Ian Sims, managing director of Double R Glass & Roofing Systems, says there is exciting potential for installers in the home extension market, as long as the products they use have built-in simplicity.

As the market continues to falter, especially as we wait for the next budget that we have already been warned may contain more bad news for UK consumers and businesses, installers need to explore new opportunities to supplement their traditional portfolio of windows, doors and conservatories.

There is huge potential in the home extension market at the moment for extensions that homeowners can have installed with minimum hassle, minimum waiting times, and with additional benefits over and above traditional builds. But quality and simplicity of design are key.

Modular home extensions aren’t new, but it has been difficult for installers to jump on this lucrative bandwagon because a lot of the modular systems available have been over-engineered, sometimes causing problems during installation and eroding profitability.

But with a simple to install system that makes no compromise on quality and performance, installers can maximise the potential of this market sector.

Installers at the helm

The Guardian Home Extension System from Double R allows installers to remain in full control of the process, because it can be installed directly onto a conservatory base, so there is no need for external tradespeople in this instance.

This means consistent service levels and shorter lead times. It is estimated that the Guardian Home Extension System from Double R is on average 60% quicker to install compared with a traditional extension. There is also less waste and general disruption for the homeowner.

The system comes with built-in design flexibility allowing installers to meet any requirement they come up against. There are five different styles and shapes to choose from and a choice of roof types, windows and doors, and a selection of exterior finishes and interior trims, ensure the finished product gives homeowners everything they want and need out of their extension.

Reassuring quality

Regardless of which style or finishing touches are chosen, the quality of the completed extension is ensured because the system is engineered precisely to the end user’s individual requirements and pre-assembled under controlled factory conditions. And for additional peace of mind for installers and homeowners, it has also been independently and rigorously tested by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) with the Guardian Warm Wall featuring the Kingspan TEK Building System being certified by the British Board of Agrement (BBA).

In addition to all of these quality assurances for installers and homeowners, the Guardian Home Extension System from Double R offers premium levels of energy efficiency which is a great selling point for homeowners struggling with increasing fuel bills.

The system has been tested and proven to reduce energy bills compared to a traditionally built extension because it has highly insulated walls that offer a U-value of 0.18Wm²k. And because the walls don’t have layers of bricks, blocks, cavity, insulation, and plasterboard found in a traditional build extension, the system delivers 20% more interior space, allowing homeowners to get the most out of their investment.

The Double R way

Double R has a long history of putting customers first because we want to treat people how we would like to be treated ourselves. In this instance we are supporting our customers with the introduction of this home extension system by designing the structure with our in-house software to make sure there are no issues that will hamper our installers on site. We then deliver the complete system to site ready for installation and our skilled team are always available for any questions that arise during the project.

There is no doubt that differentiation should be a priority for installers looking to boost their profitability in a difficult market, but we understand the leap of faith that is needed to take on a new product. For home extension systems especially, simplicity is key, so it is easy for installers to adopt. We are pleased to be supporting our installer customers so they can make the most of this lucrative market.