Well, it’s that time of year when I don my headscarf, dangly earrings and fish out my crystal ball to predict the window, door and glazing future – at least for this coming year. And whilst windows, amazingly, are likely to continue to be bits of glass set in a frame to one degree or another, there are some nice changes coming up that you can offer your homeowner customers when you’re doing a refurb or building an extension for them.
What leaps out of the mists for Gypsy Rose Adie are aluminium bi-folds finished in a choice of woodgrain, either as standalones or perhaps to match new or established PVC-U (usually) windows. We know the ali woodgrains can make a close match for the PVC-U foils because essentially, they are the same except we really heat up the ali profile before adding the primer (to about 45-50 degrees). It’s a slower process because of how hot the profile needs to get in order to accept the foil, so add a couple of weeks lead time on top of the usual from your regular fabricator. Be warned, this is so new, you might have to shop around (though astonishingly, we can supply these right now!).
Whilst I am on the subject of foiled finishes, so popular have coloured frames become that there are now some very interesting variations on the theme. Watch out for deep woodgrain foils, smooth foils and even dual foils (agate grey on white woodgrain and anthracite grey on white woodgrain – they’re the ones we’re dabbling with at the moment.
We’re very excited about these after we carried out a survey a few weeks ago amongst our installer and builder customers, 77% of whom told us that a foiled finish is an easy up-sell. 72% of them also said that they reckon they’ll sell more smooth foiled frames this year so if you haven’t already, get on board with them now!
Have you seen those sexy, black ‘industrial’ slimline aluminium windows and doors? Also specced as a replacement for the once prolific ‘Crittall’ steel windows, these are now really selling fast and can be matched throughout the home with internal versions used as room dividers. You must be ready with a supplier because you will be asked for them this year.
Bi folding garden doors will, of course, be a perennial….but if you want to offer something new then check these out…Called Indi-Fold, they open fully just like bi-folds but the individual panels can be slid open individually to offer fantastic flexibility. Open the master, hinged door then the other panels can be slid back and forth to have the opening just where you decide. Each panel can be slid to the end of the track and flipped open to give any combination of openings, right up to full width. Our experience is that once seen they’re ordered. Have a look at www.indi-fold.co.uk
What else? Oh, wait, the crystal ball is now clearing to tell me that….yes! Smart hardware will finally start to gain more popularity amongst homeowners, so make sure you are up to speed, especially (I predict) for upmarket installations and actually, tech-minded younger homeowners too. Get yourself up to speed and perhaps with some literature and supply arrangements in place, with one of the key players.
Lots of stuff about but we quite like AviaSmart www.aviasmart.com which have been designed by a Cambridge-based firm that are, ironically, specialists in hardware for period windows! With this heritage in mind, they are the only smart brand to have a device for traditional box sash VS replacements so if you install these, check them out – nice stuff that is easy to fit and set up.
With such power at my fingertips I have also looked at the future of British politics, the economy and the weather…..sadly the crystal ball went very misty and dark when I asked it but I can predict that if you check out these ideas, your window and door future will be very bright indeed!
For further information on Quickslide visit https://www.quickslide.co.uk/
