It can be a difficult choice to choose the right company. Naturally we would love for you to choose Haus as we believe we are the highest standard. However, we’re sure there are other great companies out there. Unfortunately there are also plenty of companies with poor workmanship, and products.

We’ve noted a few things below to look out for when choosing a company to do your job:

1. How long has the company been trading for? The longer the company has been trading, the most likely they are to offer a good job.

2. How long are their guarantees? Most companies will tell you their guarantees are 10 years. However, if you look at the small print then many companies only offer 5 years on glass, 2 years on handles, and 2 years on guttering. This is actually industry standard.

3. Have they got an insurance backed guarantee? If the customer stops trading, make sure there is an insurance policy to ensure your guarantee is secured.

4. How good is their customer service/do they have a dedicated service engineer? It’s all well and good offering a 10 year guarantee, but how easy are they to contact, and how affective are they at applying this?

5. Are they easy to get hold of? It’s worth trying their landline a few times to see if someone answers. You will want to get hold of them if you need an update or some help.

6. Are they registered with any governing bodies? At Haus we are registered with CERTASS, Which?, Checkatrader to name a few.

7. How good are their reviews? It’s worth checking their reviews on various platforms. Things to look out for are the number of reviews. The more reviews, the more likely it is to be a fair overall view of the company. Are the reviews genuine and too perfect? Sometimes small companies get family and friends to leave the good reviews.

8. Is the company upfront about what can possibly can go wrong, and the process they would follow if it does?

9. Is the company local? We would recommend going with a company that is up to an hour away. Any further and you will have difficulty in getting them back for service calls.

10. Has the company got a strong local physical presence and on social media?

11. Is the quote clear on what standard you are getting? Like any product, there are different standards of workmanship. If a company hasn’t mentioned an extra, always assume it’s not included.

12. Are the installers employed or subcontracted? Many large companies sub-contract work out. Always go for companies that can tell you the name of who is coming to do the job. You are more likely to get experienced and trained staff specifically for that product, who care and are accountable for doing a good job.

If any of our products are not performing as they should or as expected, use our Issue Report Form with any relevant info or photos and your name and address, and Vicky will book an engineer to come take a look and resolve any issues for you.

The great debate about which brand is the best uPVC profile continues across the industry. However, although a high quality profile is important, a good quality window also comes down to the quality of the manufacturer that will put the profile together.

Another important factor is the standard of components and hardware used. Most companies claim to offer a 10 year guarantee on their products, but in the small print you will notice that the hardware is guaranteed only for a few years typically due to substandard components being used.

Furthermore, the frame is only as good as it’s glass. There are several glass options and quality standards including triple glazing, warm spacer bars and different levels of argon filled gas which can all affect the energy efficiency of a uPVC window.

All of these factors contribute to creating the best window. Our preference at Haus installations when it comes to profiles are Veka and Linear. Both are excellent multi-chambered systems, that look great and are long lasting. Combined with top spec components, high quality glazing, and good quality installation, these products are the most energy efficient uPVC windows on the market.

When it comes to composite doors it can be difficult to filter through the different sales reps advice to find the best door for your home. Like any product, there are always different standards and varieties. To break it down loosely, for composite doors these varieties are Foam Filled, Solid core, and Hybrid.

Composite doors with a foam core are much better insulated than an old panel uPVC door, however without a rigid structure inside the door skin, they can tend to be a little more lightweight and flimsy than the other two composite door options. They are also largely advertised by solid core door companies as the easiest composite door to break into. This option is usually on the cheaper end of the scale.

Solid core doors usually consist of a wooden panel in between the door skin. They have very split opinions when it comes to quality. They are largely marketed as the best composite doors for security with plenty of videos online showing people breaking in with chainsaws. They do boast an excellent resistance to breaking in, but we’re not sure how common a chainsaw through the door would be when there is usually a glass window nearby. Also, due to the characteristics of wood, they can be very prone to warping and have received a lot of negative reviews for this over recent years.

Hybrid composite doors are the new kid on the block for the uk door range, and for us at Haus a clear winner. With a solid core panel wrapped in foam either side and a robust GRP skin, these doors are both energy efficient and would give a chainsaw a hard time. Not to mention the rigid quality feel being used.

Like anything in the double glazing industry, doors are only as good as their components, quality of glass and standard of installation. With so many different options available. Be sure to buy from reputable company that will guarantee all components and installation for 10 years.

In short, yes your windows do now have to have trickle vents. Previously, if your existing windows did not have trickle vents, then their replacements would only have to meet the same standard as a minimum. Most older houses did not have trickle vents due to air bricks being installed. It was only new builds that required trickle vents. However, as of the 15th of June 2022 any windows installed will now need to have trickle vents to meet building regulations as standard.

We do find a lot of customers get these two mixed up. In our own words and put simply.

Building regulations are installation guidelines for any building products to ensure that they have been installed correctly, safely and will meet modern day standards. Local councils offer building regulation certification and advice which usually involves a number of visits from the council to ensure it meets the standards. They would then issue a certificate of approval. This process does not have to be carried out through the local council. There are independent companies that offer this service. Haus installations ltd has gone through the required training and exam process to be a member of Certass, which means that we can offer building regulation certification on most of our products through self certification.

Planning approval is the process of getting approval for installing something new to your property. For example; building an extension or porch where one does not exist already. In most situations you would need to obtain permission from the local council to install these permanent structures before building work commences. Again, this can be done either through the local council or through an independent specialist. You won’t always need full planing as some structures may come under permitted development. It is always best to seek advice for this. We do have plenty of knowledge on this at Haus, and we can point you in the right direction of others that can help. So please feel free to ask for advice. Planning is usually the responsibility of the homeowner, and building regulations is usually the responsibility of the contractor.

In theory, yes you can. However it is not always straightforward. You will need approval from the relevant authority, and it is likely that your new windows will have to imitate your current windows. There are some fantastic products on the market which include various woodgrains and flush casement options which can look remarkably like wooden windows. Ultimately, approval is the responsibility of the homeowner, but If you do need any help or advice, we are more than happy to point you in the right direction.

Yes! It is essential that you get a building regs certification to ensure your windows meet modern day building regulations standards. At Haus installations ltd, we are qualified to self certify our work through CERTASS.

FENSA is essentially building regulations for your windows. You do need a building regulations cert for your job, but FENSA is only one provider of this. It was heavily marketed in the 80’s & 90s as the go to for UPVC certification, but our preference is to use CERTASS. FENSA and CERTASS are very similar companies in what they offer, but we find CERTASS offer excellent support and guidance for both suppliers and our customers.

CERTASS is essentially a certificate to show that our work meets building regulations stndard. You may have heard of FENSA which was marketed quite heavily in the 80s/90s as the go to certificaton for window installations. CERTASS is a modern competitor that offers the same certification and is widely used across the double glazing industry.

Your certification is a must have for any window installations. It is mostly for your own peace of mind to ensure that you have had a high standard of job installed, and that it does meet building regulations and rules. However on selling your property, your solicitor may ask for a copy of your cert as proof of a good installation. This can be a costly experience down the line if avoided.