People buy new windows and doors for all sorts of reasons – because they are extending their property, because they want to transform a space with sliding or bi-folding doors, or because their existing windows and doors are out of date. Whatever the reason for the upgrade, the level of investment involved warrants due diligence into the products being installed and the company installing them.
Windows and doors being fitted in the UK have a harder job to do in some ways because the weather is notoriously unpredictable and becoming more extreme with colder winters and warmer summers. Energy-efficient windows and doors can help to keep our homes at the right temperature, whatever the weather.
Choosing the right products is important for this, but just as important is choosing the right window and door company to install them. Because even the best products on the market will not perform well if they are not fitted correctly.
What to look for in your home improvement company
Reynaers at Home was established to help homeowners navigate the minefield that is finding quality windows and doors in line with their vision for their property. As part of this service, our Reynaers at Home installers are selected based on strict criteria for partnership. They must also sign up to the Reynaers at Home Code of Conduct, which sets out Reynaers’ expectations of our partners and the way that they interact and conduct themselves when installing Reynaers windows and doors.
Whilst we make every effort to monitor and review our partners, we also recommend that you conduct your own research into any prospective window installer, whether a Reynaers at Home Partner or not. These are some of the questions we use to review our installer partners that may also be useful when you assess other potential home improvement suppliers.
Are you part of a self-certification scheme?
There are a few self-certification schemes in the window and door industry that monitor and assess home improvement companies to ensure they comply with the correct Building Regulations. While it is not a legal requirement for installers to be part of such a scheme, it is a good idea for homeowners to use someone who has made this commitment. Firstly, a third-party compliance assessment offers peace of mind, and secondly, if you ever sell your property, you will need a certificate to show the work has been completed to the correct Building Regulations.
When signing up as a partner, it is a requirement of the Reynaers at Home scheme that all of our installer partners are part of a self-certification scheme, such as FENSA, CERTASS or Assure. However, we recommend that you check that your chosen installer is currently registered. These schemes all have an online list of current members. Alternatively, if your installer isn’t registered with one of these schemes, please check to make sure that they offer an insurance-backed guarantee or deposit protection.
Have you been trading for at least 2 years?
The window industry is a very well-established and therefore competitive space, so it is hard for new businesses to establish themselves unless they are offering something different. That is why checking how long an installer has been in business offers a level of insight into their reliability. If a company is very new, there may be a higher risk involved, whereas if they have been trading for at least a couple of years, there are likely to be several customers you can talk to or projects you can visit to give you peace of mind.
How long have you been installing the products you are selling now?
Installers sometimes commit to one supplier’s products, or they may sell a range of products from different manufacturers. And of course, over time, they may chop and change the items they sell. While windows and doors may look similar to the untrained eye, there are nuances between different products and different materials that require a slightly different approach or technique during installation. It is worth checking that your installer of choice has experience with the products they are selling now.
We do our best to work closely with Reynaers at Home partners, offering training and support to help ensure that our products are fabricated and installed to the highest standards.
Do you have genuine customer reviews I can look at?
Reading reviews for products, services, and places has become commonplace, and it should be no different when it comes to choosing a supplier to fit new windows and doors. But it is important to check, as far as you are able, that those reviews are genuine. While not 100% foolproof, it is better to look at Google reviews or TrustPilot, than to trust endorsements on a company’s own website, because review sites have measures in place to try to combat fake reviews and often try to verify that users have actually bought the product they say they have. Reynaers at Home partners are periodically checked for a good track record of customer reviews on reputable sites such as Google or TrustPilot.
More useful resources to help you choose a good window and door supplier
While this list gives a good outline of key questions you should ask any installer, and an indication of the criteria we use to develop partnerships with reliable installers on your behalf, there is a more comprehensive list of questions to ask installation companies about products, the installation, and technical specifications here. For more information about what to expect from working with a Reynaers at Home installer partner, we have also published our full code of conduct.
Where to look for a trusted installer of aluminium windows and doors
There are a lot of trusted trade websites available now that offer a list of installers in your area, but if you would like to use a member of our network, you can search for your local Reynaers at Home partner today.
Need professional advice on design, specification or installation?
We have a network of carefully selected local installers who will help guide you through your home transformation process.
