Will 2026 Be Any Different?

We are very nearly at the end of what has been a very difficult year for the majority of us. One last push, then it’s two weeks off to recharge with family, friends, food and drinks.

But as we start to say goodbye to 2025, it is time to think about how 2026 might look and feel. Will it be like this year? Better? Worse?

Tough market conditions

The recent budget confirmed that economic growth over the next few years is going to be very subdued. Household disposable income to the end of the parliament is going to dribble into stagnation, whilst inflation and unemployment will remain elevated. It is going to look and feel like an economy very much like the one we have had this year.

As a result, we can probably expect economic conditions to look and feel very similar to those of this year. I know that isn’t what we all want, but without an obvious catalyst to spark major change or momentum, it is hard to see how things will be any different.

The difficult trading conditions this year meant we lost a lot of companies to bankruptcy this year, with some long-established names disappearing from the landscape. I see more consolidation next year, with companies either being bought and merged into others or closing altogether. I also think we could see a couple of major names go during the course of the year as well. The first quarter will be key. For companies that have limped over the line this year, Q1 might be tough when the tax bills start hitting the inboxes.

That being said, with the UK market stagnant, there will be opportunities to buy British companies from companies outside the UK. For example, we have just seen Inwido purchase Victorian Slider and Fast Frame within a couple of months of each other. If the market remains the way it is, we may well see continued interest in our companies from overseas.

Spotting opportunities

I don’t want to focus too much on what will be difficult next year. If we believe 2026 will be much like 2025, then we know what to expect. What is more important is that we spend our time looking for opportunities next year. No matter how things are, there are always paths to success.

Aluminium

When the economy struggles, the last remaining demographic to continue to be able to purchase is the top 20% of people. Basically, the richer folk. And when rich people buy, they buy aluminium.

2026 will still be a good year for aluminium. We have seen the rapid rise of Soho and steel-look aluminium products throughout the last couple of years, and I see no reason for that momentum to stop. I believe these areas of aluminium will continue to perform strongly next year, and installers would be wise to get involved as swiftly as possible.

Not only that, I am a big fan of items like pivot doors and oversized aluminium entrance doors in general. Although they’re not going to be huge volume sellers, the profit margins on these products are very chunky indeed. It only needs a few to be sold every quarter, and installers will find their overall profit margins looking healthier.

Luxury items like pivot doors and oversized aluminium entrance doors, I believe, will continue to grow steadily in popularity as general knowledge of the products extends further within the public.

High-end timber

Along with aluminium, I see high-end timber being a profitable prospect in 2026. Specifically, entrance doors, sash windows and shaped frames. Again, when the wealthier demographic spend, they spend on higher end items, like aluminium, but also timber.

Over the last few years, we have seen steady growth in the timber market, perhaps when many didn’t see it coming. But high-quality hardwood, sustainability, recyclability and environmental credentials have brought timber back to the forefront for a growing part of the market.

Although the market share for timber compared to PVCu and aluminium is small in comparison, there is clear potential for that to grow, and there are a number of high-quality timber manufacturers around the UK where installers can source from.

Yes, timber requires more care and attention when installing, and there is more that goes into selling timber than perhaps other products. But the profit margins available on high-end timber projects cannot be ignored, and installers who make a dedicated effort to add timber to their product portfolios should find that they begin winning prestige projects and the margins that come with them.

Flush windows

I have to be honest, in terms of excitement and energy, the PVCu space isn’t quite matching the likes of aluminium or timber at the moment. The sexier products are in those parts of the market.

However, one specific area that continues to stand out from generic PVCu is flush windows. They are a genuinely different proposition to the rest of the PVCu offering. In my opinion, they look better than traditional casements, can give any property a massive facelift, and are one of the few PVCu products I have found that homeowners can get engaged with in the same way as aluminium products.

Going into 2026, I would be urging installers to push flush windows as much as they can. It is a product that can motivate a homeowner and grab their attention. Margins can be a bit better than on a regular casement window. They can also be a gateway product to larger and more prestigious contracts.

Sliding sash windows

Another area that I believe will have lots of potential next year is the sliding sash market. Both in the PVCu and the timber markets. If we are to assume that the upper 20% of consumers are going to be the main buyers next year, then sash windows are a product that will also be on their radars.

And when you think about it, there is a lot of potential around the UK for sash windows in general. Think about the plethora of townhouses that are in every city in the country. Not to mention cottages, Victorian-era semis, country homes, mansions and every other type of property within that time period. There remains a significant number of homes completely suitable for sliding sash windows to be installed.

The general trend to a more traditional aesthetic, like we have seen in the popularity of steel-look windows and doors, is going to continue, and sash windows fit in this bracket nicely. I believe there is still a lot of potential in this part of the market for installers who choose good products from good suppliers and work hard to generate leads.

So yes, whilst 2026 looks set to be another difficult one, it won’t be without its opportunities. It is going to require all of us to do the work and not simply hope that things will get better. There are avenues of profitability out there, we just have to make sure we hit them hard.