uPVC windows Salesmen on a mission

[Ian Bond]

Just had a bizarre cold-call visit from 2 salesmen advising me to replace my 8 over 8 timber sashes with uPVC dg.

I've never heard anyone talk so much BS so fast... I need I lie down.....

Apparently wood is rubbish, and I can save myself at least £20 a month on fuel bills.

Amazing that someone can calculate that sort of thing by just looking at the front of your house.

Unfortunately they jumped in their car and took off at high speed when I tried to explain the benefits of retaining and repairing *historic* sashes. I seem to have that effect on people when I start going on, and on about period property matters

And they didn't even leave me a leaflet.

 

[Nemesis]

Pity really you haven't the details - a report to Trading Standards...

 

[Ian Bond]

Don't worry - their sales technique was so bad that I cannot imagine anyone falling for it.

Although, in our street there is only 1 other house without uPVC now... hmmm.

I wish I had it on camera, it was great. My next door neighbour was cleaning her (uPVC) windows at the time, and nearly fell off her ladder laughing.

A pity they didn't stick around, as I hadn't really got going with my lecture.

 

[Penners]

Well, I think you were too hasty. Consider the advantages of uPVC:-

1. Insulation. It's plastic so it's quite good at insulating. Oh - hang on. Wood is too, isn't it?

2. It doesn't need painting. Except that B&Q sells a paint specifically made for uPVC so perhaps that's not quite right.

3. It's durable. Should last at least 20 years. Oops - I've just noticed that my original wood windows will shortly be 250 years old.

Er.....

 

[Flyfisher]

Well, I think you were too hasty. Consider the advantages of uPVC:-

. . . the obvious one being that most houses (I think) don't have them yet making it a huge selling opportunity. After all, what's the point of selling quality wood windows that last 250 years when there are commissions to be had every 20 years or so for placcy ones?

 

[Penners]

Spoken like a true salesman.

I bet you never work on Friday afternoons... sorry, you work from home on Friday afternoons.

 

[njr_26]

We are always getting dg salesmen knocking on our door about our windows. I just tell them that unless they have got hardwood sliding sashes like the ones up the road I am not interested. (Our house has had the original sashes ripped out by previous owners) They then say that they have plastic which looks like wood. I point out that plastic isn't wood and will never look like wood, and anyway I want to have painted windows when I can afford to replace the 1980s eyesores.
They give up very quickly!!!

 

[Ian Bond]

That's about right- as soon as you start asking questions or challenging what they say, you're a bad sales proposition.

Next!!

 

[Lime]

You can't blame the sales people for selling rubbish.
It's the general public that seems to think £40,000 spent on plastic windows and doors is a bargain.
They are the fools who sign up for another 20 year mortgage to finance it on the basis that "they will never need painting again".

Yet within weeks they are outside washing the grime off them and it takes them hours.
I never saw that when they had painted wooden windows.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Just had a bizarre cold-call visit from 2 salesmen advising me to replace my 8 over 8 timber sashes with uPVC dg.

I've never heard anyone talk so much BS so fast... I need I lie down.....

Apparently wood is rubbish, and I can save myself at least £20 a month on fuel bills.

And they didn't even leave me a leaflet.

Not sure how many windows you've got, but let's assume you have six.

energy bill saving of £20 / month = £240 / year

I'll assume they were among the more "top of the range" type placcy windows, so about £1000 per window = £6000.

At £240 / year they'll pay for themselves in 25 years. I assume they're guaranteed for 20 years? So they won't have paid for themselves by the time you need to replace them.

And in 20 years' time PVCu will be classified as toxic waste and will be as expensive as asbestos to dispose of.

BS indeed

 

[Penners]

And yet these bl**dy companies seem to be allowed to continue their misleading claims and architectural vandalism completely unfettered.

It's scandalous - nothing less.

 

[Penners]

Oops - did I sound like a grumpy old f@rt there? Well, there's a reason for that...

 

[Ian Bond]

Spot on Gareth.

He lost interest as soon as I began to disagree with his claims of vast savings.

I'd expect the savings to be even less - my narrow terraced house had only 4 sash windows originally (window tax influence?).

But given the way they approached me, I can well imagine that they'd be the worst quality windows, and worst quality installation. Probably wouldn't last 6 months.

At least they had the good sense to scarper without leaving any details / mentioning the company name.

 

[Ian Bond]

No, you are quite right Penners!

.... about the uPVC cr@p.

With the government so keen to ban things at the moment?... It's never gonna happen though, is it?!

I'm off to smoke me clay pipe indoors, with all the incandescent light bulbs on. The lighting circuits that I most certainly did NOT install myself. Honest guv.

Ian
grumpy young(ish) f@rt

 

[Ian Bond]

... I wonder if Amazon have any books on uPVC windows?

er, on second thoughts, it's too complicated. :lol:

 

[Flyfisher]

At £240 / year they'll pay for themselves in 25 years. I assume they're guaranteed for 20 years? So they won't have paid for themselves by the time you need to replace them.

BS indeed

And that's best case, which doesn't take into account any interest paid on borrowing the £6000 or interest lost by spending the £6000 if it was already to hand.

So, double BS!

 

[JMartin]

What I love (hate) about these people is the minute you tell them they are way out with their quote they try to sell you a loan...as if that makes £6000 suddenly turn into £50 :roll: I wish I could find an honest salesperson but I fear they're rarer than hen's teeth.

 

[Penners]

 

[Lady_Mari]

Oh Penners, where did u find that excellent hen?
Made me laugh - I nearly p**d my drawers.

 

[Penners]

I nearly p**d my drawers.

Not recommended if they're pine. Oak would withstand the wet better.