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It must be one of the great ironies of environmentalism that buying something as energy saving as uPVC windows is such a trying and hassle ridden experience. Basically, uPVC windows with double or triple glazing can save you up to 20% on your energy bills in the winter, but unfortunately, it is not a simple matter to get a fair price to purchase them.

Rather than just simply order uPVC windows from a reputable firm on the internet along with a fee for installation you will be subjected to a long process of telephone calls and the inevitable visit by an uPVC sales rep. The main thing to remember is that most reps are on a very small or non-existent starting salary. Rather, they get a very small commission on the actual price of the uPVC windows they sell, but a huge commission on any amount above the recommended price. That means that if the uPVC window costs $600 and they sell it to you for $600 they get maybe a 3% commission. That’s a measly $18. The rep, however, will often be on a whopping 60% on any amount over $600 he can get out of a customer. So he sells you an uPVC window for $1000 he gets $18 plus $240 in extra commission. Multiply the $258 by 5 windows and a couple of doors and you can see how a sales rep can make a good living. On top of that this highly incentivized system means the uPVC company can make huge profits with minimal salary overheads. The system is stacked against the consumer. Below are a few tips to get a good price out of an uPVC sales rep.

My first advice is never to go with the first company. And never sign anything on the initial visit. If an offer is given it is good for a couple of weeks despite what the rep might tell you. Get at least three quotes; and make one of those quotes a local firm. Often you will find the local firm more honest especially if you meet the manager of the company rather than a rep. Check out his or her hands to see if they are calloused and the hands of a tradesman rather than a salesperson.

When dealing with an out and out sales rep you can do a few simple things to put them off balance and gain you an advantage in the negotiation process. The first thing to do is to avoid talking for hours. Tell the uPVC rep that you have to go out in an hour. They usually take two hours waffling, so this will throw the rep immediately. Secondly, don’t let the rep get comfortable. Make him sit on a hard back chair and don’t give him anything more than a glass of tap water. Third, refuse to make small talk or answer questions about yourself. More often than not the rep is trying to size you up for how much you can afford. Fourth, try and get to the point as quickly as possible. Give him or her the measurements and specs for the uPVC windows and doors you want and get a price. That price will be huge – $50,000 or more. Fifth keep on refusing and saying it’s too much and sorry to waste your time but can you leave. This is where the fun starts.

Each refusal will produce a new bogus phone call to the boss and more busy taping of the calculator and a new, cheaper offer. The rep will spin you any number of lies. You live near a busy street and can get a discount. You live near a school and can get a discount. Because you are the first in your street to buy our uPVC you can get a discount. I’m the manager just filling in so I don’t need a commission so you can get a discount. If you let us put a sign up advertising our windows, we can give you a discount. The lies keep pouring out until the price is well over 50% reduced. The final gambit on the uPVC salesman’s part is to offer you financing (they get a commission for this). If you need financing then this is OK, if not then check the small print about the paying off the debt early penalty clause. It shouldn’t be more than 2% of the total sum.

Basically, just by saying ‘no’ four or five times you can get a much better deal. Repeat this procedure 3 times with three different companies and you will get a good idea how much the uPVC windows should cost. Don’t forget to find out the specs of the windows – low-e coating uPVC windows, with multi-point locking systems and 10 year warranty is the kind of specs you want.

Finally make sure the price includes installation. And the last piece of advice is to do plenty of research to make sure that the company you will use will do a good job. There are sadly too many cowboy firms out there.

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