How to buy double glazing in Berks, Bucks, Herts, Middlesex and Oxfordshire according to Which Magazine

Which Magazine last produced a comprehensive report on the double glazing industry in November 2002, called “Double Trouble”. In May 2002, Which Magazine sent a postal survey to 3,519 Which Magazine readers who had had double glazing installed in the previous two years enquiring “about their experiences and asked them to rate the companies that they used” (Double Trouble – Which Magazine Page 41, November 2002).

Of the 2,218 respondents, 75% said they had opted for an independent or regional company. Which Magazine’s summary on page 41 concluded “that double glazing companies, particularly national chains, are failing to provide trouble free service. Readers rated Everest the best of the chains with good quality units, but it’s let down by poor customer service. Zenith also produces good units, but uses pressure selling tactics and causes more problems than Everest. Anglian, Coldseal and Staybrite were the least popular chains. Your safest bet is a personal recommendation of an independent or regional firm.” (Double Trouble – Which Magazine, November 2002)

The Which website offers good advice for anyone considering double glazed windows and doors or a new double glazed conservatory. The Which “How to Buy Double Glazing Guide” is worth a read, as outlines your rights, and which steps to take, and what questions to ask before purchasing double glazing products.

It is particularly worth looking at Which Magazine’s payment and protection section which explains how you can gain added protection by paying by credit card and/or purchasing an insurance backed guarantee. Hazlemere Windows does have the facility to allow customers to pay by credit card (for a small fee, although there is no charge for debit cards), and offers further additional protection, should you require it, of an insurance backed guarantee from the Independent Warranty Association.

In all truth the vast, vast majority of Hazlemere Windows customers don’t pay by credit card or take out an insurance backed warranty, as the company is such a well established and successful independent regional manufacturer, offering a cast iron written ten year guarantee, backed by three experienced in-house dedicated service engineers, whose primary role is to deliver this 10 year guarantee. My advice is to always check things out for yourself, as here at Hazlemere we welcome being both credit checked, and thoroughly checked out, as it is very important to us (given the well documented poor past record of some parts of the double glazing industry) that all our customers have total peace of mind.

Double glazing cuts Beaconsfield resident’s lorry noise

Pensioner Bernard Turner, of North Drive, Beaconsfield has written to Buckinghamshire County Council on a number of occasions about the dirt and pollution caused by the many waste lorries which pass his house, just off the A40, on the way to junction three of the M40.

Veolia Environmental Services have applied to Bucks County Council to increase the lorry movements up to 710 a day in and out of the Springfield Farm landfill site in Broad Lane, Beaconsfield, on 50 days of the year. Beaconsfield Town Council have strongly objected on the basis that lorries will be passing through the town every 40 seconds during an eight hour day.

A statement from Beaconsfield Town Council ”A further increase in lorry movements would be a safety hazard, create more noise and pollution in a built up area, be an intensification of industrial use of Green Belt land.”

Pensioner Bernard Turner was also quoted on the Buckinghamshire Advertiser website ”The reality is that it is going to happen but I do not think it is a good idea. First it was the noise so I got double glazing. My main objection now is the dirt and pollution which means I have to clean my window sills once a month.”

Whilst double glazed windows dramatically reduce noise pollution, they can only keep out dirt and pollution from lorries if they are kept shut, so whilst I am delighted they have assisted Mr Turner’s plight, the only other improvement he could have installed at the same time to improve things was Pilkington Activ self cleaning glass. Even then he would have to clean his window cills, as to date, there is no such product as self cleaning window frames!

Are double glazing companies with a professional showroom worth a visit in helping you choose the right product and home improvement partner for your home?

I came across a newspaper advert from a double glazing company recently which implied that their prices were cheaper because they did not have a showroom. My guess is they probably are cheaper, and may of course be using a cheaper product, but if you can not see it in a showroom, how will you know what product you will actually be getting if you opt for the “cheapest” quote?

Given the significant investment required when double glazing part or all of your property, it is worth only dealing with a company that has a showroom, so you get to see what you are buying, before you buy it. Also, if you do not get what you ordered, or the quality you were expecting, you then have somewhere easily accessible to go back to. For example, if you do come along to the Hazlemere Group’s High Wycombe 4,000 square foot showroom in Wellington Road on Cressex Business Park, you will be able see on display UPVC, aluminium and composite doors in lots of configurations and finishes, various double glazed window systems, aluminium and UPVC conservatories, remote control GRP garage doors, up and over garage doors, roofline cladding, plastic guttering, UPVC fascias and soffits etc.

Many of Hazlemere’s experienced home improvement consults have over two decades of industry expertise, and are on hand to give anyone who visits the showroom, or calls on 08000 825 825 during opening hours free expert help and advice, whether or not in the end you decide to deal with Hazlemere Windows, Doors and Conservatories.

Most double glazing firms do not manufacture, but simply supply and fit. As independent manufacturers Hazlemere Windows are not tied to any particular double glazing system or product, so are able to genuinely advise you what is the best solution for your particular home circumstances. Hazlemere may not always be the least expensive on the market, but you normally get what you pay for. We will not compromise the quality of our products, and pride ourselves in our robust 10 year guarantee, not only that we deliver it in a timely fashion when our dedicated service engineers are called out, but that we will be around to do so in future.

Yes, we have a professional showroom, but as it is already well established and paid for, plus Hazlemere owns the unencumbered freehold of its entire factory, head office and showroom, it is not a cost that needs to be passed onto Hazlemere’s thousands of satisfied customers. We see both our showroom, and the industry leading home improvement experts we employ, as essential parts of our customer service. Both are accessible seven days a week - before, and after purchase. Given Hazlemere Windows, Doors and Conservatories offer a no obligation quotation and free consultation (whether at your home or in the showroom at your convenience), feel free to take advantage of our decades of experience when choosing the right product and home improvement partner for your property.

A hitch-hikers guide to Beaconsfield’s eatery’s?

My family went to Pizza Express in Beaconsfield Old Town for our daughters 21st birthday meal early in 2009 (her choice), which was OK, but nearly £80 for 3 dough ball starters, some olives, pizzas and a bottle of wine, plus a few soft drinks seemed a lot to me? The important thing was that it was what our 21 year old wanted, so fine, but in my opinion any Beaconsfield eatery needs to be on its toes because of the intense and varied competition.

The black and green olives starter I had at Pizza Express that evening turned out to be mainly rather unpleasant browny/purple olives and a few nicer larger green olives, I left the non-black olives as they tasted funny. I did not bother complaining as it was my daughters birthday, so did not want to ruin it, but on reflection have I helped Pizza Express by not telling them? Probably not, but I will next time, as how are they going to improve if they are unware of this deviation from the menu?

Beaconsfield is blessed with an excellent range of restaurants, so it is not as though us punters don’t have a wide choice and can only have bread with bits on top. Beaconsfield New Town has three eat in or take away restaurants within 50 feet of each other: Jungs bistro and delicatessen; Smiles Fish and Chips and the Jasmine Chinese Restaurant. Just round the corner is Stix Wine Bar that does Tapas and The Royal Elephant Thai Restaurant, whose Royal Elephant Banquet 3 course set menu at £21 is excellent value and very tasty.

From around 6.30pm Alex’s Kebab van parked outside Nat West Bank in Beaconsfield New Town does huge kebabs, good burgers and nice chips. On the weekend, Alex is sometimes there till 3am in the morning! Costa Coffee and Starbucks are two of three coffee shops in the New Town. There is the China Diner Chinese restaurant, a Subway, Tao Chinese takeaway, Mumbai Spice Indian take away and the Va Pensiero Italian restaurant. At the Revolution vodka bar and restaurant in Maxwell Road, the £7.95 Full English Breakfast includes a choice of tea/coffee or orange juice and toast, but more importantly comes with a sirloin steak and a portobello mushroom which is delicious. The only down side is that Revolution does not open to 11am, but the breakfast is high quality and great value.

Beaconsfield Old Town has two Chinese Restaurants (Tao and Leigh House), three Indian restaurants (Basmanti, Old Bengal and the Spice Merchant), Zizzi’s Italian, Loch Fyne, Pizza Express, five pubs (Charles Dickens, White Hart, Saracens Head, Greyhound and Swan), the Old Windsor Tea Rooms and the Crazy Bear. All the pubs do food, with the White Hart and Saracens Head having designated dining areas.

On the outskirts of Beaconsfield are the Harvester, Ho King Chinese take away, the Red Lion pub at Knotty Green and the Royal Standard of England pub at Forty Green, so within about two square miles the choice is pretty jolly good, so those eatery’s that want to survive (many have not) need to offer good value, good food, good quality and good service every time.

The Mariners find the blues all at sea

Reflecting on the Blues 1-0 home defeat at Adams Park last Saturday to Grimsby Town, one can only say in fairness that they thoroughly deserved to beat the Blues. Wycombe Wanderers had remained unbeaten in Coca-Cola League Two for the previous twenty matches and are currently still league leaders. Sadly we did not look like a top of the table side, and were all at sea. Grimsby Town were quicker to the ball, motivated and played the better football.

During the match two Chairboys team mates had accidental collision when challenging for the same ball, resulting in Leon Johnson having to leave the field, with what looked like a broken nose. This meant that on loan from Ipswich Town player Chris Casement had to move to a central defensive role. Although Casement did the work of a mullion in the defense for the rest of the match, supporting the defense, the Blues failed to take the window of opportunity to increase their lead in the division, missing the few clear cut chances they created.

If the Blues are going to get promotion this season Peter Taylor still has plenty of work to do, as the pack are now closing in and if Brentford win their game in hand Wycombe Wanderers will need to get back to winning ways soon.

Hats off to airline pilot Chesley Sullenberger

If anyone deserves a medal it is Captain Chesley B “Sully” Sullenberger for safely landing US Airlines flight 1549 in the Hudson River in New York, not only saving the lives of all of his passengers and saving the aircraft, but also the lives of New Yorkers who could have been killed had he not made the brave decision to land on water and not try for the alternate Teterboro airport six miles away in New Jersey.

Having taken off his Airbus 320 from Laguardia Airport and been hit by a double bird strike, pilot Captain Sullenberger landed his plane in the Hudson River saving all 155 passengers and crew. The entire take-off, flight, bird strike and landing occurred in less than five minutes, so you have to admire the split second decision making and execution of a text book landing on water. Hats off to you Captain Chesley Sullenberger, not only do you deserve a medal, you’ll get one. Many many congratulations from all of us at Hazlemere Windows and well done indeed.

Hazlemere Interiors supply and fit Bucks Blinds now have blinding online catalogues

I must admit I was genuinely impressed when I looked at the new range of Hazlemere Blinds online catalogues, each with a very swish mouse drag feature to turn each page. One just places one’s mouse on the bottom right hand corner of each page of each catalogue and “turn over” each page by pulling the mouse to the left, just like turning the page of any book. One can then click on any fabric on any page to enlarge it and see more details about it.

These professional online blinds catalogues include roller blinds, woven wood blinds, vertical blinds, pleated blinds, roman blinds and panel blinds. To see a wide range of fabric samples, and actual blinds of each type on display, visit Hazlemere Blinds interiors showroom at Hazlemere Windows High Wycombe Showroom in Wellington Road, Cressex Business Park, HP12 3PR, which is open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 9am – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 4pm and Sunday 10am – 1pm

Is a conservatory a cost effective answer to much needed extra living space during the credit crunch?

The truth is it could well be, but depends entirely on either your property and financial circumstances, or both! Firstly, a bit of an obvious one but your existing property needs to have access to ground level and sufficient space into which a conservatory could be built to create high quality additional living space.

With the financial position for savers getting worse and worse, and the upkeep of your existing property something you are going to have to do anyway if you are not moving, it does make sense to invest in home improvements that will add value and saleability to your property. If you do need to create more space in which to live (i.e. due to an expanding family, or growing kids that need more room in which to play etc.), you may want to consider the benefits that adding a conservatory delivers.

Firstly, they look good, and add value to your home. Secondly, they bring in light into the adjacent living space, whether a dining room, living room, kitchen/diner etc. Thirdly, they are usually less expensive to construct than an extension, plus much quicker to build, so are less disruptive to family life. Fourthly they are much easier to get planning permission for and often only require a Certificate of Lawful Proposed Development from your local authority, one of which you will need for HIPS when you come to sell your property in the future. Lastly they offer great flexibility of use, plus somewhere for the kids to play safely in, whilst your relax in the adjacent living room or vice-versa.

UPVC Conservatories are less expensive than aluminium conservatories, and polycarbonate conservatory roofs less expensive than double glazed sealed units. But like anything in life one does tend to get what ones pays for, so the better quality materials and conservatory you buy, the longer it will last and the better quality of use it will offer. For example polycarbonate roofs are much noisier when it is raining than quieter glass conservatory roofs, plus double glazing offers much better insulation and energy efficiency. The other major benefit of investing in glazed roof is a clear view, whereas a polycarbonate route is like a darkened obscure glass which you can not really see through. I dealt with a client in the showroom over Christmas who had a polycarbonate roof and wanted to change it to a double glazed roof, wishing he had spelt the extra in the first place for these very reasons.

When planning and building a conservatory it is wise to research the subject thoroughly and look at all the options i.e. by visting neighbours or friends or a showroom which has a wide choice of products. Aluminium conservatory roof frames are much stronger than UPVC conservatory roof frames, so the larger conservatories are usually aluminium, as large roofs require the extra strength and support aluminium offers. As to whether conservatories are a cost effective answer to much needed extra living space, the answer depends on the priority you place on the quality of life you want where you live and how you want to tailor your existing property and finances to suit your life choices.

Is the Spice Merchant the best Indian in Town?

Beaconsfield Old Town boasts three excellent Indian Restaurants, the Spice Merchant, Basmanti and the Old Bengal. On top of that the Mumbai Spice Indian Take Away in the New Town offers reasonable fare and free home delivery on all orders of £15 or more. The area has lots of decent Indian restaurants that I have enjoyed meals at including Mr India in Loudwater and Maliks in Cookham. I appreciate there are lots of other good ones in the area, it is just i have not eat in them all – yet! The Spice Merchant also has a restaurant in Cookham (almost opposite Maliks in the High Street), Uxbridge and Henley-on-Thames.

However, I am somewhat biased towards the Spice Merchant in Beaconsfield, because of the sheer quality of the food, the ambiance, excellent service and the option in the Summer to sit and eat in that wonderfully landscaped garden. For the record, the service and quality of food and service at the Old Bengal and Basmanti is excellent, and less expensive. The truth be told, I can not really afford the Spice Merchant’s prices, as it is on the expensive for me, but the food is so superb that I always encourage anyone I know to take me there!

The owner, Bashir Islam is an avid Manchester United fan, and a generous host, backed by his very professional staff, and seems to have built up a very successful business. Is the Spice Merchant the best Indian in town the? Well for me it is, I just wish I could afford to go there more often, but when I do go it is always a special treat, which I suppose is what eating out should be!

And if you fancy trying out the Spice Merchant before 12th February they are offering two main courses for the price of one (the least expense is free). To benefit from this great offer (as I did on Tuesday night) simply register on their website via the hyperlink above.

Ten tips on trimming your bills from Scotsman.com