How to Choose a Window Company

The best way to choose a window company is to judge it on the survey, the written quote and the guarantee rather than on the price alone: a proper company measures every opening itself, puts the full specification in writing, explains who will fit the windows and backs the work with a clear guarantee. If any of those are vague, keep looking.

When people search for window companies near them, they usually want someone local who will turn up, do the job well and still answer the phone later. This guide sets out what to look for, from the first call to the day the last frame is sealed.

The survey tells you most of what you need

A good surveyor measures each opening individually, looks at the condition of the reveals and sills, asks how you use each room and talks through options rather than pushing one product. Be wary of a figure given from photographs alone, or a price that drops sharply if you sign on the day. Pressure selling is a sign the price had room built into it from the start.

What a written quote should include

Comparing quotes only works when they describe the same job. If one quote is much cheaper, check it line by line against the others before assuming it is the better deal.

• A line for each window with its size, style and opening arrangement
• Frame material, colour and glazing specification
• Hardware, trickle vents and any safety glass required
• Removal and disposal of the old frames and making good
• Who handles building regulations sign off
• Payment terms and what the guarantee covers

Ask who will actually fit the windows

Some companies sell and survey but pass the installation to whoever is free. Others keep the same team from survey to completion. Neither is automatically wrong, but you should know which you are getting and who to call if something needs adjusting after fitting.

Guarantees and paperwork

A guarantee is only as good as the business behind it, so ask exactly what is covered and for how long: frames, sealed units, hardware and workmanship can all be treated differently. Replacement windows in England normally need building regulations compliance, either through a registered installer or the local authority, and you should receive the certificate once the job is complete. Keep it with your house documents, because it is requested when you sell.

Our own windows carry a 10 year guarantee, and every survey is free with no obligation.

Local knowledge matters

Houses on the coast face salt and driving rain, older towns are full of conservation areas and listed buildings, and rural properties often have openings that are anything but square. A company that works locally will know which products cope with exposed elevations and when planning permission or listed building consent is likely to be needed. We work across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset from Cranbrook near Exeter, and we will tell you if respraying or repairing your existing windows is a better answer than replacing them.

Questions people ask