Since the pandemic, it is now not uncommon for me to spend a whole week away from my desk. Whilst it’s great in so much as we are busy; the non-essential tasks like our quarterly updates, reading industry literature, and our employee of the month awards, that I used to squeeze in between doing my day job took a back seat and in some cases stopped altogether.

 I am hopeful that I will be able to return to old ways, however when it simply comes down to adding value with every hour I spend at work, it’s easy to argue that an update isn’t a top priority. So, that is one reason this update is slightly different to the last ones. I am not sure how this will look or what it will produce, let’s see.

2023 was again a very busy year for us. Off the back of a 2022 that saw sometimes daily price increases, 2023 was somewhat of a leveller in terms of materials and labour costs. 2023 wasn’t as profitable as other years despite turnover being relatively similar; simply down to the fact that we tried stomaching as many price rises as we could.

Many of my hours this year have been spent/wasted pricing up and sounding out new suppliers in order to keep the company healthy. Glass has become increasingly expensive and the profitability of glass jobs has sharply declined. One mismeasured or damaged unit now wipes out the profitability of an entire job. Alternatives simply don’t exist and really the only options available to us are to seek new suppliers and building new relationships, all of which take time. I am loathe to change a supplier without good reason. Having a good working relationship is worth paying for, but there is always a tipping point at which the financial gain has to be factored in. The green credentials of any new suppliers are also something that I like to factor in also. Are they running new vehicles, are they using renewable energy etc etc. In this game, it’s very unwise to burn your bridges because my suppliers are backing up a lot of my guarantees. Also, who knows how long it may be until they are the cheapest supplier again?

When I started buying silicone, a good quality tube would cost around £1.70. By the time the world was talking about a pandemic this had risen to just over £2.00 a tube, come 2023 and were now talking £3.50 a tube. Now £1.50 on the price of a tube of silicone multiplied by a week’s worth and you’re now talking about a days wages. Enough moaning about money, I hear you cry, this used to be a light hearted update telling us what you’ve been up to and how you’re getting on with the Great British weather?!

The charity shop is in the process of being handed over to a new enterprise who are looking to take it on in the new year.  What they evolve into in the coming months only time will tell but I hope it allows Dad to take some time for himself and start to enjoy retirement, this is his third attempt after all.

We were super proud this year to sponsor our own Woodham Radars football team, kitting them out with training tops and kits for the season. Giving back to the community in this little way makes us happy and allows these kids to get out and be active.

 This September you may have seen us playing around above the front of the parade cladding and fitting windows to all the flats.  For me it was a great job but for some of the hired help that don’t do heat or the sun like I, it wasn’t as enjoyable. It was however a remarkable transformation and one that with any luck should see the parade out.

 Until next time.

Apart from the uncertainty around the lead times and arrival of materials, the single issue giving us headaches at present is material surcharges and price rises.  Since the beginning of the year, we have been paying surcharges on most of the uPVC products we purchase.  Each of the last 5 months the surcharge we are paying has increased, from a manageable 4% in February to a less desirable 22% in June.  We’ve already received warnings that this trend is likely to continue going forward.  Similar increases to cement fibre products and silicone are also in the pipeline.

Alongside uPVC, the demand for glass and unsurprisingly the price thereof has also increased since the spring. We have, for years, been reluctant to increase prices, however, at times it is just unsustainable not to.  We have got to a position at the moment whereby work we quoted for and contracted in March and April is costing us significantly more to undertake than we bargained for and in a few cases has led to jobs costing us money to complete.  We have, for the short term, whilst lead times are three to four months, decided to halt quoting for new work as we are unable to project the price of materials so far in advance.  We are keeping a list of customers who are happy to wait for us to start quoting again in the coming weeks.

I can’t write this whole update and simply not mention it, so I’ll briefly let you know that despite the new rules surrounding mask wearing and social distancing, we will continue to do our bit by regularly washing or sanitising our hands and most importantly continuing to wear our masks if we are in your house.  We ask in return that if you want to chat with us, then please do so outside or at least on the doorstep where we can both benefit from fresh air.  We have relaxed the rules on hot beverages so that after 18 months of no caffeine on site we are now accepting hot drinks.  We work harder with caffeine in us and we are happier.  If a customer is happy to make us drinks, we will therefore accept.  We have our own mugs on the vans to avoid using yours if you’d prefer.

Right, enough of the doom and gloom….Last month I touched upon being able to share some happy news and this quarter I can confirm that Mr Gee is now Grandad Gee! Arriving in May was little Stanley to a very happy mum and dad. Unlike football, he did come home and has settled in well but it’s a little too early to tell if he’s destined to work in the office or out on the tools.  Stanley’s arrival means that Chewie becomes a big brother and as mummy is on maternity leave, Chewie is spending much less time at the office with me.  That said, he’s sat at my feet right now recovering from a routine operation to remove his reproductive prowess.

With all the goings on this quarter, I will have to admit that I have taken my eye off the ball with regards to pushing the company on.  I am hoping that the autumn affords me more time to look at the reduction of waste within the company, driven by increasing cost benefits of doing so and the environmental impact of such actions.  We have recently changed our glass supplier because they were unable to meet our needs and as a consequence, we have built new relationships with greener suppliers.  I feel that there is more work to be done here and now, with prices heading North at a substantial rate, there appears to be no better time.  That said, if the last 18 months has taught me anything, it’s that we should expect the unexpected.

Until next time, stay safe and continue to be sensible.

Having delegated the last quarter’s news to Ed, because he obviously wasn’t busy enough! I felt it only right that I take up the reigns again.

Like him I will try to avoid mentioning the elephant in the room and instead concentrate on the positives this Spring is set to bring us.  Today is the 12^th April and it’s the day we are able to visit pubs, hairdressers and shops again.  With it comes hope that we are one step further down the road to normality again.  The charity shop opens today and we are looking forward to the return of some familiar faces to the parade and an influx of donations once again.

Work loads over the previous three months have been holding relatively steady.  Whilst we have had more hands on deck, the increase in demand for windows, doors, roofline and cladding has kept us working hard.  A very special thanks goes out to one of our recent returning customers who for the entire two and a half weeks we were with her, cooked not only breakfast each day, but followed this up with a cooked lunch and biscuits.  Safe to say not one of us managed to lose weight whilst working there.

In industry news, the government is currently in a consultation period with regards to updating building standards which may include the mandatory installation of trickle vents into any new or replacement window.  As an industry, it appears we are looking to push back against this decision.  Other ideas designed to increase the heat efficiency of windows on the other hand appear to have been received more favourably.

That’s me signing off until the Summer update when with any hope I will have some more time on my hands and be able to share some very nice news…if I’m awake, that is!

Where to start the update this winter/spring apart from the obvious?

Nah, sod that – I’ll do my level best to avoid using the dreaded “C” word, as I’m pretty sure we’d benefit from a break on that front and are all already up to speed with the latest developments. This having been said, I was stood in the queue waiting to enter the new Co-op a few weeks back and overheard an older gentleman being asked by his wife “Here George, how far is 2 metre anyways” so perhaps I’m wrong about that last part after all.

 [note – George’s name has been changed to protect his identity]

 On the work front, I’m glad to say that we’ve been as busy as ever over the last 8-10 months. This has us convinced that a decent percentage of all the money being saved by folk not going on holiday nor commuting to London, is instead being diverted to the home improvement fund. Long may it continue, although I feel we should also spare a thought and/or cross our fingers for all the unfortunates working in industries that are currently on their knees. Let’s hope the world we return to retains all of the best bits of the one we’ve not seen properly in the last 12 months or so.

 Strange as it may seem for a company that primarily focuses on installing windows and doors, we’ve spent a decent chunk of the year thus far replacing composite cladding and rooflines (soffits, fascia and guttering). Not ideal for the lads considering all the snow, sleet and rain that has fallen lately, not to mention the winds. We took this approach as we felt that if the lockdown intensified, by working outside we’d be spared most of the headaches rearranging countless installations would’ve caused. Thankfully, that wasn’t necessary.

 Closer to home, the latest additions to the Woodham Windows team – Chewie the company hound and Tom the new “lad” – appear to have settled in well.

The pooch, contrary to my expectations, has been no bother at all and even gives me something to talk to (or perhaps at) on the rare occasions the phone isn’t ringing. He’s definitely a hit with customers, so anyone else wishing to take him home and keep him will have to join the back of a hefty queue.

Tom, the thirty-something year old “lad”, also seems to be fitting in and has added some youthful exuberance to the gang. As a result of the extra set of hands, we’re ticking installations off the to-do list at a fair ol’ rate, although due to the sheer volume of enquiries we’re receiving our lead times remain fairly lengthy.

 In industry news, it has been reported that two UK glass manufacturers are due to be taking their furnaces offline for scheduled repairs this spring. At first glance this might not seem like much of a bind, but as there are only three glass manufacturers operating in the UK this equates to around two thirds of the national glass making capacity being temporarily lost. These repairs are expected to last for up to 6 weeks, although the disruption caused is expected to take 10-12 weeks for the backlog to be cleared. We’ll do our best to keep on top of this and update customers as and when we’re able to do so.

 Sadly, the charity shop has been closed since the start of the third lockdown so there’s not all that much to report on this front. Having spoken to a handful of their staff that we’ve encountered on our travels, it seems they’re all keen to get back to it – provided the Roadmap proceeds as planned, they’re expecting to reopen in mid-April. Fingers firmly crossed!! It’s not all doom and gloom though, as a donation of £14,000 has been made to the seven schools in Woodham and was destined to be spent on laptops for those children that don’t already possess one. Huge thanks to the lads and lasses at Ahead4 for assisting on this front.

 This little lot aside, there’s not much I can think of to report, so I figure I’d better sign off and get back to dealing with the A4 mountain that’s currently sat atop my desk. So stay safe, get vaccinated and here’s hoping that in the next update I’ll be able to refer to the dreaded “C” word in the past tense!!

Amidst the second wave of COVID, storm Alex this week will surely herald the beginning of Autumn 2020 here in the office. Out and about we have all spent the last few months adapting to the new normals in life including gloves, alcohol handwash and masks which make some of our daily jobs more difficult than they could be.

On the work front we spent much of the later part of the summer building a small extension for a long-time customer who has for over 20 years kept coming back to us for work on a regular basis.  Whilst extensions aren’t something we usually go out of our way to build for people, the ‘death’ (for want of a better word) of new build conservatories has opened up the possibility of doing so.  It’s also given Brian (who retired 5 years ago now) a reason to come out and check we’re doing things right on his way to the shops in the morning.  On the horizon we have plenty lined up going forwards and enough keeping Ed busy in the office each day.

In industry news, as a whole we appear to have weathered the initial storm that COVID threw at us but in the last few weeks we are beginning to see and hear signs of further strains on the supply chain.  Our major glass manufacturer’s lead times have increased from 10 to 20 days mainly due to a shortage of glass and labour and our window manufacturer is having issues sourcing frame profile.  Whilst many of the builders merchants we use have now got more on their shelves, timber and plasterboard still remains difficult to get hold of.

Sadly this quarter, the usual trickle of price increase letters from suppliers has unsurprisingly increased to a deluge.  Whilst we get these from companies that we do not buy products from, and therefore don’t impact on us directly, two or three of the letters will need to be swallowed as they are form companies we buy from regularly.  Usually the letters we get advise of a 2, 3 or sometimes 4% increase in prices but Solidor’s 10% price rise has taken the record since I started here.  Their argument that the need to introduce the increase to ensure company stability and re-investment going forward has in one fell swoop made them more expensive than our more preferred door.

In charity shop news, after 6 months closed, they have finally reopened and are accepting donations again.  Footfall is predictably down on last year but takings are not as much down so all is not lost.  They have a quarantine system in place to protect staff and customers, ensuring all donations are left for at least 72 hours before being sorted and sold.

And finally, about 9 months ago now you may remember I ventured into the SMART Lock arena with a lock on my door at home.  Well, the verdict is in and I have now removed it.  My Spring update told how the lock was temperamental and didn’t work all the time, but now it has gotten worse, I have lost faith in it entirely and have taken the batteries out.  The issues for me increased from 10/20% failure rate to 60/70% failure rate and in essence meant I was stood outside my own front door with my phone in the rain on various occasions trying to ‘refresh my digital key’ or reset my password.  The lock was getting on my nerves and I was lucky, the Mrs had a worse hit ratio.  I have been assured by Ultion that there is an app update due in the coming days to fix my issue but given its poor performance I won’t be advising anyone going forward to venture into this aspect of our industry.

Until next time and guess what, BREXIT, goodbye and stay safe.

Well that escalated quickly!! Gone are my updates on the worries of Brexit and in comes the reality of what life with Covid-19 looks like.  I’ll rewind the clock a few months, back to when we were asked to go into lockdown.  Here, we were a few hours ahead of Boris.  On Monday 23 March 2020, a day that I think will define a generation, I had already told everyone to go home and not come back in.  I had done the numbers and knew I could pay the boy’s wages for a couple of months to see through the worst of what was to come.  After the announcement of the UK’s Government’s furlough scheme some days later I felt a great deal happier that we’d be able to return when the correct time came.

When all was said and done, lockdown was a positive experience for me.  At home I became a teacher to my boy and with it got an insight into just how hard it is to teach children. As a consequence of the beautiful weather, I cycled more miles in the first three weeks than I had managed the whole year previously and I got a lot of the DIY jobs done around the house.  As we entered the second month however my thoughts had to return to Woodham Windows and Mister Gees.  I took the opportunity to do some repairs and decorating at the office.  Anything that didn’t move was painted.  We tidied up the workshop, and in the process, slung out a lot of the old toot that we collect for a rainy day.  The time was used well.  In the office, we spent hours reading government guidance and off the back of it completed a risk assessment. I purchased plenty of hand sanitiser, face masks and gloves to facilitate our return to work and then waited for further guidance.

That all seems a long time ago now.  We’ve been back for about 6 weeks and whilst we are still coming to grips with the new normal, we appear to be managing our daily activities safely.  We are visiting customers the same as always however we are keeping our distance, wearing PPE and conducting much of our conversing outside.  I’m sorry if this update has been extremely heavy on COVID and not much else but unfortunately, I feel that is only a reflection of the quarter we have all experienced.  Please stay safe and hopefully after the economy, charity shop and industry start to return to normal I’ll be able to provide a more insightful update next time.

As I sit down to pen this quarter’s update, I can’t help but mention the rather large elephant in the room that is the COVID-19 virus outbreak sweeping across the World.  As a new and rapidly moving situation here in the UK, I can do little but worry about the impact on us here, our customers and the supply chain we rely upon.  As what I consider a fit and healthy individual, I feel catching the virus myself shouldn’t be too much of an issue but this may not be the case for our families or customers.  As with many things in life at this stage we can only sit tight, buy a lot of toilet roll and listen to the experts.  Keep safe everyone.

With that said, we’ll get back to business.  The new decade has started quite well for us, albeit if some of us needed to take time off to get over the common cold.  The new website is up and running minus a few photos that will come in the following weeks and months, and is mobile friendly and much more adaptable to ensure it caters for us going forwards.

In industry news, the fallout from Grenfell is still heavily impacting on the availability of fire doors and I read an interesting article recently about triple glazing being a time bomb.

Requests from customers looking to ‘upgrade’ their glass from double glazing to triple glazing are common, but the truth of the matter is unless you are buying it for its acoustic properties,  increasing from double to triple glazing isn’t quite as environmentally beneficial as it may seem at first glance.  When a third pane of glass in introduced into a 28mm unit (the most common thickness in the UK at present for new windows) all we have successfully achieved is reducing the all important air gap in between the panes of glass. The optimum size of an air gap is at least 16mm, so in a standard unit we have 4mm of glass, 20mm of air and 4mm of glass (written 4/20/4).  In a triple glazed unit the same thickness we are now 4/8/4/8/4, with two 8mm airgaps. The new airgaps are therefore too small to decrease heat loss and when you are paying 20% more for the privilege it seems a little backwards to me.  Until we are able to fit 40mm+ glass units like are common place in Europe then we’ll always be behind.  So, back to the time bomb article that suggests that the industry is potentially facing a bill of £millions caused by the thermal stresses on centre panes.  The temperature of the central pane of glass in a triple glazed unit can get extremely hot, especially when combined with Low-E glass coatings.  Whilst this is not always an issue, smaller glass units that allow little to no flex or movement and glass cut with imperfections on their edge are susceptible to breakages on warm days.  I can only recall one instance in the past few years where I have seen this type of damage but as our summers are warming up, maybe this is something we should be more aware of.

Last of all before I go I will provide an update on my venture into the world of smart locks.  Around Christmas at the cost of over £200, I purchased a smart key device and installed it on my own personal front door. Whilst I remain sceptical on the security of the products in general, I have removed the device’s ability to be controlled by any other means than Bluetooth.  At present therefore when I return home my phone communicates with my door lock and in front of my eyes more often than not the door unlocks in front of me.  The technology isn’t without its faults, and around 10 to 20% of the time when I return home, I have to actually instruct it to open as opposed to opening automatically, why this happens is at this point unknown. Besides this slight downside, the fact I can now go for a number of days without using, and therefore knowing where my door keys are has proven interesting.  The jury is still therefore out on this one and I will have to see how the next few months of the trial progress.

Once again, stay safe, self-isolate and hopefully we will be here to provide our next update at the start of the summer months.

So, Boris (and Mr Farage) got his way and we are set to leave the EU whether we like it or not. The impact on us here as I write, less than one week from D-Day is still much of an unknown.  What is more known is the weather this winter has been relatively kind to us and as the nights are drawing out, we are optimistically looking forward to the coming Spring.

The Christmas holidays came and went here in a flash and just before Christmas we all sat down with the girls and boys from the charity shop for their Christmas meal. At the meal we were informed that the Foundation had given over £120,000 to charity in 2019 – what an achievement.

The main focus this winter, besides working hard, has been on the new website and our continuing struggle to be greener.  Alongside this we are still actively seeking more help to carry out our activities.

Our website is coming along although it is being held up by our lack of good quality photos in relevant aspects.  I am waiting for a nice sunny day to progress further.

Even though our services are included in our quarterly rent, we purchased new LED lighting for the office and yard replacing the old fluorescent light tubes that we can only gather we installed sometime in the 1980’s.  Not only will this decrease our landlord’s electricity bill, we feel that the environmental impact is well worth it in the long run.

Some years ago, I installed a low volume flush for our toilet but this quarter we are sitting down with our newest purchase for the restrooms, new toilet rolls.  The option of 100% recycled paper came with not entirely raving reviews, however the 100% bamboo paper rolls, albeit slightly more expensive came highly recommended.  The additional benefit of buying sustainable toilet paper from Who Gives A Crap is that 50% of all profits are used to build toilets.  I like the sound of that.

It is great to see that it is not only us in the industry that is taking the environment seriously.  This quarter I read in one of the trade publications that Saint-Gobain Glass have begun a new post-consumer glass initiative, whereby they have set up a new collection (centre albeit in Leeds) where glazed units can be taken to be recycled.  This is still limited use to us down South but we hope that it can’t be too far into the future where we will be able to use a similar service much closer to home.

 Finally, on the topic of going green, I was extremely happy this month when one of the industry magazines decided to swap the cellophane wrapper on their magazine for a recycled and recyclable paper wrapper.  It was well worth a Tweet to express my happiness.  It gave me to idea to harass a couple of other suppliers who I feel could proceed in the same way!!

Until next time.

As usual the last few months have death us the usual wet windy weather we expect.  We have avoided too many really cold days but they are certainly on their way as indicated by the weekly sweep of the yard to rid it of oak leaves.  Over the last few months we’ve spent the odd hour here and there tidying up the trees surrounding the car park as these shed berries and leaves and offer the birds a perfect perch from which to “paint” the vans and our cars.  This month also saw the disposal of the old van giving fewer targets to the birdlife!

Over the last few months I have spent some time looking at some of the new products on the market that, although relatively new and rare now, I feel over time the industry will be standard across the board.  The first product, a manmade plastic tile for roofing and is designed to not only be far more durable but warmer than the slate tile it looks like.  Working with it we found to be a real delight although on a complex conservatory roof where differing angles and edges are abundant it proved to be a small challenge.  All in though, they have gone some way to convincing me that there is a very big future for solid roof conservatory conversions.

Another area of the industry that I have started to take a greater interest in despite yet to be entirely convinced of its potential to our customers in the introduction of Smart locks and cylinders. Having sourced some very useful industry-based literature and digging for hours online I must admit whilst being excited, I am also cautious.  Installing a Smart lock to your front door gives homeowners the ability to open or close doors through an app on their phone and similar to some car keys, can be setup to work in proximity of your smartphone. Whilst I can see the benefit to checking whether or not your door is locked from your armchair, this technology adds a digital security risk to a physical security risk when dealing with unwanted intruders.  How long will it be until someone finds a way around your door lock and this time unlike when an intruder barges in, it will likely be silent and there will likely be no evidence to any forced entry.  My other main concerns with the digital lock is what happens when it goes wrong?  A bit like our cars that can’t be far away from having to visit an electrician instead of a mechanic, there are thousands of locksmiths and window fitters that will likely not have the first idea where to start when your expensive locks starts playing up.  In the coming months I have toyed with entering this market at home on a test basis to trial out not an entirely Smart lock but a digital key device.  This product allows homeowners to keep their existing lock and, in some cases their own handle, but gives them a footstep on the digital ladder.  Keep your eyes peeled.

Despite thinking by now Brexit would be well underway, we now find ourselves instead staring down the barrel of a possible general election to provide yet more uncertainty and division between us all.  Oh, what joys.

This year again we will be shutting down in line with our suppliers and away from the office between the 24^th December and not back in until the 2^nd January, next decade!

Well the summer wasn’t entirely the scorcher we experienced last year, that said, we had some belting hot days and a rare sunny August Bank Holiday weekend which I for one wasn’t complaining about. 

News from Warwick Parade this quarter mainly centres around the continued success of the charity shop and a new van.  Workloads over the summer holidays remained at a healthy level despite our annual pilgrimage to Glastonbury and other staff holidays.  Lead times rarely strayed from the 4 to 8 week usual.  

In motoring news, as I intimated earlier, the weekend and evening trips to far flung corners of the home counties finally paid off resulting in me finding the newest member to add to our fleet.  Whilst not brand new, the new van has very few miles on the clock and will now take over on a daily basis to perform most of our business.  Far better on both the eye and the environment than its predecessor, I hope that this van will serve us as well as the old one did.  We’ve spent the odd hour customising to include shelving, racking and a roof rack so they can store all the bits they need. One last job remains which is disposing of the old van in a suitable way.

Unlike the UK when it comes to Brexit, we have come a long way in the last few years; for example, now all the paper we purchase is made from recycled paper and any suitable paper in the office is printed on both sides of, before it is recycled itself.  We love an email, whilst PDFs also allow us to use colour images and logos on our correspondence.  Quoting and surveying windows using a digital device is next on my list to try, although I have a mixed track record when using digital measuring devices so I won’t hold my breath.

All of the commonly recycled waste e.g. cardboard, paper, plastic, metals etc that we generate in the office is sorted and recycled.  Larger bits of cardboard are occasionally donated to a local animal sanctuary, whilst we can, and will, continue to ask questions of our main suppliers to ensure that they are also taking their responsibility seriously.

Encouraging as always despite the political mess we find ourselves in, we’ve got a full book of orders. On the horizon beyond windows and doors, its looking like we’ve got some decent cladding jobs as well as a garden room conversion or two to get on before Christmas.  Weather dependant they are usually good days to be outside the office/

It’s funny because I am sure I’ve finished with this line before, but surely next time I write we’ll know what Brexit is really all about and how it’ll affect us?!

 

Following a very cold start to the year, for me the first quarter of 2019 has simply flown by.  We’ve completed some beautiful jobs that really give me a sense of achievement when I finally walk away.  Mr and Mrs S had an entire house of windows and doors, and their conservatory reframed and re-roofed which took us the best part of four weeks to complete.  The transformation from rosewood to anthracite frames all round has given the house a totally new modern appearance.  Other standout jobs this quarter included completing what is hopefully phase one of cladding and soffits at the local Scout Hut. This job was especially rewarding the Scouts Hut had gained some funding for the work from the Mister Gees Foundation Charity Shop via the South Woodham Village Group.  Lastly, a different sense of enjoyment was achieved when we fitted new windows and doors for Mr and Mrs L, twenty-four years after fitting them originally.  It’s very encouraging that our venerable customers can still come back after so many years requesting the same services we undertook decades before.

The fenestration industry held its biannual trade show in May, three of us attending to cement business relationships, see new products and seek out new suppliers.  Albeit a long day, it is always a good place to gauge ourselves against our peers, get an overview on the industry’s performance and usually my drive home is extremely productive with regards to thinking about the year to come.  Notable new products that I am sure will be all to familiar to us all in years to come include WIFI enabled door handles and locks, the apparent explosion of new coloured foils for uPVC frames and some gorgeous new window profiles designed to mimic traditional timber frames.

Last summer after replacing the eldest two vans, I set myself a target of 12 months in which to save sufficient funds in order to sort out the one remaining vehicle in the fleet that needed attention.  The van is in all intents and purposes the main bread winner for us here, and it is the one that myself and Aaron arrive at your house in.  At 15 years old, I fear every time it is put in for a MOT test and worried most days of the consequences of it not starting or even worse, giving up the ghost entirely.  Having only done 70 odd thousand miles it really is a good specimen under the bonnet but creaks are starting to appear and the paintwork is tired, so in the coming months I am set to bite the bullet and again endure the task of buying a new vehicle.

This quarter I will revert back to the usual opening and moan a little about the terrible weather we’re currently experiencing before getting on with it.  Long gone are the balmy summer and autumnal days we experienced this year and instead this week we reverted back to the ubiquitous wet, cold and windy ones.  Just ask poor Mrs M who unfortunately experienced what a gale inside her house is like.

Following a change in demand for our conservatories this year, we’ve spent some time since the summer trying to establish what has happened to the market and how we should best react.  Whilst its commonly agreed across the industry that conservatories are still high in demand, especially new replacement roofs, there are widespread feelings that our idea of what a conservatory should be has changed.  The traditional designs are no longer what people want and now instead coloured foils, brickwork piers, solid roofs and bifold doors feature high on people’s wish lists.

It’s no real surprise that the conservatory building side of our business isn’t as profitable as it was a decade ago.  Even a basic conservatory can tie three members of staff up for a period of approximately three to four weeks.  The cost of the most commonly used bricks in South Woodham Ferrers has risen four-fold in the last 10 years and the necessity to install more substantial and therefore stable footings now costs twice what it used to.  In fact, I recently found a number of invoices for conservatories we built in the early 1990’s and upon comparing them to modern day builds the costs were approximately a third.

Whilst these costs have risen, the practicality of selling conservatories for three times the price just simply isn’t realistic. 

However, as a consequence, the price difference previously found between a conservatory and an extension is not a prevalent as it used to be and therefore people are choosing to go with the latter which in all intense and purpose can be used all year round as opposed to a conservatory that at best is an Autumn and Spring room.  And so, we are sitting down in the coming weeks and months to discuss how we approach conservatories going forward.

We’re still working hard on the content and look for our new website and although there is not a lot of new information, I can give you on this we are hopeful that the finishing touches will be made soon and we can show you all what we’ve been up to.

 In charity shop news, one year after it opened the shop has just finished its first £2000+ week, smashing the previous best day’s takings by several hundred pounds in the process.  Whilst we’ve now stopped paying the shops rent after our one-year commitment came to an end, they still piggy back our internet connection and we’re still on call to fit shelves, rearrange furniture, install electrical plug sockets etc whenever needed.  This quarter we were fortunate to benefit from a day out volunteering on the stall at the CAMRA Beer Festival where Mister Gees were one of the headline beneficiaries.  There was no chance we were driving home that night so it was an enjoyable volunteering exercise.  Next week we are set to attend the Christmas thank you meal provided to all the volunteers and tradesmen that have helped over the last year to be held at Munchies right next door.

Speaking of Christmas, it is looming once again.  This year we will be out of the office from Friday 21st and not back in until the 2nd January.  Our diary for January is nearly full so any orders taken now fortunately for those involved are likely to be fitted in February at the earliest. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Breaking from the norm this quarter, I will not to be starting my update on the topic of the weather and instead by looking at changes to the company’s new website and branding that have occupied much of my/our free time over the last few months.

Having purchased our new van over the summer, our hands were somewhat tied into needing to get the branding sorted so that it could take centre stage in our signwriting plans.  Part of that process also included looking at, and updating our archaic website to ensure it best reflects and shows off what we are trying to do here.  Whilst the branding and the van are complete and therefore out there for all to see, the website is in the very cable hands of Christine over at Woodham Web Writer so watch this space.

In industry news this quarter, much of the headlines still relate to the fallout from the Grenfell Tower disaster and how as an industry we can bounce back from the bad press surrounding the use of unfit materials.  Whilst this has limited bearing on the products we install, we have taken time this quarter to swot up on all the building regulations and gained confirmation from our suppliers of the fire ratings of the products we use.  The flat fire over on Littlecroft hit home that these things can happen to us, our friends or families very easily.

No writeup these days seems complete without some mention of Brexit but despite the shambles the government appear to be making, the news we are receiving is that the industry still looks to be making all the right noises and there appear to be few signs of nerves.  Whilst concerns still remain over skill shortages (good bricklayers, carpenters and window fitters) these are not new problems here in Woodham.  As an industry we have seen five years of consecutive quarterly growth and the workloads of small and medium enterprises like us remain positive.  Further good news comes as we are told that wages are set to rise…Can somebody please tell the boss this part! 😊

On that note, it’s the end of the month and about time I paid some wages, bills and updated my cashflow before the boys arrive in the office and disturb me.  I’m sure next quarter’s update will be dominated by the cold weather and Christmas so until then, thank you for reading.

Drawing weather comparisons with the Summer of 1976, it has been a hot one out there on the tools for myself and Aaron.  In May we started a porch and for two scorching weeks we dug, filled, laid, puffed, pointed, brushed, cut, nailed, sweated and squeezed our way along to completion.  Hard going to say the least compounded by the very little shade we had to hide in most of the day.  Thankfully we’re free from backbreaking full on builds for a while, instead concentrating of windows and replacement conservatory roofs for the remainder of the summer.

With Tony’s departure I was destined to spend this summer on the tools but I was unaware how this would impact on the time I have to look at the business from a higher level.  While this aspect of day to day life has taken a back seat, I have given myself a challenge this quarter to look into the website and company branding as I feel these need a little attention.

In motoring news, you may remember that last Autumn I looked at the impact the company fleet was having on the company’s carbon footprint.  Although I concluded electric vehicles aren’t yet cost effective, I was smart enough to establish that running three vans with a combined age of 35+ years weren’t helping the efforts.  So, this Summer we got rid of two vans and replaced them with a far newer van which you will see sign written around town soon.

The Mister Gees Foundation Shop on the parade continues to receive our support, whether that be putting up shelves, storing large pieces of furniture or wheeling away their rags for collection each week.  Despite us donating the majority of the shop’s first year’s rent, we have just purchased a portable appliance testing (PAT) machine that will allow them to check and therefore sell electrical items going forwards.

In terms of industry news, I managed this month to look at FENSA’s Knowledge Hub that shows a great deal of information about installations going in nationwide by FENSA member companies.  Not only does this allow me to benchmark ourselves amongst our peers but allows me to compare our own like for like stats.  As appears to be happening across the industry, the addition of further coloured foil ranges by window and door companies across the UK has lead to an increase in the number of (high end) green, grey, foiled, black etc items being installed.  We’ve had some beautiful installations this quarter, some of which I remembered to take photos of and upload onto Twitter and Facebook.  Head over to take a look.   

As the evenings draw in, the football season starts again and we head towards Autumn, there is only one thing us Brits are going to be talking, reading, hearing and ultimately sick and tired of, and that is Brexit.  What it means to us as a company is a total unknown at this stage, with my suppliers and customers alike having very little knowledge either.  Surely as March 2019 rolls ever nearer we will know more wont we?! 

I am sat here penning my latest update a week before what is predicted to be the hottest London Marathon on record, yet only a few of weeks ago, the Beast from the East was raging outside.  What a changeable world we live in.

 With that, we too have had a few notable changes here at the company in the last quarter.  Tony welcomed the New Year in with his announcement that he would be parting company with us.  Tony moved from the South West to Essex in 2016 and started working with us upon his arrival.  Initially he was commuting in from Thurrock and when we took him on I wasn’t sure he would be able to cope with the unpredictability of the Essex traffic.  Tony then unfortunately had to move to North London in 2017 to be near his mum from where he continued to commute on a daily basis, on days taking 3 hours to get home.  And so, at Christmas he decided that the commute was not tenable and therefore he would need to seek work closer to home.  Although Tony was with us for just under 2 years, he was a great guy to have around, and him and his skills will be sadly missed.  We wish him and his family all the best.

 Going forward therefore, Aaron will now be joined by me (Richard) on the majority of the jobs we undertake for the foreseeable.  Edward (Ed) will take up the slack in the office where possible but all in all I will have to resign to the fact that my weekends aren’t mine until I find another capable fitter to whom I can pass my hat!

On two separate occasions this week I have been asked the question ‘Why on earth are you still wearing shorts?’  My cheeky, yet sassy response to those that ask the above question is that with calves like these, why would I ever cover them up?!  That said, it’s clear that winter is well and truly here again, let’s hope it is kind to us on the weather front like the last one.

Work wise we are continuing to clear the orders as fast as they are coming in.  We completed a large cement board cladding job for Mr and Mrs Y, which has taken painting the house off of Mr Y’s to-do list which he is very thankful of!  A photo of this job is on our Twitter and Facebook pages.   The two conservatories undertaken in Autumn are both up and running.  Mr and Mrs P’s has given them a new room for their grandchildren to use, whilst Mr S has this week had the tiling completed and wants me to visit to take some photos for our website.  The latter unfortunately was a replacement of his existing conservatory (not built by us) that had pulled away from the wall of his house and required new footings to be dug all around.  On this job it was very strange to be a week into a build before being able to pour new foundations but the old one was built on 300mm footings so no wonder wanted to move.  Our new footings at 1200mm deep should do the trick.

In charity shop news, it has a new front installed by us, new suspended ceiling, new electrics throughout and as of this week hot water.  Woodham Windows as well as working hard late into several nights, has agreed as part of our on-going support to pay the rent for the new shop for the first 12 months.  After this time we are confident that it will be able to stand on its own two feet, for the benefit of, and with the help of donations from, the local community.  Despite our charitable offerings, I was somewhat surprised to find we have a new lead from the back of our broadband router running to their shop, in what I can only surmise is the theft of our internet connection.  The things some of us do for charitable causes and our parents.

This season will see once again us completing one final conservatory of the year, the frames of which we have just taken delivery of and the roof set to arrive later today.  Window and door orders are fast increasing again with the ever likely question “Can you do these before Christmas?” on everybody’s lips.  Whilst on that topic, this Christmas we will be closing on 21^st December and returning on the 2^nd January in line with the close down of our suppliers.

On that note, I will offer up my best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all of our customers, suppliers, workers and you the readers.  One more push before we can all put our feet up for a week or two and recharge the batteries.

Not the warmest of summers has said it’s farewells, and with it unfortunately will come the darker colder days.  Here at WW towers we continue to work hard and have thankfully managed to get our lead times down to the more manageable 3 to 4 weeks just in time to start two conservatories.

In industry news, (and yes I checked to make sure it wasn’t April 1st) our silicone supplier has advised that there is a World sand shortage that is likely to push prices up later this year.  It was surprising to learn that sand (and the silica it contains) is the second most used resource on our planet behind water.  Not so surprising when you think it is used as a building product, microchips, glass, car tyres and countless other products. After all the price hikes Brexit has been blamed for, this certainly is a new one that only an imaginative individual could come up with!  It has given us a good laugh in the office this month but trust us when we say this won’t impact on our window installations here in South Woodham.

This quarter we have been looking hard into the environmental impact of our work with a view to trying to reduce our carbon footprint and being greener.  In what many see as a dirty industry, our studies have indicated that our use of concrete, the discarded frames and glass from our installations, our vans and the regular use of our tea making facilities are predominantly our worse contributors.  The impact of our concrete isn’t something we are able to change much about, however we have sourced a new destination for our discarded plastic frames that ensures they are stripped of their reinforcement and other metallic components before being granulated for reuse as either new windows or other new uPVC products.  It came as a surprise to me during my investigations that uPVC can be recycled up to ten times and therefore in theory if each window’s lifespan is around 35 years, that equates to potentially 350 years worth of uPVC windows out there using the products we already have.

The hunt continues to find a home for our discarded glass units, partly due to the small numbers we are dealing with.  Whilst the industry ‘big boys’ produce sufficient waste to team up with recycling companies, we simply don’t. Our best option currently is to drive any glass to Derby, where we can get it recycled, but the environmental impact of that action will counteract the benefits. 

On the van front; given a bottomless piggy bank we would change to all electric vans, but having done my research and even taken (and been impressed by) a test drive of an electric van, the numbers are hard to justify.  We predominantly work locally and as such the benefit of changing over to electric can simply not be justified at this stage until the technology becomes cheaper to own.

I mentioned last time out that there was likely to be a little news from our parent company Mister Gees Limited, and this quarter has seen movement on that front.   The creation of a new not for profit organisation “Mister Gees Foundation” has seen them take up a shop lease right here on Warwick Parade with the view to opening a new fresh charity shop designed to share profits back to the community from which they have come.  The shop will be entirely gutted, have new electrics throughout, a new shop front installed and be refitted with the plan to open again in October.  As a team we have committed a large proportion of our free time over the coming months to helping the cause.

Until next time, thanks for reading.

As summers go this one hasn’t started badly, we’ve had some warm days and we’ve got the promise of yet more to come. Those that have been following since the start will know that it has been over two whole years now since the Mister Gees / Woodham Windows marriage started.  Whilst we’ve changed a lot in the office (yes we have finally got rid of the facsimile machine) and moved its location, the same aging legs are still climb the ladders on a daily basis to carry out the majority of our installation work.  I like most bosses probably don’t do it enough, but I would like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to the boys (Aaron and Anthony) for their continued hard work out there and being the face of Woodham Windows on a daily basis.

That’s enough of the mushy stuff; now let’s get down to business… As we confirmed at the start of Spring, we have, as a company been looking hard at our running costs.  From insurance premiums to building materials, from silicone to sealed units and even the cost of tea bags we’ve tried our hardest to ensure we’re doing our best to make sure you what you deserve.  Unlike some companies we don’t offer 50% off promotions, or tempting price cuts if you sign up on the night, because in order to do this the price must be grossly inflated in the first place or how else would they stay in business. Whether you are a teacher, a fireman, a cleaner or lucky enough to be retired we believe our prices are realistic and reflect the best value for money we can offer yet even so we know how hard it is out there for everyone and a large capital spend needs consideration, so take your time and call us when you’re ready.

Part of the above exercise has included visiting trade shows recently in an attempt to solidify our current supplier relationships and to forge new ones.   As a result we are now offering a far greater range of front doors, both composite and uPVC and a larger selection of ‘solid’ conservatory roof designs.  Whilst on the subject of solid roofs, it is conservatory building season and we are making the most of the long dry days.  The weather is perfect not only to build new conservatories, but offers a fantastic opportunity to replace existing ones.  We’ve undertaken a couple of large roof renovations recently, with some stunning effects. I’ve uploaded some pictures for you to see on the Facebook page and Twitter feed.

As people’s attention is taken away from what we do here; only to be occupied by the annual ‘what can I do to keep the kids occupied this summer’ I’d expect lead times here to drop over the coming month or two.  It is the ideal time for us to reflect on the business as is and think about new ways to improve our services, products and generally improve our service.  That is the challenge ahead for the next month or two.

Before I go, there is just time to tell you to keep an eye open for a special announcement this coming Autumn by Mister Gees Limited that hopefully in some way will be of benefit to us all here in South Woodham Ferrers.  After being given so much of what I have today by the town and its residents, it appears to be the right time to help give something back….. 

Although we may have lost that extra hour in bed once again, with it comes the promise of lighter evenings, daffodils and warmer days. So, if you a keen gardener it’s time to get your seeds into propagators and to turn those beds over, whilst lovers of motorsport no longer have to mope on Sunday afternoons.

Since our last update, we have received confirmation from a number of our suppliers that prices will increase in the new financial year, partly as a consequence of the Brexit vote along with a number of external factors. We are confident we can absorb these rises, as the changes largely relate to a number of our smaller suppliers. However, it remains one of our major resolutions to look closely at our costs, so as to ensure we can continue to offer great products and excellent service at our current prices.

On this front, to keep up to date with the latest products, services and innovations across the industry, we have visits to the Ideal Home and FIT Shows in the near future. Keep a look out for our findings next time out.

Finally, in an attempt to increase our online presence and pull ourselves into the 21st century, we now have a Facebook Page and a Twitter feed. We aim to use this to share useful information, relevant articles, and may even add some photos to show you what we are getting up to out there whilst we’re on the tools.

Not too unlike Santa on his sleigh, another year has apparently flown by.  2016 has been a very busy year for us here on Warwick Parade.  After our move back to Woodham this time last year, we are now well and truly settled into our new office and yard with both you, our customers, and our suppliers making the most of our teapot.

Not unlike last year, the weather so far this winter has been kind enough to us to enable us to build a porch and a conservatory deep into the later months of the year and even unlike last year propose the build of a new conservatory upon our return from holiday in 2017.  Whilst on the subject, we will be closed down from the 23^rd to the 3^rd in line with the majority of the building industry.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank the boys, as I usually do, for their hard work this year and I hope their presents from me will go some way to showing my appreciation.

Since the autumn update we have received confirmation from a couple of our suppliers that, as a consequence of the Brexit vote, prices will rise in the New Year.  The good news is that these are only our small suppliers and therefore increases that we can absorb, but one of our big resolutions is to look very closely at our costs to ensure we can continue to offer great products and service at our existing prices.

In industry news, there have been some exciting new product lines in the conservatory roof and composite door sectors that we are looking to try out and possibly market to you in the Spring so watch this space.

 Although it is mild enough out there to kid us into believing otherwise, another season has indeed passed us by. The nights are drawing in, we are sweeping out the van each morning under floodlights and the retailers are gearing up for Christmas… It can mean only one thing; Autumn is well and truly upon us.

This summer, we embarked upon and completed our first installation of a Livin Roof by Ultraframe. Whilst construction of it on the whole is very similar to the conservatories we usually install, the finishing, especially the interior is very different giving the possibility of a melange of plaster and glass to the roof. Photos will in due course be uploaded once we have revisited following the completion of its decoration.

Some things don’t change but whilst we have a yard full of windows still, our search for “new blood” ended successfully. They do say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and in this case that certainly appears to be the case. Daniel (Brian’s grandson) joins us fresh faced and willing to learn, following in the footsteps of both his mum and dad who have also both worked for Woodham Windows in one capacity or another over the decades. Within the company we now have Brian (Mark I), Aaron (his son and Mark II) and now Daniel (grandson or Mark III) I am not sure how many firms these days can boast having granddad, son and grandson all fighting for the cause but we are happy to be able to.

Alongside Daniel, we have also been joined by Tony who brings along some experience. Tony has joined us following a move from the South West where for many years he has worked in the building trade, predominantly thankfully in window fitting, but more than capable of plastering, tiling, plumbing and a bit of bricklaying on his day.  Welcome to the club Tony.  

It’s still dark outside but as another week starts, it is time to don my hat and gloves and get out there to tackle another day.

I know it is a cliché but how time flies when you are having fun! One year down and once again we’re here again writing the summer update whilst the sun’s doing what it does best outside.
Now that our annual holidays have come and gone; this summer even more than last, is set to be an exciting one for Woodham Windows. Despite all the uncertainty following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, the yard is chock-a-block with windows, doors and conservatory roofs just waiting for installation. This has prompted us to employ more staff: alongside an experienced window fitter who will join us to bolster the existing team, we are also venturing into the unknown as we feel it is the right time of the year to find an inexperienced youngster looking to learn a trade. Window fitting might not be the most glamorous job but some of us are just not suited to sitting down behind a desk all day. If you know anyone that could be interested, ask them to contact us.

Alongside the possibility of new staff, we received some exciting news recently when Richard passed his industry exams and therefore, is in FENSA’s eyes, now able to run his own fitting team and survey for new jobs. Hours of tests both in the classroom and on site have finally paid off. Well done.

In industry news, the long talked about rollout of System10 (replacing Eclipse as our chamfered profile) has materialised and is now standard with our VEKA windows and doors. In layman’s terms, there is very little to notice regarding changes but it means our products now contain more glass and less plastic, are better at weather proofing and are quicker to fit. The new system is also far more standardised than the old and therefore fabrication time will be reduced, which means getting your windows sooner.

Finally, one more exciting piece of news to report from this quarter is the introduction (and our sign-up to) window and door energy rating certificates. Just as the white goods sector has been doing for years, the fenestration industry is now applying labels to doors and windows to show customers how energy efficient their items are. Look out for these on your new products in the near future.

So far this year the weather has been rather kind to us and we have managed to complete our first two conservatory builds on schedule, let’s hope for more weather like this into the summer.

At the end of last year we were having great difficulty buying quality doors from our main supplier, nothing has changed in this respect; however we now know what caused the problem and what steps are being taken to resolve it.

In 2011 Veka Group, who produces all of the U-PVC window and door frames that we install purchased Bowater Building Products which included Bowater Doors, the largest UK based manufacturer of premium 68mm composite doors. Everything went smoothly until December last year when they sold off this part of the acquisition to a third party. Unfortunately re-locating the factory to the north of England, moving the equipment and training a new workforce has proven more challenging than anticipated, hence the supply predicament. We understand that back orders are being worked through and we are currently being quoted a six week lead time for new orders.

It is worth pointing out that most composite doors are bulk manufactured in China or the Far East; they are shipped as 44mm thick ‘slabs’ which are then cut to size, have the furniture retro fitted and a frame assembled to match. Unfortunately, these lack the build quality and integrity of their made-to-measure UK counterpart, which is why we prefer to source the doors as we do.

In the meantime we can supply an alternative door which is 70mm thick, made to the same exacting standards as our standard U-PVC doors and is available in a selection of coloured facings as well as fully backed by our usual guarantee.

Following a successful trip to the FIT Trade Show this year, we were so impressed with the latest lock from Ultion that we are looking to include this as standard on our doors in the near future. The quality of the locks speaks for itself, giving protection against anti-snapping, picking and drilling. For more information and to see what their £1000 guarantee is all about, check their website: www.ultion-lock.co.uk.

Roll on the summer and what it has in store.

Whilst the dark evenings and Christmas lights prove the winter is here, we’ve fortunately had few of the other signs this year. I’ve made the most of the mild, dry days by working in my shorts and t-shirt deep into December; whilst we’ve made the most of it by making huge in-roads into the backlog. We’ve done so well on this front, that we have now got our lead times back down to the 6-8 weeks we usually aim for. Thank you has to go out to Aaron, Craig, Brian, Jim and Bob for having a huge hand in this.

We may be some three months down the line but some things just do not change. This Winter has seen us experience yet further issues with our phone line, so much so that we’ve made the decision to change supplier… Don’t worry though our telephone number will be coming with us so many of you will not notice anything at all.

Although the ice scraper and woolly hats may still be on the shelf, the Christmas holidays are well and truly upon us. We’ll be closing early on the 24th of December and will not be returning until the 4th January 2016. Not only do I feel our boys need a rest, but finding home-owners that want their windows removed and replaced between Christmas and New Year is difficult to say the least!

Finally, the New Year sees Woodham Windows move back into South Woodham Ferrers. For the last few years we have had our yard and office in separate locations, but from January we’ll be working out of one premise on Warwick Parade behind Spar. This unit is currently being painted for us, but we’re confident our kettle will be up working in time for when we return from our holidays. Although there will not be a showroom as such on-site from day one, we will be operating an open door policy, so feel free to pop in for a cup of tea and a chat.

Firstly I must apologise to everybody who has experienced problems when either trying to telephone the office or having received a call from us only to have the line go dead. Here we are three months and twice that number of BT engineers after installing the line experiencing our first trouble free day. Oh, for the joys of having a monopoly.

With the winter closing in upon us it has been decided to not undertake any new conservatory installations that involve ground work until next spring. Rest assured any outstanding orders will be completed as agreed.

Woodham Windows has now allocated regular time to carry out ‘service calls’ and are in the process of employing and training an extra member of staff to perform these duties together with the replacement of failed sealed glass units.

For the foreseeable future, the office is likely to be attended from Monday to Friday between the hours of 09:00 and 13:00. This is to allow for extra manpower to be available on site to assist with the large number of scheduled installations that we have to date. Should you call outside these hours if there is anybody in the office they will answer your call, if not please leave an answerphone message or better still send us an e-mail that we can deal with whilst burning the midnight oil.

Callers requesting a visit from Brian to carry out a survey prior to preparing a quotation may be surprised when told that the likely installation date will be in ten to twelve weeks. This is part of our ongoing policy to be completely transparent from day one. We know what work is in hand and feel it better to say ten weeks or twelve weeks and deliver in eight or nine weeks than the other way around. Hopefully you will agree, but if you feel the need to go elsewhere then we understand.
As part of the re-organisation, Mister Gees has changed provider for the insurance backed guarantee it offers and is pleased to say that all policies are now placed with The Consumer Protection Association.

Lastly, Woodham Windows has installed (and will continue to develop) a new database that will enable us to track e-mails and telephone calls – well, at least those that get through! – and coherently follow the progress of every job from that first contact to completion.

Yesterday was sunshine and golden leaves, today it is rain and sodden grass, oh well that’s autumn.

This July is seeing the union of two of South Woodham Ferrers’ oldest family businesses.

The owners of Woodham Windows, established in 1986 and Mister Gees Limited, who opened its first enterprise on Warwick Parade in 1972, have established a new company, owned and managed by the next generation to maintain and build upon over seventy years of professional service and business experience here in South Woodham Ferrers.

Val Brazier is taking a well deserved retirement whilst husband Brian will continue to direct and manage his son Aaron’s day to day running of the new venture together with the existing team of fully qualified builders, tradesmen and window fitters. They will be joined by Richard Green on site and Edward Green with the occasional assistance of Douglas Green, better known as ‘Mister Gee’ in the office.

Val, Brian and Douglas all feel that this new venture represents a great opportunity for a younger team to introduce new ideas and systems into Woodham Windows, without discarding the four cornerstones of service, quality, value and trust, upon which the company was founded nearly thirty years ago.

As from 1st July 2015, Woodham Windows will be a trading name of Mister Gees (Property Services) Limited. Apart from a new voice at the end of the telephone and some younger legs up the ladders, very little will change. All guarantees issued by Woodham Windows prior to this date will be honoured and the company will continue to be FENSA registered, offering an insurance backed ten year guarantee on all windows, doors and conservatories ensuring that new customers continue to buy with complete confidence and peace of mind.