Falcon Windows - Latest Updates
Installation Lead Times
At Falcon Windows, we work hard to deliver quality products you can trust, together with the highest level of installation expertise and honest customer service. This has been the Falcon formula throughout our four decades of trading and every day we continue to serve our customers to the highest possible standard.
On occasion however - like all businesses relying upon supply chains and their own highly experienced and dedicated workforce - Falcon Windows may feel the impact of situations beyond its control however, things are starting to get back to a bit of normality now.
Current lead times are between 6 and 8 weeks, but please contact us for further information.
We wish to keep all our customers up-to-date with the situation and hope that you will find the following set of questions and answers useful.
Click a question to reveal the answer.
A. Shortages of raw materials are impacting many manufacturing industries. The knock-on effect is that home improvement installers may not be able to access products or all the component parts in the usual quantity or timescales.
The impact of COVID across the world - as well as changing trade agreements, increases in energy prices and the workforce situation across the transportation sector - has introduced a number of variables and these have made the reliable prediction of availability and delivery of goods very difficult.
A. Firstly, please be reassured that this is not the way we wish to operate and we really do share and understand any frustration you may be feeling.
At Falcon Windows, any installation date is given in good faith, but in the current climate cannot be guaranteed due to the wide range of variables beyond our control. We will have processed your order in the usual way and when events are out of our hands, it is hugely frustrating all round that we cannot influence the outcome.
We very much respect your priorities and will be taking every action within our power to get your installation in place just as soon as possible.
Thank you for bearing with us. Your understanding is very much appreciated.
A. No. Home improvement companies throughout the UK are experiencing the same challenges.
Falcon Windows however is arguably in a better position than many others due to its excellent, long-term relationships with a wide range of top quality suppliers. We are in touch with our suppliers on a daily basis and we know that they are doing their very best to keep us informed and our orders supplied as circumstances allow.
A. This may be for a number of reasons - and our determination to deliver a quality product, installed only to the highest standards, will be one of them.
Due to the current rise in COVID, we may have staff needing to isolate and so a reduced workforce able to carry out installations at present. Within our Ipswich-based Falcon group of companies, we employ our own dedicated teams of fitters who carry out work to our exacting high standards. We do not - and will not - subcontract out work to third parties.
Due to supply chain issues, our supplier may be currently unable to keep up with demand or fulfill its immediate orders due to materials, workforce or transportation issues. Trade agreements including Brexit and the recent Suez Canal incident are still impacting on the delivery of materials and parts produced around the world.
A. This may vary depending on the product and supplier, or on the team situation at any given time.
At Falcon Windows, we always strive to be as honest and realistic as possible. We have decades of experience in organizing and carrying out windows, doors and conservatory installations throughout Ipswich, Suffolk and north Essex and will always give an installation date which we believe to be feasible according to our knowledge of the situation at the time.
In these unprecedented times of multiple variables, this is hard for any one to judge. We ask for your understanding on this matter - you can count on us to do our best, keep you informed and ultimately carry out the installation at a time convenient to you.
A. Falcon Windows is a long-established, family-run business where supplier relationships matter. We have excellent relationships with our suppliers, some of whom have been close partners with for nearly four decades.
We liaise with our suppliers on a daily basis. They keep us informed and give us the heads-up on any developments - both with regards to their ability to supply as well as their range of products.
We believe that we are in a very good position to give you as timely a service as situations allow.
A. At Falcon Windows, we take the security and integrity of your property very seriously.
If you are experiencing an issue with your windows, doors or conservatory which is causing damage to your home or business or compromising its security, we will do our very best to take remedial action, should there be a delay to any new installation work requested.
If acquiring appropriate replacement parts is an issue, we will advise on the best course of action according to our experienced opinion. You can count on us to understand your priorities and help to make your property safe and secure again.
A. This, we regret, is out of our control too. There are indications in some sectors that situations are easing. In others, reports may change on a weekly basis and it is very difficult to make any predictions.
We do however liaise with our suppliers on a very regular basis and we know that they will give us the honest heads-up on any developments.
A. Yes, Falcon Windows will give you an honest appraisal of likely timescales and a provisional date for any new installation. We give all installation dates in good faith and regret that due to the current variables around raw materials, supply chain, delivery and workforce availability issues, this cannot be guaranteed.
We will however pass on any information about possible delays as soon as they become apparent to us, and will discuss timings with you to minimize any further inconvenience.
An Update from the Glass & Glazing Federation
John Agnew, Group Managing Director at the Glass & Glazing Federation shares his thoughts and advice to home owners regarding glazing supply chain issues currently being experienced throughout the home improvements sector.
The following is taken from his recent letter to homeowners. You may download the letter to read in full at the end of this section.
"The GGF being the main trade body for the glass, glazing and fenestration sectors has received many reports of extensive delays within the supply chain. Not just in home improvement but throughout the construction industry.
If you are making home improvements and looking forward to getting the job done, then it can be frustrating when you have to wait longer than expected. However, there are some very good reasons for the delays that are outside the control of the home improvement companies you employ.
The COVID pandemic has affected the supply of materials for home improvement companies. Firstly, it has clearly taken a huge toll on human health and that is the most important thing to protect. However, from a business perspective, it has had serious economic effects and affected companies in different ways; losing staff, losing suppliers and being unable to either buy or manufacture products (due to materials shortage) that pre-COVID, were readily available.
Naturally, companies have to try to respond as quickly as possible to the current situation on multiple fronts. Firstly they have to protect their workers and your safety. Then they have to safeguard their business from closing altogether as they come under increasing strain from the shortage of materials as well as labour. This of course doesn't help homeowners wanting to get work started and completed, but you should consider that many companies are struggling due to no fault of their own, during these unprecedented times.
Besides the pandemic, there are other factors are affecting homeowners and home improvement companies. Other disruptions that have slowed down the supply of materials to make and supply home improvement products. This includes; delivery driver and fuel shortages, shipping container shortages, factory fires and the blocking of the Suez Canal.
In addition, there is currently a global shortage of many materials used for home improvement products including plastics and glass. These shortages are mainly down to the emerging markets in China and India requiring more as they develop their infrastructure and housing. The scale of the demand in these countries is enormous. The glass shortage in the UK has been primarily to the manufacturing plants closing some lines for essential repairs and maintenance. Fortunately, these are being re-opened soon. All of the above factors have led to factory shutdowns, sharp price increases and production delays across the construction sector."
GGF Advice to Homeowners includes:
"Ask the company you are employing to provide an accurate timeline as possible...but please be aware that last-minute changes to their fitting schedules may sometimes be unavoidable due to the challenges highlighted above.
Be aware that prices could fluctuate in the next 18 months as things try and settle down...
Ask companies directly if the prices and dates they provide are achievable and also ask if they offer deposit indemnity insurance. This should give you peace of mind if you are putting down a deposit.
In the present climate, it is wise to invest in home improvements as UK property prices continue to increase... however, your patience and understanding is required for what is a challenging time for all."
The Glass & Glazing Federation - Letter to Homeowners (Sept 2021) I Download here