What Should Windows And Doors Cost?

This is a question that over time is becoming more and more irrelevant the further the industry develops and evolves. As we know, the landscape of the industry has changed so much in the past ten years that much of it is now unrecognizable to what it was.

But no matter how much the industry changes, the single fixed point that will always remain the same is the question of price. It could be argued that at one point, when the industry was in a much simpler time, with less product options and things a little more “standard”, prices could be estimated with relative ease. But with the industry a much changed beast, price, and what prices are perceived to be, is becoming a much blurred thing.

Prices dependent on spec

How many times have installers been asked to give home owners a “rough price” for windows and doors before they have even got their tape measures out and done some proper maths? Lots, I imagine. We get asked every week by home owners what a “ball park” figure would be for their work. And the honest answer is that we don’t know.

The amount of products we provide to home owners is now so wide and varied, that to pull a figure from thin air and hope it’s somewhere close by the time we’ve worked out the actual amount is near impossible.

It’s totally dependent on specifications. Even within a single product line there could be over a dozen variations and configurations, all with different price outcomes. And when you consider things like that, it renders the questions of price almost pointless.

Discovering the need

I believe that on the list of things that are important, price is falling further and further down that list for home owners, and to a certain extent, installers too.

Home owners are a much more informed bunch compared to a couple of decades ago. The internet and social media has ensured that. And they fully understand that within the world of windows and doors, there is a whole universe of choice and customization, and that also reflects on the price too.

But needs have changed. Style, aesthetics, design and colour are all placed very highly on the list of requirements for windows and doors. Home owners are prepared to pay for these features, knowing they get what they want and not what has been recommended, or even worse, what the neighbors have already got!

So it’s up to the installer to ask the right questions and discover exactly what is required and suggest ideas that will set their potential client’s installation apart from everyone else’s. How much would something like this cost? Well, it costs what it costs. When a window and door installation is being estimated and designed to their own personal tastes and requirements, home owners should prepare to pay a premium for it. Nor can a “rough” price be worked out either.

In the end, the question of how much should windows and doors cost is an irrelevant one. It costs what it costs dependent on the home owner’s demands and requirements. There is no more bog standard, at least not when a home owner deals with a reputable installer. Then, providing the job has been sold on quality and service, a good sales team shouldn’t then struggle to complete the sale on the back of an honest, reputable approach.