Free to every complaining customer...

When our conservatory was finished, alongside the final bill there was a feedback questionnaire asking if the installers had followed certain procedures (they had, where appropriate) and asking how satisfied we were and if we would recommend the firm to friends and neighbours. The gist of what we put was that the builders, installers and electricians were courteous, efficient and seemed to do a good job, but we were unhappy with the lack of communication from the company (there were big delays and getting information about what was going on was like getting blood from a stone) and the fact that they tried to change the agreed payment terms towards the end (after a very wet summer, I suspect cashflow was an issue for them). As a result, we said, we couldn't really recommend them.

Well, that was a couple of months back and we didn't hear back until a couple of days ago when <3 received a phonecall, apologising for our dissatisfaction and saying that if we could pop into the shop, they had a hamper of goodies for us. So yesterday we went by after work and now have a rather nice M&S hamper containing lots of lovely consumables, including cake and pudding to supplement our home-made ones, in case we get more visitors than expected.

While we still probably won't be recommending the firm, this has left us with a much better feeling about the experience. Hopefully the goodwill gift is a sign that they have taken our criticisms on board, but if not, it's not a problem: we no longer need windows or conservatories, and we have a great supply of sweet (and other) stuff for the holiday.

I am pleased to announce that we now have a fully double-glazed house. Over the last couple of days a couple of nice fellas from Zenith Staybrite ripped out the last of our original, thermally rubbish, steel framed windows (plus our rattly, ill-fitting front door) and replaced them with shiny lumps of uPVC. The last bit of the job involved hacking out a chunk of (steel) wall below our dining room window in order to turn it into a big, patio door. The room is now somewhat transformed.

Zenith do seem to have done a good job for us: the process from order to fitting was well within their estimated times, their fitters were quick and personable, and the product seems to be good. However, we were very much less than impressed with the salesman who originally came around: it took quite a lot of effort to get the key pieces of information we wanted: why his products are better than the competition and how much it would cost to get the job done. Eventually we had had enough with the salesman's somewhat hectoring manner and told him we weren't interested. This resulted in <3 having a frank and open exchange of views with the sales manager over the phone, which in turn resulted in a very large discount. We had already had some other quotes and knew the ballpark of prices to expect, so were confident that the discount was genuine. Basically, the quote was too good to miss, so we signed up.

Next up is the conservatory which we are expecting to have built, probably in a couple of months' time...