This article follows on from the hugely popular Anglian Windows: Sales Tactics post.
Have you had any good/bad experiences with UK double glazing companies?
Please comment on your good and bad experiences with Anglian Windows, Zenith Windows, Coldseal, Everest and indeed any other double glazing sales company. Comments on this post may be edited for legal reasons. Any comments threatening violence to any company or person will be deleted and the person posting the comments will be banned from posting again. All opinions on this post reflect the individual authors are may not represent the opinions of the author of this site.
Please also note that the sales and construction aspects of double glazing are often dealt with by two entirely different teams. Just because you have dealt with a bad salesman it doesn’t automatically mean that the product is bad and vice versa. So, I’m interested in hearing any of your comments on both the sales technique/customer care and you impression of the product itself.
[tags]Windows, Glazing, Anglian[/tags]
who make the best quality windows & why?
March 30th, 2004 at 10:21 pm
DON’T BUY WEATHERSEAL!!! We had all the usual hassle with pushy sales rep (silly over-acted phonecalls ‘to his boss’ to laugh at our desire for a better price)and promises that their windows used extra steel supports installed into the wall etc, not just brick ties (that was a lie). The following are just a few examples of the fiasco we had…
1]Two rooms had windows where the inner decoratives panes were at different heights to the main unit (big main area’s decorative panes didn’t line up with smaller side opening areas)
2]Bay window had side openings that opened out in the same direction instead of both opening out symmetrically, handle back to front.
3]Bathroom window wouldn’t close properly but didn’t discover this until a windy night a few weeks later.
4]Front door didn’t have the inner panes as ordered.
5]Bay window left in garden in the snow over Christmas until new side opening came a month or so later. Then they removed old bay window and the roof over that bit nearly caved in. They had to rush off to a plant hire shop to get a prop to support it but any damage is probably already done now.
I held back �1000 (I was feeling weak) from the �7500 (�14,000 was first quote). Anyway, I should have held back a lot more until the work was finished properly.
Also the sales rep said the wood surrounds would be moulded ones to match skirtings and door surrounds in our house…they’re not. Plus my husband kept an eagle eye when they came back to do bay windoiw and there were no steel supports going on, just brick ties and loads of filler. Trading standards friend said there’s not much we can do there because brick ties are the norm, they’re not sub-standard…but part of the reason we chose these liars is because they made out they had some super strong support system for their windows…it was all lies.
Lawyers wrote to them but we just got some totally illiterate crap back from the ‘man at the top’, peckham, pecker, something like that. Just gave up but kept �1000. Now within a year the door won’t close properly. But when i phoned and said I’d never got a guarantee they insisted we did…if we had we would certainly have remembered that. How could they have sent us a guarantee at Christmas when the job wasn’t finished until March and we were in the midst of legal wranglings with them? Anyway if we want one we’ll have to pay �25 for it. Have phoned again about door (without mentioning guarantee) and someone was meant to come two Saturdays ago..no show. Someone may come tomorrow but they can’t say when. It’s a nightmare trying to get through on the phone too. Have been trying all morning. DON’T USE THEM…I’m getting a migraine just thinking about them…
April 1st, 2004 at 1:57 pm
I am about to buy Anglian windows, one 6 pane bay window, one 5 pane bay window and a corner 3 pane window for £4700. Seems ok tome, don’t know other opinions. They run a promotion stating that if you can find the same quailty windows for cheaper they will give you the windows for free. Has anyone investigated this further or is this simply to fluff you up a bit???????????
April 6th, 2004 at 2:33 pm
Tonight we sat through a four-hour presentation by someone from Zenith Windows, at the end of which he quoted us five thousand for French doors and two kitchen windows. After a rigmarole concerning a Show Home magazine he discounted this to £3,500. My wife mentioned that in initial phone contacts they had mentioned a potential discount of 60%. He went through another rigmarole involving a call to his manager, who was “shocked” to hear that so large a discount had somehow been implied to us over the phone, but by way of apology to us they were willing, at great personal risk, to give us a further discount, bringing the total up to about 60%, and giving a final price of about two grand.
We didn’t accept because we don’t like haggling and we don’t like this kind of rigmarole. What I don’t understand is: why can the company not sell the same product for the same price? Why does the company try to make us pay three grand more than they’re obviously willing to sell the product for? Why, in short, is our economy founded on this kind of bullshit? I’m sure I’ll attract a few criticisms of naivety and so forth, but I’ve never been any good at haggling because my mind just isn’t set in that kind of groove. If a company has a price, why can’t it just say what that price is?
Apparently this is too complicated for Zenith, so we won’t be buying from them. If they’d said, “It’ll be two grand, which is more than you’ve heard from other companies, but we’re national and it’s a better product, here’s the number, give us a ring if you want it,” then we’d've thought it through, gotten other quotes, and might well have given them a ring. Perhaps some people do just buy the cheapest but we honestly give a toss about quality and are willing to pay for it. Instead, Zenith’s product has been tainted in our minds by the stink of possibly quite legal but to our minds utterly pointless sales shenanigans.
As for whether we deliberately wasted the salesman’s time by agreeing to hear him out with the intention of saying no at the end - well, nothing we heard over the phone from Zenith prepared us for a four-hour presentation about how they sell the Rolls-Royce of double-glazing. We thought someone was going to come and measure the windows, y’know? When someone offers to sell us something we *expect* it to be up to scratch. Lecturing us for hours about quality is no proof thereof. The moment there’s any kind of horseplay in a presentation, I stop trusting any of it.
I can’t help thinking that this whole salesman business needs rethinking… anyway, in the meantime we’re off to get quotes from other companies. And anyone who shows up with a four-hour glint in his eye will be politely asked to keep it short.
If this situation has evolved because salesmen don’t trust customers because customers don’t trust salesmen, then it’s all gone horribly wrong, hasn’t it?
Ah well…
April 9th, 2004 at 11:17 pm
I would like an explanation if any is possible on the following story
We had an appointemnent yesterday at 4 pm with a representative from Weatherseal, the presentation lasted for about 2 hours, all I wanted was a quote for 14 windows , then it came down to the price, we had 2 pricing one valid for a year the other one if we bought on the night.
the price valid for a year was around £20 000
the price for the day started at around £12000
then your representative phoned his manager in High Wycombe (Mr Robinson) the price came down to around £8500, we said no then while he was packing his things, he phoned his manager again the price came down to £5000, we had to confirm this with Mr Robinson within 1/2 hour, which we did only to find to our surpride that the offer was not valid anymore.
I would like to know if this happenend to somebody else or if I can get a logical explaination
thanx in advance
oh and next saturday we are having a marketeer from safestyle any comment?
thanx
April 12th, 2004 at 8:54 pm
You have experienced drop closing, this is a selling method which is designed to confuse the brain, do not worry, every one can fall for it.
It works like this; during the presentation the presenter will give you large numbers, for example he may say ten thousand five hundred, just out of the blue, you think, bloody hell, that’s a lot of money, but he is referring to his car mileage, what he has done is price condition you, you now think your 5 windows are going cost this amount, your brain has been conditioned.
The sales person can now proceed to drop close, he may say the price is for your 5 window is: £6500.00, wow you feel good, because this is less then the price condition figure of £10500.00, your brain is relaxed and ready to buy, you have got a bargain! At this stage elderly people will accept the price and sign the contract, fantastic, the sales person has earned full commission, probably £1300.00. Younger people will haggle and try for a better price, 5 windows at average price of £450.00 each is £2250.00 fully fitted, so the sales person can now drop close you, he will ring his manager, who will give you once only, to make the sales figures up, price of another 50% off, bloody fantastic!! For £3250.00. You have been stitched you have over paid by at least £1000.00, but your brain has said you have a bargain!! The best thing to do is cancel the contract within 7 days, go to a local company and buy at the right price of £2550.00
You are not gullible it is the way the brain is designed, to make decisions
Allow thinking time, ask the rep to give you call in 10 days, the fantastic deal is offered to all the reps customers
April 14th, 2004 at 8:11 pm
Easy calculation: add up your windows then times by £450.00, this the buying and selling price for top quality windows
April 14th, 2004 at 8:16 pm
14 windows at £450 each = £6300. do not pay any more
April 14th, 2004 at 8:18 pm
The £5000 offered would not be accepted by the company surveyor, this was offered to make life difficult for other people quoting, it is known as kill the the deal for everyone else.
What some companies do, is leave your deal in the office for 6 weeks then they do a survey, then they leave it for another 6 weeks, then they ask you for more money because it is under priced. dont fall for this trick!!
April 14th, 2004 at 8:23 pm
hi basher,
thanks for your comments, very helpful, do you know anything about Zenith or Safestyle, or could you recommend a company im berkshire?
Once again thx for your advice
Cordially
Jeje
April 14th, 2004 at 10:16 pm
I hope you guys dont mind, but I thoiught I would give you all a bit of feedbcak about Coldseal Windows and their installation on my property yesterday. I feel quite disgusted, at myself, as well as them for not looking at the web for a site like this to get the info I needed 3 months ago.
Anyway, here’s the problem list:
heaps of mess left untidied/removed
brick and rubble left on/inside bedding
lengths of pvc strip under the beds
cables outside the house left running loose
tiling in bathroom broken and not replaced
Silicone on walls, radiators and floorings
Dust everywhere.
Only 55% of the panes fitted did not have some major defect (45% had bits inside, scratches, indelible marks)
Broken window shutters
Broken window board
Curtain tie backs ripped off the wall with the screw body still inside
Brick work shattered outside
Badly re-pointed brick work
Wood from old windows left outside
Wrapping from new window left outside, and under the beds, of course!
When I refused to pay, I went through a very lengthy conservation with the fitters and then, the area manager (Darren Linihan, 01252 377437), who eventually came to visit us at 7.30pm last night. After having the police round, we would not pay, they then removed the windows on the first floor, and said they would board them up unless we paid. They then got boards out and began to cut them up to the window size: we then had to relent.
I could of held back 12% of the balance, however, they wouldn’t accept a personal cheque at that time-, but as I could get a new bankers draft at that time of night (for the reduced amount) that was not feasible anyway. Of course he didn’t have a cheque book to give me change for my bankers draft of £3500!!!!
Both my partner and I spent the night cleaning up and are very upset.
Coldseal did promise to send someone round to replace the 45% of the panes and fit all other bits agreed on at 12pm today…..still no sign…… and they wont answer their phones.
Can anyone help?
Dmodewill
April 15th, 2004 at 6:07 pm
Anglian windows offer a substantial price reduction if you opt for their Gold Promotion / Account scheme - signing up for 10 years of repayments at 20% APR.
If you pay up before the 10 years you are liable to the full price before this discount.
Salesman tells you they rarely ever invoke that clause as long as you pay off over 15 months - say, and gives you the breakdown - and you still save about 50% of that particular discount.
Is it worth the risk ?
April 18th, 2004 at 9:41 pm
i work for a company called crystal, we are the biggest independant company in the southeast and we didnt get that from bulying we basically leave a price and 9/10 times people come back. i spose it is good to get a few quotes but really one quote from weatherseal and one from everest would be pointess as they all belong to the same company-the wetherseal group as does supremo-glaze. same with bryco and coldseal now called the coldseal group.
for a competitive quote please call 0208 2521593 and i am sure we can help ya out lol
April 19th, 2004 at 5:06 am
Hi
After all the nonsense and from weatherseal, everest, safestyle, we got a local company top give us a quote.
It was brilliant, just what we needed, company been going for 15 yrs, back up by an insurance from lloyds in case of bankruptcy, no nonsense just facts, and measurement, and then, yeah unbelievable one price valid for more than one day, I have to say that the saleman from that local co knew all of his collegues from the big 4, he had been 15 yrs in this industry.
I would like all the big 4 salesman to learn from this be honest, do not drop your price by 800%, then you might sounds credible.
Basher, thanks for all your advice the final bill came to £5000.
If any body needs a good co in the hants and berks area, let me know
Regards
April 19th, 2004 at 8:06 am
Hi,
VERY briefly, I have had windows & doors installed by Anglian. They started in January and there are still problems. I have been dealing with the Stockport office and find they just keep covering for each other. Who is the best person/s to write to? I can provide full details of complaints if required but they are lengthy.
Thanks
Steve.
April 19th, 2004 at 6:17 pm
Hi all,
Just a quick thanks to everyone who has posted so far, I am looking to get a conservatory built and have Anglain rep coming round tonight again to discuss prices, and I am now armed with Anglian discount structure so should be an interesting discussion!
My main reason for posting however is to ask if anyone can recommend a ‘local’ firm who can build a conservatory in SW London area (Twickenham).
Preferably to the plans already drawn up by Anglian.
If so please let me know.
Thanks
Mark
April 20th, 2004 at 12:13 pm
Hi steve
have you paid the full amount yet???
if not dont the top man will soon get in touch!!
dont be bullied into paying either you only have to pay upon completion (section 18 of contract) if you have problems then it is not complete.
If you have paid in full make copies of complaints and letters etc. send one to head office in norwich, one to your office (let them know youve sent one to norwich and keep copies for yourself.
hope this helps
April 20th, 2004 at 1:32 pm
Re conservatories
Survey done, and we might have a well under our patio! Oddly though they did not dig up the patio before sending us a letter stating that we had a well. Our salesman finds this a bit strange so is investigating this. He thinks Anglian may have sent us the wrong letter. We pointed out to them that we had the right to cancel the contract and get the deposit back if extra costs were involved. However, Anglian have agreed to cover the costs of any extra foundation work that may need to be done to sort out the problem. So far so good!
Onwards to the Planning Application!
April 20th, 2004 at 4:12 pm
Anglian Windows are a 4 letter word in my house. We should have known better when the salesman turned up an hour late but we were niaive. Having listened to him for hours on end we unfortunately caved in to the “oh let’s sign to get him out” trick. We were sucked in by the must sign today for the finance as it is being withdrawn trick. We were also stupid enough to believe the patter of the finance deal. We were told the loan was for 5 years and that the APR was really good. The paperwork was done but subsequently needed to be re-done as we decided to pay a substantial deposit. The representative came back at 9.30pm which we signed and which turned out to be on different terms to those we discussed. When we tried to complain the answer from the sales representative was “well I never mention 10 years because everyone always wants to pay it off quicker”.
That is only the tip of the iceberg. I had 12 windows and 2 doors fitted (well I say fitted, a child of 10 could have done a better job). I ended up having to have the front door replaced completely, the back door re-fitted. 5 new sealed glass units as the others were damaged. 4 windows taken out and re-fitted. And at my expense 2 new internal windowseals as the fitters damaged the old ones so badly and a new tiled bathroom windowcill as they broke the other one. I am still waiting for one glass unit to be changed. NEVER AGAIN!!
April 21st, 2004 at 10:17 am
I am wanting to cancel a Weatherseal ‘non-cancellable purchase contract’ i signed 2 days ago - and reading on the back of it it says i have the right to cancel if we did not directly approach weatherseal. In fact we didn’t - they got our lead from the ‘windowqouter’ website.
Does anyone have any experience of cancelling such ‘non-cancellable’ contracts. I expect they will try and tell us we are not within our rights to do this — but i am sure that we comply with the condition that we did not directly approach weatherseal, as we were referred on to them via an independant web site service.
Just wanting out and could do with some confidence to arm me before they get nasty with this.
April 22nd, 2004 at 11:03 am
phill
as far as i know everyone has a right to cancell. some companies will chatge a fee to cover administration but that is by the by. if you have paid a deposit hopefully cheque cancell that now!
put your cancellation in writing and send to local office and head office keep a copy for yourself.
most importantly act quickly!
good luck
April 22nd, 2004 at 1:14 pm
phill
as far as i know everyone has a right to cancell. some companies will chatge a fee to cover administration but that is by the by. if you have paid a deposit hopefully cheque cancell that now!
put your cancellation in writing and send to local office and head office keep a copy for yourself.
most importantly act quickly!
good luck
April 22nd, 2004 at 1:14 pm
Hi all
Does anybody know of any organisations or companies that i can get to come and gice me independant assessments of the work i have had done by anglian???
I feel a bit cheeky asking other dbl glazing companies I dont even know if they would do this!!
It seems at mo im banging my head against brick wall ( not very well built one seeing its anglian!!!)
would love help and advice
pleeeaassseee
April 22nd, 2004 at 1:25 pm
Could someone explain this one, please? We received a quote from Anglian Windows which was far too high. We said “no, thank you”. A few days later we received a call from their ‘trade’ department, who came round and quoted us a lot less. After much haggling, the ‘trade’ department has now come down to the lowest price we have received.
Is the ‘trade’ department really any different? Are the windows any different? Is this another little tactic?
Oh, and in reply to the guy on the first page who asked what other material good we have ‘to sleep on’ before we buy: I have never bought anything worth more than twenty quid without shopping around; if I’m going to spend more money (the hundreds or thousands) of course I’ll research the deal carefully and give myself ample time to make sure I really do want this before I fritter away our savings on it.
And to the guy who gets annoyed at customers for saying they can only spend £3000 on windows when they have 20k in the bank: this is called budgeting.
April 22nd, 2004 at 7:57 pm
Hi Fiona
read this discussion thread for details about anglian tradelines…
http://www.double-glazing-web.info/post.php?cat=2&fid=1&pid=322&page=1
Seems they are passing on the customer to their other related company Anglian building products - a company who aims at new build/commercial market, but who pick up some of the potential lost enquiries from the main Anglian company. I believe they install a slightly different and cheaper product. I don’t know enough to say whether it meets up to all the necessary standards you’ll be looking for — i know the windows are only 60mm and are externally glazed.
There is a link to the anglian building products web site form Anglian’s web site - click on the “Commercial” link in the navigation bar.
Hope this helps you.
Cheers,
Phil
April 22nd, 2004 at 10:02 pm
hi tokat
thanks for the advice about cancelling my contract.
i’ve sent in the cancellation using the form provided and address provided on the back of the contract. i haven’t cancelled with the local branch — i don’t even know which branch it was!! i’ve also cancelled the finance agreement using the form provided on that too. someone told me that simply cancelling the finance agreement results in cancellation of the purchase contract with the vendor — i’m not sure if this is true or not.
i’ll certainly try and cancel the cheque too.
i’m now awaiting inevitable phone calls…
Cheers,
Phil
April 22nd, 2004 at 10:33 pm
Message for JeJe. The Weatherseal manager never intended to let you have it at £5000 ,he was just testing your resolve on your stubborness to buy on yhe night. He would never have beeen able to commit to such a low price. Safe style are the worst of the lot even though the price is cheaper than most , the quality isn’t good and they are known to use windows as a way of laundering money for illegal activities.
April 23rd, 2004 at 10:28 am
Re Hello’s message on April 19, I don’t think Weatherseal and Everest are connected anymore, and from what I can gather from the Everest rep who lives in our village, they’re well pleased to be rid of any Weatherseal connection. Just wish we could have afforded Everest as I’ve only ever heard good reports about them.
April 23rd, 2004 at 12:00 pm
ANGIAN !!! had a rep yesterday and my husband got quite close to assaulting him. When we told him that his price was ridiculous he became offensive and personal. He ran down the other comany from whom we have had a quote and were very hapy with and did the usually slander the opposition trick.
I was phycically ill when he left. Ladies…be very wary of allowing an Anglian rep in your house. AND do not bother with their pricing.They quoted 17K as their very best figure…when all our other quotes ranged from 6K-11.5K.
April 23rd, 2004 at 12:13 pm
In answer to many questions about pricing policy, I can spill an industry secret. A typical rep will be on 15% commission. However for every pound over the “price” he sells it for ( known as overs ) he will get 25%.
so heres how it works::: real bottom price = 5K.
his first quote 12K
final quote after haggling 8K.
His commission will be 15% on the 5K PLUS 25% on 3K overs .
In total the sales man would make approx £750 commission on the sale PLUS £750 on the “overs”
Makes sense now doesn’t it?
April 23rd, 2004 at 1:11 pm
I think maybe I will try some of these tactics when I buy my next brand new car. I know that most new cars don’t cost £10,000+ to make. Maybe I should go to a dealership and try and haggle them down to £2500 from £10,000. i.e cost price.
Because I’m sure the salesman would take me seriously…..NOT!
April 24th, 2004 at 12:58 am
How much are bricks these days? We charge about 35p per red brick. So if you have a £200,000 house you should have about 571428 bricks. Hope you all live in castles at 35p per brick or maybe if you have just bought a newly built house you should think about selling because you’ve just payed around £10 per brick.
Does anyone get where I’m coming from?
April 24th, 2004 at 1:15 am
hi everybody,
Just a quick update, after having suffered Weatherseal, and Co, I decided to go with a local co, I am please to say that eveything is going ok so far, no bathroom tile broken, no windows missing no mess, nothing to complain about, i recommend most customer to gat a local quote as well, worth it
April 26th, 2004 at 2:09 pm
Hello everyone,
I have just had an interview as a sales consultant today and have got the job. Please can I get honest opinions about Anglian from any employees who already work there, mostly in the sales side of things.
April 29th, 2004 at 9:28 pm
Re Conservatory
Well now thoroughly fed up! Was told we may have a well. Contract extended by one month whilst Anglian investigated.
Got back from holiday to find letter saying we did have well. However, no evidence of digging. Have dealt with 3x changes of salesman so far. So much for the promise of one contact person.
Latest is that Anglian (through Salesman no)agreed verbally to cover costs of extra foundation work if needed. This resulted in an unrequested visit from salesman number 1 who was, naturally, worried about loss of commission.
A week passes and no letter is forthcoming.
Got home yesterday to find a call from Salesman number 4 who has said he is sending us a letter.
Incidentally, the contract extension ran out on 28 March.
Have now spoken to them and letter being faxed confirming that they will cover the costs of any foundation work. This apparently extends the contract as they are still coming within the original agreed quotation.
I think that, technically, we can get out and get our deposit back at this stage as we have not agreed to an extensionn of contract. My confidence in Anglian has been shaken by all this and they still haven’t dug anything!
April 30th, 2004 at 12:53 pm
Right, have received the letter and it is standard acceptance of contract letter. This is NOT what I expected. I have asked the Admin Dept in Norwich to apologise for the inconvenience caused to date AND to confirm in writing that they will cover the costs of any additional foundation work. I have asked for this letter by end of today.
Can anyone tell me if we can get the deposit back if we cancel at this stage as we have not agreed to an extension of contract at this stage.
Advice needed urgently!
April 30th, 2004 at 1:22 pm
I recognise everything anyone here has said about Anglian. The hard sell, the putting down cometitive companies (’They’re about to go into liquidation…’ - he even produced web print-outs to prove it!’), the patronising attitude and making you feel like you’re an idiot if you say no and show him the door… I did fall for their tactics the first time round and also have to admit that there’s nothing wrong with the windows themselves, and even the workmen who installed them were Ok, tidy, courteous etc.
Afterwards I was hounded by Anglian salespeople for the next three years, calling me several time a month and trying to flog me more windows, doors, conservatories, you name it… That’s when I started to get really hacked off with them.
Now, I do actually need some more windows, but since Anglian had managed to put me off them with there annoying salespeople I started to do some research. There is a National Replacement Windows Advisory Service (website http://www.nrwas.org). On their website I read about all the sales tricks described here - it was only then that I realised I’d been had… But the good news is: they offer a free service where they send someone round who gets different quotes on your behalf without giving your details to anyone and you can pick the best quote and get the job done. No salespeople involved. It’s a government-funded service and doesn’t cost you a penny (well, apart from your taxes of course). Worth checking out.
May 1st, 2004 at 4:07 pm
I recognise everything anyone here has said about Anglian. The hard sell, the putting down competitive companies (’They’re about to go into liquidation…’ - he even produced web print-outs to prove it!), the patronising attitude and making you feel like you’re an idiot if you say no and show him the door… I did fall for their tactics the first time round and also have to admit that there’s nothing wrong with the windows themselves, and even the workmen who installed them were Ok, tidy, courteous etc.
Afterwards I was hounded by Anglian salespeople for the next three years, calling me several time a month and trying to flog me more windows, doors, conservatories, you name it… That’s when I started to get really hacked off with them.
Now, I do actually need some more windows, but since Anglian had managed to put me off them with their annoying salespeople I started to do some research. There is a National Replacement Windows Advisory Service (website http://www.nrwas.org). On their website I read about all the sales tricks described here - it was only then that I realised I’d been had… But the good news is: they offer a free service where they send someone round who gets different quotes on your behalf without giving your details to anyone and you can pick the best quote and get the job done. No salespeople involved. It’s a government-funded service and doesn’t cost you a penny (well, apart from your taxes of course). Worth checking out.
May 1st, 2004 at 4:09 pm
Anglian Windows….
Ordered 2 months ago after 3 quotes, 1 local and another multi national, 2 quotes in the ball park based on £400 per window, 8 windows in total. Local company & Anglian within £300 of each other. The other company started at 3 x the price, usual rubbish and ended up within £500 of the ball park.
Anglian chosen on quality, they came today at 7:30 am started fitting just after 8 am, finished at 2:30 pm. Great job well done.I can only say as I find and I’m well pleased with Anglian Windows.
South Yorkshire area
May 3rd, 2004 at 3:12 pm
Conservatory.
Well, now 2 working days have passed and we STILL do not have written confirmation from Anglian re covering extra costs. I have nagged them today.
So far this has caused us a lot of personal time and effort and they still have not stuck a spade into the ground.
My advice to anyone considering Anglian at this point is please do not touch them - if this is their level of customer service before they even start a job then how can I trust them to get on with it properly?
May 5th, 2004 at 2:01 pm
Letters now received confirming they will cover costs. It only took them 1.5 weeks to send them!! So, going ahead as we would have difficulty getting our deposit back now.
May 10th, 2004 at 12:25 pm
Thank the lord it’s not just me having problems with Anglian.
I think they have tried every tactic under the sun the get more money, do a bad job and generally give themselves a bad name and me a headache!
My scenario: Conservatory.
Everything was going well the price was excellent without having any pushy sales man.(Try ordering your conservatory using the northern offices if you live in the south! See what price difference you can get.) This obviously was picked up by head office who came up with a list of reasons for charging an extra £3k restricted site access, extra brickwork, extra foundations!?! This was after the surveyor had come round and I had agreed that the price and specs were correct.
Then we came to the installation/building. These guys couldn’t organise anything. Builders not turning up, fitters being given the wrong address and best of all the conservatory not fitting together correctly!!!!! I agreed to a set of drawings (by the way I am a design/development engineer) and the conservatory is manufactured to another so the roof panels don’t fit. To cut a long story short new panels made in wrong glass, new panels remade and dropped before getting on the truck, fitters not arriving, generally the organisation especially at the luton depot is terrible and allegedly it’s all my fault for not being there after the time they agreed to arrive.
Sorry to rant but it’s now 9 weeks and the damn thing still has temporary panels and I feel a legal battle coming - by the way I still have 80% of the cost sat in my bank account, always make sure you don’t pay before completion!
May 10th, 2004 at 2:18 pm
Ian
Thanks for posting! Please keep reporting on progress (or lack of). I don’t expect Anglian to start on our job until August at the earliest at this rate. At least they have agreed to pay any extra costs however if our foundations prove difficut- and this is in writing now!
May 10th, 2004 at 5:31 pm
Re: Weatherseal Windows (Pride of the Nation!)
After visiting The Ideal Home Exhibition, I signed a contract for £11,000 on 25th March with Weatherseal for 24 windows to be installed within 4 weeks. Since then I have had 4 site visits (including two technical surveys), a price increase of £4,000 (although this does include 3 extra windows), a revised installation date of 7th June (11 weeks after initial contract) interminable arguments with salesmen, admin staff, directors, contract managers, receptionists and customer relations staff. To cap it all, last week I had a telephone call from Weatherseal Customer Care Department asking me if I was happy with the windows that they had recently installed. When I explained that I was very unhappy because the windows would not be fitted for another month, the telephone line went dead! I have been given all sorts of excuses. Letters lost in the post, salesmen rushed into hospital, clerical errors, communication breakdowns, job demarcation, staff leaving, too many orders for windows from the Ideal Home show, lack of technical expertise by sales staff, human error, etc. I will let you know if the windows ever get installed and also what is wrong with them once they are fitted!
May 11th, 2004 at 3:08 pm
I have read the above comments. I agree even though I am one of those “Salesmen”. I work for Anglian, but I don`t do the hard sell.I do give 2 prices one for when ever on for the night/ within a couple of days. I am happy to leave without a signed deal for you will be a spending a lot of money and if I were in your place 1. I would not impulse buy 2. I would want to think it over. I don`t earn big money from Anglian because I dont do the hard sell. If I did I may sell more, but I would not be happy with how I got the deal. I am looking to set my self up in the business and sell the nice way, but I will have to sell a lot more for Anglian to get the set up money. This month I took orders for approximatly £70K my commision was £1700.00 as self employed for a 7 day week. But it is my choice, I worked in the offshore financial markets in Kuwait before returning to UK last year during the war, as business was poor and life expectancy was variable and my proffesional licence is only valid outside UK.
Happy glazing purchase and Anglian is the best, not Everest !!
May 11th, 2004 at 4:28 pm
Hi, this is just what I have been looking for!
I got a price from Everest for 4 windows, front door and french Doors of £7,500 (down from ‘List Price’ of £11k)…though I am calling the Salesman tonight to find out their best price (I didnt give them my phone number!)
I am also waiting for a call back from Anglian for a comparative quote - I was expecting the total cost to be around £4,500. Am i being unreasonable?
Has anyone had experience with either Everest or Anglian in the Burnham, Buck area? i’m not maid of money but would rather pay a little more to have a job done right first time without weeks of grief sorting problems out!
Thanks,
Ross
May 13th, 2004 at 12:57 pm
Hi, this site is just what I have been looking for!
I got a price from Everest for 4 windows, front door and French Doors of £7,500 (down from ‘List Price’ of £11k)…though I am calling the Salesman tonight to find out their best price (I didnt give them my phone number!)
I am also waiting for a call back from Anglian for a comparative quote - I was expecting the total cost to be around £4,500. Am I being unreasonable?
Has anyone had experience with either Everest or Anglian in the Burnham, Bucks area? I’m not made of money but would rather pay a little more to have a job done right first time without weeks of grief sorting problems out!
Thanks,
Ross
May 13th, 2004 at 12:58 pm
No-one seems to mention Staybrite / Zenith windows very much here.
I had 6 basic windows and 2 doors fitted for £5845 recently and I remember the sales guy was very relaxed and didn’t seem bothered whether we took the order or not, he was just content if we understood that they make the best windows and doors available, albeit slightly more expensive than the competition.
The installation was very professional and the guys made sure the place was clean and tidy when they left and showed us how everything worked, apparently it’s in their contract that they don’t get a bonus if anyone complins about not matter who it is (i.e. even your neighbours!).
I’m happy that our windows look the best in our street cos we’ve got no unsightly black gasket around our windows and the security is second to none.
I’d thoroughly recommend people to at least have a demonstration of their product prior to committing to any other company just to make your mind up. As for phone calls, I know I can speak to my branch manager directly if we have a problem, and he will sort it personally.
I think they’re not mentioned very much here because everyone has been delighted with the service.
So say i.
Dagga Dan,
Notts.
May 15th, 2004 at 8:13 pm
Ross: 4 windows at £450 each, front door at £700, French doors at around £1200 all in white, for woodgrain add 25%
May 17th, 2004 at 4:00 pm
it seems that you cannot trust any of these companies. -we had a terrible time with everest both from sales techniques , demanding money for inferior work,and shoddy workmanship. trying to complain to their office is not worth the attempt. i eventually had good frames made by a local firm and fitted by a local builder. A good job done at a fraction of the cost.
May 19th, 2004 at 1:49 pm
Hi, I was wundering is safe style uk are any good, and should i canvas for them, during the summer month before going to college???
May 19th, 2004 at 2:42 pm
Can anyone tell me if fully removing the box frames of sash windows is important to the installation of new PVC windows?
The sash windows in my flat are knackered and I can’t afford to replace like with like. We are going for a mixture of tilt and turn, casement and reversible windows.
One salesman who visited (the anglian rep) made a big play about ‘Full Box Sash Removal’ - is this crucial to sound windows?
I ask because the next salesman (a local firm)didn’t even mention it - and I think we are going with the latter.
May 19th, 2004 at 10:53 pm
Hey, just wanted to say that me and a couple of my friends unfortunatly work for one of these “great” upvc window companies. Just to let you know that we are all kinnda sorry that we have to pester you etc. Most of the people who work for the company that I do are mostly students (struggling with student debt etc.)So when we are badgering you for a “free no obligation quate” please remember that we are human beings, its just that most of us dont have the time to find more secure jobs because we are in university 85% of our lifes striving hard to make this country a meritocracy. I dont know where I am really going here, just wanted to say sorry pnlicly for all the annoying calls I have to make. My appologies again (I finish uni in 2 weeks so I will be free from the company, so dont worry one more tele-canvaser will be gone) Hope you all dont get too botherd by us.
May 20th, 2004 at 9:51 pm
RE:HELLO HI I HAD CRYSTAL WINDOWS DO A FITTIN GLAST YEAR AND THE JOB IS SECOND TO NONE I AM NOW LOOKING FOR SOME FRENCH DRS HELLO IF YOU CAN CONTACT ME I AM CONTRACT NUMBER 245443 THANX AND WE CAN TALK BUSINESS
May 31st, 2004 at 5:44 pm
As an inside man of the afforementioned company, I would like to try and set a few of the doubts, concerns and complaints to rest (too many issues to set them all!!!). Hope you can be open-minded whilst reading.
1. Finance. Fact : With First National (finance company), Anglan offer a true discount for finance. This price is available on acceptance and WILL be increased if a customer chooses to pay by an alternative method. This reduction is permanent and WILL NOT be removed if a customer chooses to settle their loan early!
2. Anglian DO have a commertial company also. They are used mainly for contract work though occasionally will be offered to potential customers. This product is very high quality and will match most competitors products, feature for feature, equally. HOWEVER, it is MUCH lower in quality and features, to their main product range.
3. There are THREE companies that will time and time be complained about. Why??? Simple. They are the BIGGEST three in the industry - hence have more customers than anyone else. Product complaints from any company are an innevitable fact, these three keep geting mentioned purely because of the amount of work carried out. What you should be looking at is what percent of jobs go wrong, and these three most likely have a lower percent than all others!
4. There are three main catagories of d/g companies. National/Local/one man bands. Prices will reduce in each, however quality, backups and worthwhile guarantees usually will also. If you want cheap d/g, dont go to your big guys! If you want something better, you have to pay for it.
5. I have always felt that the general public have always been unfair towards the reps. Sure, you want the best deal, but compare their job to yours esp if you’re in sales of ANY kind. How would it be if all your customers bought thier goods from you at cost price? How long would you have an income for? Many of the reps rely on their bonuses to feed their own families (as does everyone). Do you really hate them for just trying to earn a living?? 90% of people who say “We’ll let you know” DONT. Sure, maybe 1 or 2 exceptions, but hey. If d/g was sold that way, the rep would be lucky to get 1 deal a month. I promise - there is not THAT much money in a deal. When a rep phones his boss, all they are normally doing is politely giving away their bonus. Cheers to all you that done that!!!
6. Dont mean to bitch, but its not exactly a glamourous job, most of us just want to end the week having made more than we spent. Would just be nice if you all could see it a little from the other side.
If wanted - only if, will try and give you any advice or answers on general queries. Will NOT give specific info as (believe it or not) I actually like my job.
June 15th, 2004 at 9:38 pm
P.S. Fred06 has a good point too. Why give canvassers so much grief? Be polite, say no thanks and hang up the phone if your that bothered. Phone and speak to Manager if overly upset, but why take it out on them.
Alternatively, just get TPS (third page ish of phone book) and all your calls will stop!!!
June 15th, 2004 at 9:46 pm
John B. Its your choice. If you want to keep the box sash, why not just get wood d/g. at the end of the say, you still need to treat and paint it. If you get UPVC and leave the sash there, where will you stand if the windows fall out in a couple of years? Even if your local guy’s still around, is it his fault for fitting badly, or yours for not looking after the wood?
Think about it.
June 15th, 2004 at 9:52 pm
Max, thanks for those helpful comments. I think most people recognise that behind all the sales guff there’s a human being trying to earn a living. Now, how do we make people trust salesmen. How did they get such a bad image in the first place?
June 17th, 2004 at 2:54 pm
You would be surprised Guy. Having been there myself many people I have seen have had an immediate animosity towards sales people. As far as trusting salemen, would say a lot has do do with gut instinct. Let the rep do his presentation and listen to him/her first, then decide for yourself. Stop the rep from doing his presntation will normlly just result in bad feelings.
As for getting a bad name, well, its very opinionated. I personally believe that the major players came up with very clever and genuine sales techniques and promotions and the smaller companies tried copying them. Many failing to follow through on promises made. This lead to a huge distrust towards the individuals, which spread to all smaller companies, and finally to the whole industry. Will not be so nieve as to say this is true in every instance - should imagine some smaller companies can be very good, whilst some larger companies have been known to take on board unprofessional reps; but belive this to be true in the majority of cases.
June 18th, 2004 at 3:02 am
This is a buyer’s market as well as a sellers. The whole problem is that people buy windows with little, or often, no knowledge about what they are doing and therefore get duped by some very unscrupulous salesmen. I am lucky as I know a bit about the subject as part of my job.
My advice would be to decide what you want before you ask anyone in, and decide on your specification so that firms are quoting on the same product and style.
Often buyers have no idea about the style and choose windows that do not suit their house, and, if they live in a semi-detached house, chose a style that clashes with their neighbours windows too, causing an architectural nightmare.
I got Anglian to supply two large bay windows and one box room window and a kitchen window, all with equal sight lines, in the original style of the house, for £5k. Their quality and style match against the original is very good, but maybe that is because I knew what I wanted and bargained a hard price and got what I wanted. And, no I’m not a salesman for Anglian! I fell out with the first person and sent him away. But their windows provide excellent security and a long guarantee as well. So, it’s up to you folks but decide what you really want first!
June 21st, 2004 at 11:03 pm
I worked for Zenith, for about 5 weeks and then got asked to leave because I was not pushy enough with the customers. Despite being told that my training would last for 6 weeks and that I should not expect to sell for 8 weeks they complained at me for not selling after 2 weeks. I think the company was being very unfair as I was really only just learning the technique.
Anyway, as previously mentioned in one of the posts Zenith are not mentioned very much. This is because they sell the best quality product available on the market and offer the best customer service around, however if you want quality you will have to pay for it.
After reading some of the posts above I can see that nearly every company uses the same sales technique - lengthy product demonstration, high price quote, discounted quote, phone branch manager to negotiate further ‘discount’ and then try to make you sign on the day. This technique is crap and I can see why so many people are fed up with salesmen, but please just let us do our jobs - we are only doing what we have been told to.
If you want the highest quality product with excellent customer service, backup and guarantees then choose Zenith. You can probably expect to pay between £5000 - £10000 more for a Zenith conservatory compared with the other big companies (Anglian, Everest, Weatherseal) but you will definitely get the best value for money.
It is definitely worth it for you, the customer, just to sit and listen to the sales consultant for the 4 hour presentation and pretend to be interested.
I have a few tips for anyone looking to buy a conservatory or windows:
-Try and think about exactly what you want before the sales consultant arrives, this saves time for you.
-Always opt for a glass roof (Zenith fit these as standard but other companies charge extra), polycarbonate roofs will discolour, break or be covered in moss within a few years but a glass roof will not. Also, glass is easier to clean and allows more light in, it also looks so much better on the finished thing. (Beware though, with a south facing conservatory you will need tinted glass else you will literally boil in the heat kept in by the glass).
-Get at least 4 quotes: Zenith, Anglian/Everest, two local or less well known companies. Also, try to get the quotes starting with the local companies and then work up to Zenith. This way you can appreciate the superior quality of a Zenith product.
-Always sign on the day to get maximum discount. You have at least 7 days to think about it anyway (legal right to cancel). If you sign on the day, you get the cheapest price and the sales consultant gets the most commission so everyone is a winner.
-Always watch your installation being carried out; any problems you spot can be resolved easily there and then.
-If you choose a local company, make sure you check them out fully and know exactly what you are getting. Many of these companies are small and likely to go bust and then you lose all of your guarantees, etc. Also, they do not include any extra building work (eg. foundations or brickwork) in their quotes.
As I have now left Zenith Conservatories, I can give you pretty much any inside information you want - just ask.
June 25th, 2004 at 12:59 am
I am in dispute with Zenith over the quality of the internal finish on 13 window installations they have done for me. The clause in the contract where it says “restore to pre-decorative order” means what Zenith consider to be pre-decorative order not what I think, even though I have “before” pictures of what the condition of the window surrounds was like. I have asked the Office of Fair Trading to take a look at the clause to see if any recourse is available. Aside from the really appalling finish inside, my bay window is not in “plum” although the Installations Manager has passed it as perfectly ok. Question: have any of you taken your complaints to the Glass and Glazing Federation and if so have you had any joy from them and their Independent Arbitration.
June 29th, 2004 at 12:07 pm
This question is directed as Kosandan in particular [because you mention gaskets] but anyone else please chip in who has feedback about this. I am sure when we signed for the Zenith windows we saw a demo model without any gaskets, inside or out and this is what we were expecting to get. The windows they have fitted have gaskets on the inside. They have been trying to tell me I was mistaken. Help me if you can by advising if your Zenith windows have gaskets.
July 1st, 2004 at 10:49 am
Great debate! I found this whilst researching a website I am setting up at the moment about double-glazing.
I’ve never had double-glazing installed and if I did I certainly wouldn’t do so with any national company. This is because I reckon small local firms are always better.
I get my car fixed by a mate down the road and my motorbike done in the same way and whenever I have had any building work it’s the same.
I agree it’s riskier but I hate the whole bullshit associated with salespeople and everything they stand for! The way they have little catchphrases and those pseudo-zen motivationasl posters they stick up in sales offices! In fact every posting on this site (slip excluded) has tended to confirm this. The ‘All buyers are liars’ and the absurd. ‘there are two people in life; those who can afford Anglian and those who want them and can’t’ etc etc
Brilliant! You couldn’t make it up; David Brent lives on. The positioning of something as mundane as double-glazing as an aspirational lifestyle choice! They’re windows! That’s all…
July 6th, 2004 at 12:44 pm
I am in search of a reputable company for double glazing. I have had my share of the salesperson headache, which I will share with you later.
Now I am intereted in Basher’s DIY cost estimate formula… But not sure how do you count bay windows (say, 3 pane) and the number of openers? and how about smaller size windows, e.g. in the bathroom? Could you elaborate? Thanks in advance.
Jeje, I haven’t read all the messages through to July. I hope it is not too late now, from April. I am also in Berkshire. Reading, precisely. Could you give me some advice on your GOOD experience with the local co. (Out of all these clouds of bad experiences)? Thanks
July 6th, 2004 at 2:44 pm
i used to work for a double glazing company and believe me the whole sales pitch is a con. I could go into reams and reams about how and why but take it from me the first price you get is overinflated and you may eventually get down to something realistic.
July 9th, 2004 at 6:18 pm
Hi
Just had the Anglian rep here today. ALso have had a quote for a reputable and well established local firm and after some discussion of options, Angliain are very close to the loacl guys prices. I am having 5 windows and 3 doors installed, for £4000 (£3800 local guy) and the facias and guttering replaced for £1200 (£1150 for local guy) I dont think either reps were pushy. But you do expect to discuss the price and push it down. I got £500 off the original price from Anglian. Local guy didint move at all.
I have signed the “show home” deal with Anglian, and have 7 days to decide. Another local guy is coming on Monday, and I will get back to the first company to see how low they will go. But as Anglain say - you are buying quality…..Is that true I now wonder?
Cheers
July 10th, 2004 at 8:38 pm
does anyone know where to go if we have a problem with Anglian windows and if has anyone had any success in chasing the salesperson after being mislead regarding a product
July 13th, 2004 at 3:21 pm
comment for Rae Anglian problem
I don’t think you will get anywhere with regards what the rep said or didn’t say. But if you do have an installation problem that is difficult for you to resolve at your local branch, write or phone customer care at the head office in Norwich. Your local branch will be detailed by Norwich to deal with your problem.
July 18th, 2004 at 8:28 pm
I worked for weatherseal for 4 years with some success in the highlands(am now in manchester)and can tell people here that a profile(the frame) like duraflex which is used by weatherseal and the overall standerd of window is of a much higher quality than you get from builders and small local firms, i have seen many window systems just collapse under the more extreme conditions up there!! people its true you do for the most part get what you paid for.
As for sales tactics yes i did use many a drop close or sharp angle or marrige but most of my deals were done by just being a nice guy and asking for the buisness, if they said no i simply asked if it was to much. These high pressure sales people that are talked about are simply the ones who wont cut it for more than a year in a dog eat dog industry! the really good ones put you under pressure without you knowing it, if anyone wants to deal with weatherseal or just get some info feel free to email me. jon@dahomes.co.uk
July 20th, 2004 at 5:10 pm
by the way i no longer work with them…..am an estate agents now
July 20th, 2004 at 5:12 pm
Just want to take Jon up on his offer of advice.
I had a visit from Weatherseal yesterday and got ‘bullied into submission’ and signed up for a conservatory without having a chance to speak to my parents about finance (they were willing to help but were thinking it would cost £6k, so we were a little niave!). However, I made it clear to the sales rep that I would possibly cancel, which he said would be okay (though he made it clear that he wasn’t happy about it). The only reason I signed, of course, was because the price, which came down from £18k to £10k via £12.5k because of a Feature Home offer where they apparently try to sign up 12 homes in double quick time or some such nonsense.
I have since found out that I basically cannot afford it (hence why I was keen to have at least more than 10 minutes to think about the offer, which sadly was not forthcoming).
So, I presume I am okay to cancel (I have sent off a letter today and will be cancelling my finance agreement tomorrow) based on the note on the back of the contract.
Also, presumably as part of their sales service, the branch manager has now phoned to say he needs to come around tomorrow (Thursday) to ‘cancel the contract’ by filling out all the necessary forms. Is this true? Or is he, as I am sure I am right to believe, coming around to make a song and dance about things?
I will be speaking to Trading Standards tomorrow AM to see what they say, but as you are in the know, I was wondering if you could help out.
July 21st, 2004 at 5:56 pm
HI
Follow on the prevoius post - I cancelled the roof line (which I had quoted for at the same time as the windows) as it was too much, and needed to send a written cancellation to the LEGAL department of Anglian, and it had to be RECIEVED by them within 7 days. I sent it special delivery just in case. So if you are in two minds dont hang around. By the way the rep did call me when he heard I was cancelling and offered another £200 off the costs.
By the way, the cheaper local comapny have not got back to me about the roof line, no doubt as it doesnt have a window job with it which I guess is where the profit is!
Other advice is to see Anglain etc after talking to the local companies to give you the benchmark costs.
Also you can cancel if the survey show additional costs over the quote…..
July 21st, 2004 at 7:15 pm
I am surprised scanks local company did not get back to him as the type of pvc roofline is made from (foam extruded<<can never spell that) is the type which has the greatest profit margins, beware the small company though as the cheep stuff they can sell you may well go pink or orange!! kinda defeats the point in replacing them if that happens cos you got to pain them again….doh!!!
July 23rd, 2004 at 11:11 am
I am surprised scanks local company did not get back to him as the type of pvc roofline is made from (foam extruded<<can never spell that) is the type which has the greatest profit margins, beware the small company though as the cheep stuff they can sell you may well go pink or orange!! kinda defeats the point in replacing them if that happens cos you got to paint them again….doh!!!
July 23rd, 2004 at 11:12 am
I had an Anglian guy around tonight for a quote. The product was, without doubt, very good and he answered all the technical questions I had picked up from the internet. He originally quoted an enormous £19.5k for 9 x windows, 1 x 4 section bay window, front and back door in mahogany - I nearly choked! Then with some frantic calculation and “weekly” strictly limited discount, he lowered the price to 9.5k. I said I wanted to think about it, so he rang his Manager who lowered the price to 7.5k if I took finance @ 23%APR. I can get a lower APR loan from Nationwide. I’ve heard ballpark rules of £450 per window, £700 per door + 25% for mahogany but how much should I pay for a 4 section bay?
July 27th, 2004 at 12:53 am
a 4 part bay is calculated the same way as windows 4 x £450 = £1800 plus a surcharge of £160 to £250 this will give the complete price including window board, baypoles, cill welds, lead and trims
July 27th, 2004 at 10:37 pm
Scotty: sounds like a good deal, just do not be pressurised to pay more after the surveyor has done his visit.
This another trick to watch for, some of the direct sell companies try to increase the price after the surveyor has submitted his survey report, read the small print, if this happens ask for a full refund
July 27th, 2004 at 10:56 pm
Finally have got the conservatory finished. One massive argument and endless phone calls to the HQ in Norwich seems to have done the trick.
The regional managers are terrible - allegedly they report directly to the board of Anglian (actually they report to someone on the board -not quite the same thing!)
Anglian do have a quality product but the customer service upto the finished item is shocking. I got a reasonable price for a 4×5m glass roofed conservatory-so the price and quality are fine. Just be prepared for rubbish service. However, the after service under the guarentee seems to be a lot better. They arrange a day and time and they turn up! (see previous post) They are replacing a large glass unit free of charge as it was marked during installation- I am completely dumbfounded why they can’t use this approach during the most stressfull time of installation.
Not sure if I would use Anglian again but don’t be put off, just be prepared. and no I don’t have the sales rep stood with a gun to my head while I write this although this may become one of their new sales tactics!!!!
July 28th, 2004 at 2:29 pm
Finally have got the conservatory finished. One massive argument and endless phone calls to the HQ in Norwich seems to have done the trick.
The regional managers are terrible - allegedly they report directly to the board of Anglian (actually they report to someone on the board -not quite the same thing!)
Anglian do have a quality product but the customer service upto the finished item is shocking. I got a reasonable price for a 4×5m glass roofed conservatory-so the price and quality are fine. Just be prepared for rubbish service. However, the after service under the guarentee seems to be a lot better. They arrange a day and time and they turn up! (see previous post) They are replacing a large glass unit free of charge as it was marked during installation- I am completely dumbfounded why they can’t use this approach during the most stressfull time of installation.
Not sure if I would use Anglian again but don’t be put off, just be prepared. and no I don’t have the sales rep stood with a gun to my head while I write this although this may become one of their new sales tactics!!!!
July 28th, 2004 at 2:29 pm
Weatherseal = NOOO!!
Yeah, we had to endure a 3 hour presentation from weatherseal in which they consistantly told me how great their product was.
I was initially quoted 16k for 7 windows a door and a patio, this then magically went down ‘with discounts’ to approx 9.5k which id estimated then eventually because my house was so important in the area to 5.5k!!
The shameless bullying tactics that the salesman used (who claimed that he worked for advertising) was bordering pathetic, the obviousness of his conversations on the phone to his boss were ridiculous, i literally had to push him out of the door, which is when his ‘boss’ who i spoke to got a bit upset and was rude to me, which was hilarious after 3 hours of how important the customer is to weatherseal.
I did believe the product was good, but after reading this page its obvious its all typical sales jargon. If you are genuinely impressed by Weatherseal, keep saying no to them, i find it hard to believe i saved 11k because of the importance of my house, these people no how much you can afford and milk it out of you, the guy even pointed out my widescreen TV to imply that i could afford it!!
Bottom line, dont believe anything they say to you, no matter how genuine they sound sometimes, have a price in your head, keep it there and make THEM negotiate!! Also i found its fun to say you have an uncle who works for trading standards and also ask about the consumer act 1974…they leave the important parts out!
July 29th, 2004 at 4:37 pm
Help! I have just discovered this site and would love to have your commentes….I have recently had four companies in for quotes to do the whole house. My head is reeling from all the salestalk and the time they take - 2hrs +.
No-one asked me to sign anything on the day, but are all going to post me the quotes. Based on your experience, can anybody guestimate what I should expect on a large Edwardian house with 3 large bausy (5 panes each) plus two very small bays (3 panes) and two small windows? Everyone kept saying how expensive it was going to be due to this format and I am dreading the quotes.
I have also heard that BAC is not the BAC of old and have changed hands?
What is the best company in your opinion?
Many thanks, Angela
July 30th, 2004 at 12:01 pm
Does anyone have experience of Staybrite? I had a very polite and courteous sales rep round, quoted 5.5k for two half-glazed entrance doors plus patio window and one small (2ft x 1ft)window with pilk K glass. Does this sound reasonable? I don’t mind paying if the quality and service is good.
Many thanks, Eileen
July 30th, 2004 at 3:54 pm
i signed a contract for a conservatory at same time as ordering windows which i paid cash . after making a mess of my windows and damaging my home icancelled the conservatory, they have sued me for breach of contract, ihave no conservatory of them and they froze my bank account to get my money, have i the rite to cancell this please help
July 30th, 2004 at 4:54 pm
I have found this website hilarious. I am a female rep for Everest Ltd and I agree with the other sales people on one thing that no one that doesnt buy on the night ever rings back. However when I do the job I dont lower the price 1 hundred times and ring my boss before trying for the close. I show the product well give plently of consise information on funding and give one genuine discount to give a bottom line price and ask for yes or no. I am one of the top reps in my league and my customers love me. Its does hwoever help that I wolk for the best most long established company though!
August 2nd, 2004 at 5:30 pm
Sofie - Well you deserve a pat on the back then. Maybe you should transfer to your companies training dept’ or better still go freelance and train the likes of Weatherseal and earn more than your commision pays now.
I disagree with you though - If I was happy with 1) the sale rep (and thier attitude - first impressions last) 2) the product and 3) the price, then I would have no problem in calling back even if it was a couple of weeks later.
Today I had the displeasure of a Weatherseal salesman who turned up 1 hour late. I didn’t even get a telephone call. I wanted to reschedule but he insisted on being only 15 minutes so I gave the guy a chance. Bad mistake! 45 minutes later and several assurances that he was doing me a favour with the figures and 2 rediculous calls to his manager I stood my ground and said No for the 10th time. I explained I just wanted a quote for windows and doors and that I was going to shop around like any normal person would and compare. Well my reluctance to sign up to the Show Home deal and the finance agreement meant that 6 windows, 1 front door and 1 patio door came to £11.5k. Hmmmmmmmm, I think not!
I didn’t even get a goodbye from this guy - he walked out of my home like a child who was about to cry, clutching his phone and dialing his manager!
We were pleasant enough, gave him a chance, but really - is there anyneed for this kind of sales technique?
August 6th, 2004 at 7:40 pm
Sofie - Well you deserve a pat on the back then. Maybe you should transfer to your companies training dept’ or better still go freelance and train the likes of Weatherseal and earn more than your commision pays now.
I disagree with you though - If I was happy with 1) the sale rep (and thier attitude - first impressions last) 2) the product and 3) the price, then I would have no problem in calling back even if it was a couple of weeks later.
Today I had the displeasure of a Weatherseal salesman who turned up 1 hour late. I didn’t even get a telephone call. I wanted to reschedule but he insisted on being only 15 minutes so I gave the guy a chance. Bad mistake! 45 minutes later and several assurances that he was doing me a favour with the figures and 2 rediculous calls to his manager I stood my ground and said No for the 10th time. I explained I just wanted a quote for windows and doors and that I was going to shop around like any normal person would and compare. Well my reluctance to sign up to the Show Home deal and the finance agreement meant that 6 windows, 1 front door and 1 patio door came to £11.5k. Hmmmmmmmm, I think not!
I didn’t even get a goodbye from this guy - he walked out of my home like a child who was about to cry, clutching his phone and dialing his manager!
We were pleasant enough, gave him a chance, but really - is there anyneed for this kind of sales technique?
August 6th, 2004 at 7:41 pm
Oopps - excuse the 3 posts!
August 6th, 2004 at 7:43 pm
OOppps - a bit trigger happy there with 3 posts!
August 6th, 2004 at 7:45 pm
If you are not in a hurry to buy, and want one of the national company’s to fit your windows, wait untill January befor you ask for a quote. This is the best time to get a good price because this is always a slow time for sales, and the large company’s financally need to keep sales going even when the market is slow.
August 6th, 2004 at 8:05 pm
Angela expect around £10350 plus around £800 for extra work on the bays
August 7th, 2004 at 3:03 pm
Thanks for all your comments, especially Basher’s price estimate. I really appreciate this website - it has been a breath of fresh air after two weeks of quite obnoxious and underhand sales talk.
I would like to say to Sophie - what absolute drivel. If you went to buy a car would you buy the first one you looked at? Of course not. It is pure common sense to get a few quotes, price up various companies, assess what the difference is between products and sales techniques etc. etc. I have had four three major companies, Everest, BAC and Anglian and not one has tried to get me to sign on the day, nor would I have any intention of doing so.
Secondly, re Weatherseal. I had an appt booked for two weeks. I confirmed before I went on holiday. The day before, having booked two hours off work to be here, they rang to check I would be in. They wanted to know if my partner would be here too. I said no, he cannot take two hours off as well - they would be dealing with me. And guess what? In 21century I was told that unless my partner was there with me to approve the purchase, they couldn’t come! I was aghast. I am an intelligent 40 something women, a chartered psychologist, and they said that people (i.e. women) change their minds once they have spoken with their men and so they only saw people in partnership together!! Have you ever heard anything like it? Needless to say, I wrote a scornful letter to the governing body and had several calls thereafter trying to rearrange. What a joke of a company.
I shall await all the quotes and thanks once again Basher, fingers crossed it is not too far over that!
regards
Angela
August 7th, 2004 at 4:44 pm
I understand everyone’s opinions on not wanting to sign on the day all I meant is from the salespersons point of view you might get one call back a year from someone who hasnt bought on the day and this is the general experience of not just me but of the few hundred staff in my company and many others I know too…I’d like to leave everyone an open ended quote for as long as poss but in most cases it just wouldn’t work…I guess you have to be in the job to understand! The other funny thing is that people don’t beleive that discounts end when you say they do. If you go to Allders and there is a TV with 50% off you can’t just stroll in and buy it 3 weeks later when the discount has ended. Sure we have year round discounts but they do end and change all of the time and thats why we give deadlines I quoted someone 40% the other day and he was amazed when I said we are now back to 30% and actually went through with it.
Regarding Weatherseal I spent 3 hours on Friday and 3 hours on Saturday with a lady who is taking them to court as they did the most awful work on her home and forgot the even seal the windows in!! If anyone is thinking of buying from them I will give you her details and you will soon change your mind!
I am doing lots of alarm sales now which I really enjoy…how do people find those salespeople? I am interested in your comments as I have done a security course and I get a totally different response from people when I sell alarms.
Sofie
August 9th, 2004 at 6:17 pm
Angela who did you choose after your 4 quotes?
August 9th, 2004 at 6:18 pm
Angela sorry this comment might be too late but BAC are not the BAC of old you are right one of their ex-members of staff works with me now and although they are advertising and making themself sound quite big they were in fact last time I heard in administration although still giving out quotes!
August 9th, 2004 at 6:21 pm
Sophie, I haven’t chosen anyone! I am still waiting to hear - is this normal? I did have a man around (recommended on this site,) from the National Replacement Window Advisory Service and he suggested that none would get back to me as they all knew I had other quotes coming in. Surely this cannot be true? I have spent almost 10 hours with salespeople and have yet to receive a written quote from any of them, even a follow up call from most, and only a one telephone quote from BAC for £18,000+. Do you think my being a psychologist put them off? I am at a loss now - all your ex-salespeople out there, can you tell me- do you really expect people to get only one quote and would someone like me, with a few questions and other estimates, put you off giving me a quote? I would have thought that three weeks is long enough!!
August 9th, 2004 at 11:12 pm
p.s. Sophie, you are right. I did a company check on BAC and they have a pretty unhealthy background. However, neighbours of ours got their windows done by them last year and they do look good - they are also the only ones to have come back to me, albeit with a telephone quote so far of £18,000+ which is far too high, basing it on Basher’s guestimate.
Will let you know what happens and who gets to do them, if anyone!
August 9th, 2004 at 11:14 pm
Hi - back on the board after some absence! Our windows have now been installed by a local company and we are very happy with the product and the price, around £7.5K. They were too late getting back with a quote for the conservatory (6 wks) and came in higher than Anglian eventually.
Conservatory work starting next week so will keep people posted. Incidentally we have been inundated with unwanted mailings from flooring, furniture and blinds companies and don’t know how our name got passed on!………..
August 12th, 2004 at 3:41 pm
OK it seems as though this whole discussion isn’t going to die down. Great stuff. To better facilitate this post I’ve created a forum. Noval idea huh? Well some of you will like it, others will resent having to register but this page is going to start getting pretty big if I don’t control it somehow. I’m not too keen on creating a ‘part3′ so, please see this new forum as the new home for all your comments: http://www.guyweb.co.uk/forums/viewforum.php?id=1
Comments are now closed.
Enjoy.
August 13th, 2004 at 4:44 pm
Hmm, a very interesting discussion.
I work for a major d/g firm in sales.
And a few things on here have really shocked me.
The first, Zenith? what a loada rubbish.
If you believe all these ‘different’ people that keep posting that they’re the best product and the best value for money then you’re stupider then they are!
Lets not go by what I think, but what the Independant Which Report said.
They said that there was only 1 national double glazing firm worthy of a Star rating, only 1 national double glazing firm actually offered anything different to the smaller local firms, and they basically said that unless you got to the firm they said was the best, then you might aswell go with the local firm.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Zenith, for 2 reasons:
The first: I love it if they have quoted before me. It means I can go in and not disapoint the customer like they have through their tacky sales pitch, and high pressure sales.
The second: After the short period of time where the windows they have sold have become faulty the customers only want to deal with a company with a good reputation. Like the company I work for.
This is an important fact you shouldn’t forget!
Most national firms fitters are paid commission. Rather than per window, or per hour.. they get paid a % of the jobs value. So for example. If your windows cost you 10,000, they may get 10% between two of them.. 500 each. However, with companies like Anglian giving their products away because of their financial trouble the job maybe only cost you 10,000, but should cost 15,000! good for you you think? NO! that means that the fitters are going to be 500 pounds out of pocket. 250 each! Why are they going to spend the 5 days on your house to fit the windows when in reality, they are only gettin paid for 3 days..
This is why there are so many horror stories out there.
As for people coming on here saying their company is the best.. there is only 1 company that can officially advertise that they are the best. It’s their slogan.
They may also be owned by the same people that own another firm, but I re-assure you they have nothing to do with eachother.
Just like Mcdonalds and Burger king.. same owners..
January 13th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
hi all!
my name is neil, and i work for anglian windows (chester). rather than attempting to excuse my company on this site, i invite anybody that lives within the north west region that has a problem in any way with anglian (fitting or otherwise), to contact me on 01244 373 632. i will try my best to help in any way possible, (incl. ‘no pressure quotes’). hopefully i can help restore your faith in what i consider to be the best in the industry- and i’ve worked for a few!
February 21st, 2006 at 9:32 pm
Hi there,
Is there any truth in a bit of gossip I have just heard that Anglian windows are going into/or are in receivership???
Im a bit concerned as i have a pending order.
March 2nd, 2006 at 7:13 pm
Hi my name is Jamie Morgan and i work as a marketing manager for Anglian Home Improvements. After extensive reading through this website, yes i had a few chuckles along the way but, I am most disappointed that anyone here has had “issues” with without a shadow of a doubt the best home improvements company out there. Being established as a national co. for 40 years we have well over a million satisfied and very pleased customers.The one thing I cant understand is your naivity as consumers! Surely you people no the old story of double glazing salesman and second hand car salesmen. If not why not its been advertised enough! I have worked for a few companies, Staybrite Windows, Goldseal UK and of course Anglian having experience in a range of fields from initial canvassing and sales. Our service is second to none compared to alot of others and I agree you get a more personal touch from a local builder, however look at thee client base Anglian have got! Surely if anyone had complaints you would contact the installation department?? If you bought a faulty product from Tesco you wouldnt take it back to the checkout for a refund??? You would go to customer services??? Therefore why go back to the sales department when you have problems with the installation? As for any rumours that Anglian are going or have gone onto recievership it is utter bullsh*t and funnily enough thoughs rumours were started by a major competetor. I ask how can a National company profitting £300 MILLION a year go into recievership? The ONLY other product which could be compared to Anglian’s is and Everest window but has less of a spec i.e security factors. Yes the trade department exists within Anglian and as to someones comment earlier the best time to buy from Anglian is before january! Its November from a customer point of view. The reason being is Their is less work being fitted in january so they put the most amount of discount on in november to increase this!Any body who has queries or questions or just generally disagrees with anything i say dont hestitate to email me back at jamiemorgan1@yahoo.co.uk.
Yours
Jamie Morgan
March 11th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
help had my windows out 5 times lots and lots of remakes still after one year they are taking them out again help the company is ANGLIGAN WINDOWS
March 12th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Basher (or anyone else) …
What is baseline figure for upvc double glazed sash windows ?
March 26th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
Can anyone help? Anglian Windows will not give any help for windows older than 10 years, saying they don’t have the parts.(And being pretty snotty too).
Is there an enterprising fitter who has some of these old parts and isn’t scared of going up a ladder to fit them?
We have UPvc windows fitted summer 1988, which makes them 18 years old.
The glazing is fine, but the sliding parts holding the glazed part to the frame (on the openable windows, naturally) are in many cases broken, and have been for many years.These are little nylon blocks which run in metal channels. The blocks themselves are rivetted to the pantograph arms (sorry, technical)which hold the openable part of the window set, and which enable it to be opened and shut.
Is there an enterprising fitter who has some of these old parts and isn’t scared of going up a ladder to fit them?
April 1st, 2006 at 12:48 pm
Quick update: I have since had very constructive discussions with Anglian, who have now understood and taken on our problem and may well solve it, so the initial communications problem should be buried. I will keep this site updated with our progress, but if there is a knowledgeable fitter who has some of these old parts, please do reply …
April 5th, 2006 at 10:42 pm
Ok, I apologise ahead of time for the long post. As someone who’s been working for Zenith for about 3 months, you can take or leave my comments as you please. Yes I am biased, but I am also as honest as I can be.
ANY rep comes to give you a presentation, ask to look over copies of the warranties and customer certification packs. If there is any small print, dont buy. If they are’nt carrying specimen packs, throw them out - they are confidence men. If the warranties are not backed by a third party fund, think carefully.
I dont run down other companies - but find that many other companies reps run down Zenith with outright lies about the quality, service, etc. I will say that the only other window I have seen that approaches our quality is from Everest, but I personally consider ours superior.
The commission structures someone quoted earlier are ludicrous - the base quoted is way higher than reality, and the overcosting is untrue ( if we overcost by too much, it gets returned to the customer. If we overcost regularly, we are disciplined or fired. If we undercost, it comes out of our wages - and if we try to meet a budget that is way too low, the manager may take a chance on an undercosting in order to meet his targets, so we wont even get paid).
As far as the surveyor goes, dont believe what was said earlier. With zenith, the surveyor is a real check on the measurements of the rep, and his measurements are essential to the manufacture - I’ve had a couple of deals cancelled because I was slightly under maeasured, and the customer didn’t believe the surveyor, and was furious when the company cancelled cause they would’nt cough up an additional 65 quid. ( on an 7500 contract…) Thats the COMPANY cancelling, not the customer. think they’d do that if there was any possible profit in it?. Sometimes it’s something as simple as us forgetting to price in toughened glass on one window. Or the cost of removing asbestos from roofline, cause the customer talked me into believing they ddn’t have it. Now I allways quote with it, as I know if it isn’t present, the customer gets a refund for that bit.
Now I don’t come from a sales backround. I’m a computer geek. I never thought I’d be able to sell anything. I went for the interview at zenith cause I thought it’d be good practice for a job interview. The HR person simply showed me the sample and video we show customers - and I realised this was something I could sell, because I believed in the quality.
The security is second to none, and I’ve seen a lot of different companies glazing - my parents had just had one of the other big names fitted. Yes zenith is higher priced ( but not always the highest) but I believe it’s worth it.
If you arrange an appointment with a Zenith rep, be prepared for about 2-3 hours. Thats not fiddling, thats how long it takes to show someone about the company & the product, answer all the questions and do the designs. Know what you want ahead of time - if he/she is a good rep, and you tell them you are working towards a budget, they will suggest ways to economise on the designs. If you know what your budget is and are realistic it will help. (I’ve just given a demo to a couple who wanted a powered garage door, 7 windows and 2 doors… with a budget of 2.5K, which they only admitted at the end. As it’s a new build extension, we cant do just part of it. By the time I’d done the demo, they really wanted what we had.. we just couldn’t help them. I spent an extra hour with them, just trying to make things more affordable by modifying designs and options. )
And above all, dont be surprised to be asked for a commitment on the night. Its true that if left to think about it, people dont call back. Maybe 1 in a hundred will. If you do call back , dont be surprised to have to pay a higher price - I don’t know about other companies, but Zenith’s showhome offer is real .( We’re voluntarily audited by OFT & trading standards about 3 times a year to make sure it is… who else can say that?…..)
Also, you may be wary of credit, but take a hard, long look at the funding package available - it’s not a con. Read it carefully. When you sign up, take the details into the bank, and ask if they can do better (remember, with Zenith, you can sign up on finance, but there is no interest accrued untill after you have signed off on the fit - so you can get a bank loan to cover it, and just hand over the cheque on fitting, and it’s the same price as cash. Dont get the loan then pay before fit - it involves a lot more paperwork in transferring the contract to a different payment method, and you loose all the insurance that you get for free with the funding package. Paying on the day of fit costs not a penny extra. If you can, before the meeting, take a look at your monthly income and outgoings, and figure out how much you can *really* spare per month without problems. If it’s only £20, you need to cut down on expenses before you can even consider new windows…
Above all, consider this - your house is probably the biggest single investment of your life. How much does it cost? 150K ? now, what does that actually buy you?
Land. 4 walls. Power sockets. Heating. Water. Roof. Kitchen. Bathroom. Doors and windows.
divide it up… land 60k, Kitchen - a good one about 12k. Bathroom & heating about 6k. Walls joinery and electrics - look at bricks and rates. about 30k. Roof about 30k .
Check those prices with self-build publications - they’re about accurate for a 150K house with a *good* bathroom and a luxury kitchen. Whats left? windows and doors and internal decorations. Amount left ? 10K . So a complete set of double glazed windows and doors that should last you 35 years or more should be about 10k in a 150k house. If you pay less, you either got a bargain (well done,but that rep probably didn’t make a penny) or you *thought* you were getting a bargain, but you have something that will last 5-12 years, not 30+, and the ones who sold it to you are laughing all the way to the bank. Recycled PVC is one quarter the cost of “virgin” PVC, and thats likely a big part of the difference - with its stabibility and colour issues, you truly do get what you pay for.
There are a *few* small companies who do cheap, good work, with good materials - and a real warranty. But they are very difficult to identify, and in todays market, they may not even be there in a couple of years time.
Sorry for the rant - theres just a lot of misinformation that I’d lilke to correct here.
April 12th, 2006 at 3:12 am
Does anyone know if Anglian and Zenith are working together? What is Bowater Home Improvements because they both appear under this name when you type it into Google.
My dad has been hounded relentlessly by these two companies and they seem to be working side by side. My father is in his eighties and lives alone. He is a vulnerable target and they seem to recognise this fact by the way they continuously call and knock on his door without any prior arrangements. They thrive on my dad’s lack of assertiveness - he often lets them in so as not to appear rude and then they stay for hours. He then feels guilty about not giving them some sort of recognition for their time. He does say no thank you but he just gets ignored and before he knows it they are crawling all over the house measuring up and demanding signatures.
I have intervened with Zenith. I have asked Head Office in Norwich to send me a written assurance that he will no longer be targeted. The letter came back that he would not receive any further calls. He then got the usual cold call at the front door by a bloke he described as a ‘rotweiler’. I contacted the top man at Zenith again. He has sent me a further creepy letter assuring me that no more cold calling will occur. Three days later - Anglian phone - its the rotweiler from Zenith saying he has decided Zenith are too expensive and he can offer this deal with Anglian now. Luckily my dad hung up. Are they linked under this Bowater group? Does this mean that when they appear to be competing with each other’s quotes they are actually both to benefit from a successful sale? Does anyone else agree that this is really immoral? Is it legal?
By the way - ANGLIAN WINDOWS - PLEASE TAKE NOTE, EVERYTHING I HAVE SAID TO ZENITH APPLIES TO YOU TOO. lEAVE HIM ALONE. HE IS A FRAIL OLD MAN. IF HE NEEDS NEW WINDOWS, HE HAS FIVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS WHO CAN ORGANISE THIS. YOU WILL NOT BE ON OUR LIST.
April 23rd, 2006 at 10:12 am
Zenith are not linked to Anglian in any way. I work for Zenith , and because you call from sequential dialling systems sometimes you do get a person thats already recieved a call(not tha canvassers fault can i just say)
zenith do however have a number where u can leave your name and address to be taken off their regional computer system which is 0800137659
i hope this helps you and your dad , because i cant speak for Anglian but Zenith definately do NOT set out to target vunerable older people
(but i must say watch out for supremo glaze because i used to worlk for them and they used to TELL us to target old people , and it was obviously immoral things like this which made me switch to a more legitimate company.
sorry on behalf of Zenith again , hope this post helps .
April 25th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
We signed the contract for an Anglian conservatory in April 05 and they started building in September 05. Its been one disaster after another and the conservatory is still not finish (nearly into May 06). Luckily we’ve only paid 50% of the final price, but the amount of personal effort we’ve had to put into this project ourselves is phenomenal. Anglian employed incompetent teams of builders and fitters who were in some cases carrying out jobs that they were not even trained to do. Anglian also failed to supervise and monitor the work and consequently the standard of work was appalling in many areas. We’ll not be paying another penny and all I can say is that I’m looking forward to the day when Anglian try taking us to court.
April 26th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
Had Weatherseal out last week giving me the spiel regarding windows and a new french door. Since they were not interested in giving quotes valid for a certain time but only deals on the day I asked them to leave. After reading post here I am now looking for a local company. Does anyone now of a reputable replacement window company in the Greater Glasgow area?
April 28th, 2006 at 10:50 am
Left Anglian after nearly 20years.Could not work for them any more.Just to let you know that Anglian makes a 60% profit on retail work and only 5% on contracts.So even if you get a discount of 50% you can still make a better saving by haggling. Don’t believe the salesman when he keeps phoning the offices up, he already knows what he can give you or not give you.
May 3rd, 2006 at 7:44 pm
Well, we had Anglian in the other day for a quote on the windows and doors for our house. It comprised of 2 bay windows, 9 normal windows, a French door and front and back door. Anyway, he went through his usual spiel for nearly an hour and a half then went on that the total cost would be £9.5K. Then he went on about how we could get it for about £5,600 if we opt for the Gold Account and pay monthly (that’s if we pay according to his price structure). We said we’d think about it and let him know. Then he went on about how we’ll only get the 30% discount