How to Get the best price and the best windows / doors / sunroom

Thinking of getting new windows-doors-Sunroom. Than keep reading and make sure you get the best windows at the best price.

1 : Style of window & door It is your house and your style. while it is good to get some ideas from your supplier remember his taste may not be the same as yours PLUS some suppliers may try and guide you towards a cheaper style for him to make but will not give you the discount. Also his suppliers might have special offers on some door styles or colors. He may than try and guide you towards these styles but he will still charge you full price. So in short you pick the style that you want and not the person supplying the windows

2 : Know what you are being priced for One PVC window is not the same as another. They might look similar but the price of some materials can be a lot cheaper to buy than others. Below is a few thing to watch out for.

Fully Welded (This means cross bars joints as well ) Mechanical joints are faster and cheaper to fabricate

Internal glazed (This Means Glass Can Only Be taken out from the inside)

External glazed is the older system and is cheaper to manufacture.

Locks (cheapest style is cockspur handle) - (Espage Locking System Most common locks used today ) - (Shoot bolt Locking System Used by a lot and is a bit more expensive)

Window handles :There are many different types of handle on the market today. The best way to know if you are getting a good handle or not is to ask to see one. Just by holding the handle in your hand will tell a lot. Also you have locking handles and non locking handles

Glass type Different types of double glazing have different U-Values the lower the U-Value the better it is at keeping in the heat But also the different types are different prices so make sure everyone is price the type of glass with the same u-value.

Window certMost windows come with a cert now just like washing machines A being the best. But Remember just because a window has an A rated cert it does not mean it is the best. As the locking systems & Handles have nothing to do with getting the A Rated Cert and if the window is external or internal glazed also makes no different to the cert.

Below is a sample as to what you should be asking for when getting a price for a window this way you will know that everyone is pricing the same thing.

White pvc window fully welded & Internal Glazed with espage locking systems & Locking handles Glass is to have a u-value of 1.3 or less. (Plus ask what rating the whole window is A being the best)

3 DoorsJust like windows different types mean different prices

Type of door lock most common types used on PVC & composite doors

(4 cam roller lock cheapest) (Roller cam and hook lock this lock is more expensive)

Color of door handles if you don't ask for a specific color the cheapest one will be put on alsohinges different colors are also different prices

4 :Dumping of old Windows & Doors Always ask about this as the dumping of the old windows & doors can cost a few hundred. Sometimes this is left of the quote and you only find out about just before the job starts.

Now that you know what style and type of window & door you want its time to get your quote

5 : Get 3 Quotes You should always get at least three quotes and one of the quotes should be from some one not in your area. The reason you do this is because most window companies know each other and would also would have a good idea how the other one prices things. Plus what can happen some times is that two window company in the same area might know each other well enough to compare prices. So one person will put in an extra high price and the other will beat it by a couple of hundreds it seems you are getting a great deal but in fact you are still paying way over the top for your windows. So to make sure this does not happen it is wise to get a quote from outside your area.

6 : Ring Back Once you have your three quotes you still are not finished. You now have to ring each one of them back and give them a second change. Don't be shy about doing this as this part can save you hundreds sometimes even a thousand or more depending on the size of the job. All you have to do is tell each one of them that another company has beating your price and would you like to have a look at quote again. you will find that all three can drop there price. How much you can get them to drop depends on you and how good you are talking. If you are not a confident talker it might be better to get a friend or a relative to do this part as this can be the biggest saving. Don't worry about the window companies they are well used to this and are doing it on a daily basis.

Tips when talking to the sales person

* Never tell them what some one else quoted don't even give them a ruff idea. Because all they will do is price a few quid under them.

* Don't tell them the names of the other people that are quoting the job. Because if they do know them they will also know what way they price jobs.

* If they ask you how much you are thinking of spending on the job. Don't tell them. Just ask them to price what you want first and than you will decide when you have all the quotes back. Because if they know how much you have to spend they will price the job to suit your budget even do the job might of being a lot cheaper and all you will have is three quotes to suit your budget instead of getting the best price.

* Don't let them put pressure on you to hand over a deposit. Just tell them that you must talk to the other companies first before you make up your mind.

* Remember No matter how nice the sales person is they or not your friend. This is their job and the main part of there job is to get as much money as possible out of you. So don't let how nice the sales person is, affect your final decision.