Deceuninck’s customers grow 27% in 2014 well ahead of the industry

Deceuninck and its customers were well ahead of the industry in 2014, growing 27% year-on-year. In June 2014 Deceuninck, one of the world’s leading PVC-U window and door systems companies, set itself the ambitious target for the UK of getting into the top three, Deceuninck’s normal position in all major markets. It’s on its way to achieving that.

Deceuninck Sales Director, Rob McGlennon, says: “Last year the market was up 8%. We knew it would bounce back after recession, so we made sure we were ready. We developed ColourExpress, our coloured foil range available from stock in 9 colours and 18 colour ways. This has helped our customers lead in colour, selling 50% more than the industry average. We launched MyBrand, our tailored marketing service for our fabricators, and their customers, which helps them build their brand and stand out in a crowded market. And we make sure our fabricators can get what they need, when they need it, on time and in full by keeping it in stock and with our unique ordering system Deceuninck Online.”

But it’s not just service and support that puts its customers ahead. Deceuninck has introduced a stream of innovative new products and developed existing products, to help customers stand out and sell.

“Our Slide & Swing New Wave Door is revolutionising patio doors. Homeowners love it! So it’s time to say bye-bye to bi-folds,” continues Rob. “And our ‘All-in-one’ windows now have PAS24, the best energy ratings and are renowned for being pretty. So we have a burglar proof, weather proof, thermally efficient beautiful window with nationally recognised accreditation.

“With all these tools our fabricators, and their installer customers, can reliably offer great products on time and in full. As our growth shows, when our customers do well, so do we.”

C & L Windows and Conservatories Ltd

48, Stroud Road

Gloucester

Gloucestershire

GL1 5AJ

www.candlwindows.co.uk

01452 526028

Top 5 Do's & Don’ts When Choosing a Bifold Door

Do’s

1. View the actual door you intend to buy. Bi-folding doors can vary hugely in cost and quality, and when spending a considerable sum of money on a set of doors, the last thing you want is to be disappointed when they arrive. 
2. Ask about weather guarantees. The current buzz word is low threshold, but we don’t know of a single folding sliding door on the market that offers a weather guarantee on low thresholds. On an external door we would recommend having a rebated threshold and then sinking it a further 1cm into the floor. This would only give you a step height of just   1 - 1.5cm (the thickness of your finger). The last thing you want is wind whistling in under your new set of doors come winter time.
3. Get an insurance backed guarantee. Make sure that whoever you are buying your folding patio doors from will issue you with an insurance backed guarantee. An insurance backed guarantee gives you the peace of mind that should the company go up in smoke, your guarantee won’t go with it. Insurance backed guarantees are usually for 10 years and shouldn't cost you any extra.
4. Buy bi-fold doors that pass the current building regs. Building regulations are constantly updated, so ask if the bi-fold or sliding doors you wish to buy pass the current regs. Also ask for documentation and certificates. Keep these safe, so when you come to sell your house, you can pass them onto the new owner.
5. Ask for references from your installer. Any reputable company should be more than willing to put you in touch with past customers.

Don'ts

1. Avoid bi-fold doors with an external track. There are some bi-fold doors on the market that have an external track that the doors slide along. These doors are not purpose built bi-folding doors, they have been adapted to make them work as bi-folds. There is a security risk here as the track can be levered off. A purpose built bi-fold door should have all the tracks built into the frame.
2. Don’t buy a door purely on price. The old saying “you get what you pay for” could not be truer than when buying bi-fold doors.
3. Top Hung vs Bottom Rolling? Some suppliers will tell you that top hung is better than bottom rolling, or bottom rolling is better than top hung. Don’t believe them. 
4. Avoid ‘floating mullions’. We don’t recommend bi-fold doors with “floating mullions” this is an extra piece of material that goes between each door leaf. Why would you need that extra piece? In our experience it not only looks ugly, but can and does drop, causing operation problems.
5. Don’t pay the balance of the job until the door is installed. There are some companies that want the balance paid a few days before the installation has taken place. If you have paid in full and you are not completely satisfied with your doors when they are fitted, you have less chance of getting a quick and satisfactory solution. Pay the balance once you are happy you have received what you have paid for.

C & L Windows and Conservatories Ltd

48, Stroud Road

Gloucester

Gloucestershire

GL1 5AJ

www.candlwindows.co.uk

01452 526025

Conservatories are the way forward!

Conservatories not only offer versatile accommodation, they are also the cheapest route to extra living space in your home and can be built far more quickly than a full-blown extension. 

Some dos and don’ts to get you thinking:

• Do your research – make sure you are buying the best quality structure within your budget
• Do make sure you ask your builder what is included in his quote – is it inclusive of flooring and electrics or will you be left with a bare shell?
• Do install effective heating and ventilation arrangements so that you can use it in all seasons
• Do check out whether you need planning permission or building regulations approval if you go ahead without it you may have to take it down
• Do think about the position of your conservatory – if it’s south facing it will need good ventilation and shade, if it’s north facing it will need efficient heating
• Don’t try and build your own conservatory
• Don’t add a conservatory if it is going to take up too much space in the garden
• Don’t choose a design which is not in keeping with your house

Planning & Building regulations
There is generally no requirement for conservatories to meet Building Regulations in England and Wales if they are separated from the rest of the house, for example by patio doors, the floor area does not exceed 30 square metres and it is not permanently heated. It is advisable to check with your local authority because other restrictions may apply in your area.

Structurally speaking – how’s it made?
Most conservatories will have a concrete foundation and floor slab, cavity brickwork lower walls with glazed upper walls and roof panels set within a framing system. A number of materials can be used for framing, uPVC being the most economical and therefore most commonly used, with aluminium, steel and timber offering alternative options. All will provide a good result, but achieving watertight joints with timber is more dependent on the skill of the installer, and uPVC may not be allowed on listed buildings or in conservation areas.

Glass facts for conservatories:

• Safety: For safety, toughened or laminated glass must be used throughout. Laminated glass offers added security benefits against break-ins and cuts out around 90% of the sun’s UV rays, which fade furnishings.
• Stay cool: To prevent overheating, particularly if your conservatory faces south, use solar control glass or bronze poly carbonate panels for the roof. This can reduce the temperature by several degrees in the summer as well as reducing glare.
• Some conservatory roof systems have ridge ventilation and roof lights that open automatically above a given temperature to allow air to circulate. You should also consider the position of windows and doors to allow a cross flow of air when open.
• Winter warmer: Fitting low-emissivity glass will add just two or three hundred pounds to the bill but significantly reduces heat loss during winter.
• Noise reduction: Glass offers dramatically improved sound reduction compared to 25mm poly carbonate sheets. Polycarbonate roof panels may be less expensive, but they are far noisier than glass when it rains, and can be real conversation stoppers in a downpour. If you want to use your conservatory as a main living room it is worth paying extra for a glass roof

www.candlwindows.co.uk 

C & L Windows and Conservatories Ltd

48, Stroud Road

Gloucester

Gloucestershire

GL1 5AJ

01452 526028

Replacing Windows and Doors - Building regualations

Replacing windows and doors

Since April 2002, all replacement glazing has come within the scope of the Building Regulations. This means anyone who installs replacement windows or doors has to comply with new thermal performance standards. (Just replacing the glass is exempt).

When the time comes to sell your property, your purchaser's surveyors will ask for evidence that any replacement glazing installed after April 2002 complies with the new Building Regulations. There are two ways to prove compliance:

1. a certificate showing that the work has been done by an installer who is registered under the FENSA scheme

2. a certificate from the local authority saying that the installation has approval under the Building Regulations.

The FENSA Scheme

The FENSA scheme allows window and door installation companies that meet certain criteria to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations. It was set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation, in association with all key stakeholders, and meets with central Government approval. A sample of the work of every installer is inspected by FENSA appointed inspectors to ensure standards are maintained and installers who fail to perform can be suspended or even excluded from the scheme. FENSA also inform local authorities of all completed FENSA installations and issue certificates to householders confirming compliance.

Any installation done by a firm which is not registered by FENSA, including work done as a DIY project by a householder, needs full local authority approval under the Building Regulations. You should note that you, as the house owner, are ultimately responsible for ensuring the work complies with the Building Regulations.

Building Regulations for windows and doors

All replacement windows in both domestic and commercial buildings come within the scope of the Building Regulations. Anyone who installs replacement windows, doors, roof lights and roof windows will have to comply with strict thermal performance standards.

How do I get approval?

Apply to us for Building Regulation approval. This would involve your installer completing a straightforward application form. We make a charge for this service, and your application should be lodged with us at least 48 hours before the work is started.

Installation of replacement windows, doors and rooflights Building Notice Form

Or, your installer may be a registered member of a self-certification scheme known as FENSA. For further information about FENSA approved contractors, please visit the FENSA website .

Do I have to use PVCu windows?

No, you can install wood, metal or PVCu windows providing they are draught-proofed and give reasonable thermal insulation

Do I have to double glaze?

Yes, unless the building is an historic building and you must replace the windows to match the existing to comply with Planning Legislation.

Do I have to use special double-glazing?

Yes, you must use a low emissivity glass such as Planitherm on the inner pane. The air gap between the panes of glass must be at least 16mm

I don't want to use low E glass, what can I do?

You may be able to use triple glazing, i.e. three panes of glass

What about conservatories?

The glazing in conservatories does not need to be low E glass if the conservatory is separated with a wall and a door from the rest of the house. The heating in the conservatory must have separate heating controls from the rest of the house.

When do I have to use safety glass?

Safety glass, toughened or laminated must be used in all doors. Also all windows within 800mm of the floor must be safety glass to cope with the weight of someone falling against it, further measures may be necessary to deal with the risk of anyone falling from low level window openings

How can I tell if it is safety glass?

The manufacturer will have put a small symbol on the glass

Do I have to have opening windows?

The room will need ventilation, so an opening window is needed. The opening window needs to be at least the size of the existing opening or not less than 1/20th of the floor area of the room. You also need to put in ventilation for any gas fires or boilers in the room. Check to see if the room already has airbricks installed, otherwise you will need to put in some fixed vents in the windows. It is also necessary to have "trickle ventilators" to avoid condensation

What other things do I need to consider?

You need to talk to the Building Control Officer about fire safety and means of escape in case of fire. You may need to have "means of escape windows" especially upstairs or from rooms that do not have direct access to a hallway or external door.

You need to consider the means of cleaning the windows - can a ladder be used outside by a window cleaner, or will "tilt and turn windows" be better.

Do the regulations apply to new doors?

The same regulations apply if more than half of the door and frame, including the fanlight, is glazed. Any glazing in the door or door side panel should be safety glass, unless the panes are less than 250mm wide.

Care must be taken with the threshold of the door. An upstand can be particularly difficult for people with wheelchairs and pushchairs. Many modern homes have a ramped or level entrance and in these cases a door threshold with an upstand should not be used.

C & L Windows and Conservatories Ltd
48, Stroud Road
Gloucester
Gloucestershire
GL1 5AJ

www.candlwindows.co.uk