Replacing your windows: what a good quote should include
If you are replacing windows in London, you will probably get two or three quotes, and they rarely look alike. One gives a single price, another lists every window, a third mentions glass you have never heard of. Here is what a good quote should include, so you can compare like with like.
1. A proper survey
A quote should follow a visit to your home, with every opening measured and the condition of the brickwork, cills and lintels checked. A price given over the phone or from photos is a guess. Our home survey is free and there is no obligation.
2. Each window listed
Look for a schedule that lists every window: its size, the style (casement, sash, bay, tilt and turn), which parts open, and the colour inside and out. If the quote just says "8 windows", you cannot tell what you are getting.
3. The glazing and the energy rating
The quote should say what the glass is (double or triple glazing, the gas fill, toughened or laminated glass where it is needed) and the energy rating or U-value. For replacement windows in England the minimum is a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or a Window Energy Rating of band B. Our windows are A to A+ rated with argon filled sealed units. Our guide explains what A and A+ ratings mean.
4. Locks and security
Ask which locking is included. Shoot bolt locking is standard on all our windows, and laminated glass, restrictors and lockable handles are available. More on our security page.
5. Ventilation
Since 15 June 2022, replacement windows usually need trickle vents or another form of background ventilation. A good quote will say where vents are fitted, so it is not a surprise on the day.
6. Building Regulations
Replacement windows must be either signed off by building control or fitted by a firm registered with a competent person scheme, which then registers the work for you. Our installations are registered with Assure Certification and you receive the certificate afterwards. Without it you may have problems when you sell the house.
7. Planning, if it applies
In a conservation area with an Article 4 direction, in a flat, or in a listed building, you may need permission first. The installer should check this, not leave it to you. See our guide to windows in conservation areas in Enfield and Barnet.
8. Who fits them, and what happens to the old ones
Ask whether the fitters are employed by the company or subcontracted, how long the job will take, and whether removal of the old windows, making good and disposal are included. Our fitters are directly employed by us.
9. The guarantee
Check how long the guarantee lasts and whether it is insurance backed, so it is protected if the company stops trading. Ours is a 10 year insurance backed guarantee.
10. Clear payment terms
The quote should state the total price including VAT, the deposit and when the balance is due. Be wary of large up front payments and of "today only" discounts.
Get a quote you can compare
We are a family run company in Southgate and have been fitting windows across North London for over 40 years. Our FAQ answers the most common questions. To book a free survey, call 020 8361 0128, request a quote online or visit the showroom at 4 Hampden Square, Southgate, London N14 5JR.