Frame Fast Helps To Bring Derbyshire Pub Back To Life

For more than ten years, the Cock Inn at Mugginton, Derbyshire stood empty. Now it has a new lease of life thanks to a £1m restoration and extension project. Part of the impressive renovation was carried out by the East Midlands’ largest window and door fabricator, Frame Fast UK.

Frame Fast installed its aluminium windows, doors and curtain walling in the building’s new extension. The large wide-span design of the windows and doors allows plenty of light to fill the inside and provides a perfect view for customers to enjoy the wonderful views across Derbyshire and beyond.

Part of the Berkley Inns Limited group, the Cock Inn’s restoration includes a newly constructed 3,500 sq. ft extension which houses its new restaurant areas and hi-tech kitchen facility.

Walking towards the new restaurant entrance, customers will first notice the southerly elevation of the new building featuring an eye catching and enormous Oak King truss, encasing and surrounded by Frame Fast’s aluminium framed glazing. Frame Fast’s dedicated Glass Shop created specialised decorative glass incorporating the Cock Inn logo for the aluminium framed doors.

“We have been delighted with all of Frame Fast’s work on the extension,” says Howard Thacker, M.D. Berkeley Inns Ltd. “The spectacular glazing in the new extension provides fabulous architectural interest.

“When delivering projects like this to strict timescales and with reliable and extraordinary quality a necessity, it gives serious peace of mind to have a company like Frame Fast on board and to know you can rely on them.”

The Cock Inn is the second pub Frame Fast has worked on with the group. It also provided the doors and windows to the new extension at the very successful Three Horseshoes in Long Lane village, Derbyshire.

“After being impressed with the work Frame Fast carried out at The Three Horseshoes, we knew we could count on them to do a fantastic job on the Cock Inn too,” adds Howard.

“We have recently acquired two more outlets requiring significant work, no doubt we’ll be working with Frame Fast again very soon.”

For Frame Fast’s website, visit www.framefastuk.com.

Britain’s leading building envelope specialist, Schueco UK, has announced the introduction of a new, updated version of its manually operated panoramic sliding door system, the Schueco ASS 77 PD.HI.

Innovations include an integrated, full-height handle that improves the appearance of the door and makes it easier to open and close. The system is also equipped with an optimised locking concept that makes use of spring-loaded mushroom heads.

There are new designs, in particular a 90^o all-glass corner without a mullion, and new bi-parting four-pane versions with two sliding leaves and two fixed or four sliding leaves. In addition, the overall level of thermal insulation has been improved, with U_w values from 0.96 W/m²K with triple glazing now being delivered as standard.

Installation of the Schueco ASS 77 PD.HI system is also significantly simpler thanks to a reduced outer-frame installation height of 58 mm and the ability to install the frame in buildings with minimal installation space at the side.

Newly introduced system-specific software assists designers in the calculation of asymmetrical units and modular solutions, while a new space-saving fabrication aid increases the bonding quality and reduces fabrication time of the glazing units in the workshop.

The glass panes can now be fitted to their frames in a vertical position rather the traditional horizontal method which uses up much more factory floor area during the 24-hour curing process.

And to assist with installation, new adjustment devices are now available for the outer frame without removal of the glass panels. This is a great benefit where there may be subsequent ceiling deflection.

For full details of the new Schueco ASS 77PD.HI (manual version) sliding door system, please email mkinfobox@schueco.com

Nearly six in ten (59%) of the UK’s homeowners are planning to carry out home improvements worth £50.89bn¹ over the next six months – contradicting recent reports of weakened consumer confidence – according to new research by roof window manufacturer Velux.

The Velux 2017 Home Improvement survey, released to coincide with Home Improvement Month in April, shows that the number of property owners planning home improvement projects has increased by 12% on this time last year.

Contrary to many recent reports suggesting a weakening of consumer confidence in the shadow of Brexit, the UK’s home improvers are willing to invest to create their dream home, with a planned average spend of £4,870 over the next six months. One in six home improvers (16%) are planning to spend over £10,000 on their proposed projects.

According to the findings, the rationale for home improvement is ‘more emotional than rational’. Over a third of home owners (34%) who are planning to improve their property over the next six months are reportedly doing so because they love their home and the area they live in and don’t want to move. By comparison, a quarter (26%) are improving their home to add value to the property.

This ‘home sweet home’ philosophy is also front of mind for a quarter of home improvers (24%), whose main reason for home improvement is one of self-satisfaction, simply to make them feel good about themselves. As a key reason for home improvement, it is only marginally behind adding value.

The main focus of home improvement plans is cosmetic, with 71% planning to paint and decorate. However, a quarter (26%) are investing in flooring and lighting, followed by a new kitchen or bathroom (24%) and replacement windows (13%). In London, where space is at more of a premium than elsewhere in the UK, 14% of home improvers are planning an extension compared to just 1% of home improvers in Wales and Scotland.

Grant Sneddon, product manager from Velux said: “Despite widespread reports of weakened consumer and business confidence, our comprehensive research underlines a clear intention from homeowners to continue investing in their homes.

“What’s perhaps more interesting is that homeowners are spending out of a personal preference of creating their dream homes, just as much as those who are spending to invest in the future value of their property.

“Whether it’s by creating an extra room, converting a loft, building an extension or replacing a kitchen or bathroom, it appears that home owners up and down the county are realising the potential of their homes and choosing to improve or to add to the space they have, instead of moving to a different property.”

UK based interior design blogger and stylist, Hege Morris of Hege in France, said: “The internet has helped to inspire millions of people to realise the potential of their house and have the courage to create their own dream homes.

“Many homeowners now look beyond the functional use of their home to create spaces which mean more to them. For some, this means creating a personal sanctuary where they can escape from the rigours of everyday life, manage a home-run business or pursue a hobby.

“For others, particularly those with families, we’re seeing the continued growth of large, light and bright, open living spaces, where they can spend more quality time together.”

The post UK’s home improvers set to spend £50.89 billion as Brexit fails to dampen confidence appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).

A little while ago I ran a poll asking what the industry believed to be the biggest problem facing the sector right now. There were six options, so the votes were fairly well spread. However, of the options the joint most voted for was the option of poor customer service throughout the whole supply chain of the sector. You can continue to vote on the poll and read that post here.

Given the things I am told, I would say that this is a pretty accurate representation of the feelings in the industry right now.

Overworked, under-staffed, strained

I get a genuine sense that in a lot of areas of our industry we are creaking. Business is brisk, if not blossoming. We’re busy, which is good news. But it also means we’re working more.

I am told that many companies across the supply chain in UK fenestration are at staffing levels that have still not recovered to pre-Great Recession levels. That means we’re all doing more work, more business, on smaller staffing numbers. The end result is that less people are doing more things. Working harder and producing more in the same amount of time with less people to do it. The end result of all of this is a workforce across our supply chain that is overworked, under-staffed and feel strained to come good on their targets.

The other thing to consider is morale. A stressed workforce can also lead to low morale, which creates a negative mood in camp. A happy, positive workforce is a productive one, and the quality of work they do is high too. A strained workforce produces poor quality work, which affects us all.

It does also lead to poor customer service, which is perhaps the biggest problem of all.

Poor customer service costing us all

I think the ones at the real sharp end of poor customer service are installers. These are the companies facing the home owner directly, and are in the direct firing line when issues occur on site. Be it missing items, poor product quality, delivery delays or wrong items, it is always the installer that gets it in the neck, even if it’s not their fault.

Installers are the ones who rely completely on their suppliers and fabricators to make sure that the products they have ordered for their home owners arrive on time and in full. Are in a quality condition. That all items for the job are there. That it’s been made to the correct specifications. Installers are often running tight, packed fitting schedules. Any delays can often mean a very long knock-on effect to schedules that have been weeks in the planning. It’s a logistical nightmare, and one that has bigger consequences for the installers if they’re a small to medium sized business.

Installers rely on their suppliers for gold standard customer service. Even more so now. Our industry is about as diverse as it ever has been. We’re all suffering from product overload. Flooded with incomplete information and data on said products. Organisation is becoming a whole other business in itself. Fabricators absolutely have to be stepping up to the mark to make sure their installers are coping with their orders. With home owners becoming more demanding, and installers drowning under the weight of product options, quality customer service and support from their fabricators can help ease the burden for their installers, and for themselves too.

The fact is that poor customer service costs us all as an industry. Product mistakes cost money to rectify. Delays to fitting costs money. Remakes of products costs money. There are no figures about in the sector which can measure what poor customer service costs us as an industry, but when you consider our contribution to GDP is worth more than the UK music industry, it could be in the hundreds of millions a year.

Right now we’re a strained, stressed, fractured, overworked sector, I think most would agree with that. The one thing that could help relieve that pressure somewhat is a renewed, solid effort to restore a better level of customer service throughout the sector.

Avocet Hardware has continued its fight against burglars with the launch of www.abs-secure.co.uk – a brand new website that brings together all the relevant information about lock-snapping, and how to counter it using the company’s market leading snap secure locks, in one invaluable and easy to use online resource.

The new site, which is fully responsive and so will display perfectly no matter what device a person uses to access it, was developed in response to a growing demand amongst Avocet’s Elite centre customers for a website that addressed lock snapping head on and honestly, but without providing burglars with a veritable DIY lesson in it.

Derrick Purvis, marketing manager of Brighouse-based Avocet, said: “There’s a lot of conflicting information about lock-snapping and how to prevent it flying around out there and it is very easy to become confused. The feedback we were getting was that people wanted an authoritative voice to tackle the issue in a manner that made sense – and I feel www.abs-secure.co.uk does exactly that.”

Lock-snapping is a form of forced entry that has grown in popularity in recent years. It affects Euro cylinder locks that are fitted, as standard, in all uPVC and double glazed doors. There are though snap-secure locks available, which have been developed specifically to prevent lock-snap attacks. Those carrying a BSI kitemark and its TS007 3-star rating, and the Master Locksmith Association’s Sold Secure SS312 Diamond rating are accepted as the most reliable in keeping burglars out and car keys safely out of their reach – and Avocet sells two of the UK’s most secure locks, ABS and ATK.

ABS was the first lock of its kind in the country to have both SS312 Diamond accreditation and a TS007 3-star rating. It was fitted in over 10,000 homes by West Yorkshire Police as part of a crime prevention programme in 2012, which resulted in a 35 per cent drop in burglaries in just one year. It has also never been breached once fitted in any home in the UK and is a police preferred, Secured by Design product.

ATK was introduced in 2015 in response to a growing requirement for a snap secure Avocet lock that could be operated using a standard key. Since then the lock has secured millions of pounds worth of business for Avocet, most notably from a host of leading door companies, that have opted to fit ATK as standard.

Avocet is now marketing and selling ABS and ATK across Europe as part of its role as the security sponsor of the European Neighbourhood Watch Association (EUNWA).

“Lock-snapping isn’t just confined to the UK,” continued Derrick. “In many countries across Europe its growth as a form of forced entry has absolutely sky-rocketed in recent years. It’s our hope that by working alongside EUNWA and developing an online resource like www.abs-secure.co.uk that we’ll be able to make a long and lasting impression that will help stop burglars across the continent in their tracks and ensure every can sit that bit more safely in their homes.”

For more information about lock-snapping and how to prevent visit www.abs-secure.co.uk.

Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions will be displaying the UK’s finest looking collection of glazed roof products, from stunning minimalist lanterns and flat rooflights, to the latest in Lean-to design,on its stand at the FIT Show (N20).

Since 2006, Atlas has raised the bar in the glazed roof industry and, during the show, the company will showcase the best looking lantern roofs on the market.

Visitors will be able to see for themselves why the Atlas lantern remains the best in the UK. Totally unmatched within the industry, the Atlas lantern features the slimmest bars, cleanest lines and uncluttered detailing, whilst delivering superior thermal performance. Its engineering excellence eliminates the need for bulky ridge detail, bosses and hoods to achieve the ultimate ‘MORE SKY LESS ROOF’.

The Atlas team will be talking to visitors about new developments to the Atlas roof, especially the unique ‘Skyroom Lean-To’ – the only product of its kind at the FIT Show. Created to stretch design ideas beyond the conventional, the hybrid Skyroom Lean-To will set any installer apart from the competition.

Combining the very best features of a Skyroom with a Lean-to conservatory is the Skyroom Lean-To. The ultra-modern 2500mm x 5350mm FIT Show model will incorporate four metre wide bi-folding doors from Atlas’ sister company Customade to emphasise the versatility of the space.

The Skyroom Lean-To carries the hallmark of the Skyroom, which is the most realistic contemporary mock orangery on the market. Its raised internal ringbeam and unique 300mm high contemporary aluminium external cornice creates the appearance of a real orangery. Visitors are sure to be impressed with the visual impact of the slim-line 40mm wide internal ridge and rafters. This slim profile optimises the amount of glazing within the roof to dramatically add to the sense of light and space within the room. They’ll also see how the clever hidden or rafter tie bar supports eliminate the need for unsightly rod tie bars.

Atlas will also be displaying two Contemporary Lanterns, which are available in sizes up to 3000 x 1500mm. The four-pane lantern features all the signature internal and external aesthetics of an Atlas roof for smart, contemporary look. Dubbed ‘the architect’s choice’ because it is so perfectly proportioned with the internal ridge, transom rafters and hips the same 40mm width, it can cater for pitches from 17 degrees to 35 degrees for ultimate flexibility. And unlike some of its rivals, there are no boss or hoods to intrude on the roof’s slim-line ridge.

Atlas will also be displaying the Atlas Flat Rooflight, which stole the show at FIT last year. Created to deliver ‘ALL SKY AND NO ROOF’, the Flat Rooflight brings ultimate performance and maximum light in a sleek, minimalistic design. It also achieves an industry-leading complete roof (glass and frame) U-value of 1.3 W/m2k.

Claire Miller, marketing manager at Atlas Glazed Roof Solutions, explains: “We are really excited about this year’s FIT Show and we can’t wait to show off the industry’s best looking collection of glazed roofing products. Often imitated, but never bettered, we know that the Atlas roof system is still the best out there. We’ll be showing everyone what the strongest, finest looking and most thermally efficient roof looks like and explaining why they should never compromise on what they choose. And you can be sure that we will continue to develop even more ultimate products in the future – it’s built in to the Atlas DNA!”

A fully aluminium, slim-line, thermally broken system, the Atlas roof features very low sightlines to ensure that it is subtle on the outside, whilst bringing maximum light into the inside. Its external profile is 50% slimmer than its nearest competitor and its internal ridge and hips are 60% and 38% slimmer respectively. The roof is arguably the best performing roof in the UK and, when double glazed, the rafter can achieve a U Value of 0.9 W/m2k.

For further information, please contact Atlas on marketing@atlasroofsolutions.co.uk or phone 02838 327741.

www.atlasroofsolutions.co.uk

Fabricator, TWR Group, recently held an open day to showcase its full product range and celebrate ‘recent company milestones’.

The company held the event over two days in March and invited suppliers, customers and industry figures to its 25,000ft2 company headquarters.

The event was organised by Helen and Laura Richardson – key accounts director and finance director at the TWR Group, respectively.

Over the Thursday and Friday, more than 100 people attended the event, where it was announced that the company had achieved Secured by Design (SBD) status for its aluminium doors incorporating VBH hardware.

Peter Rowlands, managing director at VBH UK, presented TWR with the certificate for the accreditation and spoke to attendees.

Guests were then given a tour of the factory and introduced to the company’s products and services – which include Warmcore, Rehau Total 70 and Calibre; as well as the company’s aluminium bending facility and its soon to be built second powder coating and colour facility.

Terry Richardson, who is the founder and managing director of the TWR Group, commented: “The aim of the open day was to show the industry the breadth of our capabilities and the extent to which the business has grown. There is no doubt we are one of the fastest growing companies in the industry and our investment in infrastructure, technology and people make us a powerful partner for any home improvement company.”

www.twrgroup.co.uk

The post Fabricator, TWR, rolls out SBD accreditation at open day appeared first on Glass & Glazing Products Magazine (GGP).