Rather than giving the UK reasons to be hopeful, the new Labour government has painted a rather dour and miserable picture about the fortunes of the UK economy. Keir Starmer delivered a speech last week which was about the most depressing thing I’ve seen from a new PM.
But away from the spending cuts and tax rises that are coming, our industry has to tune out the turmoil and remain focused on the areas of the industry that show the most potential not only for the rest of this year but at least the next two years.
This is my take on where we should be heading.
Aluminium internal doors
Origin OI30 aluminium internal door
This is an area that I have myself witnessed go from 0-100mph in very little time. The popularity of aluminium steel-look internal doors, like that of Origin’s OI30 range is immense.
Social media has played a huge role in this product. If you are on Instagram or Pinterest are you follow our sector’s manufacturers or home renovation accounts you will see aluminium internal doors all over the place. Influencers show them off as part of their renovations which serves only to supercharge demand for the same types of products.
It’s easy to see why they are popular. They look fantastic. Minimal frames, maximum glass, usually in Black and with sleek hardware, they turn what is normally a very boring purchase into an exciting one. They flood light between rooms and require no painting like timber internal doors do. The 1920’s steel-look is very much in demand right now and this particular product is perfectly placed to make the most of that.
Installers and indeed manufacturers should be looking at adding this product to their portfolios swiftly. Speaking from my own experience, we are selling aluminium internal doors on a very regular basis, making good margins on each sale and the end users are always over the moon when they are installed. The market for this product looks very strong for at least the next few years and would be a good new avenue to pursue if you haven’t done so already.
Flush PVCu windows
If we are to convince the public to part with their cash when times are tough, the reason has to be compelling enough. That means getting the customer to emotionally invest in the product. Flush PVCu windows I have found to be very good at doing so.
Casement windows simply do not generate the excitement flush PVCu does. In our showroom, where we display both casement and flush options, our clients naturally gravitate towards the flush options. We are guided by them, and to that end, I would estimate that more than half of the PVCu sold this year has been flush. That ratio continues to grow each year.
Flush PVCu windows are the biggest and most successful innovation in the PVCu product space in the last 15 years and it continues to grow. Their attractive appearance sets them against the traditional casement look and creates the desire for the homeowner. It is therefore able to command a higher price and better profit margin. As the sector will likely struggle for the next couple of years, this is one area that I think will continue to do very well.
Super-slim sliding doors
Back to the aluminium space – the market for super-slim aluminium sliding doors continues to grow. The trend of homeowners looking to maximise the glass area in their homes continues to rise and this is where aluminium sliding doors have the clear advantage.
PVCu sliders cannot achieve the skinny sightlines that aluminium can. Although the maximum sizes for PVCu sliding doors have become bigger over time, aluminium continues to be the dominant force in this area. With a number of products available in the market now with sightlines of just 20-30mm, aluminium sliding doors are able to give homeowners what they want for their renovation projects, which is an almost unbroken view to either their garden or other open spaces.
Whilst bi-folding doors can also give you that, they have to be opened to do so. Ideal when you have the weather, but this is Britain and we have seen this year, we don’t always get that much of a summer to take advantage of them. Sliders, with their significantly bigger spans and minimalist frames allow clients to max out their view and still get that indoor/outdoor feel.
The growth potential in this area is significant. Although large aluminium sliders are not the cheapest item to buy, if you can build up the desire and emotional attachment with the homeowner, installers should still be able to sell plenty of them in the next few years.
Flat skylights and lanterns
Although household budgets are going to be tight for a while, homeowners will still seek ways to brighten up their homes. A new extension is tens of thousands of pounds and is likely to be off the table as an option for many. However, for those homes that already have a flat roof extension, skylights and lantern roofs can be a cost-effective alternative.
There are millions of homes around the UK with flat roof extensions. I see this as a very open market with which to push the benefits of flat skylights and lantern roofs. The installation of the product is pretty simple, with the material cost of these roofs relatively inexpensive compared to other grander options. For a few thousand pounds a homeowner can flood their room with light and change the appearance externally and internally on a fairly quick turnaround.
My own personal favourite is the flat skylight. They are modern and allow unbroken views of the outside.
This continues to be a largely untapped area of the market with lots of upside potential. Installers would be wise to adopt these into their wider portfolio and engage in marketing to homeowners to educate them about this option and try and break into the flat roof market.
Outdoor living products
One area in which I have seen noticeable activity this year is in outdoor living products such as verandas, pergolas and canopies. As installers as well as manufacturers have sought to open up new revenue streams, outdoor living products have been a lot more visible this year.
During the COVID years, as we were spending a lot more time at home, products such as garden rooms became highly sought after as people required home office space, a gym or even a bar. Then we opened up and that focus seemed to ebb away slightly. However, with the economy now on a downward slope, installers have been revisiting these options once again.
My own view is that there is still a lot of potential in these products for installers. There is a lot of choice now for products such as pergolas and verandas, both as standalone structures or ones attached to a home. Homeowners are over conservatories, but they still like options that give them an indoor/outdoor feel. This is where a veranda or pergola ticks that box nicely. They are an aspirational product and look very sleek and sexy in aluminium. Whilst they are on the higher end of the price list, it is still cheaper than a new extension.
These are just five areas that our industry could attack to seek out new growth. There will be others. But we do need to get into that recessionary mindset, even if we do not technically end up in one. Homeowners are going to remain strapped for cash for the foreseeable future, however there are always areas of potential to exploit and we have to be agile enough to make that happen.
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