Window firm offers puzzling prices (From Gazette Series)

Window firm offers puzzling prices

A BERKELEY resident has claimed a national window company quoted a price more than three times higher than that of a local company to replace a window.

John Denly, 55, of Berkeley Vale Park, was visited by a sales representative from Zenith Staybrite Windows on Saturday, July 2. The rep said the company was looking for "show homes" in the area and as Mr Denly wanted to replace a six-foot by four-foot bay window at his house he decided to get a quote.

He was, however, shocked and disgusted with the quote he was given by the representative and is warning other people to shop around before taking the company up on any offer.

"After two and a half hours the rep came up with a price of £2,200, which is an awful lot of money," he told the Gazette this week. "As it was for a show home it came down to £1,875. I told him I couldn't afford that price and the rep left.

"On the Sunday the rep's boss called me and he asked me what I thought of his colleague. I told him he was ok as a salesman but I couldn't afford the price he gave me. He then said how did a price of £795 sound, to which I replied I don't think so."

Mr Denly, who is a general builder and runs his own company, did his own calculations and estimated the work would cost between £600 and £700 and asked a local firm to give him a quote, which turned out to be considerably lower than any of the Zenith prices. "I had a firm from Berkeley come out to the house and they told me it would cost £567," he said.

"It is a hell of a difference in prices - I thought Zenith's price was quite disgusting and I was quite shocked by it."

Zenith Staybrite have distributed flyers to homes in the area asking for show homes and Mr Denly is worried people might not shop around for quotes.

He said: "Elderly people in the area are quite vulnerable and I had nearly signed the agreement before he gave me a price. There are a lot of people out there who would go ahead with quote and have the work done."

Sue Marsh, from Bowater Home Improvement Ltd, who own Zenith Staybrite Windows told the Gazette this week: "Our sales agent visited Mr Denly on Saturday July 2. During the visit our sales agent quoted Mr Denly a price, after discount, of £1,388.20p including VAT for the supply and installation of a three-part bay window. Mr Denly declined our offer and signed our paperwork to this effect."

The company declined to comment on the difference in prices quoted to Mr Denly.