#certass

New Post has been published on http://www.mytrade.tv/2016/08/15/certass-launches-new-doodle-ad-for-certass-members-to-market-to-consumers-2/

Certass Launches New Doodle Ad for Certass Members to Market to Consumers

A Certass Competent Person membership positions you as a reliable, quality contractor – but you need to tell this to your customers too.

It’s a competitive market place, and the internet is becoming an ever more important aspect of marketing your business. Its often the first port of call for consumers looking for local contractors.

But is a static website enough you need to engage with your potential customers? The best way to do this is using the medium of video – the stats show that your customers enjoy watching video; they will hear your message. But standing in front of a camera is tough, not everyone can pull it off.

Certass has created a doodle ad, for its “Competent Person Scheme” members. The doodle ad makes your company stand out from the crowd, balancing the fear and doubt of using a non-Competent Person Member with the benefits that our Certass members bring to the consumer.

You can publish your Doodle Ad video on your company website, on your facebook profile and on your youtube channel – it will grab your customer’s attention.

Once they start watching, they will become engaged, they will find it hard to stop watching – they will want to see how it ends.

A Doodle Video is proven to be 800% more engaging than words on a page, in commercials or on blogs?

People buy emotionally – the strongest asset that a cartoon has; is the capacity to accentuate emotion.

Certass, working with Doodle Ads, has produced a doodle video that’s entertaining, fun and engaging. More importantly though it explains why you are different from everyone else in your marketplace.

The last slide of the doodle ad tells your viewer what to do next, a call to action and it can be customized to show your company logo and contact details.

For further details and to view the video visit www.doodle-ads.co.uk/certass

Certass is always looking at ways to innovate and provide extra benefits to our customers. We believe this important new benefit will aid our members stand out from the crowd. We have more announcements due in the coming months to make Certass membership every more valuable.

New Post has been published on http://www.mytrade.tv/2016/05/24/free-window-energy-ratings-wers-for-glazing-installers-is-old-news/

Free Window Energy Ratings (WER’s) for Glazing Installers is Old News!

Recently in the trade press much has been made regarding the availability of free Window Energy Ratings (WER’s) for glazing installers. At Certass TRR, this is old news and glazing installers have had the opportunity to benefit from this option for a couple of years now.

There are two options available to the Certass TRR glazing installer to have a WER in their own company name. Which of the two options a glazing installer selects is dependent upon the purchasing habits of the glazing installer. The Certass TRR glazing installer options are:

Option 1 – Use a Certass TRR registered fabricator or Certass TRR registered Trade Frame Supplier

Certass TRR fabricator and trade frame supplier members have had the ability to issue WER labels to their customers, the glazing installer in the glazing installer’s company name for over 3 years by using our Corporate Installers Scheme. The glazing installer must purchase both the frame and glass through the trade frame supplier.

Option 2 – Glazing Installer Purchases Glass and Frames from Separate Suppliers

For those glazing installers that wish to choose different suppliers for their glass and frame purchases due to their historic trading relationships and/or cost savings can, for a small nominal fee join the Certass TRR Product Certification Scheme.

Additionally, as these Certass TRR member glazing installers purchase their glass and frames from different suppliers, they are now defined as the full product manufacturer and we assist these Certass TRR members with their CE Mark compliant thermal calculations and CE Mark template self-declarations documents and provide guidance where required.

Further News on Free Window Energy Ratings (WER’s)

At present an annual fee is paid by Certass TRR fabricator and trade frame supplier members signing up to our Corporate Installer Scheme for their customers, the glazing contractors to be able to issue their own WER labels. Certass TRR will be contacting all Certass TRR supplier members shortly to inform them that the Corporate Installer Scheme fee will be waived in future.

Certass Always Moving Forward

Certass is currently working on a glazing supplier directory which will help to promote our Certass TRR suppliers to our installer network. Once our glazing suppliers’ directory is published, we will be providing this to all our glazing installers free of charge. The glazing supplier directory will show Certass TRR suppliers region by region with full contact details per glazing supplier.

Certass is currently working on a whole new online member’s area which will integrate both the Certass installers and TRR member platforms into a singular member’s area. This new platform is industry leading and has been designed with you the member in mind. Member companies will be permitted to easily view summarised core data from a single home screen.

New Post has been published on http://www.mytrade.tv/2016/05/24/a-personal-review-of-this-years-fit-show-2016-telford/

A Personal Review of this Year’s FIT Show 2016 Telford

This year’s FIT show stand for Certass and QANW was organised by Gemma Swankie, head of marketing for the Kinnell Group and provides a review of this year’s FIT show success in Telford.

April 2016 saw the return of the extraordinary FIT Show, the only one of its kind in the UK for the glazing industry and of course Certass were there ready to meet and speak with representatives from both their current membership and any new contractors wishing to join any of Certass’s successful schemes.

This year’s Fit Show was a big deal for Certass as it celebrated its 10th birthday in April and Certass certainly brought the party mood with them to promote their special birthday show offerings. The stand was bright and inviting with a great team of knowledgeable staff which allowed all answers to be provided to the questions fielded by contractors there and then. To help lighten the load a tea and coffee station was provided for contractors who could take a seat, chat to the team and enjoy a much needed rest before moving onto the next part of the show.

A relaxed atmosphere allowed for the team to discuss the Certass FIT show promotion and take the details from contractors that has allowed Certass to manage their applications over the last few weeks.

For Certass this FIT Show has been another success and has again “showcased our knowledge and determination to help the industry become regulated”. I feel that the show gives us an opportunity to put a face to a name and show that we are there to listen to what the contractors need and want from their Certass membership.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came and visited the Certass stand and would also like to welcome all new Certass members who have joined through the Certass 10th birthday promotion offered at the FIT show. Certass will continue to support the FIT Show and will be there in 2017 to continue to listen to contractors and support the industry. I look forward to seeing you all at the NEC Birmingham for what Certass hopes will be another successful show!

For further information on any of the Certass schemes, please call the Certass sales team on 01292 292095 who will be only too happy to assist you.

New Post has been published on http://www.mytrade.tv/2016/05/24/the-customer-is-not-always-right-heres-why/

The Customer Is Not Always Right – Here’s Why………

Every established business owner has drilled into their staff that the customer is always right – the problem with this statement is the customer isn’t always right and to think otherwise can result in a serious disservice to you, your company and more importantly your customers.

Replacement window and door installations are bespoke products as they are designed, manufactured and installed by the installation company. Therefore, the installer is the designer, surveyor and installer of this manufactured bespoke product and holds legal obligations to the consumer as the person/company having the professional knowledge.

The installer is duty bound to know the Building Regulations, and other legal requirements required for a compliant installation as a professional. It is not reasonable that a consumer’s knowledge of Building Regulations should equal your own and so the consumer would be unaware if their installation requirements would be compliant and fit for purpose.

There are economic considerations and constraints that the consumer will try to impose upon the glazing installer’s design, after all they are the customer, they are paying, they are right…wrong!

Certass installers are amongst some of the most responsible and quality conscience installers in the marketplace and non-compliant installations within the Certass Competent Person Scheme are exceedingly low and range between 0.1 – 0.3%.

Recently, Certass were on-site with a new glazing contractor carrying out an assessment for Competent Person Scheme membership approval. We had no alternative but to reject the glazing installer’s membership from our scheme as the glazing installer refused to correct the non-compliant installation being undertaken.

The glazing installer explained that his customer insisted it be installed this way and if he didn’t do the job this way someone else would and he would therefore, lose the business. In this instance, a window had been fitted into a bedroom where the fire egress had been made much worse. The installer knew that fitting this new replacement window was making the fire egress worse and therefore, knowingly breached Buildings Regulations to satisfy his consumer’s wishes.

If at a later date somebody was hurt, injured or killed due to this installation, it would be the glazing installer as product designer, surveyor and installer who is considered the professional who would be culpable as the glazing installer is responsible for the manufactured product being fit for purpose and Building Regulations. The installer when registering an installation with a Competent Person scheme are self certifying that the installation meets all relevant Building Regulation requirements. They are making a legal declaration.

The consequence of this installer’s refusal to take corrective measures in making his installation compliant has resulted in his Certass CPS membership being rejected, his customer without a Certass Building Regulations Compliance Certificate (BRCC) and the customer’s Local Authority Building Control will also refuse to provide certification until this installation meets Building Regulation requirements. Please do not get caught out by ignoring your professional responsibilities!

Certass Competent Person Scheme is a self-certification scheme allowing competent installers to self-certify that their installations are Building Regulations compliant. To find out more, call us on telephone number 01292 292099.

New Post has been published on http://www.mytrade.tv/2016/05/23/domestic-replacement-glazing-works-what-you-can-and-cant-register-with-a-competent-person-scheme/

Domestic Replacement Glazing Works - What You Can and Can’t Register With a Competent Person Scheme

Many works must meet Building Regulation requirements but not all works in dwellings are notifiable to the Local Authorities. Therefore, Competent Person Schemes can only register works on a contractor’s behalf with the Local Authority that are deemed notifiable. Generally speaking, conservatories and porches are excluded from Building Regulation notification requirements.

Conservatories and Porches

There are some exemptions from the energy efficiency requirements and Local Authority notification in Building Regulations for some conservatory and porch extensions. The exemption for conservatories or porches in Building Regulations:

• Which are at ground level; • Where the floor area is less than 30 m2; • Where the existing walls, doors and windows in the part of the dwelling which separates the conservatory are retained or, if removed, replaced by walls, windows and doors which meet the energy efficiency requirements; and • Where the heating system of the dwelling is not extended into the conservatory or porch.

In circumstances where any conservatory or porch does not meet all the requirements above, it is not exempt from Building Regulation compliance and therefore, must comply with the relevant energy efficiency requirements and is notifiable.

Certass Guidance for registration of existing porches with Certass

When determining if replacement doors or windows are notifiable, you need to consider the following two factors:

– If the porch/conservatory was removed, could the remaining door to the property be considered an external grade door? i.e. is it weathertight and secure? – Is the porch/conservatory heated from the property’s main heating system? i.e. is there a radiator in the porch/conservatory fed from a boiler that heats the rest of the property? If the door in the example above is not an external grade door at the time of the replacement, then the windows and doors in the porch/conservatory are notifiable. If the porch is heated from the main property heating system, then the replacement windows and doors in the porch are notifiable irrespective of whether the secondary door is / is not external grade.

Wall Openings

Where a wall opening has been widened as part of the replacement windows and /or doors installation then these woks cannot be registered with a Competent Person Scheme and these works must be notified via the relevant Local Authority or through an Approved Inspector.

Technical Support

If as a member of Certass you have any doubt over the correct registration requirements, please contact us and one of our technical team will be more than happy to discuss your requirements with you. Telephone number: 01292 292099.

Village Conservatories Yeovil Guarantees

CERTASS

CERTASS Building Control, it’s all about Peace of Mind.

Certass is a Competent Person Scheme for the double glazing industry. All Certass registered contractors are vetted to ensure they are qualified to carry out the replacement of windows and doors in accordance with the current Building Regulations.

As a Certass registered company we have to be vetted by both Certass and their registered insurance provider.

As a Certass registered and approved company we must provide you with the opportunity to an insurance backed guarantee, therefore in the unlikely event that we should cease to trade, our Guarantee would still be honoured by their registered Insurance Provider.

Certificates are issued direct to you, the householder, normally within 14 days of notification of the installation by Village Conservatories Ltd.

QANW

All work carried out by Village Conservatories Ltd is covered by a guarantee, which is insurance backed for your peace of mind. The guarantee protects your investment from start to finish and beyond. As a registered QANW Insurance Backed Guarantee business, we have:

Undergone financial and legal checks

Demonstrated positive reference from our customers

Agreed to work subject to the Terms and Conditions of the QANW Customer Charter

QANW – what it covers

Village Conservatories workmanship

Materials used by us

Recovery of any deposit payments

Assistance in finding a new QANW approved contractor to commence or recommence the project

Any additional costs to the original contract that the replacement contractor may charge

All terms provided under our guarantee

Transfer of policy to any new owner of your property

Please note that there are exclusions and limitations to what is covered. Copies of the full terms and conditions are available on request.

Trustmark

TrustMark is a government-backed scheme which monitors workmanship and customer care. Getting TrustMark approval means that we adhere to the highest standards when producing our windows and doors, installing them in your home and looking after you as a valued customer.

New Post has been published on http://www.mytrade.tv/2015/08/25/certass-launches-new-doodle-ad-for-certass-members-to-market-to-consumers/

Certass Launches New Doodle Ad For Certass Members To Market To Consumers

A Certass Competent Person membership positions you as a reliable, quality contractor – but you need to tell this to your customers too. The best way to do this is using the medium of video – the stats show that your customers enjoy watching video; they will hear your message. But standing in front of a camera is tough, not everyone can pull it off.

Certass has created a doodle ad, for its “Competent Person Scheme” members. The doodle ad makes your company stand out from the crowd, balancing the fear and doubt of using a non-Competent Person Member with the benefits that our Certass members bring to the consumer.

You can publish your Doodle Ad video on your company website, on your facebook profile and on your youtube channel – it will grab your customer’s attention.

Once they start watching, they will become engaged, they will find it hard to stop watching – they will want to see how it ends.

A Doodle Video is proven to be 800% more engaging than words on a page, in commercials or on blogs?

People buy emotionally – the strongest asset that a cartoon has; is the capacity to accentuate emotion.

Certass, working with Doodle Ads, has produced a doodle video that’s entertaining, fun and engaging. More importantly though it explains why you are different from everyone else in your marketplace.

The last slide of the doodle ad tells your viewer what to do next, a call to action and it can be customized to show your company logo and contact details.

New Post has been published on http://www.mytrade.tv/2015/08/17/certass-new-website-new-look/

Certass! New Website; New Look!

We have launched our new look website, which makes navigating to find out information easier than ever before for both the contractor and the homeowner, visit www.certass.co.uk to have a look around.

If you’re a contractor looking to join we have made it easier for you to find our ‘Join Us’ page where you can join both our glazing and insulation schemes by completing a form allowing you access to our online application or by printing, completing and returning the application forms to us directly.

If you want to find out about the MTC, Insurance Backed Guarantees, TrustMark, all our schemes and so much more it is all well signed posted and written in plain English. If the answer you are looking for is not there was are still available to talk to on the telephone, 01292 292095.

We have also combined the information for the Thermal Rating Register (TRR) into the Certass website making finding all you need to know about a glazing competent person scheme and building regulation requirements simple and in one place.

Not only have we launched the website, we have changed our company logo for both Certass and the Thermal Ratings Register (TRR).  We felt it was time to develop our brand and bring in a more versatile look and feel.  We feel that it is still a recognisable image and meets the forever moving environment we work in.

We have made looking for information on our website and applying as easy as possible as everything is accessible on all devices. You can even apply on your smart phone!

We continue to look for ways to make our contact with the contractor and homeowner as seamless as possible, however if you have any feedback on where you think we could make our service even better you can either email us at [email protected] or visit our feedback page, http://www.certass.co.uk/contact-us/, and leave us a message.