I was browsing the industry websites on Monday night – as you do – and saw a couple of adverts which said “extended guarantee”. It made my head scratch a bit.
I think we are all of the opinion that when it comes to guarantees, our industry is lumbered with one of the longest ones when it comes to home improvement products and other products bought for the home or put on the drive. There has also been a lot of open criticism about the length of the guarantees we offer as companies. The reason being that the longer the guarantee the longer the potential financial drain on the company when it comes to maintaining the products.
Now some will argue that if your product is good enough then why not offer a longer guarantee? Well I’ll argue that if your products are good enough to outlast the guarantee, then why nail yourself to the cross and offer an ‘extended guarantee’ or anything over ten years! If the quality of your product is good enough and it is installed correctly then there is no reason why your windows and doors won’t last for 35 years or more. So why offer guarantees over ten years?
Companies are always going to get call backs on their work. When you fit hundred or thousands of jobs a year, there will always be a % of jobs where you have to go back to attend remedial work. This costs money. The wages for the service engineer, the replacement parts if required, fuel and so on. Why burden yourself or the company with going back for say, two decades, to repair a window or door that get hammer every day of the year?
Look at other major goods:
- Electronics – 12 months
- Cars – 3 to 7 years depending on manufacturer
- Sofas – 3 years
- White goods – 12 months to 3 years on average
The consumer base is used to having smaller guarantees on other goods they buy. And they are also used to the window industry giving a ten year guarantee as standard. I know the temptation to offer a longer guarantee as a USP is there, but it only places a further financial obligation on the business in an industry where work is becoming ever more competitive and profit margins are being squeezed.
We’ve only ever offered a 10 year guarantee on our products and we’re having our best year in five years – so regular length guarantees work and we have had no complaints from our customers about the length of the guarantees we offer.
We really do need to be making it easier for ourselves in our industry. A lot of the problems and complaints we cause! We know what is wrong but we keep on making the same mistakes and doing nothing about it!
We install more fascias than windows the board that we use ( Freefoam plastic building products ) now come with a 50 year guarantee.
Wow! Why though?
There’s nothing to go wrong with the fascia boards if its uPVC(e); the only thing that may happen is incorrect fitting or impact damage, all of which will not be covered by the 50 year guarantee.
We give a ten year guarantee on fitting, 5 years on sealed units and manufacturer guarantee on hardware.
i personally know of companies in my area that offer a ten year guarantee but charge to go and service conservatories; ie: if a leak occurs… so basically they don’t have a guarantee at all.
boilers !! most necessary part of the home next to good windows …..12 months and break down every to minutes. most pvc products are mostly just that ..PVC , and the that isn’t gong anywhere ever. the problem lies when 1 company decides to go that bit further than the others and with the glazing industry constantly trying to clean and upgrade its image the others will follow. as like for like quotes and like for like materials need beating as we all state. free foam seem to go the furthest and we use them but there is small print… Read more »
Yes but, a car, sofa or white goods etc…are just that – goods. They are a physical item that is tangible (not that a window isn’t) and you use them until they run out, and then you no longer use them. A window – is not that simple. You are changing a part of your property which in most cases will have set you back hundreds of thousands of pounds. People want to know that something that is going to have such a big impact on something they have quite possibly spent their life savings on is going to last.… Read more »
I’d like to think that replacing your windows and doors won’t clear out someones life savings. A decent sized house full of windows and doors can cost between £6-£10k. A decent sized family car will command prices of £15k-£18k. Yet windows carry a much longer guarantee!
The car has a tangible resale value that the windows don’t have.
If house was sold re sale value would obviously be more having nice windows than say crittall metal frame with single glazed glass.
And also, it is unlikely (especially in this day and age) that someone would keep a sofa, fridge or car for 20 years….much more likely a window or door.
:( no response
No, I meant purchasing a house would clear someone’s life savings. And a window is something that you are inputting into that house, something permanent that can’t be changed without considerable cost. Cars can be sold on. Invalid argument. But no response.
Hello? Thought this was meant to be the place for debate???? Anyone out there? Boring lot.
I think guarantees are definitely far too long for windows, anon, they are a completely different animal. you need to look at things from a businss point of view.
I agree 10 years too long.
I fitted door 5 years ago and lock mech broke.Customer phoned so went and discovered casting broken in lock.
Ordered new one from 7 days fine.
Returned and fitted it.
Asked customer for £40.00 as lock guaranteed but not labour.She refused so obviously out of pocket.
Leaves bad taste and customer not happy.
Sure fitters had similar experience.
Same with units 5 year guarantee but no compensation to remove old one and fit new.
Always on losing side.