The Factory and Head Offices of the Hazlemere Group were more than tripled in size in February 2010 by the purchase of another 38,000 square feet factory and offices next door to Hazlemere Window Company Ltd’s Bucks 18,000 square feet freehold headquarters in Wellington Road on the Cressex Business Park in High Wycombe, which incorporates a 4,000 square feet home improvements showroom that is open seven days a week.
This strategic purchase will enable the Hazlemere Group to expand their production of double glazed windows, doors and conservatories, whilst further improving efficiency and productivity by having all manufacturing under one roof. Not only will their high quality bespoke aluminium windows, doors, conservatories and curtain walling be able to made even faster to meet consumer demand, but also in greater quantities, making Hazlemere Window Company more competitive, and able to increase its already considerable market share in the region.
The first thing Hazlemere did after buying “next door” was to strip out the “new” premises, which in fact are quite old and were in very poor condition. So commenced a massive refurbishment programme which included replacing all the inefficient existing single glazed windows, with high quality double glazed energy efficient, energy saving commercial aluminium windows and doors manufactured by the Hazlemere Group in their existing Wellington Road factory.
Hazlemere Window Company Ltd had to re-plaster and re-wire many of the offices, in addition to putting in new heating, flooring, furniture, fixtures, fittings and new lighting. The new factory floor had to be totally stripped of existing tiles, made level and specially treated before Hazlemere could move in production equipment.
This purchase of the adjacent building means that Hazlemere Window Company is now the largest private property owner in Wellington Road. Not bad for an independently run family business 25 years old!?
CATEGORY|Conservatories, Windows & Doors
As part of their 25th Anniversary celebrations Hazlemere Window Company Ltd are holding a special Champagne & Bucks Fiizz Open Weekend on Saturday 8th May 2010 (10am – 4pm) and Sunday 9th May 2010 (10am – 1pm). Existing and would be customers can enjoy a glass of complimentary chilled Champagne, Wine, Bucks Fizz or a soft drink and/or a freshly made cup of real coffee.
By attending this event at Hazlemere Windows’s 4,000 square feet Bucks High Wycombe Showroom, customers can take advantage of Hazlemere’s genuine special offers, plus get “on-the-spot” estimates by bringing in their own window, door, awning, blinds, canopies or garage door measurements.
Alternatively, they can download the Hazlemere Quick Windows and Doors Estimator, fill in their requirements and dimensions and visit the experts in Hazlemere’s High Wycombe Showroom anytime seven days a week for an on the spot estimate or email their sizes to enquiries@hazlemere.co.uk and/or request a home visit from a Hazlemere expert consultant.
CATEGORY|Home Improvements
Here at Hazlemere Windows, Doors and Conservatories we have spent some considerable time developing our products in response to the proposed changes to Part L of the Building Regulations that are scheduled to come into effect on 1st October 2010. As soon as the Government formally announces these changes (which is supposed to be around Easter time), it will mean big changes for both property owners and the entire double glazing industry.
The proposed changes, if all adopted by the Government on 1st October 2010 (which is expected as they are a necessary part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions) will have wide ranging financial, legal, and timescale implications for every property owner in the UK who wants to replace windows or doors, build an extension or a conservatory or build a new house. Here at Hazlemere Windows head office and factory in High Wycombe, Bucks, we have been gearing up for these major changes for a fair period of time, as if enforced on 1st October 2010 as planned by the Government, they will make many double glazing products currently being sold in the UK obsolete overnight.
Consequently, Hazlemere has developed and had certified A, B and C rated aluminium and UPVC windows that will comply with the new regulations. These have a technically higher spec that D, E, F and G rated products, argon filled sealed units and higher specification glass and spacer bar. Consequently they do cost more to make, but in terms of energy efficiency and energy saving they are top notch, delivering the highest level of energy efficient performance.
The good news is that Hazlemere has been manufacturing and selling these products for years, so has the knowledge and expertise as independent double glazing manufacturers and installers to help home owners choose the right energy saving products for their property. In addition they have been tested and approved by the British Fenestration Rating Council and endorsed by the Energy Saving Trust. Hazlmere’s aluminium windows achieve an A, B and C energy rating by having a thermal break between the inner and outer aluminium frame.
Once the Government announcement on Part L of the Building Regulation changes is made, and all the detailed legal and financial ramifications known, both homeowners and the double glazing industry will know the cut off date for installing existing products, which as we understand it is likely to be 30th September 2010.
The bottom line, as it appears to me personally, is that it will be UK property owners like you and me (should we want to improve our property), who will legally be obligated to pay for and install higher energy rated double glazing to help the Government get anywhere near meeting its carbon emission targets. Not only this, but all the UK double glazing industry is going to have to gear up to these changes. Fortunately, in Hazlemere Windows case, we have spent considerable time and effort investing in energy efficient energy saving windows, so the Hazlemere Group is very much geared up for the future to assist properties cut their carbon emissions and thereby reduce their carbon footprint.
CATEGORY|Carbon Footprint, Home Improvements
The truth is, that at present, no one knows, but if the reported debts in today’s Daily Mail of £82-£86m are true, the future is certainly not a bright one. The fact is that for Portsmouth FC to come out of administration an agreement with the majority of it’s debtors will need to be found quickly. Who on earth would invest now in a football club in the current climate? Especially not maybe the “former” Nationwide Blue Square Premiership Chester City Football Club, or the Coca-Cola Football League’s oldest club Notts County FC, or Southend United FC, Cardiff City FC, Crystal Palace FC and AFC Bournemouth Football Club? – to name but a few!!
Take my own football club, Coca-Cola Football League One side Wycombe Wanderers FC. It has reported debts of over £8m, although its compact Adams Park stadium and other assets are apparently worth less than this at present. The situation is far far worse at Premier League Pompey, with the Fratton Park assets being only worth a fraction of the apparent debt. Sadly, for the fans of Portsmouth FC, if any other clubs are interested in any of their players, they will now be able to “purchase” them for less at the end of the season, plus entice them away more easily now it is certain Pompey will be playing in the Championship next season if they manage to avoid liquidation. Selling players is not an option to help towards reducing the debt whilst the transfer window remains shut.
It is frightening that less than two years ago in 2008 Portsmouth won the FA Cup under former Pompey Manager, and current Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, which goes to show even success on the pitch is not necessarily a remedy for poor financial management and bad senior management decisions off it. It is not so much a case of “Up Pompey”, but rather “Down Pompey” at present, until a viable financial solution can be found, but found quick!
My understanding is that when a company enters into administration, as Portsmouth Football Club have now done, it is protected from angry creditors intent on getting their money back and further legal action. Administration is designed to buy a company time (a maximum of eight weeks?) and enables an emergency strategy to be formulated.
Under administration a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner is appointed and has the job of deciding the company’s future. If the company is fundamentally sound (and from what seems to be in the public domain we know Portsmouth Football Club is not), the Insolvency Practitioner would look to implement a recovery plan aimed at streamlining the business and maximizing profits. If it is apparent Pompey has no future then it can be sold or liquidation can commence.
The three outcomes from Portsmouth Football Club’s adminstration appear to be a) a Recovery Plan b) a Company Voluntary Arrangement or c) Liquidation. Whilst it would be massively disappointing for the fans and a major embarrasement for the Premier League, liquidation would be a massive wake up call to the dozens of other football clubs chasing the dream admist growing debts.
The football industry needs to bring in rules to force clubs to live within their means or do something drastic as the entire system seems on the point of collapse, and in my view rather morally bankrupt looking. Will the players lose out? No because the PFA will ensure they don’t suffer too much hardship. The big losers are the fans and the rather foolish “investors” who have sunk money into an industry that makes “the black hole” in space seem a prudent alternative.
CATEGORY|Football, The Premiership
Early in 2010 I travelled north from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire with my good friend Charlie Broadbridge to watch the Leeds United v Wycombe Wanderers Coca-Cola Football League One match at Elland Road admist all the snow and ice (1-1 was the final score). We travelled up the M1 on the Friday night and stayed at a Bed & Breakfast in Leeds opposite a pub. Charlie ordered a pint of Fosters larger and I had a large Barcardi with diet coke, ice and lemon. The whole round only cost £4.25
Now this was both a pleasant surprise and a bit of a shock to us as the Barcardi and Coca-Cola alone in the Charles Dickens in Beaconsfield, Bucks comes to £7 on its own and a pint of Fosters around £3 on its own. Given we appear to be paying more than double for drinks down south it got me thinking, “does drinking and eating out leave you with nowt?” – well the answer is yes if you live in South Bucks, as the cost of dining out is ridiculously expensive compared to “up north”.
For example, at the same Yorkshire pub, Charlie had a full English breakfast with chips and toast for only £2.75 – In Buckinghamshire you are very fortunate if bread served before the meal is as cheap as that. No wonder people who live in and around High Wycombe are eating out less and going to the pub less often!
The eating places that seem to be booming are the restaurant’s offering real value for money and some selected well established high end eating houses with fantastic reputations, which certainly do seem to cost an arm and a leg, like the Crazy Bear in Beaconsfield, whose drinks appear to cost even more than the Charles Dickens!
CATEGORY|Eating Out
Those of you who’ve lived in the area for the past 25 years, will have certainly seen any one of our two dozen conspicuous vehicles driving around, or possibly you’re one of 18,000 satisfied customers that the Hazlemere Group has happily serviced during our illustrious time as the leading home improvement specialists.
For those who are new to the area, you may not be aware that Hazlemere Window Company is a well established, family firm first founded in High Wycombe back in 1985 by Stuart Braham and his father George Braham who sadly passed away in 2006; leaving his three sons to operate and develop the business.
25 years on, Hazlemere Windows remains a community focused family firm, despite having grown year on year to become one of the largest employers in the locality. During the 1990’s, we quickly grew into the Commercial and Public sectors, although we’re more renowned throughout Buckinghamshire and Berkshire as suppliers and installers of high quality retail windows, doors and conservatories.
Hazlemere Windows Co. Ltd. Staff 25 Years On
We are extremely proud to say that the Hazlemere Group is still very much family owned and run, with many of the staff who have worked there for years having connections to the Braham family. George Braham’s son, Stuart is very much in the centre of things, being the “middle” one, and is quite literally in the middle of things as Hazlemere’s Chairman and Managing Director.
Alan Braham, the youngest of George’s three sons is one of Hazlemere’s specialist windows and doors consultants, having first served his apprenticeship on the factory floor in the early 1990’s before training to become the vastly experienced expert double glazing advisor he is today.
Alan and Stuart’s older brother Ian Braham, heads up Hazlemere Garage Doors and Hazlemere Blinds who manufacture supply and fit domestic and commercial pleated blinds, whilst supplying and fitting Roller, Roman, Venetian and Vertical made to measure blinds. Ian’s division also supply and fit bespoke garage doors, Fantasia conservatory ceiling fans, remote control and manual commercial and domestic awnings and canopies.
The company prides itself in high quality materials, craftsmanship, and excellent customer service, all backed by Hazlemere Windows own robust fully comprehensive 10 year guarantee. Hazlemere also offers all its customers the option of further deposit and guarantee insurance provided by the Independent Warranty Association.
Hazlemere Commercial, a major Division of the Hazlemere Group, manufacturers, supplies and installs a wide range of architectural aluminium windows, doors and curtain walling in schools, offices, business and commercial building in the UK. Hazlemere Commercial were awarded a £2.3m contract in 2008 to supply aluminium windows, doors and curtain walling for the new Bideford College in Devon, the bulk of which was delivered in 2009. This sustainability project involved the use of Sapa re-cycled aluminium to make the aluminium double glazed windows, aluminium commercial doors and aluminium curtain walling. The Commercial Division, LHC, Chas and Exor accredited, continues to go from strength to strength, and in 2009, Hazlemere Commercial were awarded a £1.7m contract to refurbish River Gardens in Fulham, West London during 2010. The highly successful Commercial Division is run by Commercial Sales Director Simon Keegan and Commercial Contracts Director, Barry Matthews.
Jason Bradshaw is the Operations Director responsible for all Hazlemere’s aluminium and UPVC conservatory installations, building works and Hazlemere’s dedicated experienced window and door installation teams. All the five board directors are based at Hazlemere’s Head Offices in High Wycombe, Bucks.
So 25 years on this growing family business is a highly respected FENSA registered company, ISO 9001:2008 accredited and Investors in People approved, employing its own expert consultants, designers, estimators, surveyors, fabricators, installers and service engineers. Consequently, the Hazlemere Group are able to control the entire design, estimating, manufacturing and fitting process, along with having sufficient in-house back up to provide the levels of after sales service required by developers, local authorities and end users alike, as well as being able to offer professional expert preventative window and door maintenance, along with repairs and replacement to schools and commercial properties.
Hazlemere Window Company Ltd are members of the Energy Saving Trust, British Fenestration Rating Council and are licensed/approved Pilkington energiKare Partners, plus were the first company in the UK to design, manufacture and install an “A” rated aluminium dual frame aluminium window system, as endorsed and approved by both the Energy Saving Trust and the British Fenestration Rating Council. Hazlemere’s energy rated, energy efficient, energy saving window range also includes an “A” rated UPVC window system.
When the Braham family started this business 25 years ago, I am sure they never envisioned the rapid growth and the amazing support they would receive from the local community, which has fuelled their success and been the bedrock of their continuing business growth. Consequently in 2009, Hazlemere Windows Board of Directors unanimously agreed to purchase the adjoining 38,000 building adjacent to Hazlemere Windows existing Head Office, Factory & Showroom in Wellington Road on Cressex Business Park, High Wycombe.
This strategic acquisition has enabled the Hazlemere Group to invest in the future, whilst continuing its steady growth by streamlining its manufacturing, further improving quality control and remaining highly competitive in the fenestration industry – not bad for a family run business with strong community ties that has steadily grown from humble beginnings to become the largest independent double glazing manufacturer and installer in the region today.
See how Hazlemere home improvement’s rich history and experience can help transform your residential or commercial property. Our friendly team look forward to hearing from you!
CATEGORY|Home Improvements, Windows & Doors
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Dangerous Pothole
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Repairs Needed Now!
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Watch Out Pothole!
Whilst I accept we had an exceptionally severe cold snap in January 2010, I was dismayed by the apparent lack of urgency in repairing the dangerous potholes that exist on our roads (and getting worse the longer they go unattended). Even weeks later the main roads where I live and work in Beaconsfield and High Wycombe were littered with hundreds of potholes that can seriously damage vehicles and must be a severe danger to cyclists?
I can only hope that all the Council Tax we pay to South Bucks District Council and Wycombe District Council will get them to liaise with the Buckinghamshire County Council Highways Agency to make resolving this totally unacceptable situation an absolute priority. The suspension to my own car had to be fixed recently, so I know what is is like to hit a deep pothole in the dark, partcularly where there is no street lighting and the headlights of the car coming towards you masks your view of the road infront of your vehicle!
Consequently, I decided to see what I/we could do about it and went on to Google and typed in “Potholes Compensation”. The top two generic links that came up were for “What Car?” and “Potholes.co.uk”. Both these landing pages are worth a visit if you want to know how to claim compensation if your vehicle has been damaged by a pothole?
The potholes.co.uk website offers drivers a step by step guide to potholes, contact details for your local council, how to claim, find potholes, report a pothole, ask advice and the facts about potholes.
The What Car? website has a very helpful brief summary of “what you should do if your car has been damaged by poor-quality roads, here’s what you need to do to claim compensation.
• Take a picture of the pothole, including something which shows the size of the damage to the carriageway.
• Take pictures of the surrounding area to show that there’s no warning of the damaged road (such as warning signs, cones or bollards), and take pictures of the damage to your car.
• Get a garage to prepare a quote for the repair work and, hopefully, corroborate your claim that the damage was caused by a pothole.
• Report the road and car damage to your local authority’s highways department, and submit a claim for compensation covering the cost of repairs.
• Ask the highways department if the carriageway damage has been reported before and, if so, when. Ask why it has not been repaired” (Source an article dated 23rd March 2007 on the News page of the What Car? website)
So to ensure Buckinghamshire County Council’s Highways Agency, Wycombe District Council and South Bucks District Council all work together to repair our roads, make sure you claim if a pothole damages your vehicle. And in the ironies to end all ironies Bucks “council chief responsible for roads suffered two burst tyres after driving through a pothole. Buckinghamshire County Council leader Councillor David Shakespeare lost two tyres on his BMW while driving along Maxwell Road, Beaconsfield as the recent snow began to thaw.” (post by Oliver Evans on BFP Website 10/2/10)
CATEGORY|Major Events, UK Politics
When I was thinking about the ways I could insulate my own home against future cold snaps, I came across an excellent Wales Online article by Graham Henry of the South Wales Echo. Having lived in Wales for three years when at Lampeter University in Dyfed during the early 1980’s I recalled a time when I was one of only a handfull of students that had gone back early before the start of the term, only to be caught up in and witness the greatest snowfall of my lifetime, yes far greater than the January 2010 snowfalls in Southern England.
The snowfall was so great, there were drifts over seven feet deep and all the roads were impassable even for snowploughs and tractors! All the electricity supplies were cut off for days and the only heating we had was the gas stoves in the Refectory (at least we had food!). None of the University rooms on campus had any heating, so at night we literally froze, however many layers of clothes and gloves we wore. We ended up being cut off by road for over a week, something I will never forget, as it delayed the start of term. Boy, did we appreciate heating and lighting after that!!
So when I read “How you can beat the big freeze and cut your carbon footprint” published on Wales Online on 12th January 2010 by Graham Henry of the South Wales Echo I thought it would be helpful to let you read the article, given the recent Arctic conditions in the entire UK.
“THE big chill has meant many people have been forced to stay in their homes and crank up the heating. That can hit not only the pocket – leaving many fearing higher bills during the cold snap – but also the environment. Wales already has the unwanted title of highest carbon emitter in the UK, with the Energy Saving Trust estimating we waste £200m of energy every year due to poorly insulated homes. So, as the mercury plummets, we have a handy guide of top tips to keeping warm this winter without harming the environment or your bank balance.
1. Cavity wall insulation
Cavity wall insulation saves around £115 a year from heating bills. The typical cost of installation is about £500, but with many grants available to qualifying Welsh residents the cost can be as low as £99.
2. Loft insulation
Insulating your loft can save around £150 every year on energy bills at the recommended level of 27cm. The typical cost of installing loft insulation is around £250, but there are many grant schemes operating in Wales to help ease costs. Insulation reduces the need for the heating to be on high, and leads to less energy being wasted.
3. Replace old boilers
Replacing an old boiler with an A-rated one and fitting a full set of heating controls can reduce your heating bills by up to 40%. Any boilers that are more than 15 years old can be considered G-rated and might be inefficient. The Government’s boiler scrappage scheme offers a £400 cashback voucher when you scrap your old boiler and replace it with an A-rated boiler or renewable heat technology.
4. Tweaking your thermostat
Turning the temperature of your thermostat down by just 1°C can save you 6% on your heating bills – about £30 a year. You probably won’t notice the difference at home but, if you do find that you’re cold, set your boiler to come on earlier, That way, you won’t be cold while you wait for the house to heat up.
5. Water tank insulation
Just fitting a “jacket” around your water tank could save you about £35 a year and190kg of CO2. Installing a British Standard jacket around your tank reduces heat loss by more than 75% and insulating your primary pipe work can save another £10 from your bills and around 60kg of CO2 emissions.
6. Draught proofing
Draught proofing your windows and doors can save about £25 a year and around 130kg of CO2, meaning that it often pays for itself within a year. Seals are usually made from self-adhesive foam, rubber or brush material and you can get them from DIY shops or you can have a professional fit them.
7. Wear layers
There is often no substitute for keeping warm by wearing a few layers of thin clothing rather than just one big, bulky item. Try wearing slippers inside and don’t leave the house without a warm hat and scarf.
8. Glazing
Installing double glazing in your home can cut heat loss through windows by 50%, as well as saving you £135 a year on your heating bills. It can also cut around 720kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) usage a year. For those who can’t afford double glazing, there is a budget alternative. Cover windows with a clear, plastic film that tightens over the pane when heated with a hairdryer, which reduces heat loss cheaply.
9. Blocking unused chimneys
You can seal unused chimneys with newspaper or a purpose-made “chimney balloon” which inflates to block the fireplace. Remember to take them out again should you decide to use your chimney.
10. Stick to new year’s resolutions
Stopping smoking is a little-known way of keeping warm during the cold snap. Not only will it save you money, but kicking the habit can improve your circulation within just two weeks and means that you don’t have to go out in the cold to have a cigarette.
Exercise can also help circulation and keep you warm from the inside. You don’t need to join a gym, just a little bit of housework each day can improve your health and reduce the need for heating.” (”How you can beat the big freeze and cut your carbon footprint” published on Wales Online on 12th January 2010 by Graham Henry of the South Wales Echo)
For advice on how to stop wasting energy, you can contact the Energy Saving Trust on freephone 0800 512 012 or visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
CATEGORY|Carbon Footprint, Home Improvements
When the weather turned milder after the “Big Freeze” in December 2009/January 2010 it would be foolish to think that such Arctic conditions will not occur again. If you remember back to that time, you will no doubt recall having noticed the areas of your property that are exposed to the elements, like doors, fireplaces and windows that let in freezing draughts or where cold penetrated and consequently heat escaped.
In the “old days” front and back entrances were covered up by a large thick curtain being drawn across the door when closed to keep out the cold and draughts, but nowadays we have tended to abandon curtains for double glazed doors. However, the recent low temperatures exposed any flaws in thermally inefficient doors and windows, many of which were fitted years ago and consequently are not in the same league as the high quality energy rated products available in today’s marketplace.
Two important tips for keeping out as much of the draughts and cold as possible is to ensure both sides of your letterbox are shut. The other (assuming you have a double glazed door) is to lift up the door handle as if you are going to lock the door. The engages the rubber gaskets, giving your property the best possible seal against the elements. You will be amazed the difference remembering this simple tip will make in cold weather. If you have a wooden door, you can fit draught excluder to all the edges to reduce draughts and put a sausage dog to block the cold coming through the door threshold.
One option is to go back to installing a hanging curtain which you can draw in the coldest winter months, but if you buy a modern thermally efficient insulated double glazed door, there is no need to have to resort to such “old fashioned” measures, unless you want to as heavy, thick lined curtains that drape onto the floor do act as an excellent, though slightly unsightly and inconvient barrier to the cold if you have wooden entrance doors, or early double glazed doors that are not as thermally efficient as some modern equivalents, such as high quality composite doors which are now the amongst the best at providing insulation from the freezing cold.
CATEGORY|Home Improvements, Windows & Doors
In 2009 the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) petitioned the Government to introduce a national windows scrappage scheme, whereby householders would be encouraged to scrap their old poorly insulated windows in return for a £1000 grant towards the installation of new, professionally installed, energy efficient ones.
The petition has been signed by over 4,000 people to date, via ePetition, on the Official website of the Prime Minister’s Office – number10.gov.uk.
The GGF maintains that consumers would save approximately £1000 and enjoy a facelift to their homes, as well as lowering fuel bills and becoming more energy efficient homes. The Government would also benefit from reduced emissions from the existing housing stock, helping it to meet the necessary greenhouse gas emissions targets. In addition that would also reclaim some of the grant money in VAT.
GGF chief executive, Nigel Rees, is encouraged by a similar scheme that has been launched in the heating industry, where home owners receive a £400 grant to install an energy-efficient boiler. Replacing a home’s single glazing with energy-efficient windows could save on average £150 and 0.3 tonnes of carbon!
“There are thousands of homes in the UK with single glazed windows, which could benefit from a scrappage scheme,” he said. “This would have numerous other benefits. Not only would the household save money in the long term, but the scheme would help the UK to meet its carbon emissions targets.”
See how Hazlemere home improvement’s energy rated windows can help reduce your carbon footprint, as well as imparting your support for the national windows scrappage scheme – saving us all energy and money in the long term.
For more information visit: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/windowscrappage
CATEGORY|Carbon Footprint, Saving Money
