How Not To Install Fascias: Video

Like the pictures, there isn't much I need to say to explain this video. Please leave your comments, I'm sure there will be a few on this one.


P.S. I had to chop this video down as Facebook, Blogger and YouTube were having problems uploading all 30 minutes of it. And I'd like to point out that there wasn't much extra work done after the end of the video.

How Not To Run Your Business

Once upon a time we had a couple of fitters who decided to leave us to start their own business in the double glazing world. They set out with good intentions, determined to do as well as possible by under-pricing and over promising.


This worked well for a while as customers were tempted by the lower costs and the promise of excellent fitting. But as the months and early years drifted by, the stack of unhappy customers began to pile up. They were unhappy with poor fitting, poor time keeping and jobs not being completed either on time or not at all. It got to the point where one particularly well off customer threatened to sue them.


Does that story sound familiar? The downfall of the industry is that it is full of ex-fitters who think they can run their own business because they can buy and fit windows and doors. But they forget that they have to guarantee their work, see to remedial calls and be skilled in the customer services department. Unfortunately those last three things are ignored, hence the cowboy image the window industry has given itself.


Until legitimate companies do their best to force these shambolic operations out, we are going to suffer from fly-by-night companies for the foreseeable future. Rob Foy to the rescue I reckon! 

New Zealand Suffering From Rogue Double Glazing Firm

It looks like the double glazing industry's problem of rogue companies isn't just a UK based one. This is an article from New Zealand which made TV headlines:

A Christchurch double glazer has come to the rescue of a woman left out of pocket by a rival company.

As reported on ONE News last night, Alie Van Der Lem from Sydenham was left hanging by the company Double Glaze It.

After saving for two years, Van Der Lem paid Double Glaze It a $1500 deposit in July last year. But her son Ron told ONE News that since then his mother has had nothing but excuses.

ONE News also talked to seven other people who say they paid money and haven't had their jobs finished.

After last night's news, Ron Van Der Lem was inundated with calls from others who said they had been stung by Double Glaze It. Some companies said they had lost more than $100,000.

A call was also received from another company, Energy Saving Centre, who have offered to do Alie Van Der Lem's double glazing for free. They say it will be completed within a month.

Blame game

The two men involved in Double Glaze It - Paul Harrow and Craig Young - are blaming each other for the company's problems.

Double Glaze It salesman Harrow said he came home to find eight tonnes of broken glass dumped in his driveway in what he claims is an act of intimidation.

"I've been accused of embezzling money; I haven't had any charges laid against me, so I presume he's [Young] trying to intimidate me," Harrow said.

Harrow no longer works for the company and says the money from the customers went into Young's account. Young claims Harrow has siphoned off the money.

The police are aware of the case but said they would only investigate if a significant number of people come forward.

The report is courtesy of www.tvnz.co.nz

There Are More Important Things!

Over the past hour I've been watching 'Cowboy Builders' on Channel 5 (it's the only decent programme on there!). The way some builders go about their business is appalling. Their workmanship gives the rest of the home improvement a bad name.


The main case this episode was focusing on was a woman who bought a council house, who was a single mother of 4 who was building this extension to look after her terminally ill friend. She employed a company to build the extension who left the building unsafe and in an absolute state. She then employed another builder to put things right, who also ripped her off to the tune of £26,000. The she found out that she had 1m deep foundations filled with soil, old bricks and a bucket, instead of concrete. These problems are serious, and potentially fatal.


Now what annoys me is the way customers react, or rather over-react, if they have a slight mark in a unit, or a door has dropped a couple of times. These are menial, minute little tasks which require 10 minutes of work and a reasonable and measured response by the customer. But as we all know customers can be quite the opposite!


Dear general public: when you have problems as described in paragraph two, then it is reasonable to start shouting!

Dodgy Rooflines

There is always one thing that gets me gears grinding, and that’s the white van men fitting soffits and fascias. What’s extremely frustrating is that the many of the reputable companies out there are losing so many jobs because of them. The reason? Scaffolding. I've never seen one single tower used when I've seen an installation carried out by a white van man. For the larger companies, or the companies who care about health and safety and want to remain in business, we have to price for scaffolding, which, depending on the size of the house could be upwards of £1000. So when the customer has two quotes, one of which is significantly cheaper, but from a guy who he/she probably won't ever see again the minute something goes wrong, price will always win in the end.

This isn't then helped by the rising number of 'travelers' deciding it's a good idea to enter this trade. Just like the men in white un-marked vans, they'll supply a dirt cheap price, not give a thought to the health and safety laws or scaffolding requirements, and so force out all the reputable companies giving quotes to the same customer. I don't know why we all don't do anything about it. We should all be shopping these cowboys. These are the people who drag our name through the mud and steal valuable business from those companies who price through the normal channels and carry out work according the latest rules and health and safety regulations.