Shading and awnings.

Now that the summer has finally arrived, we can look at one or two solutions so that we can take advantage of the weather. A motorised, or indeed manual, awning that can improve any garden space without the need for extensive construction work. Awnings are perfect for bringing the outside in. Place the awning above the patio doors to increase your useable floorspace in the summer.

All types of solutions are available and are suitable for commercial useage too.

Free standing pergolas and festoons to take full advantage of the patio area withs adjustable shading and protection, perfect for relaxing next to the pool.

 

Call for details on 0151 324 1159. 

The Black Economy.

Can you do it for cash, mate?

Is this still a valid way of doing business?

A couple of experiences recently leave me thinking the practice of cash in hand is alive and kicking, even on internet transactions… If a customer approaches me for a price I aim to give them the best deal possible, and when I talk about best deal I’m talking about product, service and after sales service. Today’s experience got me thinking about the black market. The customer asked for security shutters and I gave hm what I believed to be a fair price. His reply was the cost was too high and that he’d been quoted by another company (?) for a significantly lower amount, and for a different product. Fortunately I could reprice based on the new information and arrived at a price much nearer, in fact very close to, the mark. The customer seemed irritated at this and exclaimed that he was looking for a cash price.

This is where my problem begins.

I can see that in certain industries a cash price is a valid form of payment  (ignoring the ethical position), providing certain services, for example. The quality of my teaching wouldn’t rise or fall on the basis of being paid over or under the counter. A taxi driver is going to get you to your destination irrespective of whether tax is being paid. In fact the news is full of larger organisations that are taking advantage of taxation law. I can see that there are areas where money is being moved between people and finally ends up in the hands of legitimate businesses. The street sellers in Madrid often provided a better level of service than the mainstream shops, the vendors were earning money as opposed to receiving handouts from the state or stealing (I know) and could provide for their families.

What I can’t see is the advantage in giving £1700 to a stranger for a product that can’t come with a guarantee, can’t come with a guaranteed level of installation work and will show no record of the cash being transferred. I would go as far as to suggest that the supplier and installer are unlikely to be around in the two year period that a guarantee should be providing.

All these things to lose for the sake af a few quid…………. mate...

Garage doors.

Garage and sectional door overview.

Motorised sectional doors offer a practical and secure solution for garage security. We provide sectional doors at 40mm thick sections and a choice of finishes that will enhance your home. Doors are priced with anti-fall security systems and two remote controllers.No need to worry about hidden delivery charges as all prices include delivery to mainland Great Britain addresses.

Trade enquiries welcome- please call 0151 324 1159 for details.

Roller shutter garage doors offer an alternative to sectional doors. The space saving roller shutters only require suffient space for the headbox, and our shutters come with headboxes, leaving the the ceiling free for access to the space above. The slats are 77mm sections that provide security and insulation keeping the garage space much warmer than a traditional up and over.garage door with the 20mm deep foam filled slats.

All shutters come with headboxes included, in a finish that will enhance your home, two remote controls and anti drop security. Call for details.

Trade enquiries welcome, call 0151 324 1159.

The time has come for roller shutters.

As demands increase for improved insulation and more demands are placed on the functionality of our buildings, the time has come to consider the benefits of roller shutters. There is a strong belief that we are heading towards more summers like the summer of 2003, Part L has noted this and the need for shading solutions as overheating is becoming more an more of a problem.

Source: building regs 2000 (2010 edition) L1A conservation of fuel and power in new dwellings.

A recent report from http://www.sustainablehomes.co.uk highlights the need for external shutters in their report Your Social Housing in a Changing Climate, further to the benefits of shading solutions it was noted that the inclusion of shuttering would probably help reduce costs by negating the need for ventilation systems being installed. The project team finally decided to move forward with triple glazing, which is a great step forward. How much better would the facility be with triple glazing and shutters? Why not fit shutters over triple glazing and improve the overall performance of the window and improve the home with fresh air?

Further credibility is being given to the shutter by its inclusion in the list of acceptable measure of The Green Deal, all measures have to demonstrate their contribution to the reduction of energy usage. SAP testing has shown a reduction of 55% in heatloss through the window and certification documents air permeability of class 3 (out of 4) with the insulated headboxes offering a u-value  of 1,5w/m²k.

Speaking of The Green Deal and affordability, the shutters have to be designed for retrofitting, this is achieved through the compact system that shrouds the window allowing installation at the same time as the window, with the whole unit sitting under a step lintel on the inner leaf.

The exterior masonry of the building is left untouched, leaving an unobtrusive solution (can’t say that for PV panels…) that offers more than a cost saving in terms of energy. Insurance companies have offered feedback that the shutters would be treated in a similar way to burglar alarms and provide 5% discounts on household insurance. I believe this would come under the umbrella of marginal gains.

The less obvious gains are the gains that we hope to never see. The Police consider the average cost of a burglary clean up to be in the thousands of pounds territory. Improved cooling and ventilation removes the need for capital expenses of air conditioning and ventilation systems and their associated running costs.

How much does this all cost? Clearly this depends on quantities, but we can realistically be looking at £80.00 +VAT per m², put this together with a low installation and maintenance cost, lengthy guarantees and a full spares back up and we have a product that moves us towards the next stage of building performance improvements.

The time has come for the roller shutter.

The secrets of your missing mail

An insight into what happens to your packages and letters once you hand them over.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/

If true and representative this is a truly horrendous state of affairs and explains one or two things.

After receiving notification of one or two damaged deliveries, we are in the process of redesigning our packaging to a level that will challenge the most hamfisted operative.

We are also committed to using reputable transport services for both courier services and larger transported orders. A good, reliable level of service is significantly more important than lowest cost and we strive to achieve the highest levels of service. Ultimately costs will come down as the number of mistakes is reduced. I don’t want to waste time pacifying you on the telephone as an order is lost, I don’t want to pay for that phone call either.

Is getting it right (first time) really so hard to achieve?

Extrabloc, a unique design and unique opportunity.

I am more than pleased to announce that KalaBlinds Ltd are the official UK supplier of the unique Extrabloc headboxes for roller shutters. This is a product that I believe will make roller shutters a widely used addition to any home.

The main benefit of the Extrabloc system is that the whole shutter mechanism can be removed from within the home. This means that there is no need for expensive lifting equipment where the shutters are mounted at height. Multi storey buildings can now benefit from roller shutters without expensive installation costs. Maintenance costs are reduced dramatically and upgrades from manual operation to motorised can be achieved with the minimum of fuss.

(click on images to see large)

This patented system is now available in the UK for the first time at prices that will make the roller shutter a common feature on British homes in the future.

The overheating of homes is a recognised problem that needs to be addressed and externally mounted blinds are the perfect solution for this, add to this the insulation properties that have been proven to reduce window heatloss by 55% and the added security benefits, this product is now a very cost effective all rounder.

Perforated laths allow how much light enters the home to be regulated as the homeowner reruires ensuring levels of privacy without blocking all the light. Summer ventilation is improved as security is not compromised with inviting of open windows attracting the opportunistic burglar.

Extrabloc.

info@KalaBlinds.co.uk

http://www.KalaBlinds.co.uk

Tel: 0151 324 1159

Mob: 07411 070 442

 

For those in doubt. Roller shutters.

When I talk to some people about roller shutters, I can almost see the image that is appearing in the mind’s eye and it’s not a good one.

Externally mounted boxes, guides and a galvanised finish. This is not something that I list in stock.

Here at KalaBlinds we supply the finest manufactured aluminium or uPVC shutters that are suitable for the most discerning customer.

These are shutters that can add to the look of the building, be unobtrusive and descreet, depending on the style that you’re looking for. Access is from the inside, making cleaning and maintenance very accessible.

It’s the unique design that differentiates KalaBlinds roller shutters..

A patented design that allows the whole shutter to be extracted from inside the building. Simplicity is the key, no screws to undo, simply pop open the rear of the box and extract the roller and the shutter in one easy move. Making maintenance or repairs trouble free, no mess and cost effective. A clear advantage is the ability to change mechanisms without removing the frame. We can change from mechanical operation to a motorised operation with a minimum of disruption.

 

Working and installation form the inside of the building offers much greater opportunity for usage, install the frame first and when there is no likelyhood of on site damage add the shutter.

Product information (an overview).

the roller shutter: protecting your environment.

This is the basic shutter unit. We have the top box, the guides and the slats.

This particular unit is designed to sit on the inner leaf and is fully protected and concealed from the outside, as we can see below. The window on the left has the shutter in the open position, on the right the shutter is half closed providing the home owner a high level of control over how much light is blocked. Perforations in the slats mean that the shutters can aid ventilation while keeping the building secure.

With the shutter in the upper position the window is unobstructed and the building maintains its clean look. The brown colour adds an extra dimension to the overall look of these buildings.

As the shutters are fitted to the inner leaf we are able to eliminate costly installation procedures on high rise buildings and offer the perfect retrofit solution for social housing projects. The ease of operation should suit all tennants and access to the workings from indoors further allows the landlord to control costs.

Backplate removed (below) showing access to shutter from roomside. This unique system allows access to the whole shutter and offers the opportunity to upgrade manual to motorised shutters without the need for screws or removal of the box.

This internal access also permits full extraction in the event that of major repairs. As we can see below, the whole operating mechanism and slats can be removed from inside the room without having to extract the box or guides, further reducing costs.

The operation is with a strap which is neatly concealed within the guides, the guides themselves offer the installation teams a flat surface in which to mount the window. As the windows fit on the inside face of the shutters they should ideally be inward opening or sliding.

The shutters arrive on site with the box ready assembled, simply requiring the addition of guides and attaching the lower element of the strap. This leaves us with a complete unit that is placed into position before final fixing.

The shutter is an absolute must for anyone who has an irregular sleeping pattern or the parents of young or indeed anyone who doesn’t want to be disturbed by the early morning summer sun. Shift workers can benefit from the noise reduction that is offered by the shutters.

All in all the roller shutter is a modern take on a traditional, an proven, method of protecting the home from the elements. From ease of installation to ease of use, from looks to functionality and from a pricing point, it’s hard to find anything better.

KalaBlinds Ltd

0151 324 1159

07411 070 442

info@KalaBlinds.co.uk

‘Phantom’ calls raise the alarm

Ben Whitney’s father just could not work out why his phone bill was so high. He’s retired and recovering from a stroke, so he asked his son to take a look at it. The thing puzzling him most was a 20p or 23p call every day, sometimes twice a day, to an 0906 number at 1.17am each morning. The calls had started months ago, and if they carried on were likely to add £100 a year to his bill.  [Read the whole article in The Guardian…]

I understand that the article is from 2007 but my attention was drawn to this by a comment made by someone in a conversation yesterday. They believe that the total cost of calls in the life of their alarm is  in the region of £600. I don’t know what angers me more the extra cost, the shoddy salesmanship or the fact the customer has resigned himself to caveat emptor.

My belief is that a good product should be transparent and the consumer should be aware of running costs up front in order to make an informed decision. How many would have signed up for the alarms if they were aware that it would cost in the region of £100 per year for these calls, on top of the service and maintenance contract.

The sales force should be confident enough in the strengths in the product that neither them nor the comapny needs to resort to small print into which the consumer has to delve in order to find these minor details

While I agree in part with caveat emptor, there are limits, and the opposing side of this that consumers should make themselves aware of is the protection they have against unfair terms in a contract.