PH Double Glazers - talk to me!

[GTiR Al]

Evening chaps,

The scenario:

Had a chap from reasonably big double glazing firm round last week (I hope I'm being Crystal clear here...) to do us a quote for all windows plus front door. After the usual haggling shenanigans we settled on a nice round £6k for the whole job.

Fast forward to yesterday: their surveyor comes to do the proper measurements, fills out the spec sheets, which he then shows to me. All is correct, I sign happily, he goes on his merry way.

Today I receive a call from the original salesman, stating that the surveyor has told them that there is a tiled roof, and therefore scaffolding is required to carry out the work, at an extra cost to me of £150.
Apparently this would be in the surveyor report (that I haven't been given, only the window specs and diagrams to check and sign). When I state that this has never been mentioned before (either by the surveyor or the salesman) I am essentially told "whoops, the surveyor should have told you". I am then told that this is due to UK Elf & Safety regs, and that it actually represents quite a good deal for me, as if one of their fitters had an accident/died because I didn't have scaffolding, it would cost me a fortune in settlement! (I am calling BS on this btw....)

Aside from the ridiculous notion that the safety of their workforce is somehow my responsibility, am I being reamed here?

Cheers

Alex

[Simpo Two]

Well, £150 on £6,000 isn't much but in my book a quote is a quote and if they forget something that's too bad.

Hence you could say '£6K and not a penny more, take it or leave it' but they might say 'OK, we resign the job' and you have to start again.

GTiR Al said:

I am then told that this is due to UK Elf & Safety regs, and that it actually represents quite a good deal for me, as if one of their fitters had an accident/died because I didn't have scaffolding, it would cost me a fortune in settlement! (I am calling BS on this btw....)

Scaffolding may well legally be required for the job, but if their fitter falls to his death because they failed in their duty of care to their staff by not providing any, they'd be the ones in court, not you. So yes, BS - they're ignorant or lying, either of which is a pity.

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 30th November 21:58

[Wings]

Received recently a quote for windows for four floors of flats, told scaffolding not required, since double glazed units can be fitted and fixed from inside the flats, but if they had requested £150 for scaffolding on a £6k order, then i wouldn't argue with the same.

[PaulHogan]

Tell them that you have had to revise your top price to £5,850.

[jas xjr]

I would be looking at another firm. They are taking the p. How many windows are they fitting and what spec ?

[goldblum]

I've just had my house doubleglazed.11 windows and two (very nice wood effect) doors.All fascia boards,downspouts and gutters.£7,350.

No scaffolding,although a rival firm when giving me a quote (think Hillary) said scaffolding was essential.

All my windows were fitted from inside and I'm very pleased with the result.Lots of dust though so get the dustsheets ready!


Just pay the £150.

Edited by goldblum on Tuesday 30th November 22:47

[deeps]

UPVC windows and doors are cheap if you buy direct from the manufacturer, then get a local carpenter to fit them.

Approx price of a 1200 x 1050 frame and K glass is £120, 1800 x 1050 £180, that's with shoot bolt 4 point locks, and free delivery nation wide.

Fitting is a piece of piss for a decent carpenter, and no scaffolding is required as easily done from the inside. If the property is rendered more care has to be taken, and the cost will be a little more than for brickwork. Don't let them hack the render around as frames can be removed and fitted without making that mess, which will be visible for ever more.

The problem with some of the big firms is that they make a hash of getting the existing frames out, dent the plaster or dry lining, then use 50 x 5mm plastic cover strips to cover their bodge - awful.

Edited by deeps on Wednesday 1st December 01:03

Edited by deeps on Wednesday 1st December 01:05

[1]

If they are saying scaffolding is needed, then the surveyor must think that is the case. It will be in your contract that the price is all subject to survey as the sale people aren't trained surveyors. So in answer to your question, no you are not being scammed.

However I would renegotiate and try and get them to waive it. For a £150 on a £6k job it is unlikely they will let the deal go.

[deeps]

The profit in upvc windows and doors is huge, if the OP told them 5k and no more they would still be making a tidy sum. If you use the big boys you pay for all their non productives, salesmen, surveyors etc.

[GTiR Al]

1 said:

If they are saying scaffolding is needed, then the surveyor must think that is the case. It will be in your contract that the price is all subject to survey as the sale people aren't trained surveyors. So in answer to your question, no you are not being scammed.

However I would renegotiate and try and get them to waive it. For a £150 on a £6k job it is unlikely they will let the deal go.

The stupid thing is that had he originally just said "You have a tiled roof, we may need to use scaffolding - it might be extra" I wouldn't have cared a jot. It's more the fact that he's suddenly sprung this on me in a very rushed phonecall, when neither he nor the surveyor made any mention of this previously. When my wife queried this with him, he responded "Oh, I didn't mention it when I came before because we might not have needed it". With the number of fittings this bloke books every year I can't believe that he wouldn't have known it was a likely scenario.

Plus he's a smarmy git

[deeen]

I suggest you ask to cancel the contract. Certainly, the big double glazing firm I used to work for would not lose a £6k contract for £150.

[x type]

Daft question time

What has having a tiled roof got to do with windows and doors being fitted ?

[deeps]

Presumably he means a lean-to type roof along the house at first floor height.