Glazing Consumer Poll

Glazing Consumer Poll

A new poll of UK householders reveals that energy efficiency remains the primary driver for window and door purchases, followed by security and aesthetics.

The study by Hampshire installer and home improvement specialist KJM Group found that energy efficiency was cited by 42 per cent of respondents as the primary reason for buying new windows and doors.

This was followed by distress purchases e.g. window and door failures, at 22 per cent.  The consumer survey placed security and aesthetics at a level pegging, cited by 18 per cent of respondents as the primary reason for new purchases.

Mark Pearce, owner and Managing Director, KJM Group, said: “We suggest a couple of factors have come into play. Energy prices have sharpened interest from homeowners in energy efficient products, while the Green Deal if doing little else, has raised awareness of the energy efficiency message.

“But it’s probably triple glazing, even where people don’t ultimately end up buying it, which in our experience, has prompted increased awareness of energy efficiency, it’s something which consumers get.”

The G11 and G13 Awards Installer of the Year Finalist, said the findings of the poll were also consistent with its own sales results. This has seen continuing growth in triple-glazed sales this year so that it now accounts for 20 per cent of its standard PVC-U product sales.

KJM currently supplies two triple-glazed systems, one – a 44mm system with u-values as low as 0.66W/m².K – from Veka, the other a 36 mm system from Profile 22 and the installer has developed a carefully crafted proposition, developed to highlight the advantages of triple-glazing to the consumer.

“Triple-glazing gives you some pretty strong messaging”, said Pearce. “It offers 40 per cent better insulation over our ‘A’ rated double-glazed products. The Veka system delivers particular benefits – more than 25 per cent greater thermal efficiency than that of rival triple-glazed systems.”

The poll also revealed that quality was more important for the majority of homeowners than price when choosing new windows and doors. The study found that more than 60 per cent of those surveyed had selected the Andover window installer because of its reputation for quality.

Prices was listed as a sales driver by just 28 per cent of respondents, while 11 per cent of those filling out the survey cited KJM’s status as a local supplier as the most important factor in selecting the company over other installation businesses.

Pearce continued: “This is again consistent with our approach. We don’t go out and discount but charge a fair price for an honest day’s work. We’re also increasing our focus on higher end products and heritage ranges, because they provide an element of differentiation which is again immediately tangible to the homeowner.”

This has included the addition of the Beaumont range from Dempsey Dyer and Residence 9 from Sternfenster, to exploit new consumer demand for flush casement and traditionally jointed windows in a low maintenance PVC-U window.

In addition to Beaumont and Residence 9, KJM also caries Veka and Profile 22 U-PVC window systems, wooden windows and doors, including vertical sliding and flush casement windows from Dempsey Dyer and aluminium products from Smart and Sapa.

KJM also reports a growing number of foiled and products and composite doors including the popular Solidor range, collectively contributing to a £3.2million turnover last year – an almost 30 per cent increase on 2012.

Pearce concluded: “The recession was tough for a lot of people but rather than driving them towards low-cost solutions, they’ve become more strategic. They’re doing their research online, developing an understanding of the product and weighing up different options even before they contact you. Quality and range become ever more important as a consequence.”