M & W TOP TIPS

The process of ordering made-to-order timber windows and doors

“First of all our versatile system allows us to work with our clients in several ways throughout the estimating, design and ordering process,” says Tom Barfield, regional sales director, Mumford & Wood Ltd., “but it is important to factor in the time required for a made-to-order timber fenestration system. The
normal process is for architectural drawings of the property to be sent to us and we will quote to that specification; designs can be altered at this stage to suit the specific project. The more bespoke, the longer the manufacturing process. The same applies to standard and non-standard ironmongery and it is important to get this right from the very start. From sign off we will provide a delivery date which can be 6 weeks or more.

Site visit

“Secondly, in a replacement project the customer can either provide their own opening measurements or we can arrange a site visit. The older the property the greater the chance openings will not be consistent and will require expert handling. It’s best to work with a manufacturer who will allocate one person to the project from start to end to ensure ease of contact and reliability. When our windows and doors are delivered to site we provide detailed instructions of how and where to store the products between delivery and installation which is very important and can affect warranties, of which ours are the best in the business.

Site storage

Finally, if our windows and doors are to be stored make allowance for the space needed to accommodate them on site, and with our windows normally being larger than most there is a weight consideration so it’s wise to have extra labour on site to help with lifting. If space is limited products can be supplied unlinked which also addresses weight problems. Installation can be arranged and we have recommended suppliers who work with us.”