In this, the first of our ‘Spotlight On’ posts we’ll be introducing Chris Phillips, who manages our South East team and works out of our Romford Double Glazing and Conservatory Show Centre.

How long have you worked for SEHBAC?

4 years; prior to this I worked for a couple of other Double Glazing companies in Essex.  

How did you get into the industry?

By accident really. Originally I was a builder, but when the last recession hit I decided to change trades.

Which areas do you cover?

I manage the teams which cover London, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Essex. My area also extends south to Sussex, West to Oxford and North to Northampton. Day to day I’m based in Romford.   

What do you think consumers are most interested in when it comes to purchasing windows and conservatories?

People are most interested in a company’s reputation, and want to have confidence in the sales person. it’s all about trust really. We’ve very lucky at SEHBAC as we get a lot of business as a result of existing clients recommending us to their friends and family.

What do people most ask you most often when they are looking to buy double glazing?

Price! Particularly in the current climate people are being careful with their money.

However, we do get asked a lot about the various of styles of double glazing - so people are also concerned about how the finished product is going to look. We’ve also had a lot of interest in our new coloured PVC frames - they are really starting to take off. We offer a range of colours - blues, greens, greys, white, reds etc. Obviously they’re not going to suit all types of houses, but on modern flats they look really smart.

What do people ask you most often when they are looking to buy conservatories?

Conservatories are particularly popular at the moment, as many are electing to ‘improve rather than move’, and the extra space a conservatory provides is really handy.

Conservatories have changed a lot over the years. I remember my Nan had a conservatory - it really wasn’t a usable room - freezing in Winter, boiling in Summer - not good. Now we can build conservatories which are usable all year round - people use them as dining rooms, living rooms, play rooms for the kids. Plus with modern self cleaning glass they’re much easier to maintain, keep clean and looking good.

Some are worried that they’ll be tied to a particular design - but it’s really not the case - you can pretty much have whatever you want. I guess some might also have concerns over planning - but again, most don’t require consent, and we’re happy to help guide them through the process. 

Have you seen a trend towards people being more interested in environmental issues / savings on heating bills?

Yes I’d say people are more aware of green issues than before, and we’re now able to offer A rated windows which is excellent news.

PVC or Hardwood?

PVC - it’s maintenance free.

What do you do for fun?

I was going to be a pro golfer, I played trials for England, and used to play for Essex Amateur. Unfortunately I got injured in a car accident and so couldn’t continue to play competitively, but I still like to play. 

Who would you get to play you in a film of your life?

Well, people used to say I looked like Steve McQueen…

If you were a superhero - what would your superpower be?

Invisibility.

What’s the biggest misconception you face in your line of work?

There is a stigma attached to the double glazing industry - pushy sales people, etc. At SEHBAC we don’t do that, we’re happy to quote for a job - but we’ll come in, measure up, go back to the office, pull together a quote and then send it on to the client. Our motto is ’no pressure, no hassle, no fuss’.

What industry improvements do you think will come about next?

Well, I’d really like to see tighter regulations on the double glazing industry, particularly with regard to selling practices. I think it would kill off the rogue traders, which could only benefit the industry as a whole.

How has the internet changed your job?

Well I’d guess we get around 60% of our enquiries via the web now - it just makes it so much easier for customers. They can book appointments online, view the range, etc. I think it’s made life a lot easier for everyone.

What are you most looking forward to in the next six months?

Well, we’re going to be having our new hardwood windows and doors range fitted in the Romford show centre. It’s already the best PVC double glazing and conservatory show centre in the South East; but now people will be able to compare PVC and Hardwood side by side in the same show centre. It’s going to be great for the customers.

Work stuff aside, I’m over the moon as my lovely wife’s expecting our second child on 19th December. We’re taking bets on whether it will be a boy or girl, so watch this space…

Steve McQueen image wikipedia

Back in May, I wrote a post about conservatories adding around £7,000 to a property’s value - this figure was based upon a survey commissioned by HSBC.

However, last week the Daily Mail ran a story about a couple who have added a massive £200,000 to the value of their home by adding a conservatory!

The home belongs to property developers Paul and Denise Sewter of Woodstock, Oxon. Now, clearly this is by no means a ‘regular’ conservatory. Installed at a cost of around £42,000, it was a serious investment, but clearly one that has paid back - almost fivefold.

Food for thought, eh?

Recently, Ian Jack wrote a piece in the Guardian - titled ‘Beware the Double Glazing Salesman’ postulating that the biggest threat to conservation areas is not new development, it’s PVC windows (or indeed perhaps PVC double glazing salesman).

The conservation movement back in the UK way back in 1877, when William Morris founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. Initially the conservation movement was primarily concerned with protecting the heritage of cathedrals, churches, large country manor houses and so on.

However in 1968, the creation of conservation areas began touching the lives of us everyday folk, when some Victorian terraced homes also became protected.

England alone has 9,300 conservation areas, of which English Heritage claim one in seven are ‘at risk’.

At risk of what?

Well, essentially conservation areas are created to preserve the distinctive character of the locality, mainly via protecting the existing architectural features of the buildings.

Seemingly, in many areas the conservation rules are ignored, and the local authorities are either unwilling, or unable to step in to try to enforce them.

According to English Heritage the biggest threat to conservation areas is ‘unsympathetic’ replacement windows and doors. The Government’s English House Condition Survey seemingly backs this assertion as they found that 40% of houses built in the last half of the 19th century has replaced their wooden sash windows with PVC double glazing by 2006.

Now, whilst we wouldn’t dispute that indeed double glazing has increased in popularity, it seems to me to be a massive leap to blame double glazing, and indeed double glazing salesman for what is essentially a failing in local authorities to enforce these conservation rules.

At SEHBAC we believe that replacement double glazing should be sympathetic to the character of a home. It should enhance rather than detract from the house’s appearance. In any given part of the country there are of course examples of poorly selected double glazed windows which do not complement the character and style of the original structure.

However, we resent the notion that all double glazing suppliers are out to sell ugly windows which spoil the appearance of protected architecture. Our business certainly would not have succeeded for past 38 years if that was our raison d’etre.

We offer a wide range of double glazed windows in a variety of styles, and indeed in a variety of materials.

We’re not alone.

There are many other reputable companies out there like us who offer homeowners the opportunity to install modern double glazing, with all of the associated benefits - improved security, savings on heating bills, etc, without compromising on how their home looks.

It’s seems to us to be both a gross generalisation, and indeed pretty sensationalist journalism from what is supposed to be a ‘quality’ newspaper.