The start of the New Year is a popular time to plan renovation projects for your home. With an increasing number of people looking to extend and improve their existing home, as opposed to moving to a new house, a home renovation project may well have been your New Year’s resolution for 2020, but where do you start with planning your project?
The answer to this question will partly depend on the size of your project, but one of the first questions you need to ask yourself is what you want to gain from the project.
If you are looking to have more space in your property, you will likely be considering an extension. When extending your property, it is important to ensure that the extension suits the look of your home. This will include sourcing tradespeople who can manufacture and install bespoke timber windows which will match the windows in the rest of the property.
Alternatively, you may be looking to improve the comfort of your home. If your home is cold and draughty, a solution maybe to draught proof your timber windows. This is cheaper than replacement and can make a large difference to the warmth of your home.
Consider lead times
When undertaking any renovation project, it is important to plan ahead. The best companies, and any companies offering bespoke products, will often have longer lead times.
For example, to supply and install a new timber window or door you would normally expect a lead time of around 10-12 weeks from signing off the specification. If you are considering supply only this lead time will normally be shorter, but you will need to find someone else with availability and skills to install the windows or doors.
Working with multiple trades
If you decide to manage the project yourself, you will need to ensure that the different trades are doing the right work at the right time. If one trade is relying on another trade to complete something before they themselves can start work, the responsibility will fall the to the project manager to organise this. For larger projects, you may choose to hire someone to manage this for you and to ensure that timescales are kept to, to avoid costly delays.
It is worth checking whether each trade has experience working on similar projects as you want someone who has experience working with other trades and can get on with the job to make the project as stress free as possible.
Obtain clear schedules of work and guarantees
Ensure that information on what work is being carried out is clearly written down. A good tradesperson should present you with clear information on the work they are doing and any preparation that is required by yourself prior to the work taking place.
Where relevant, you should also be left with information on maintenance and guarantees for the work.
Finding the right company
When looking for the best companies to carry out the work, check past customer reviews and look for what accreditations the company have. For window and door installers, check whether they are registered with FENSA to ensure that the windows will comply with current building regulations.
At The Sash Window Workshop we are proud that over half our orders come from existing customers or recommendations. We are also Which? Trusted Traders and have an excellent 5 star Trustpilot rating, highlighting our high quality product and excellent customer service.
To obtain a free, no obligation quotation to replace or repair your timber windows or doors, contact us on: 01344 868 668.
