What do you need to consider when replacing strata windows?
Barely a day goes by where we are not contacted by people seeking advice on window, door and balustrade installation in strata buildings. Given the usually complex nature of the job, the risks and the costs associated, it’s probably not that surprising that people reach out for guidance.
We recently sat down with Gary Stevenson, who founded Windowline over 30 years ago, to offer up some advice to Strata Committee members and Strata Managers who may be considering replacements.
Q: Why did you start Windowline all those years ago?
A: Having spent a few years in the industry I looked around and realised that workmanship and service can appear the same, but can very different indeed. And sadly often people don’t find this out until something goes wrong. This can not only be dangerous, but it can also eat into precious budgets. So I set out to offer a level of service and workmanship that the industry didn’t offer at the time. And happily we are still offering this today for our clients.
Q: What makes Windowline different?
A: A few things. Firstly we offer bespoke solutions. In our experience, every building is unique and therefore requires a customised approach. Secondly we are not aligned to any glass manufacturer, so we make product recommendations based on what is best for each building. And thirdly we make it our priority to minimise disruption to owners and tenants: from the tender right through to the replacement itself. Deciding to invest in a building is a complex, expensive and messy business, so we try and make life easy.
Q: Where do your products come from?
A: We have long standing relationships with the top Australian manufacturers, as well as very selected premium importers. We choose our partners extremely carefully. We only sell products that we believe in and our proud to stand behind.
Q: How do we know what we need?
A: Sometimes picking a window design and installing it one apartment as a benchmarking exercise can make you aware of the idiosyncrasies of your building. We do this for our clients regularly and it can not only help get owners on board with the project, but can end up saving you money. There are so many things to consider such as the type of frame and glazing. It is best to get the advice from someone with experience.
Q: What should people look for in window installation?
A: You should look for the value, not just the price. If it’s helpful this would be my personal checklist after over 30 years in the business:
- Years in business
- Safety record
- Seniority of their team
- Clarity of their processes
- Manufacturing partners
- Guarantee they offer (ours is 6 years)
- Financial stability
- Google reviews or testimonials
Q: Do you have any tips for managing owners?
A: We work with our clients from day one to keep owners informed throughout the entire process. In our experience, the more information people have the less issue they will have. We try and take stakeholder management off your to do list as best as we can.