We're having new windows put in to our house. I've narrowed down the choice to either Everest or Anglian. They are comparable in products and cost.
Is there anything wrong with either of these two companies? Is one generally preferable to the other?
Advice, please.
Well, they're pretty well match when it comes to giving ridiculously over-inflated quotes and using hard sell techniques I believe.
I've only once let an Everest salesman through my door. Never again.
Tim
The real question should be 'is there anything right with either of these two companies?'
And the short answer is of course 'no'.
Go to a small local window company if you're not diying. Any company that advertises heavily will charge more, it's inevitable, and normally it's way more. How else do you think they can afford to open 100+ branches.
NT
We got quotes from two other firms, one a reputable local company. The numbers were all in the same ball-park.
I have nothing against employing Anglian or Everest, it's whether they do a good job, apart from the sales pitch.
Avoid BOTH !
We foolishly let Anglian into the house (as a benchmark price to compare local companies with). After the salesman completely ignored my request to cut the crap doubleglazing "offers" and go straight for the final price of 50% less than the fake "list" price we ended up kicking him out. He played all the "let me make a phone call to my manager to see if there are any offers left in your post code for show cases" cards. I think 5 or 6 "special discounts" came out of the hat....
My advice is to go for a local family run business that's got nothing to do with "Anglian Home Improvements" or any other national chain. If they don't get the sale they appear to sell on all your details to every "independent" Anglian affiliate in a 100 mile range.
There are local companies everywhere that manufacture windows using the same window profile.
Ones I just fitted were from an established family run Bristol company who used aluminium profile from "smart systems" (also a local company but one that makes window profiles (aluminium and uPVC) for companies all over the UK)
Be warned though, even local companies seem to sub-contract out the fitting these days and a great install one day may be done by cowboys 6 months later. As our neighbours found out recently when they recommended a local company to their friends...
Cheers - Pete
On past quotes they have both been overpriced and bloody annoying. I've used local companies which gave fair prices, good service, and quality product.
Mike
And if you are DIYing, give these a look ...
Don't know about Anglian, but the Everest salesman was a patronising slug who made it clear he didn't think I could afford their stuff (when in fact I could have, easily, I was just dressed scruffily that day!).
Got a local firm to do it. Good quality, good fitters, well pleased.
Get a local firm. E and A don't really care about their reputation, they're big enough that it doesn't matter, but local firms do care and have to perform accordingly.
They will both ream your backside out. Use local company. If there is a builder living near you, ask him for recommendations.
I've had both through my door, the Anglian when asked decided to prove his windows were better by dropping a demo window on the floor waking and scari ng my cat!, he said that Anglian windoes don't go yellow with age (the plas tic) he kept going on about how bad other installers were. He worked out a price and handed me the paper to sign, and I said I only asked you for a q uote why do I need to sign anything. I made sure he saw my eyes go towards the floor under the video where I had a webcam recording the event he saw the flashing LED'. Within a few minites he'd packed up and left grabbing his paperwork and mum bling and headed off, quicker than he arrived, and I thought nothing coul d travel faster than the speed of light ;-).
The Everest bloke was quite differnt he still had the fred moult guy on his laptop measered up went through all the options it was very expensive and I wasn;t impressed so he came up with a few discounts for paying and agrein g to let them film the in stallation and another discount to put a board up outside. I even offered to film for him and showed him my youtube vid that was shown in the USA TV animal planet. He also saw the flashing LED but it didn't se em to bother him.
Another local firm indian/asian asked me where I lived and said all the w indows are the same in that area , we don;t need to come and measure it wil l be about £200 per window. Everest were near £1000. Even I measured t he windows as being slightly differnt in size, and I told him he said OK an d made an appointment to come and measure, he never turned up.
So decided to go with everest, who then sent a surveyor to measure up the w indows, he measured in 3 places took his time over it and double checked. Everest also said they take out all the old box wood that sash windows have and that they fill any gaps with expanding foam something Anglia never ment ioned or even commented on.
The installers were quick and effienct for the most part. One piece they supplied had a bit of a scratch and dent asn they said we ar en't installing that's it's damaged is it OK if we just put teh filler in a nd retun the next day with the replacement part which was OK by me. But for others mightnhave meant taking another day off work.
Although still expensive I was pleased with the work and the workman 2 of t hem just got on and did the job, didn;t even hear any bad langauge or ladis h behavour and left the place clean and tidy.
No one turned up to film and no advertising boards appeared but I still got the discounts. They took all the old windows and crap with them in the van , I think I had to arrange for a skip with Anglian who really just contract out to any window installer I think.
Neither!
From experience of their sales practices: everything.
No, they're both as bad.
Ask around and go for the local guy. Visit his premises if you can.
I totally agree with Tim and others here.
I have always obtained multiple quotes and the major players are always much more expensive than reputable local people and my experiences of installations by both of them are something that I do not want have again.
For the King's Lynn area (which we moved to nearly 3 years ago) I can't praise West Norfolk Glass highly enough. They will supply or fit whole installations, replacement sealed units or just pieces of glass cut to size. Their sales guy is old school with no attempt to encourage more than you have asked for; indeed suggested something I was perhaps over-specifying on. The surveyor is thorough and made some suggestions on how a door installation could be improved and the folk in the warehouse are very friendly and helpful. I am so pleased with their price and work (by their own fitters) that I will probably not bother with multiple quotes in the future. Blimey that sounds a bit like an advert for them but I have nothing to do with them other than being a very happy customer as a result of a recommendation.
They do run a guarantee scheme that I had never heard of before; it is the Double Glazing and Conservatory Quality Assurance Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS). This not only insures your guarantee should the company go bust but also insures a deposit and make the guarantee fully transferable. So whoever you are going to engage I suggest you make sure they are a DGCOS member.
Mike
I wouldn't touch either. We are about to replace some Anglian windows (fited before we moved in). The rest of the windows were from a local company that isn't (sadly) around any more.
I wasn't impressed with the quality of Anglian stuff *in the showroom*, even.
I didn't like Everest, but I forget why (apart from their dubious sales techniques).
Look for a local firm.
The local guy is;
albiion quoted approx 6,200, whereas Everest quoted approx 6,500
I suppose both of them are quite reputable.
What shall I do to decide, toss a coin? Is there really anything between them? whisky-dave seems happy with Everest.
Have you seen actual installations of the local guy and Everest? If anything goes wrong after installations, I bet the local guy would give you better service.
Lots more to choose from around Croydon
Yes, a family friend had albion install numerous windows, and she's happy with them.
I suppose there's no harm in asking them for another quote. The one above was from last year.
And lots of people say no.
Get some quotes from local companies. My mother recently had some quotes. The local company, I believe run by two brothers, was the cheapest. The quotes from larger (national) companies were the dearest by a factor of x2 to x3 but then reduced substantially when told that their prices were unacceptable and another firm had been chosen. The work done by the local company was to a high standard.
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