Planning a window upgrade in a bid to boost the energy efficiency and warmth of your home?
Double glazing isn’t cheap. In fact, if you were to replace all the double glazed windows in your house, it could cost as much as £6,000 or more. So you’ll want to make sure you’re making the right choice.
Double glazing decisions
We recently surveyed 2,239 Which? members and double glazing customers about their experiences with the company they used in the past five years.
Their ratings of well-known companies Anglian, Everest and Safestyle, and independents, showed a 30% difference between the best and worst double glazing companies.
But we also discovered that more than a third of members only got one quote for their double glazing. This could be because they had used the company before, or because it was recommended to them by a friend.
Either way, I was quite surprised – the more quotes you get, the better chance you have of choosing the right company and getting the best price.
We’ve also heard of instances of double glazing companies quoting a high price, and then dropping it dramatically over the period of the sales visit. Don’t let this sway you to sign on the spot – take your time to compare quotes.
It’s also worth taking a look at our double glazing prices page before getting quotes to find out how much different types of double glazing is likely to cost – the more information you are armed with, the less likely you’ll overpay.
Beware of the contract
Once you’ve chosen a firm, it’s important to know what to look for when it comes to signing the contact and your rights when buying double glazing in general.
If you buy standard-sized double glazing from a door-to-door trader, over the phone or online, they are legally obliged to provide you with certain information in writing, such as a description of the goods/services, the total price (inclusive of any additional charges known at the start), when the goods/services will be provided and your rights to cancel within 14 days, all of which they must adhere to.
However, in some circumstances, the company isn’t bound to provide as much detail, and you won’t have the same right to cancel. This applies when you’re getting made-to-measure double glazing, or enter into an ‘on-premises contract’.
This includes a situation where a trader has discussed the contract at your home, but you agree to enter into it at a later date, which applies to a lot of home improvement projects. What they do provide in writing is still legally binding, so ask for as much as possible. Some traders will also still offer a right to cancel, so check the contract.
What have your experiences with a double glazing company been like? Have you ever had a bad one?