Part of Wellington Road Breaking Up Cressex Business Park High Wycombe
Thank goodness it is not just me! On Friday 26th March 2010 one of the headlines on the front page of the Henley Standard Newspaper read “Potholed roads not fit for purpose” according to an industry body. The article explained that “A survey published this week by the Asphalt Industry Alliance found the number of potholes on roads in England and Wales has risen by 40%. The result is a £400m black hole in local authorities maintenance budgets.”
Mike Linley, Chairman of the Asphalt Industry Alliance was quoted as saying “Extreme winter weather would not cause so much damage if our roads were fit for purpose. The consequences of our under-funded roads maintenance are now writ large. These include compromised road safety and wasted time as road users are held up by unplanned roadworks.”
According to the Henley Standard “Oxfordshire County Council is carrying out a £1m programme of road repairs to fill an estimated 5,000 potholes a month.” Geoff French, Vice-President of the Institution of Civil Engineers is quoted as saying “There is an estimated £1 billion road maintenance backlog, meaning many roads have been in need of proper repair for a very long time.” Oh how true. Another media report last week said that road works for things like gas, electricity, water and telecommunication etc. destroy the integrity of the original road service and cause it to lose an average of 30% of its lifespan. This on-top of one of the worst winters for 30 years has exposed this practice as an ineffective solution, as well as the massive under funding in road investment.
Geoff French further commented in the Henley Standard (26/3/2010) that “We need long-term, preventative road maintenance to properly address existing defects rather than short-term quick fixes that fail to tackle the root of the problem. Quick fixes will only lead to more maintenance work, more cost and the public becoming more frustrated.”
I have written to High Wycombe MP Paul Goodman and Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve requesting they intervene with Buckinghamshire County Council Highways Agency Department to address the dreadful deteriorating dangerous state of the roads in South Bucks. I have noticed letters about potholes becoming more frequent in local newspapers like the Bucks Free Press and Henley Standard, so lets hope more road users write to them, as well as to their local MP to put public pressure on getting our roads back on track, as at the moment too many of them are more like farm tracks that the infrastructure that the UK residents expect, pay for and deserve.
Vote in our pothole poll about how many potholes you pass on your way to work!
CATAGORY|UK Politics
There appeared to be a little flurry of activity in the few weeks after the January 2010 cold snap, but since then where have all the Buckinghamshire Highway Agency road workers gone? Are they there? It is just simply I have yet to see them repairing any of the roads like the A40, M40 and those on Cressex Business Park that I use to come to work at Hazlemere Windows every day?
All I seem to see in Beaconsfield and High Wycombe in Bucks are more potholes emerging, whilst existing potholes get larger, wider and deeper, which is not ideal for the daily commute!
As I could not understand why Bucks County Council are not seemingly taking more urgent action, out of pure frustration and lack of comprehension I wrote a personal blog entitled Do the growing number of potholes on our roads drive you potty?
To be honest it may just be me, or maybe every other driver on the road is enjoying the challenge of “pothole slalom” to avoid the worst crevasses. At night, when following another vehicle it is sometimes impossible to miss a pothole “hidden” by one’s headlights, the dark and the vehicle in front, but hey ho, we are British so we put up with it!
In all seriousness, the dire state of our roads, especially as they are getting worse, not better, must surely be of serious concern to all vehicle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Travelling to work at our factory and showroom in Wellington Road in High Wycombe is now more like an adventure ride with motorists constantly swerving round potholes, so as to try to protect their tyres, wheels, suspensions and hub caps, which occasionally results in them closely missing other oncoming vehicles.
Why do us Bucks County Council Tax payers put up with the state of our roads? I just do not understand why we do? Obviously if it is not an issue for others, then fine, but our roads are for use by everyone, so hopefully, we actually do all want them repaired and safe?
It seems to me that the roads in Bucks will continue to crumble until someone in authority provides Bucks County Council’s Highways Agency with more funding and empowers them to systematically repair all the network. Lets hope they agree that accident prevention is better than cure?
Vote in our pothole poll about how many potholes you pass on your way to work!
CATAGORY|UK Politics
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Reveal Fixed Secondary Sliding Window Example
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Horizontal Sliding Secondary Window
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Vertical Sliding Secondary Window Example
When looking to improve the existing windows your property, your preference in my opinion should always be high quality energy rated energy efficient UPVC or aluminium replacement double glazed windows, as these are not only better looking aesthetically than secondary glazed windows, they add more residual value, given they are more thermally efficient than single glazed windows that have been retro fitted with secondary glazing.
Consequently, my first choice would always be modern energy rated replacement double glazed windows, as their performance if “C”, “B” or “A” rated can not be matched by existing windows that can not achieve one of these energy ratings awarded following testing by the British Fenestration Rating Council, then endorsed by the Energy Saving Trust. If however, circumstances dictate that your local authority planning department will only allow you to replace the existing windows in your property with like for like windows (i.e. single glazed wooden sash or crittal windows) because it is in an area of outstanding natural beauty, or in a conservation area or it is a listed building, then secondary glazed windows are an essential option which will enable you to reduce heat loss and cut down on external noise.
So although double glazing or even triple glazing is preferred for sight lines alone, secondary glazing is a good second choice when external double glazing is not “allowed” as your first choice because of the current UK planning restrictions. Secondary glazing to match your existing window configurations as far as possible is nowadays available, as has been designed to be as unobtrusive as possible. Consequently, Bucks based Hazlemere Window Company supply and fit secondary glazed window systems that are horizontal sliding, vertical sliding, side hinged, lift out, fixed, butt hinged, clip in, clip out or combination units (i.e. side hinged and lift out secondary glazed window systems). Also available is a heavy duty double glazed secondary glazed window system, where noise and/or heat loss is a particular problem and added insulation for a particular property is needed. Find out more about the benefits and types of secondary glazing
CATAGORY|Home Improvements, Saving Energy, Windows & Doors
The Government plans for a new proposed high speed rail link between London and Birmingham were published last week in both the Bucks Herald and Bucks Free Press. Wherever “High Speed Two” is sited (unless built underground the entire way) it is bound to cause upset, disruption and controversy, as lets face it, no one is going to want it in their back yard. There are two routes identified, along which there are many homes and businesses which now face uncertainty until the route is finalised (assuming “HS2″ goes ahead!).
According to the press, there are dozens of towns and villages in Buckinghamshire that will be potentially affected along this £17bn high speed rail scheme, including those with properties in Denham, Chalfont St.Peter, Chalfont St. Giles, Seer Green, Beaconsfield, Amersham, Great Missenden, Wendover, Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury, Hartwell and Quainton to name a few. According to page 4 of the Bucks Herald on 17th March 2010 “Construction on the line could start in 2019. It would take about seven years to build, meaning it would not be operational until at least 2026.”
I do feel terribly sorry for Bucks home owners who live along either the preferred route through the Buckinghamshire countryside, as well as those along the alternative route, as until settled, residents who had planned to sell will probably find it harder to do so and will therefore be reluctant to carry out home improvements in order to assist any future sale. Conversely, if Bucks property owners along these proposed routes know now they may end up being “stuck” where they are for many years, they may decide to fit double glazing to insulate their homes against future noise pollution from high speed trains, so as to maintain a high a quality of life as possible, both now and in such circumstances.
According to the Bucks Herald “Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis has endorsed the recommendations of High Speed Two Ltd. which was set up last year to come up with the scheme.” Frankly, whatever politicians tell us now, whichever party is in government after the next General Election is likely to build a high speed rail link from Birmingham to London, so let us all hope that they do it in the least disruptive way, reaching an early final decision if it is going ahead to release Buckinghamshire home owners from the current position of “not knowing”.
CATAGORY|UK Politics
Things change. Economies, climates, people, places, jobs and interests etc. However, as we all know change is not always for the best. Where we get the choice, change should only take place if it is for the better, and not for changes sake. Take the upcoming 2010 UK General Election. Will things change for the better? Personally I have severe doubts that at present any political party has the country’s best interests at heart.
What I believe this country needs is strong leadership, living by example and long term stability. Will the General Election deliver this? Sadly, I don’t think so. In the Bible, Proverbs 14v4 states “Where there are no oxen the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.” (New International Version). Some bible commentaries say this passage shows that “considerable distrubance is the pre-requiste for growth.” In olden times unless there were a) oxen and, b) people who used oxen to plough up the ground, seeds did not get sown properly and there was no decent growth and little or no crops.
One thing oxen do is cause a mess in the stall, plus they require daily feeding and cleaning up after, hence if there are no oxen “the crib is clean” (The Message), as there is nothing to clear up. In my view what this country needs is leaders and people who will be unselfish oxen and do the work of an ox for the sake of others. Will this cause a bit of a mess…probably, but would we rather have long term economic and political stability or no growth and no harvest?
CATAGORY|UK Politics
Each year as winter thankfully draws to a close, it is then we seem once again willing to venture outside our properties to enjoy the slightly warmer fresh air. So traditionally it is during the spring time we notice whether or not if there has been any exterior damage or deterioration to our properties by the elements since the previous Summer, be it the house decor, windows, doors, garage roof, cladding, guttering, downpipes, fascias or soffits.
The Hazlemere Group knows from 25 years of experience that properties where cladding, fascias and soffits are fitted over rotten wood, you could well be creating and hiding problems for the future. If is certainly worth getting rid of any rot before fitting low maintenance UPVC roofline products, as these should last a lifetime, improve insulation, only require a wash down with soapy water every few years and be aesthetically pleasing, hoping increasing the value of your property.
To assist this all Hazlemere’s external wall cladding, fascia and soffit products are manufactured to the highest standard, in rigid composition. This superior production process offers the advantages of a sealed cellular structure, durability and better surface quality with no pitting.
Most UPVC home improvement products will never need painting, don’t warp, rot, flake or crack either. The cellular core of these products gives them superb insulation performance and benefit from being less flammable than timber. Rigid exterior wall cladding profiles, fascias and soffits are manufactured using high quality window grade rigid UPVC material. Combined with matching trims, give any project an excellent appearance as well as practical weather protection for your property.
The Hazlemere Group offer a range of roofline and UPVC cladding, fascias and soffits products to replace existing roofware on almost all properties. This range is designed to enhance your home’s exterior, with a finish that looks like freshly painted timber to enhance your property’s aesthetic appeal, with a long lasting high quality finish.
Hazlemere home improvement specialists not only supply guttering and downpipes, but we install them too! Our roofline plastic guttering never needs painting, and will not warp, rot, flake or crack, so if you have been out in the garden and noticed rusty old drainpipes or last time it was raining you have gutters with broken joints, maybe it is time to spring into action to improve and protect your property?
CATAGORY|Home Improvements
A vital function of any awning, blind or canopy is the sun protection these products offer both you and your property from the effects of the sun’s harmful rays. This solar protection correctly located and fitted in the proper proportions, can provide sun shade for any room, and in the case of awnings, when deployed, offer solar protection for any patio area and your outdoor furniture and furnishings.
Not only do awnings, blinds and canopies protect your home, they also can protect your carpets, expensive furniture and fabrics, prolonging their lifespan, assuming you do of course deploy them on sunny days, which will also help keep you and your room(s) cool.
It is important to protect ourselves, our family (or co-workers) and friends from the glare of the sun as well as from the intense heat it can generate. In the UK sun glare is often much more of an issue in winter months when the sun is nearer the horizon and therefore lower in the sky. So whether you are considering installing blinds, an awning or a canopy, do think carefully about which product would be best suited to your property if you are looking for the option of solar protection throughout the twelve months of the year.
If your prime consideration is to ensure maximum protection from harmful UV rays, you want to ensure that the material you choose for your awning, blinds or canopy is conducive to this important function. For example, on awnings and canopies, high density woven acrylic fabrics will provide optimum coverage, whereas many blinds, such as pleated conservatory roof blinds, come with the option of having a reflective solar coating on the outward facing side.
Bearing in mind fabrics for awnings and canopies are exposed to the elements, check that the fabric you choose is water and dirt repellent, protected against rotting and other environmental influences, fade resistant and that they will keep their shape for the life of the awning or canopy.
Whether you are looking for internal or external solar protection, there is a mind boggling choice of types, fabrics and modes of operation, plus in addition there are other external solar protection products, which come in a wide range of high performance fabrics for optimum solar heat and light control, whilst still reducing glare and providing privacy. The important thing is to ensure you choose the right product to protect your family, fabrics and property from the sun.
CATAGORY|Home Improvements
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!?
CATAGORY|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.
CATAGORY|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.
CATAGORY|Carbon Footprint, Home Improvements
