With summer on its way, more of us are starting to think about home improvements such as replacement windows, conservatories or orangeries.

But with each of these projects representing a major investment, how do you ensure you get the best value for your money. How do you find an organisation you can trust?

The answer is simple – and it’s like anything else. Do your homework and preparation before you do anything else. Start by asking friends and family near you who’ve had work done on their properties to see if they’d recommend the company they used.

Ask about the whole thing from start to finish, not just the end result. Was the sales team too pushy, for example? How professional were the installers? Have they noticed a difference in energy bills? What was the after-sales care like? Have the products made life at home more comfortable? Are they already seeing a difference in their energy bills?

These questions will help confirm you’re dealing with a company that takes its duties to its customers seriously.

The next thing to look for is accreditation to any bodies that exist to uphold and protect consumers’ rights. One of the biggest of these schemes is Checkatrade, to which we at Worthing Windows belong and which last year more than six million people trusted to help them find a reputable tradesperson.

All this research helps you to build up a strong picture of how committee a company is to doing things properly. And it helps you to make an informed decision on what is, as we have said, a significant investment.

It’s also worth checking the quality of the products themselves, and ensuring that certain standards are met. Check the guarantees and warranties that you would be offered at the same time.

Finally, a locally-based supplier often has the knowledge about the performance that’s needed in their particular area that a national provider just doesn’t. Equally, in the event of any problems, a local firm is ideally placed to put the issue right efficiently and quickly. It will also be easier for you to have face-to-face conversations from the outset.

At Worthing Windows, we’re confident we tick all the above boxes and more. We have more than two and a half decades’ experience of providing a high-quality standard of service and products across the West Sussex coast, from Worthing to Lancing and beyond. We love our part of the country – and know it well. Talk to us today about conservatories, orangeries and replacement windows for your property.