Most of us are familiar with the expression that if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Let’s face it, it’s not easy to move out a big bed or heavy pieces of old furniture but calling a rubbish removal Northern Beaches I’m 100% sure they can carry it.
So when a number of major national UPVC window companies started their traditional New Year sales by offering to pay customers for unwanted old windows in exchange for the purchase of new ones, many industry observers made a point of checking the small print.
These promotions are presented in the form of “scrappage schemes”, taking their lead from high profile government backed initiatives whereby old cars and, more recently, boilers can be scrapped via certain retailers, creating a discount against a new purchase.
The motivation is primarily to encourage energy saving – new cars and boilers are more energy efficient and less harmful to the environment than equivalent products from ten or more years ago. In addition,motivating consumers to buy new will also boost manufacturing and safeguard jobs during these challenging economic times.
Why then should anyone have concerns over window scrappage and what’s to stop homeowners taking advantage of such an offer?
First and foremost customers need to recognise that there is no official government backed scrappage scheme to support the purchase of new windows.
The government is being petitioned to get a scheme off the ground, which is being driven by the Glass and Glazing Federation, but no formal decision has been reached yet.
But even if the manufacturers are jumping the gun a bit and devising equivalent schemes of their own, is it fair to criticise them? After all, we are all business people with products and services to sell…
The issue isn’t so much with the schemes themselves, but how they are being presented. Promotions scream boldly about energy saving, thermal efficiency and lowering your carbon footprint, while discounts of up to £2,500 can supposedly be achieved for scrapping old windows.
Tempting indeed, but check the terms and conditions carefully. Scrappage allowances are for a set amount per each replacement window and minimum order values apply. Unless you are upgrading a house with a particularly high volume of windows, your discount is likely to be in the hundreds rather than the thousands of pounds when the final bill arrives.
I suppose the real question to ask is, is the scrappage scheme a true discount or the normal UPVC sales tactic of building a price up to knock it off again to make customers feel like they are getting an improvement.
This isn’t just about money though. Energy saving is the industry watchword at the moment, with concerns about climate change and the pressure to reduce carbon emissions. Perhaps scrappage isn’t such a bad thing if it supports a greener future.
Obviously we can’t cast doubt over how the manufacturers are marketing their products to consumers without being open about my own agenda. Put simply, it’s all about preserving period features and heritage – encouraging renovation of existing timber materials in windows and doors rather than replacement.
This is where we believe consumers are often mislead. An old window can be energy efficient providing it is properly maintained and effectively draught proofed.
Independent tests show improvements of up to 30 per cent on the Window Energy Rating once the window is properly draught proofed. This includes thermal efficiency, air permeability and solar gain values.
Renovation generates less waste since materials are retained at source, and consumes up to 40 times less energy than the manufacturing process for a brand new unit.
Also consider the negative impact on our heritage. A report last year by English Heritage concluded that the unsympathetic replacement of windows and doors was a major threat to 83 per cent of designated conservation areas in the UK.
They also advised that repairing existing timber windows rather than replacing them with UPVC was “greener” and made better economic sense.
In conclusion we are not totally against the idea of a properly implemented and regulated scrappage scheme that offers true reductions to consumers. There are legitimate cases where replacement is the best or perhaps the only option for the homeowner.
But there are options, other than replacement, that can retain a property’s features and also provide increased performance.
Saving energy matters, there is no question about that. Our heritage is also vitally important and any hastiness to replace heritage features needs to be challenged.
Find out more about your alternatives to window replacement
Etienne Botha
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Etienne_Botha/683991
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4578754