Full payment for new windows and doors upfront?

[Bahhumbug83]

As part of renovation works we are having new french doors and windows put in.

After weeks of research I've found a supplier who makes what I am looking for at a decent price. Their trust pilot reviews and rating are excellent. Our builders will install for us.

I've just gone to put through the order with the window company and they are asking for full payment upfront. I appreciate they are making a product to our specifications but is this normal?

Thanks

I wouldn't

Nope. I never pay full up front in case there are issues at the end.

If it’s made to order I think it’s fair enough

When we replaced our windows and doors we paid 1/3 on order the remainder on delivery.

I paid 10% deposit on new windows I. December

This is fair - they are made to order and you will be protected by relevant laws. Pay using your cc

Also made to order things are rarely returnable unless there’s a v v good reason

Absolutely not. We had bespoke windows, twice (2 different houses). Paid a deposit, and 2 staged payments thereafter both times (2 different companies). You will have NO comeback if there is a problem, and with bespoke I'm sorry to say that there usually is some snagging needed at the very least. The deposit pays for materials, payment 1 (on delivery) covers labour, payment 2 (on fitting) is their profit - so they can sit and wait for that last one. PLEASE don't be fobbed off on this one, we have been stung by contractors demanding up front payment - it's a total bullshit scam if there is a payment plan like the one I have outlined above in place.

I really wouldn’t pay all up front. We’ve just had made to measure windows and doors installed. Paid 30% deposit then rest as they were delivered. They were significantly delayed so the remaining money to pay was the only lever we had to hurry them up a bit.

Back in 2019 we paid a local independent joiner 2/3 of the cost of three windows upfront (so £3500 'deposit'). We were told they'd be ready within three months.

Admittedly covid got in the way, but it was sixteen months before the first two were made 😮

Actually, 30 months on from placing the order, we're still waiting for the third one - although he offered to not charge us anything more than the deposit 🙄😡

We paid by bank transfer which I'd never do again!

If you pay by credit card you should be ok.

If they don't accept credit cards pay by debit card, a similar scheme protects purchases made this way - do not pay cash or bank transfer. We're about to do the same as you - it'll be 20% deposit. Most windows will need to be made to measure.

We paid 25% or so when we placed the order, and all but the last 10% (to cover snagging) when delivered and fitted.

Pay a deposit by credit card.

As an aside, if a builder is fitting them are you getting Building Regs approval from the Council as I doubt your builder is Fensa registered.

We replaced ours last year. We paid about 10%up front, then 30% when the company started making the windows, another 30 after they had finished and the rest after completion. Local window/carpentry company.

Full payment up front is not the norm in my experience.

We had a new window made to measure, with bespoke stained glass to match the original glass in other windows in the house. We paid 25% up front and the balance three months later after the window was delivered (and installed by our builders).

Nope, a deposit, yes, full amount, no, not until they are fitted and you're happy.

I've recently had my windows and doors replace and this is what I did

We paid 50% deposit when we replaced 10 windows just after lockdown one.

I'm not sure why people think it's unreasonable to pay for something when you order it? If the company was fitting the windows as well then I'd expect to pay a large deposit and the balance on completion.

As an aside I prefer to get a supplier to fit things where possible. I once got into a wrangle over a split worktop - kitchen company said it hadn't been fitted properly. My builder said it was a problem with the worktop.

I paid no deposit for my two composite doors. Payment was on completion. One door came opening the wrong way with the wrong inside colour. They got half payment for the correct door and didn’t get full payment until five months later when the correct second door was fitted. Had I paid upfront there would be no incentive to replace that wrong second door.

@StrawberryPot

I'm not sure why people think it's unreasonable to pay for something when you order it? If the company was fitting the windows as well then I'd expect to pay a large deposit and the balance on completion.

As an aside I prefer to get a supplier to fit things where possible. I once got into a wrangle over a split worktop - kitchen company said it hadn't been fitted properly. My builder said it was a problem with the worktop.

I got into a wrangling with Origin bifold doors. I had the supplier install the doors and then - as so many do - he went out of business. Origin will not honour their 25 year guarantee because they said it wasn't their product at fault - it was the installer - I can't even pay them to fix my doors. Like all these things - guarantees are often not worth the paper!

I think in your situation you should be paying in full. It's like anything you buy, you check upon delivery and if all isn't present and correct, you refuse delivery and get refunded.

People saying you should hold back money for snagging etc... the window company aren't fitting them. Any fitting issues are on OP's builder. Any issues with the windows themselves should be reported on receipt, like any other item you purchase, bespoke or otherwise.