3. It is important that the clips are applied straight<br />
and following the laser line or the bar may not engage<br />
completely with the clips, particularly when multiple<br />
clips have been used.<br />
Measuring and cutting<br />
4. Due to the possibility of expansion, especially on<br />
darker colours, it is recommended that the bars are cut<br />
2-3mm short of the frame.<br />
5. To ensure a clean cut on the aluminium and to<br />
reduce the risk of rough ends or damage to the coating,<br />
a fine-tooth cutting blade should be used. E.g. D-09628<br />
blade for Makita saws.<br />
6. It is recommended that bars are bevel cut at the<br />
frame end so the bar can cover the gasket. On most<br />
gasket systems a 20 degree cut will suffice.<br />
7.For cross over joints a 4 degree cut will reduce the<br />
chance of the bar end showing.<br />
8. Brush off any excess swarf from the bar after<br />
cutting, using a soft brush.<br />
9. Insert the gasket into the bar. All our gaskets are<br />
corded for less shrinkage and ease of installation.<br />
Applying the bar<br />
10. Before applying the bar, ensure that none of the<br />
clips are damaged or folded in. If clips need opening<br />
this can be done easily with a flat head screwdriver.<br />
12. For multi-bar designs, the continuous bars should<br />
always be applied first before the bevel cut pieces.<br />
13. Remove protective tape.<br />
11. Line the bars up with the clips and apply with<br />
a rolling motion to ensure the clips grip into the<br />
channel.<br />
For further information, you can watch RegaLead’s video guide on how to install Urban Bar at:<br />
www.regalead.com/urban-bar/<br />
32 TI JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
CS Abode Spraying 210x145.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/<strong>2024</strong> 10:47 Page 1<br />
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For further doors updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />
SCHUCO UK UNVEILS 'INNOVATIVE' NEW SLIDING DOOR<br />
Simplified fabrication is the promise for the new ASE 51 PD sliding door launched by Schüco.<br />
The new panoramic sliding door offers faster fabrication without compromising on the quality that<br />
is synonymous with the Schüco brand. Featuring slim sightlines, elegant design and superior thermal<br />
performance, Schüco expects it to attract ‘significant interest’ from homeowners.<br />
The new ASE 51 PD sliding door features a 32mm interlock and slim 45mm outer frame, which can be concealed<br />
within the building’s structure. Available with a variety of threshold options including a concealed level<br />
threshold with external ‘ACO’ style gutter profile, and a low threshold option suited to refurb projects, the<br />
system can accommodate both double and triple glazed units, with options for 200kg and 400kg rollers – the latter<br />
adjustable to accommodate building tolerances, making installation easier. www.schueco.co.uk/ase-51-PD<br />
FIRST DOOR OUT OF DONNY IS 'BRITISH TO THE CORE'<br />
DoorCo has announced the addition of BRiTDOR; a new, timber core composite door, manufactured at<br />
the company’s new Doncaster facility.<br />
BRiTDOR’s construction is a timber core finished with thermoplastic CoolSkin technology, made to fit any<br />
profile on the market. The collection will include existing styles like 6/4 combi, flush and farmhouse, as well<br />
as two new exclusive designs, available in more than 15 colours.<br />
DoorCo’s Marketing Manager, Ellie Pool, said: “This is the first product to be manufactured out of our new<br />
Doncaster factory, as opposed to our current overseas facilities, and therefore we wanted this brand to have<br />
classic British heritage at its core. We’re proud of our connections with brilliant oversea manufacturers, such<br />
as our team at DoorCo Korea but as a nod to our latest investment in Doncaster, we wanted the British theme<br />
to take centre stage.” www.door-co.com<br />
EMPLAS EXPANDS ITS COMPOSITE DOOR OFFER<br />
Emplas has expanded its door range with the addition of the ‘next generation’ GRiPCORE<br />
composite door.<br />
Featuring a unique layering to reduce bowing, making door setting simpler, the new GRiPCORE<br />
timber-foam core is made up of layers of PIR foam and HDF plywood, compressed between sheets<br />
of aluminium for thermal efficiency and strength. Featuring GRP skins for a detailed woodgrain finish<br />
and ready to work with Kubu Smart Security sensors as standard, the new range has been designed<br />
to maximise opportunities for installers.<br />
Jody Vincent, Sales Director at Emplas, said: “It’s a door range that is good to fit but which is also<br />
designed to deliver genuine kerb appeal and win new business.” www.emplas.co.uk<br />
GRiPCORE, which is now available from Emplas, offers a<br />
range of door styles, a wide choice of colours and premium<br />
hardware including heritage and contemporary handles.<br />
PIONEER'S GERDA DOORS JOIN SBD LIST<br />
Pioneer Trading Company, which manufactures the Deceuninck range of windows, doors and conservatories<br />
to the trade, has renewed its membership with Secured by Design (SBD). It has also added Gerda Engineered<br />
Entrance Doors, for which the Essex-based firm has exclusive distribution rights for the UK and Ireland.<br />
Tina Beal, Group Sales Director for Pioneer Trading Company, said: “We are delighted to continue our long<br />
association with Secured By Design which ensures that we continue to manufacture and sell windows and doors<br />
that meet the highest standards of security and performance in our industry.<br />
“Of key importance is the inclusion of Gerda Engineered Entrance Doors, on our Police Preferred Specification<br />
Accredited Product List. With their aluminium outer frames and steel facings, Gerda overcome the inherent<br />
problems of bowing and warping that composite doors suffer from and offer superior security. They sailed through<br />
the PAS 24 tests prior to us obtaining our SBD Accreditation.” pioneertc.com<br />
34 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong><br />
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Composite doors –<br />
Design your own bespoke<br />
Hörmann Truedor<br />
Press play on<br />
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● Available in a variety of styles and designs<br />
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The new platform for digital<br />
content from the key players in<br />
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● Large range of colours, glass patterns,<br />
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www.glaze-tube.co.uk<br />
In association with Total Installer &<br />
Total Fabricator magazines.<br />
To discuss showcasing your video content,<br />
contact Andy on: 01892 730 890<br />
or email andydunn@media-now.co.uk
DoorGlass Brochure <strong>2024</strong> 100x297.qxp_Layout 1 06/03/<strong>2024</strong> 13:19<br />
ARE YOU LOOKING TO<br />
REPLACE<br />
COMPOSITE<br />
DOOR GLASS<br />
OR OFFER A WIDER<br />
SELECTION?...<br />
Updates<br />
VERSATILE AND SECURE<br />
Cobra is part of Winkhaus’ ‘Family<br />
of Locks’ range, which makes it<br />
easier for fabricators and installers<br />
to interchange one of Winkhaus’<br />
locks for another<br />
Window and door hardware specialist Winkhaus UK offers a<br />
comprehensive range of multipoint locking solutions to suit a variety<br />
of aesthetic and security requirements. Designed and developed for<br />
use in all types of applications and a range of doors, Cobra has been<br />
distributed throughout the UK and Ireland since the year 2000.<br />
There is a range of variants available: lever operated, key operated or<br />
split follower (with latch withdrawal by key only on the outside). Cobra is<br />
manufactured using high grade steel and is plated to comply with the highest<br />
Grade 4 corrosion resistance requirement of BS EN1670.<br />
Smooth to operate, Cobra is designed with an enhanced tapered hook<br />
and weather seal compression adjustment in the keeps, featuring ±2mm<br />
adjustment to aid with a number of installation and operation scenarios.<br />
...LOOK NO FURTHER!<br />
The Industry Leading<br />
Decorative Glass Range<br />
for Composite Doors<br />
Used By All The Major<br />
Composite Door Suppliers<br />
Hundreds of Glass Options<br />
Available From Stock<br />
DOWNLOAD<br />
THE NEW <strong>2024</strong><br />
CATALOGUE<br />
RegaLead Limited<br />
Columbus House | Altrincham Road<br />
Sharston | Manchester | M22 9AF<br />
T: 0161 946 1164 | E: sales@regalead.co.uk<br />
www.regalead.co.uk<br />
Cobra features anti ‘push-back’ hooks located behind the steel keeps for<br />
optimum security, and a sprung gearbox which helps to prevent handle<br />
‘droop’. Tested to comply with PAS:24 and the Police ‘Secured by Design’<br />
initiative, Cobra is available with square or rounded faceplate options in<br />
20mm for timber and composite doors and 16mm for PVC-U, with a U-rail<br />
option for aluminium doors.<br />
Like all multipoint locking systems from Winkhaus, Cobra features the Nano<br />
Protect coating as standard, which protects the hardware from corrosion.<br />
‘Family of Locks’: compatible routing = interchangeable solutions<br />
Cobra is part of Winkhaus’ ‘Family of Locks’ range, which makes it easier<br />
for fabricators and installers to interchange one of Winkhaus’ locks for<br />
another based on customer requirements. Using the AV4 routing, Cobra,<br />
Thunderbolt, TruLock and autoLock AV2 can be fitted to all door materials<br />
and interchanged on-site, thereby reducing the time spent by, and cost of,<br />
property services and maintenance contractors.<br />
www.winkhaus.co.uk/en/cobra
The Sketch<br />
ALI SLIDERS CLOSING IN<br />
This edition of The Sketch, from software specialist Tommy Trinder, reveals the very latest<br />
stats on aluminium bi-folds which continue to dominate despite sliders closing the gap...<br />
38 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
” Our sales have<br />
risen 20% in six<br />
weeks with<br />
Tommy Trinder.”<br />
Chris Nelson<br />
West Cornwall Plastics<br />
...and it’s as simple as<br />
sketching on a pad.<br />
book a demo - www.tommytrinder.com
Contract The View Talk from Certass TA<br />
LAWS AND STANDARDS IN GLAZING<br />
Jason Clemmit, Managing Director at Certass, explains the laws and standards in<br />
domestic glazing that the professional and competent installer must navigate.<br />
In last month’s article, I discussed lintels and<br />
briefly touched on the legal implications of not<br />
replacing/fitting lintels when required as part<br />
of a window replacement. In this month’s article,<br />
I wanted to explain a little more about the legal<br />
framework to provide a focus for the professional<br />
competent installer.<br />
Statutory law is the body of law enacted by a<br />
legislature in the form of written statutes. It is<br />
based on written laws that must be followed<br />
explicitly.<br />
Common law is a body of unwritten laws based<br />
on legal precedents established by the courts.<br />
It is a legal system that is largely formed by the<br />
decisions previously made by courts. Common<br />
law systems can evolve, as new decisions are<br />
made by courts. Some common law duties in the<br />
UK include:<br />
• Duty of care: This is the legal obligation to<br />
take reasonable care to avoid causing harm<br />
to others.<br />
• Fiduciary duty: This is the legal obligation<br />
to act in the best interests of another party,<br />
typically in a relationship of trust and<br />
confidence.<br />
• Duty to mitigate: This is the legal obligation<br />
to take reasonable steps to minimise the<br />
harm or loss caused by a breach of contract<br />
or other legal wrong.<br />
Contract law is a branch of law that deals with<br />
the formation, interpretation, and enforcement<br />
of contracts. Contracts are legally binding<br />
agreements between two or more parties that<br />
create obligations that are enforceable by law.<br />
Your contract outlines the goods and services you<br />
are offering, at what price and when it will be<br />
done. By signing that contract, they are accepting<br />
your offer and the associated Ts & Cs (provided<br />
you have issued them).<br />
Codes of practice in the UK are guidelines<br />
and recommendations issued by professional<br />
“Approved Documents are not the only<br />
Jason Clemmit<br />
way to achieve compliance, they are just a<br />
method that allows an easy route to compliance”<br />
organisations or government bodies to set<br />
standards for specific practices. Codes of<br />
practice are not legally binding, but they can<br />
be used as evidence in legal proceedings to<br />
demonstrate that an individual or organisation<br />
has followed industry standards.<br />
Approved Documents are detailed publications<br />
that guide how to comply with building<br />
regulations. Whilst not legally binding, they<br />
provide practical guidance on how to meet the<br />
requirements of building regulations. By following<br />
the guidance in Approved Documents, installers<br />
can demonstrate that they have complied with<br />
the regulations.<br />
A new-build would be expected to meet the<br />
requirements of the Approved Documents.<br />
However, in the retrofit sector, as the building<br />
is existing and will not generally meet modern<br />
building regulation requirements, there is<br />
an allowance to make the situation no more<br />
unsatisfactory in the majority of the building<br />
elements. Some elements such as thermal<br />
performance still have a minimum requirement<br />
to meet.<br />
When proposing a design, you should consider<br />
whether it meets the current building regulations.<br />
If it does not meet current building regulations,<br />
you must ensure you are not making the situation<br />
worse than the existing installation.<br />
A worked example<br />
A worked example of the Approved Document<br />
not making the situation worse would be an<br />
escape window in a domestic property. Where<br />
the outgoing window from the original property<br />
design does not meet current building regulations,<br />
then the situation must not be made any worse,<br />
i.e. opening sizes are not made any smaller. If<br />
the existing opening size exceeds the current<br />
Approved Document recommendations, then the<br />
size of the opening may reduce but to not less<br />
than the current sizes in the Approved Document.<br />
Approved Documents are not the only way to<br />
achieve compliance, they are just a method that<br />
allows an easy route to compliance.<br />
Common law duty<br />
Another element to add is the common law duty.<br />
Using the example above, where the situation is<br />
made no more unsatisfactory, but escape in the<br />
event of fire would be problematic from the new<br />
window, then the installer needs to also consider<br />
common law duties. Is there a technically feasible<br />
way to change the design of the window for a<br />
suitable escape window, for example by fitting a<br />
flying mullion? If so, this should be fully explored<br />
and explained to the property owner.<br />
A technical team that understands<br />
One size does not fit all – the UK housing<br />
stock is diverse with truly unique buildings<br />
and situations. This is why Certass employs<br />
a technical team that understands buildings<br />
as an entirety, enabling them to understand<br />
the interplays of differing building elements in<br />
differing building types and constructions. We<br />
have professional installers contact us daily for<br />
technical support in truly unique situations. We<br />
also provide an extensive library of technical<br />
information to members including interpretation<br />
of Approved Documents, case studies of realworld<br />
installation situations with guidance, good<br />
practice guides and consumer guides.<br />
Contact Certass:<br />
0191 249 6434<br />
www.certass.co.uk<br />
40 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT SUPPORT?<br />
YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER<br />
IN THE TRADE<br />
Join today<br />
for expert<br />
support<br />
for your<br />
business<br />
Visit www.certass.co.uk<br />
Email info@certass.co.uk<br />
Call 0191 249 6434
Contract Taking Account Talk<br />
"IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY!"<br />
Simon Jarman, CEO of Clever Bean Accounting, discusses Director’s Loan Accounts and<br />
explains how to withdraw funds from your company in a tax efficient manner.<br />
What money am I talking about? This may<br />
come as a surprise to some, but I’m<br />
talking about the money that sits in your<br />
limited company’s bank account. It belongs to the<br />
company, not to you!<br />
Limited companies are what lawyers call ‘separate<br />
legal entities’. In other words, they have their own<br />
legal identity, they exist as a separate person in the<br />
eyes of the law and therefore can own property, enter<br />
into contracts and take legal action in their own right.<br />
Some shareholders grapple with the notion that<br />
company property, assets, and funds are the<br />
company’s, not the shareholders’, even if the<br />
shareholders collectively own 100% of the company.<br />
Misunderstanding Director’s Loan Accounts<br />
Inadvertently, some assume they can freely access<br />
the company’s financial resources as if they were<br />
sole traders. Unfortunately, this misunderstanding<br />
can lead to unintended consequences, especially<br />
concerning Director’s Loan Accounts<br />
To reward an owner, a company has two primary<br />
options – salary and dividends. Compensation for<br />
services rendered to the company by the owner<br />
in their role as an employee or officer can be<br />
managed through the company’s payroll, subject<br />
to income tax through the PAYE system.<br />
Alternatively, owners can benefit from<br />
their investment by receiving dividends as<br />
shareholders, offering a tax-efficient means of<br />
extracting funds from the company.<br />
However, if an owner chooses to withdraw<br />
money from the company without following these<br />
options, it results in the creation of a ‘Director’s<br />
Loan Account.’ In essence, the owner has<br />
borrowed money from the company, and it must<br />
be repaid at some point – a fact often overlooked.<br />
Equally overlooked is that there are significant<br />
tax consequences tied to having an outstanding<br />
director’s loan.<br />
“Understanding that your<br />
company operates as a<br />
separate legal entity<br />
is crucial”<br />
From a corporate standpoint, the company<br />
faces a hefty Corporation Tax bill of 33.75% on<br />
the outstanding loan amount at the end of the<br />
financial year.<br />
Tax implications<br />
The director with the outstanding loan is also<br />
subject to personal tax implications. If the<br />
loan surpasses £10,000 at any point in the tax<br />
year, the director must pay an interest charge,<br />
determined by the official rate set by HM Revenue<br />
& Customs (HMRC). This interest is calculated<br />
and reported on the director’s self-assessment<br />
tax return, with non-compliance leading to severe<br />
penalties.<br />
Consider this example: if a director or owner<br />
withdraws £50k from the company bank account<br />
during the financial year, pays no interest, and<br />
the amount remains outstanding nine months<br />
after year-end, the combined Corporation Tax and<br />
Income Tax bills will be approximately £17k. Had<br />
this been withdrawn as salary through the payroll,<br />
the tax cost would have been closer to £7k.<br />
While the Corporation Tax can be reclaimed if<br />
the loan is repaid in the future, this process<br />
is protracted. And, in my experience, such<br />
withdrawals are often made in lieu of salary with<br />
no intention of future repayment.<br />
Adding further complexity, the tax calculations<br />
associated with Director’s Loans can be intricate<br />
and time-consuming, potentially leading<br />
accountants to charge more for preparing both<br />
the company’s and personal tax filings.<br />
Separate legal entity<br />
In conclusion, recognising that the money in your<br />
company’s bank account isn’t yours to freely<br />
take is vital for both you and your business.<br />
Understanding that your company operates as a<br />
separate legal entity is crucial.<br />
Structured, efficient fund withdrawals through<br />
a combination of salary and dividends ensure<br />
compliance and sidestep the pitfalls of an<br />
outstanding Director’s Loan Account, sparing you<br />
from substantial tax implications.<br />
Contact Clever Bean Accounting:<br />
www.cleverbeanaccounting.co.uk<br />
simon@cleverbeanaccounting.co.uk<br />
Simon Jarman<br />
42 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Our collection now boasts<br />
4 NEW IMPRESSIVE COLOURS<br />
S120 Agate Grey S158 Slate Grey Dual Colour<br />
White on Anthracite<br />
Solar Reflection 41%<br />
Light Reflection 41%<br />
Solar Absorption 59%<br />
Solar Reflection 20%<br />
Light Reflection 21%<br />
Solar Absorption 80%<br />
Solar Reflection 12%<br />
Light Reflection 13%<br />
Solar Absorption 88%<br />
B160 Black<br />
Solar Reflection 4%<br />
Light Reflection 4%<br />
Solar Absorption 96%<br />
WHERE STYLE MEETS VERSATILITY<br />
Our collection boasts an impressive array of<br />
colours that will seamlessly blend with any<br />
home decor.<br />
S102<br />
White<br />
S106<br />
Yellow<br />
S120<br />
Agate<br />
Grey<br />
S125<br />
Beige<br />
S130<br />
Green<br />
S142<br />
Light<br />
Blue<br />
S149<br />
Cream<br />
With our stunning range of colours and<br />
finishes, you have the freedom to express<br />
your personal style and create a truly unique<br />
ambiance in every room.<br />
S155<br />
Grey<br />
S156<br />
Metallic<br />
Silver<br />
S157<br />
Silver<br />
S158<br />
Slate<br />
Grey<br />
S159<br />
Anthracite<br />
B160<br />
Black<br />
Dual<br />
Colour<br />
T 0113 277 8722<br />
E sales@morleyglass.co.uk
Training<br />
Last month the government announced<br />
plans for Skills Bootcamps for unemployed<br />
Britons to retrain in many sectors, but with<br />
an initial focus on those industries hardest hit<br />
by labour shortages, including construction and<br />
manufacturing.<br />
There are hundreds of skills camps available<br />
across many areas including digital, technical,<br />
green, and business and administration. After<br />
finishing the Skills Bootcamp each individual is<br />
guaranteed a job interview with an employer.<br />
SKILLED UP<br />
Tracey Jackson, business development manager for Howells<br />
Patent Glazing, discusses the skills shortage and how the<br />
Black Country-based business supports repeat customers<br />
with training and guidance.<br />
While some industry bosses have cast doubt on<br />
the plans, we, as an SME business operating in<br />
the construction and manufacturing industry,<br />
welcome it. We are directly affected by the skills<br />
shortage and work tirelessly to encourage young<br />
people to begin a career in fenestration, through<br />
apprenticeships, mentoring, school visits etc., but<br />
it’s tough…<br />
Our recruitment experience last year following two<br />
retirements was difficult. We have filled the role<br />
now, but it took several months through many<br />
different channels. And we’re not alone in this.<br />
As an industry, we are approaching a time where<br />
installations may be difficult to complete. We<br />
anticipate that some companies will step out of<br />
the marketplace, not because they want to, but<br />
because there are no installers to complete the<br />
works. If we’re not careful, it will reach a crunch<br />
point where people will retire and there will be noone<br />
to replace them.<br />
We must all work harder to keep hold of our<br />
teams. Of course, we cannot avoid retirement, but<br />
we can futureproof our workforces by upskilling,<br />
mentoring, and committing to personal and career<br />
development. Fenestration must be an attractive<br />
proposition for a long and rewarding career.<br />
In the current climate, it is also about making sure<br />
your team are well-equipped with the necessary<br />
skills and knowledge to maximise all business<br />
opportunities and ensure that all installations are<br />
completed to a high standard and deliver customer<br />
satisfaction.<br />
This is one of the main reasons we offer install<br />
guidance. Our repeat supply only customers can<br />
“If we’re not careful, people will retire and<br />
there will be no-one to replace them”<br />
access a one-day on-site advisory session with<br />
one of our experienced rooflight fitters. This is to<br />
supervise their team install and highlight best<br />
practice to hone their rooflight installation skills.<br />
Overcoming challenges<br />
Usually, our repeat customers are experienced<br />
fitters, but they may be experiencing challenges<br />
which they are struggling to overcome. We do<br />
not install the job, but we watch and advise. We<br />
demonstrate and supervise the correction. At<br />
other times, customers may want a refresher –<br />
supervision and guidance as to the best way to<br />
install our products.<br />
Learning on the job is the best way to embed<br />
information, especially as this will be alongside<br />
our written fitting guides which are sent with<br />
each delivery. This ‘reading and doing’ approach<br />
offers installers, particularly those new to the<br />
job, an opportunity to ask an expert and stop<br />
any bad habits forming from the get-go. It builds<br />
confidence too.<br />
In addition, pre-recorded installation instructions<br />
are also available upon request for our most<br />
popular rooflights. We provide installation guides<br />
and offer one-day rooflight installation training<br />
in-house for those looking to become repeat<br />
customers. We also encourage installers to hold a<br />
NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Fenestration Installation.<br />
‘The removal and install of a rooflight window’ is<br />
an optional unit on this course.<br />
To find out more about Howells, its products and<br />
services, or to enquire about installation training,<br />
please get in touch.<br />
Contact Howells Patent Glazing:<br />
01384 820060<br />
www.howellsglazing.co.uk<br />
Tracey Jackson<br />
44 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
One of the strongest, most<br />
thermally efficient and<br />
quickest to install flat roof<br />
systems on the market.<br />
FAST INSTALLATION<br />
Factory fabricated in the UK,<br />
designed for quick installation<br />
within hours not days!<br />
STRENGTH<br />
Incredibly strong with large<br />
unsupported spans<br />
Lanterns by<br />
SupaLite<br />
The S1 lantern combines aluminium’s clean lines<br />
with exceptional thermal performance and features<br />
an innovative Thermlock® multi-chamber<br />
technology. All supplied by SupaLite, glazed or<br />
unglazed, delivered within 10 days.<br />
PEACE OF MIND<br />
Building Regulation approved<br />
(JHAI)<br />
NEW BUILD OR RETRO FIT<br />
A choice of U-Value, 0.12 or 0.15<br />
Interested? Get in touch with our<br />
sales team today - 01772 828060<br />
www.supaliteroof.co.uk | sales@supaliteroof.co.uk
Out & About<br />
"IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE<br />
INSTALLER FIRST"<br />
Total Installer enjoyed a trip to Dublin to meet the team at Guardian Building Systems and<br />
discuss their comprehensive product offering, which includes the Guardian Home Extension, a<br />
solution that can help installers diversify and capitalise on a fast-growing area of the market...<br />
With children ‘flying the nest’ much later in<br />
life these days, and hybrid working and<br />
working from home establishing itself<br />
as the norm rather than a passing trend for many<br />
workers, opening up and adding extra space to the<br />
family home is the goal for many homeowners.<br />
Indeed, it’s reported that searches for ‘house<br />
renovations’ increased by 170% in the last quarter,<br />
and stats like this point to opportunities for fabricators<br />
and installers looking to expand their offering and<br />
capitalise on this push by homeowners to maximise<br />
their property’s footprint, bring natural light into the<br />
home and add quality usable space to their homes.<br />
One company looking to supply the solutions for these<br />
types of projects is Dublin-based Guardian Building<br />
Systems. The team at Guardian Building Systems<br />
have been designing and manufacturing roofing<br />
solutions since company founder Joe Kearney began<br />
fabricating conservatory roofs in Dublin in 1995.<br />
Tracking the trends in the market, Joe and his team<br />
then designed and manufactured a kit form solid<br />
roof for replacing existing conservatory roofs in<br />
favour of sunrooms, with the first Guardian Warm<br />
Roof installed by Premier Dublin – still an existing<br />
customer today – in 2000!<br />
The Guardian Warm Roof forms a key part of<br />
Guardian Building Systems’ offering, and this theme<br />
of tracking homeowner trends and the needs of the<br />
supply chain has seen the team add the Guardian<br />
Roof Lantern to its offering, and more recently,<br />
complete its comprehensive offering by supplying the<br />
walls and roof for customers through its innovative<br />
Guardian Home Extension.<br />
And in what is a very competitive area of the<br />
market, while Guardian Building Systems’ core<br />
“It’s a really strong<br />
partnership between<br />
our brand, Kingspan<br />
and VELUX – so these<br />
three in the mix create<br />
a really high-end home<br />
extension”<br />
Above: The Guardian Home Extension is available in a range of options enabling homeowners to create a space to suit their family’s needs<br />
customers are fabricators, as Ross Darcy, Director<br />
at Guardian Building Systems, explained, when<br />
designing solutions it’s always with installers in<br />
mind: “Everything we make, we think of the installer,<br />
because if the installer’s happy, the fabricator’s<br />
happy, and the homeowner will be happy. That’s the<br />
way we look at all our products – it’s always about<br />
the installer first.”<br />
The team stress they do not fabricate themselves<br />
and never compete with their fabricators, with Ross<br />
explaining: “We direct sales to the installer and drive<br />
it back to the fabricator.”<br />
The company established its Certified Installer<br />
Network in 2021, which currently stands at 80<br />
installers, but the ambition is to grow this to 175 in<br />
the near future. This growth, the company says, is to<br />
help build business for their fabricators, taking the<br />
pressure off them and leaving them to do what they<br />
do best, manufacture and supply quality products.<br />
Danny Hill, General Manager and Head of Marketing<br />
at Guardian, continued: “Ultimately, what we try to<br />
do is aid that rapid installation – we make things<br />
that are not over-engineered.” To illustrate this,<br />
Danny explained that the team filmed one of their<br />
certified installers carrying out a Guardian Warm Roof<br />
installation in Leicester last year, and the project was<br />
completed from start to finish in under two days!<br />
Danny continued: “The critical things are quality<br />
and ease of installation. One of the things that we<br />
pride ourselves on is ensuring that we have as<br />
much quality assurance as possible. We always<br />
test all our products independently through BRE.”<br />
All Guardian Certified Installers must complete<br />
annual technical training to ensure they are fully<br />
qualified to install the company’s range of solutions.<br />
Continued on page 48<br />
46 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
INNOVATIVE, CONTEMPORARY<br />
Roof Lantern Systems<br />
Launching the innovative and elegant all aluminium Guardian Roof Lantern.<br />
AVAILABLE NOW<br />
• Minimalist design for maximum natural light – ultra-thin 12mm ‘V’ profile<br />
• Strong, light and robust. Machine-finished aluminium inside and out<br />
•<br />
•<br />
• Available in 3 standard colours with bespoke options available<br />
A flexible and scalable configuration with only four bars up to 2.4m x 3m<br />
GUARD-Lock technology for security, thermal performance and efficient installation<br />
Efficient<br />
installation.<br />
A unique ‘click-fit’ rafter system not<br />
only allows for ease of installation but it<br />
also provides immense strength throughout the<br />
Roof Lantern. It takes less than 60 minutes for<br />
a Guardian Roof Lantern to be constructed, GUARD-Lock<br />
technology allows for ‘click-fit’ water-tights seals<br />
that aid security and thermal efficiency as well as<br />
ease of installation.<br />
Offer your clients the latest in contemporary<br />
roof design with the Guardian Roof Lantern<br />
CERTIFIED<br />
Guardian<br />
Roof Lantern<br />
FABRICATOR<br />
Visit: www.guardianbuildingsystems.co.uk<br />
Email: customerservices@guardianbuildingsystems.co.uk<br />
or call 0800 066 5832 to get a quote or to be provided<br />
with your nearest Certified Fabricator.<br />
Scan with your phone to discover more<br />
www.guardianbuildingsystems.co.uk
Out & About<br />
Continued from page 46<br />
And with one eye on the tightening of regulations,<br />
Danny explained that they’re in the process of<br />
securing TrustMark approval for their Certified<br />
Installer scheme: “We moved to this Certified<br />
Installer scheme in 2021 with a much greater<br />
focus on the Technical Training element and making<br />
sure that the installers that are certified offer an<br />
Insurance Backed Guarantee, have a 10-year<br />
workmanship guarantee in place and are credible<br />
businesses – phase two will grow that Certified<br />
Installer number but we’re also in the process of<br />
getting TrustMark approval; as things tighten up and<br />
regulations become more stringent, that’s going<br />
to be absolutely critical.” But increased regulation<br />
doesn’t concern Danny and the team, they welcome<br />
it: “The more stringent, the better for us. The last<br />
thing we want to see is a wrapover go on a roof – if it<br />
fails it damages the whole industry,” he continued.<br />
Extension benefits<br />
As mentioned earlier, an exciting development for the<br />
team is the launch of the Guardian Home Extension,<br />
an offsite solution for domestic extensions. In<br />
addition to providing the flexibility and thermal<br />
performance needed for modern projects, the team<br />
say the Home Extension’s simple construction<br />
enables it to be built up to five times faster than<br />
traditional approaches, offering benefits for<br />
homeowners and installers.<br />
Tapping into the requirement for functional and<br />
usable space, the Guardian Home Extension allows<br />
homeowners to create a space to suit their family’s<br />
needs, with the Social+, Creative+, Play+,<br />
Rest+ and Utility+ options enabling a range of<br />
configurations to realise the potential of their homes.<br />
These five options help homeowners visualise the<br />
possibilities for their extension, making life easier for<br />
themselves and the installer in terms of progressing<br />
the process.<br />
The system combines the Guardian Warm Wall,<br />
fabricated from partner company Kingspan TEK<br />
structural insulated panels, with the popular<br />
Guardian Warm Roof system and skylight options<br />
from VELUX, another partner company.<br />
This creates a highly insulated structure which can<br />
achieve U-values of 0.18/m 2 with a much slimmer<br />
“Now’s the right time to<br />
talk to installers about<br />
widening their revenue<br />
streams with Home<br />
Extension”<br />
construction than traditional cavity walls, enabling<br />
significant space savings for homeowners;<br />
Guardian Building Systems says within a typical<br />
5m x 4m extension, the usable floor space can be<br />
increased by up 20%. Ross explained: “It’s a really<br />
strong partnership between our brand, Kingspan<br />
and VELUX – so these three in the mix create a<br />
really high-end home extension.”<br />
Danny feels the launch of the Home Extension<br />
has come at the right time for fabricators and<br />
installers: “In the Warm Roof market we’re seeing<br />
a flattening out of demand – we’ve passed that<br />
‘Covid-boom’, people are spending their money<br />
on holidays and cars and other things now, and<br />
therefore it’s steadying out a little bit – so now’s<br />
the right time to talk to installers about widening<br />
their revenue streams with Home Extension.”<br />
Discussing the scale of the opportunity, Danny<br />
continued: “The thing I always try and get across is<br />
you’ve got to look at the market, the market is that<br />
320,000 single storey extensions are being built each<br />
year, and 45,000 new build conservatories are being<br />
built – so which market do you want to be a part of?”<br />
And whilst he acknowledges there’s a job to be done<br />
around changing mindsets when it comes to moving<br />
away from traditional build techniques – whether<br />
it be the installer or homeowner’s – Danny feels<br />
the tide is starting to turn and the benefits of the<br />
Guardian Home Extension really shine through:<br />
“We’ve probably been in front of 100 builders talking<br />
through this system and the interesting thing is<br />
they’re increasingly interested in adopting this new<br />
technology – even some older builders.”<br />
He continued: “There’s less push-back from<br />
homeowners around this technology, and that will<br />
only improve… it takes away some of the issues for<br />
what can be a stressful time for homeowners. The<br />
builder has to overcome the issues and red flags<br />
that the homeowner sees – what’s the build time<br />
going to be? What’s the disruption to my home? Will<br />
there be cost-creep? What we’re trying to do with the<br />
Home Extension is remove all those red flags – so<br />
we can promise a reduced build time, there’s a lot<br />
less disruption as there’s less wet trades etc., the<br />
quote is accurate.”<br />
The tools in place<br />
And Danny and the team have put the tools in place<br />
to help installers put homeowners’ minds at rest,<br />
with a comprehensive software package, marketing<br />
materials, survey support and dedicated training and<br />
onsite support: “If someone comes to us and says<br />
I want to be a Guardian Home Extension installer,<br />
we’ll help with the whole process – we provide first<br />
survey assist, first fit assist, and once they’ve done<br />
that they’re off. We’ll connect them to the fabricator,<br />
talk to them about pricing, make sure they’ve got all<br />
the marketing materials and go through the whole<br />
process with them.”<br />
“The one thing we need<br />
now is more installers!”<br />
Building Control is another area where Guardian<br />
Building Systems has taken the strain for<br />
homeowners and Certified Installers. Danny<br />
explained: “[with regards to] Building Control, our<br />
partnership with Hertfordshire Building Control<br />
(HBC) who approved the system [enables] all of our<br />
Certified Installers to do exactly what they do with<br />
our Warm Roof system and apply for Building Control<br />
approval through HBC and they’ll take care of it; HBC<br />
will have any difficult discussions!”<br />
So, all the pieces are in place, but as Danny<br />
explained: “The one thing we need now is more<br />
installers!” So, if you’re a builder or glazing installer<br />
looking to add to your offering and tap into a growing<br />
area of the modern market – talk to the team at<br />
Guardian Building Systems who have the products,<br />
tools, support and supply chain in place to help you<br />
grow your business…<br />
Contact Guardian Building Systems<br />
0800 066 5832<br />
www.guardianbuildingsystems.co.uk<br />
48 TI JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
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win more work<br />
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you to the more than 15,000<br />
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an installer on<br />
www.fensa.org.uk
Aluminium<br />
When Mr and Mrs Wood first purchased<br />
their home in 2012, they agreed to wait<br />
until their two young boys were older<br />
before embarking on a complete renovation. The<br />
house was built in 1967 and had been updated<br />
over the years. The previous owners had made<br />
some improvements, including a new kitchen but<br />
“…the house lacked the ‘wow factor,” comments<br />
Mrs Wood.<br />
INSTALLING THE 'WOW' FACTOR<br />
The renovation of a 1960s family home in rural Berkshire showcases the value of a strong<br />
and trusted fabricator/installer partnership, and how this boosts customer satisfaction.<br />
“We knew we could give the house the ‘wow’<br />
factor by knocking down the single storey<br />
extension to build a double height replacement,<br />
with an open-plan kitchen, boot room, utility,<br />
downstairs and a new master bedroom with<br />
ensuite and dressing room, upstairs. All designed<br />
to take advantage of the view.”<br />
Mr and Mrs Wood appointed a retired technical<br />
designer who had been involved in the original<br />
build, to agree what they wanted versus what<br />
was feasible and within budget.<br />
Creating connectivity<br />
The secret to creating the ‘wow’ factor was to<br />
maximise on the view at the rear of the property.<br />
The architecture and design emphasise this,<br />
allowing daylight to pour into the house, giving<br />
greater connectivity between inside and out.<br />
This has been achieved using Technal bi-folding<br />
doors and casement windows supplied by A Plus<br />
Aluminium and installed by local business, S.E.A.<br />
Windows and Doors.<br />
“Previously, we had white PVC-U windows with<br />
lead detailing to create a ‘cottage’ look, they were<br />
inoffensive but lacked lustre and were not secure.<br />
We chose aluminium windows and doors because<br />
we believe they are more secure, durable and<br />
look more attractive than PVC.”<br />
Windows and doors from A Plus<br />
The owners approached A Plus Aluminium for<br />
guidance on product selection. “Visiting the<br />
showroom was invaluable; in fact, we visited<br />
twice which really helped to cement which<br />
products we wanted,” continues, Mrs Wood.<br />
The selected windows and doors maximise<br />
the viewing area and incoming light without<br />
compromising the superior thermal performance.<br />
The doors suit the busy household with a<br />
stainless-steel track and wheel for ease of<br />
movement and smooth operation. Using a<br />
combination of internal and external opening<br />
projections throughout, the bi-folds also offer<br />
great flexibility for indoor and outdoor living.<br />
“We then needed to match the colour of the<br />
windows and doors to the house. We drove<br />
around taking photos of houses we thought<br />
attractive. We then obtained an RAL swatch and<br />
settled on RAL 7032 – Pebble grey.”<br />
Guidance from S.E.A. Windows and Doors<br />
With slim sightlines and a clean, sleek profile, the<br />
aluminium windows and bi-folding doors already<br />
frame the view perfectly, but a suggestion by<br />
S.E.A. Windows and Doors enhances this further<br />
still – to match the interior frames to the exterior.<br />
“We had originally thought we wanted dual<br />
colour, with white on the inside, but are so<br />
thankful to Brett at S.E.A. for persuading us not<br />
to. Having coloured frames on the inside really<br />
frames the view and complements the garden<br />
and countryside beyond, picking up the green<br />
tones. Both the windows and doors stand out<br />
against our white painted walls. We also matched<br />
the kitchen units and built-in wardrobes to the<br />
RAL colour, so we had a simple colour palette<br />
throughout.”<br />
Satisfied customer<br />
“A Plus were brilliant in helping us through those<br />
early stages,” concludes, Mrs Wood. “Then<br />
Brett from S.E.A. spent an enormous amount of<br />
time helping us decide on what would be best,<br />
aesthetically, and working with the architect to<br />
find solutions. A Plus was great at prioritising<br />
deliveries to suit the build programme and the<br />
S.E.A fitting team went above and beyond.”<br />
Contact A Plus Aluminium:<br />
01923 225 855<br />
www.apluswindows.co.uk<br />
50 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Elegantly flush sash exterior and interior<br />
gives R7 its chic modern appearance.<br />
R7 offers fabricators and installers<br />
versatility for installations from modern<br />
new builds to city apartments and<br />
country cottages.<br />
Residence 7 windows and doors<br />
offer excellent security, weather<br />
and thermal performance with a<br />
sophisticated 7 chamber design and a<br />
choice of five glazing beads.<br />
01452 341 868<br />
residencecollectiontrade.co.uk<br />
trade@residencecollection.co.uk
Building & Renovating<br />
KORNICHE GETS SET TO SHOW<br />
Made for Trade, the company behind Korniche, tells Total Installer what visitors can expect<br />
from the brand’s presence at the Homebuilding & Renovating Show this Autumn...<br />
Korniche is geared up to boost the business<br />
prospects of its trade partners at the<br />
upcoming Homebuilding & Renovating<br />
Shows in September and November <strong>2024</strong>,<br />
where industry professionals from across the<br />
country can experience the brand’s cutting-edge<br />
products, in both Harrogate and London.<br />
The shows provide the perfect platform for trading<br />
experts to experience the multi-award-winning<br />
Korniche products for themselves and gain<br />
that competitive edge with the market-leading<br />
innovative products.<br />
Why attend?<br />
Thousands of building enthusiasts and<br />
homeowners have already experienced the<br />
transformative impact of Korniche to make it<br />
a sought-after brand. The autumn shows are<br />
meticulously designed with industry professionals<br />
in mind, allowing you to engage directly with<br />
the products and network with potential future<br />
customers.<br />
Mark Millar, a recognised tradesman and Korniche<br />
brand ambassador with firsthand knowledge of<br />
the products, will return to the London show to<br />
share his insights. From client satisfaction to<br />
installation ease, Mark will help you understand<br />
the benefits that Korniche’s products can bring to<br />
your business. His presence on the ‘MasterClass’<br />
Stages will provide you with the knowledge needed<br />
to utilise the products further and shed light on<br />
their unique selling points.<br />
What can you expect at the shows?<br />
At ExCeL London you can expect a display that<br />
will be more dynamic than ever before. The full<br />
Korniche range will be showcased, allowing you to<br />
interact directly with all the products in a hands-on<br />
experience. The range will include the Flat Glass<br />
Rooflight, renowned for its exceptional thermal<br />
properties and sleek aesthetics, making it ideal for<br />
Made for Trade’s Korniche brand ‘is geared up to boost the business prospects of its trade partners’<br />
at the Homebuilding & Renovating Shows taking place in London and Harrogate later this year<br />
all-year-round usage and superb client appeal.<br />
Korniche’s transformational Roof Lanterns and<br />
elegantly engineered Bi-Fold Doors will also be<br />
featured at the shows. This will allow you to<br />
understand the craftsmanship and impressive<br />
quality behind the products, and see why<br />
Korniche products are the preferred choice for<br />
enhancing your clients’ living spaces.<br />
These displays are designed with your needs in<br />
mind. With the highly rated appeal of the Korniche<br />
products on consumers’ minds, your projects<br />
will be informative and bespoke to your client<br />
proposals, giving you that competitive advantage.<br />
Why choose Made For Trade and Korniche<br />
products?<br />
For any business looking for a reliable aluminium<br />
fabricator Korniche products, designed and<br />
crafted with precision, offer an array of benefits.<br />
Their award-winning design, functionality and<br />
collection of industry accolades offer customers<br />
reassurance in their quality.<br />
Korniche is also a brand that homeowners know<br />
and trust. By aligning your business with Korniche<br />
products for those renovation and building<br />
projects, you can boost your business appeal.<br />
Explore. Engage. Expand.<br />
Are you planning a distinctive project and hoping<br />
to elevate your business? Visit our stand and<br />
we can provide detailed information on our<br />
products and exclusive offers. By aligning your<br />
project with our Korniche products, you can raise<br />
your business profile, and with our partnership<br />
guidance, we can help your business thrive in a<br />
competitive landscape.<br />
Connect with Korniche before the show<br />
If you want a head start and simply cannot wait<br />
until September, you can visit the Korniche and<br />
Made for Trade websites or engage with our social<br />
media platforms. Look at our market-leading<br />
products and consider how you might integrate<br />
these into your business strategy from today.<br />
Contact Korniche/Made for Trade:<br />
01642 610799<br />
www.korniche.co.uk<br />
52 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Calling all<br />
installers...<br />
With thenew<br />
Now with an all new pre-gasketed,<br />
snap-inglazing bead. Designed to<br />
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HI Features:<br />
- Ultra-slim 110mm Sightline<br />
- From 0.8 W/m2k U Value*<br />
- BFRC Rated A Double Glazed<br />
- PAS24 Certified Option<br />
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T: 01923 803923 E: sales@arkaywindows.com<br />
*Triple glazed
Updates<br />
LATEST UK TRENDS REPORT RELEASED<br />
Keystone Market Research has released the second edition of its quarterly UK Consumer<br />
Fenestration Trends report, sponsored by Epwin Window Systems, offering insights into changing<br />
preferences and homeowner buying priorities in the fenestration market.<br />
Charlotte Hawkes, Director of Keystone Market Research, said: “Feedback on our inaugural report was<br />
overwhelmingly positive, with companies praising its strategic value and user-friendly format. Our annual<br />
subscribers are finding the Spring report to again be an invaluable resource, with comments on how<br />
interesting it is to see the changes in homeowner preferences quarter by quarter and how useful it is for<br />
generating installer support content. We’ve packed this latest release with unique homeowner insights<br />
and practical guides to empower fenestration businesses and we’ll continue enhancing the format based<br />
on customer feedback to ensure we’re delivering ongoing value.” www.keystonemr.co.uk<br />
Charlotte Hawkes, Director of Keystone Market Research<br />
SASH WINDOWS TRANSFORM HIGH-END APARTMENTS<br />
Epwin’s Vertical Sliding Sash windows have been used to transform a high-end private apartment<br />
development overlooking Kings Hill Golf Club in West Malling, Kent.<br />
The original timber sash windows had deteriorated considerably and were no longer fit for use. The<br />
development’s residents appointed Kestrel Home Improvements to undertake the replacement project<br />
throughout the property’s six apartments. Mark Ramsey, Managing Director of Kestrel, said: “We weren’t the<br />
cheapest contractor, but we offered the authentic window solution the residents wanted. We were able to offer<br />
sash windows that maintained all the building’s original aesthetics, including the arched detailing on four of the<br />
windows. The competing contractor had proposed making the arched windows square, which might have been<br />
simpler but would have compromised on the building’s aesthetic appeal.” www.epwinwindowsystems.co.uk<br />
'PREMIUM' SHOWER HINGE ON SHOW AT CUSTOMER DAY<br />
The Juna shower hinge was just one of a number of products on show at Bohle’s recent<br />
customer day at its UK headquarters in Dukinfield. New opportunities for growth were<br />
showcased with a range of product and training demonstrations, fuelled by the ongoing<br />
investment in Bohle’s product development and infrastructure.<br />
Developed and designed by Bohle, the manufacturer says the hinge combines ‘aesthetics and<br />
functionality with quality’. Minimum shut lines and concealed screws emphasise the ‘supreme<br />
aesthetics’ of this swinging shower door hinge. In terms of performance, this ‘premium’ hinge is made<br />
of brass and stainless steel. Juna also guarantees a long service life with 100,000 test cycles to DIN<br />
EN 14428 and a load capacity up to 50kg. www.bohle.com<br />
A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES WITH 'STYLISH' QUICK-GLIDE<br />
Quickslide’s Quick-Glide is a new, slim, stack and slide<br />
door system that has more glass, less frame and can be<br />
slid to open ‘however you want’<br />
Quickslide says its newest door offering, Quick-Glide, offers homeowners a fully flexible, slide<br />
and stack door with a multitude of possible configurations.<br />
Multiple, independently sliding panels can be configured to suit any preference or stacked to create<br />
a full-span, unobstructed opening, while its slim sightlines maximise light when the door is closed.<br />
Quickslide MD, Ben Weber, said: “Quick-Glide is completely flexible. The panels move individually<br />
and are not connected, so there is no limit to the number of configurations you can have. This means<br />
we can give customers exactly what they want in one system. What’s more, its slim profile – and no<br />
visible hinges or hardware when closed, other than a simple handle on the main door, makes Quick-<br />
Glide as sleek and stylish as it is flexible.” www.quickslide.co.uk<br />
54 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
10-YEAR GUARANTEE<br />
Fortex® Natura:<br />
the future of cladding<br />
Fortex® Natura cladding is manufactured with cutting-edge digital<br />
printing technology, so it’s virtually indistinguishable from wood:<br />
• Non-repeating timber patterns that look like natural woods<br />
• Low maintenance, long-lasting & fully recyclable<br />
• Install horizontally, vertically, or diagonally<br />
Paired with aluminium trims with RAL references to colour-match<br />
windows & doors, Fortex® Natura opens up opportunities for installers<br />
renovating period or modern homes.<br />
Call 0800 002 9903 to find a stockist and grow your business with<br />
premium cladding.<br />
freefoam.com<br />
info@freefoam.com<br />
#HelpingCustomersGrow
Updates<br />
SHADING SOLUTION FEATURED AT GRAND DESIGNS LIVE<br />
External shading specialist, Caribbean Blinds, was a part of the first-ever Grand House, a unique<br />
property built by Grand Designs Live for the recent London exhibition of the same name.<br />
The Grand House was a brand new showcase for this year’s event which took place at the beginning of<br />
May at London’s ExCel. Designed to ‘educate and inspire’ visitors, the custom-built showhouse featured<br />
the Suffolk-based company’s Classic Lite Pod within its garden, creating an opportunity for attendees to<br />
further explore the design, quality and benefits of the budget-friendly aluminium pergola.<br />
The Classic Lite Pod comprises a waterproof, opening louvered roof, that can be adjusted for ‘the<br />
perfect amount of sun, shade or shelter’. Plus, with a range of add-ons, including windproof side<br />
screens, infra-red heating and integrated LED lighting, homeowners will be well protected against the<br />
elements in order to enjoy their outdoor experience. www.cbsolarshading.co.uk/louvered-roofs/<br />
If you missed Caribbean Blinds at London Grand Designs,<br />
the company will again feature in the Grand House at the<br />
Birmingham event from 2-6 October <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
'DEKKO & RESIDENCE COLLECTION ARE PERFECT PAIR'<br />
Dekko Window Systems says trade installers seeking to expand their portfolio can confidently specify<br />
Residence Collection products for their projects, if they opt to work with Dekko.<br />
The fabricator says its decade-long partnership with Residence Collection translates to a wealth of expertise,<br />
meaning it can assist its trade customers in specifying the optimal solutions for each project. Dekko offers the full<br />
Residence Collection range encompassing both traditional and contemporary aesthetics and enabling customers<br />
to cater to a diverse range of client requirements. Dekko says it is the only Residence Collection fabricator<br />
in the UK that can offer traditional mechanical joints and bonded, Timberweld and Graf seamless welds to<br />
the collection. With a two-week lead time on Residence Collection products, Dekko says project delays are<br />
minimised, allowing its customers to ‘maintain a competitive edge’. www.dekkowindows.com<br />
MAGNETIC APPEAL FOR INSTALLERS AND END-USERS<br />
Morley Glass reports that ‘ease of installation’ and popularity with homeowners due to a<br />
‘simple, reliable’ and cordless operating mechanism mean the SV & SV+ Venetian integral<br />
blind systems remain the most popular in the Uni-Blinds range, accounting for around 80% of<br />
Uni-Blinds sales in 2023.<br />
Morley Glass MD, Ian Short, said: “Fitting an integral blind system is straightforward whichever Uni-<br />
Blinds system you choose, but the SV and SV+ sliding Venetians are particularly simple. The IGU is<br />
supplied complete with the blind unit sealed permanently within it, which means all you have to do is<br />
fit the IGU as you would normally and, once in place, attach the magnetic slider to the profile on the<br />
face of the glass – it’s that simple.” www.morleyglass.co.uk<br />
EUROPLAS AGREES FASTENER SUPPLY PARTNERSHIP<br />
(L-R) Andy Jewkes, Branch Manager at Europlas with Kevin<br />
Jennings, Rapierstar’s Technical Consultant at the Europlas<br />
trade counter in Winsford, Cheshire.<br />
An expanding window and door trade counter network has introduced Rapierstar branded<br />
fasteners to its product portfolio.<br />
Europlas (PVCu) is a division of the Rooms & Views Manufacturing Group, which produces more<br />
than 1,800 windows and doors every week at its factories in North and South Wales, and Scotland.<br />
Rapierstar is supporting Europlas as it expands its current network of trade counters.<br />
Europlas branches supply a wide range of products to the window, door, roofing and joinery markets,<br />
plus hardware and tools, making the Rapierstar brand a perfect fit. Each counter aims to combine a<br />
personal customer service with experienced advice and large product ranges from brands including<br />
Liniar, Floplast, Soudal, Kestrel, Supalite, Classic Bond EPDM & Ronjack. www.rapierstar.com<br />
56 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
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Article Advertisement Feature<br />
A BRAND YOU CAN TRUST<br />
Find out why working with Cedral benefits you and your business.<br />
With over 100 years’ experience, Cedral’s<br />
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Talk to Cedral<br />
Get in touch via the Cedral website at<br />
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or phone 01283 501 555.<br />
58 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
A GREAT SASH<br />
WINDOW IS<br />
MORE THAN<br />
A SUM OF ITS<br />
PARTS<br />
True authenticity comes from a<br />
blend of heritage styling and<br />
modern performance.<br />
Single features may grab<br />
attention, but a true heritage<br />
sash window is designed to<br />
ensure the seamless integration<br />
of all its parts.<br />
Everything has to work together:<br />
slim overlapping putty-line<br />
profiles, a 35mm midrail, heritage<br />
chalk finishes, seamless ornate<br />
sash horns, true mechanical<br />
joints, deep cills and innovative<br />
balance chamber covers, to<br />
name but a few.<br />
Add to that a 1.2 W/m 2 k u-value<br />
without specialist glass, and you<br />
have a true conservation-grade<br />
sash window with outstanding<br />
modern performance.<br />
Only Roseview’s Ultimate Rose<br />
sash window delivers all this.<br />
Because it’s more than a sum of<br />
its parts.<br />
01234 712657<br />
trade@roseview.co.uk<br />
www.roseview.co.uk<br />
#TraditionRedefined
Contract The Kubu Talk Column<br />
TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN<br />
Kubu’s Head of Marketing and Technology, Marc Henson, explores the pivotal role of<br />
I<br />
recently had the pleasure of being invited to<br />
attend an Industry Innovation Round Table<br />
event, hosted by the superb Business Pilot and<br />
VBH, and what an event it was.<br />
The insights shared during this event were nothing<br />
short of enlightening. It became abundantly clear<br />
that customer service is not just a department but<br />
the lifeblood of any business, and plays a pivotal<br />
role in ensuring business success.<br />
One stand-out point was how integral customer<br />
service is to brand reputation. It’s not just about<br />
solving problems; it’s about creating positive,<br />
lasting impressions.<br />
Exceptional customer service can turn a one-time<br />
buyer into a lifelong advocate for your brand,<br />
which is especially critical in our industry, where<br />
trust and security are paramount.<br />
Customer service as a marketing strategy<br />
As a marketing guy, I’ve always been a strong<br />
advocate for customer service being integrated<br />
with the marketing strategy of the business, as<br />
it’s often said that acquiring a new customer<br />
is five times more expensive than retaining an<br />
existing one.<br />
A happy customer is more likely to provide<br />
valuable recommendations which, in turn, drive<br />
sales more effectively than any advert or social<br />
media posts ever will.<br />
I believe that the personal touch in customer<br />
service cannot be overstated. Today’s consumers<br />
expect near-instant responses and personalised<br />
interactions and most of the time, this is ‘solved’<br />
by introducing automated call centres or chat<br />
bots. Uuugghh!<br />
Who wants to ‘Press 1’ to listen to the same<br />
music for the next 30 minutes? or ‘Press 2’ to<br />
be told ‘your call is important to us, but we’re<br />
unusually busy’. Again.<br />
I get it. It’s challenging to always provide<br />
immediate responses, but there has to be a better<br />
way, right? Well, yes – there is.<br />
customer service in ensuring business success.<br />
Something that seems to be forgotten is that<br />
focusing on delivering a first-class product and<br />
service is the absolute, number 1, best way<br />
to pre-empt many customer service issues,<br />
shortening the queue or bypassing it altogether.<br />
According to a recent interview with Christian<br />
Thrane – Managing Director of Marketing at EE<br />
and BT – they have spent the last five years<br />
doing exactly this, and have found their customer<br />
service teams are up to 50% less busy than they<br />
used to be. Their Net Promoter Score (marketing<br />
speak for how likely a customer is to recommend<br />
a product or service) has increased massively<br />
too. When you think about it, you can see it too.<br />
How often do you hear anybody complaining<br />
about BT anymore?<br />
At Kubu, user experience is always front and<br />
centre. We constantly strive to ensure our products<br />
and services are as user-friendly and reliable as<br />
possible – both for consumers and our installers.<br />
The problem is, we’re not infallible. We will all<br />
drop the ball at some point.<br />
It’s how we handle the issues that truly matters.<br />
Transforming a one-star review into a five-star<br />
experience will create a powerful advocate for<br />
your brand – driving those recommendations and<br />
sales.<br />
The Kubu Pro Installer Scheme<br />
This philosophy is the driving force behind the<br />
evolution of our Kubu Pro Installer Scheme.<br />
For our Smart as Standard Installers, we now<br />
offer a comprehensive pick, pack and dispatch<br />
service, delivering Kubu Kits directly to their<br />
customers in time for installation. This service<br />
is designed to support the installer and ensure a<br />
seamless customer experience from start to finish.<br />
Moreover, we take all Kubu-related customer<br />
service calls off the installers’ hands. Our<br />
dedicated support staff handle any issues related<br />
to Kubu or Works with Kubu locking systems,<br />
reducing potential call-outs and allowing fitting<br />
staff to focus on their primary tasks without<br />
worrying about the technology side of things.<br />
This means your business can enjoy the benefits<br />
of fitting and selling smart windows and doors<br />
without additional stress.<br />
Comprehensive support for Pro Installers<br />
Being part of the Kubu Pro Installer Scheme<br />
comes with numerous benefits. Our members<br />
receive extensive sales, marketing and training<br />
support. This includes access to our media kit,<br />
personalised marketing materials, showroom<br />
set-ups, and ongoing staff training. This support<br />
ensures our installers are well-equipped to<br />
promote and sell smart technology effectively.<br />
Rounding it all up…<br />
I cannot state it enough that customer service<br />
cannot be too important. It’s not just a support<br />
function; it’s a critical component of a sales and<br />
marketing strategy.<br />
Ensuring customer satisfaction through<br />
exceptional service can transform customers<br />
into lifelong brand advocates, driving more sales<br />
through positive word-of-mouth referrals than<br />
traditional advertising ever could; which is why<br />
we are committed to providing not only innovative<br />
smart security solutions but also unparalleled<br />
support to our installers and their customers.<br />
Until next time…<br />
Be Smart. Work with Kubu.<br />
Contact Kubu:<br />
0330 555 9545<br />
getkubu.com<br />
60 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Kubu<br />
Kubu Smart Security<br />
Your Front Door is Unlocked<br />
Now<br />
BEST COMPONENT<br />
SUPPLIER ‘23<br />
BEST NEW<br />
PRODUCT ‘23<br />
BEST WINDOW<br />
COMPONENT ‘23<br />
BEST DOOR<br />
COMPONENT ‘23<br />
BEST MARKETING<br />
CAMPAIGN ‘22<br />
Kubu is a multi-award winning range of high-security Smart<br />
sensors that fit seamlessly into your doors and windows, and<br />
integrates with other Smart Home devices to create a next<br />
generation perimeter alarm system that is simple to fit, and<br />
provides added value for the fabricator, installer or property<br />
developer with virtually no additional cost.<br />
To find out more about how working with Kubu can add value<br />
to your business:<br />
Visit: getkubu.com/trade or email: sales@getkubu.com<br />
Be Sure It’s Secure, with Kubu
Health & Safety<br />
UV: THE INVISIBLE DANGER<br />
Ben Stacey, Snickers Workwear Product Specialist, explains how to work safely in the<br />
sun and manage the risks posed by UV exposure on site with the right clothes.<br />
Dressing right for the working<br />
environment you’re in is very<br />
important – not only for working<br />
efficiency, but also for UV protection in<br />
the summer.<br />
The Institute of Occupational Safety and<br />
Health estimates that outdoor workers<br />
can be exposed to over 80% more UV<br />
radiation than indoor workers and, if the<br />
UV index reaches three or above, sun<br />
protection measures should be taken.<br />
It may come as a surprise to some that<br />
the UV index regularly exceeds this level<br />
during the summer months in the UK<br />
and, according to the Met Office, UV rays<br />
can be strong enough to cause sunburn<br />
here between April and September with<br />
80% of UVA rays passing through cloud.<br />
The link between skin cancer and<br />
sun exposure is now more widely<br />
understood, and workers who regularly<br />
work outdoors are most definitely at<br />
increased risk from over-exposure to UV<br />
radiation. With one in three cancers diagnosed as<br />
a skin cancer, each episode of sunburn, however<br />
small, increases the risk of getting it.<br />
So why do some people who work outdoors in the<br />
UK not use sun protection cream and other sun<br />
protection measures – such as proper working<br />
clothes?<br />
Hard work in hot and humid conditions can not<br />
only be uncomfortable, but hazardous. So when<br />
the heat is on, it’s important that you take the<br />
necessary precautions to stay cool, dry, and<br />
well-covered. That’s where Snickers Workwear’s<br />
moisture-wicking and UV-protective workwear<br />
can play an important part in your personal<br />
protection and wellbeing. When you’re choosing<br />
the right working clothes for a hard day’s work<br />
outside in the summer, there are three important<br />
factors to consider:<br />
With ‘superb cooling technology’, Snickers says covering up with its mid and baselayer<br />
clothes provides great UV protection for those working outside in the sun<br />
“UV rays can be strong enough<br />
to cause sunburn here in the UK<br />
between April and September”<br />
Fabric technology and UV protection<br />
For summer working, choose workwear that<br />
is designed to create a kind of climate control<br />
system for your body. Snickers Workwear does<br />
just that. Designed to help you stay cool, the<br />
summer collection has garments that provide<br />
UPV40+ protection to make getting the job done<br />
as comfortable and safe as possible. Breathable<br />
fabrics deliver better ventilation and dry faster<br />
once they’re wet from perspiration. And even<br />
though cotton is thought to be a lightweight fabric,<br />
its high absorbency makes it dry very slowly. Cotton<br />
garments drenched in sweat are uncomfortable.<br />
Your body temperature<br />
In warm, sunny working conditions, you need<br />
clothes with exceptional breathability and<br />
ventilation to avoid heat stress. With that in mind,<br />
Snickers Workwear uses stretchable<br />
fabrics with 37.5 Fabric Technology.<br />
Patented particles in the fabric help your<br />
body maintain an ideal core temperature<br />
– a process of thermoregulation – by<br />
removing perspiration vapours before they<br />
can turn into liquid sweat. That means you<br />
can stay both cool and dry no matter how<br />
hot it gets.<br />
Personal and environmental<br />
protection<br />
Sustainability is a key part of Snickers<br />
Workwear’s design and development<br />
philosophy. It’s not just functionality,<br />
practicality and the physical demands<br />
on the body when working hard which<br />
are key drivers in the brand’s product<br />
development, it’s the physical demands<br />
that product manufacturing places on the<br />
environment that matter too.<br />
So, if you’re thinking about what’s most<br />
practical and beneficial to wear this<br />
summer and, if it’s performance and protection<br />
you need, check out the upgraded lightweight and<br />
breathable 37.5 fabric in Snickers Workwear’s<br />
Mid- and Base-layer clothes. With superb cooling<br />
technology, they’re great for demanding tasks on<br />
site as well as UV protection.<br />
Style, comfort, functionality and performance<br />
have always been key drivers in Snickers<br />
Workwear clothing development over the<br />
years. But now, modern day concerns about<br />
sustainability and personal protection from the<br />
invisible hazards have brought a new dimension<br />
into the technical design of Snickers Workwear for<br />
this summer.<br />
Contact Snickers Workwear:<br />
01484 854788<br />
www.snickersworkwear.co.uk<br />
62 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong><br />
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
QUALITY<br />
DESIGN<br />
more than<br />
a sum of its parts<br />
SERVICE<br />
SUPPORT<br />
sash windows sash windows sash windows<br />
01234 712657<br />
trade@roseview.co.uk<br />
www.roseview.co.uk<br />
#TraditionRedefined
Van Insurance<br />
THE PRICE OF<br />
A MESSY VAN<br />
From mess to modifications, Quotezone.co.uk highlights<br />
five common factors which can invalidate van insurance.<br />
Image credit: Pixabay<br />
How to get cheaper van insurance<br />
Van drivers have been told how to lower<br />
their insurance after premiums rose by<br />
over 15% for commercial van users.<br />
Experts at Lease Van have named five tips for<br />
drivers to reduce their insurance policies<br />
with little time or effort.<br />
Taking off young or<br />
inexperienced drivers is<br />
one of the quickest ways<br />
to reduce premiums as<br />
they are deemed more of a<br />
risk on the roads.<br />
Check business<br />
advertisements on the side<br />
of the van aren’t considered to be<br />
modifications, as this increases the premiums<br />
on the policy.<br />
Van drivers should also consider downsizing<br />
their vehicle and increasing security measures<br />
with alarms and immobilisers to make their<br />
insurance cheaper.<br />
Tim Alcock from Lease Van said: “Vehicle<br />
insurance is rising for everyone right now, so<br />
many of us are looking for ways to make the<br />
price more affordable.<br />
“There are several things you can do<br />
with little effort to decrease your<br />
van insurance costs – such<br />
as taking off young or<br />
inexperienced drivers<br />
from the policy.<br />
“Joining a trade<br />
federation may also give<br />
you a discount when getting<br />
an insurance quote.<br />
“Installing security measures such as<br />
alarms, steering wheel locks, immobilisers and<br />
vehicle trackers will also help to lower costs.<br />
“Van drivers should also check their advertising<br />
isn’t classed as a modification, and consider<br />
downsizing vehicles to be given a cheaper<br />
insurance policy.” leasecar.uk/van-leasing/<br />
Five factors which could invalidate<br />
your van insurance:<br />
1Messy vehicle<br />
Mess can make a vehicle unsafe to drive<br />
and if an accident occurs as a result, an<br />
insurance company might refuse to cover the<br />
claim. Mess can also lead to fines and penalty<br />
points as it risks serious harm to the van’s<br />
occupants and other road users. The mess<br />
not only acts as a distraction while driving,<br />
but any loose objects can also become lethal<br />
when caught up in an accident. Research<br />
suggests a 20lb object could have as much<br />
force as a 1000lb object when travelling at<br />
55mph – so van drivers need to ensure inside<br />
the van is clean and tidy with loose objects<br />
securely fastened.<br />
2<br />
Signage and branding<br />
Adding signage and branding to a van<br />
can increase the risk of break-ins, make<br />
it more vulnerable to vandalism and theft,<br />
and make it more expensive to replace and<br />
repair. Sign writing or branding is classed as<br />
a modification and insurers could increase<br />
insurance premiums or void insurance if they<br />
are not told about it.<br />
3Class of use<br />
Anyone who uses a van for commercial<br />
purposes, even if it is only occasionally,<br />
should have business van insurance. If a<br />
tradesperson opts for ‘social, domestic and<br />
pleasure’ for the class of use and is found to<br />
use it for business purposes, the policy could<br />
be invalidated.<br />
4Location<br />
Parking locations impact the likelihood<br />
of a van being involved in an accident,<br />
broken into or stolen. Drivers must be honest<br />
about where they operate and park. A van<br />
is more likely to be targeted in larger cities,<br />
and if it is parked on the road instead of a<br />
driveway or garage.<br />
5Personal Information<br />
Failing to correctly disclose certain<br />
information including age, occupation and<br />
driving record on an insurance policy could lead<br />
to a claim being refused and the policy cancelled.<br />
64 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong><br />
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
STRONGER<br />
TOGETHER<br />
For over 20 years, the Purplex superheroes have helped ambitious companies<br />
generate more leads, skyrocket their brand and scale their business.<br />
DIGITAL | CREATIVE | PR AND COMMS<br />
Contact us today to see how we can help your business thrive too.<br />
grow@purplexmarketing.com | 01934 808 132 | purplexmarketing.com
Updates<br />
For further vehicles, tools & workwear updates visit www.total-installer.co.uk<br />
SNICKERS WORKWEAR HAS SUN PROTECTION COVERED<br />
Snickers Workwear says it will help you stay ‘smart, cool and protected’ this summer.<br />
Professional tradesmen and women in the UK often assume our climate is not hot or sunny enough to<br />
cause harm. But even on overcast days there can be enough UV radiation to damage skin.<br />
That’s why Snickers Workwear’s working clothes and accessories for the coming months combine superior<br />
comfort and protection for working on site in the summer.<br />
There’s new Sun Protection Caps, Shirts, Shorts, Trousers, Jackets and Jackets that deliver enhanced<br />
freedom of movement and ventilation plus lightweight workwear that combines all the features of highperformance<br />
sportswear.<br />
With 37.5 fabric technology, Snickers says its range is quick-drying and functional, as well providing<br />
UPF 40+ sun protection. It’s also longer lasting and more sustainable than other comparable workwear,<br />
according to Snickers. www.snickersworkwear.co.uk<br />
WERNERCO PROMOTES SUN SAFETY ALL YEAR-ROUND<br />
WernerCo, the UK access equipment provider, is reminding professionals to take precautions in order to protect<br />
against skin cancer when working outside during spring, summer and beyond.<br />
With increased exposure to UV radiation, those working in construction are at particular risk of developing skin cancer<br />
and studies from Imperial College London’s Faculty of Medicine found that construction workers accounted for 44% of<br />
deaths caused by melanoma skin cancer.<br />
With this in mind, WernerCo urges professionals to ensure they are wearing sunscreen all year-round to prevent<br />
DNA damage, which can lead to the disease. UV rays can penetrate clouds during all seasons and weather conditions,<br />
including autumn and winter, even on wet and/or overcast days. In order to prevent sun damage the NHS suggests using<br />
6-8 teaspoons of SPF for your entire body and applying SPF 30 minutes before sun exposure. www.wernerco.co.uk<br />
SAMAC FIXINGS CELEBRATES ITS 20 TH ANNIVERSARY<br />
Samac Fixings, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of fixings, fasteners and roofing materials, is<br />
celebrating its 20th anniversary in <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
The landmark anniversary coincides with a period of significant growth for the business, marked by<br />
a substantial warehouse expansion that will dramatically increase its capacity.<br />
James Robinson, Sales and Marketing Director at Samac, said: “As we celebrate this significant<br />
milestone, we are more committed than ever to innovation and growth. The upcoming year will see us<br />
launching even more new products, reinforcing our position as industry leaders. Our focus remains<br />
steadfastly on supporting independent merchants, who have been instrumental in our journey over the<br />
past 20 years.” www.samacfixings.co.uk<br />
James Robinson (left) and Simon Robinson<br />
GRAPHIC TEES TO 'WELCOME IN THE SUMMER SEASON'<br />
Carhartt is urging you to ‘welcome in the summer season’ with its range of graphic T-shirts,<br />
designed for the working day ‘and your downtime chill’.<br />
As the weather warms, Carhartt says ‘it’s time to embrace short sleeves and cotton that will keep<br />
you cool from the first task of the day to the last’. The C Graphic Tee and the Camo C Graphic Tee<br />
both comprise heavyweight cotton with a ‘breezy fit’ for all-day ease. Sporting a Carhartt ‘C’ front<br />
and centre, these tees inject a splash of colour to every work site and are available in a range of hues<br />
including ‘fog blue’ and ‘tender green’.<br />
For the ‘minimalists’ out there, Carhartt offers the Logo Graphic T-Shirt ‘with a fit that’s just loose<br />
enough to move with you and a look that’s crisp enough to stand out’. www.carhartt.com<br />
66 T I JUNE <strong>2024</strong><br />
PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Build a higher profile in 2025<br />
NEC BIRMINGHAM<br />
29 APRIL - 1 MAY 2025<br />
THE UK'S NUMBER ONE TRADE SHOW FOR THE WINDOW, DOOR,<br />
FLAT GLASS, HARDWARE, COMPONENTS & ROOFING INDUSTRY<br />
fitshow.co.uk<br />
BE PART OF FIT<br />
NEC BIRMINGHAM • 29 APRIL - 1 MAY 2025
ALU SPACE<br />
INTERIOR SCREEN & DOOR SYSTEM<br />
Available Now<br />
We pride ourselves on our reliability<br />
Interior Screening Solutions<br />
Sliding (single or double), Hinged (single or double),<br />
Pivot or Fixed Screen<br />
• Designed to divide or delineate spaces of any<br />
shape and size, whilst providing an effective<br />
acoustic barrier<br />
• Elegant slim lines provide maximum light and space<br />
• Suitable for residential or commercial use<br />
Call us now for enquiries :<br />
Tel : 01296 668899<br />
or email: sales@garrardwindows.co.uk<br />
Visit our website :<br />
www.garrardwindows.co.uk