Last Updated on 8th July 2021 by
Here at GFD HQ we have a dilemma and surprisingly it is not one of our own making but it is one that has set us questioning how we should position ourselves as a company. Anyone who has visited any of our web sites, Timber Composite Door ,Global Door ,Composite Door Prices ,Global sash windows and the latest addition to our stable Eurosecure Ltd will know that we sell Composite doors, sliding Sash windows and Locks and associated ironmongery online and that is the cause of our dilemma. GFD as a group of companies try to offer a little more than a straightforward sale, we like to think we can offer a little bit of guidance to our potential customers to assist them in making the correct decision that best suits their requirements and where possible we endeavour to keep them aware of changes in legislation which can influence their choice.
The current changes to Document Q of the building Regulations and the associated changes in PAS 24 the standard for testing security are the cause of our dilemma – in essence the changes are good as they are encouraging increased security but in practical terms they present problems to not just GFD but the whole of the industry.
The revised and more demanding PAS 24 test gives composite doors three minutes to survive an attack using two chisels (a 6mm and a 25mm) and a Stanley knife, the test itself comprising the cutting of a 50mm hole – the perceived opening through which an arm can be used to fit and open the door from the inside through the door – if it takes less than three minutes to cut this hole the door is classified as having failed
When we have tried to explain this to customers and peers alike we have been met with blank expressions and comments such as –
“Yeah every opportunist thief carries a set of screwdrivers and a Stanley knife, what’s wrong with a cordless electric drill and electric saw they will get the job done quicker”
Or the more sophisticated comment –
“If you are going to make that amount of noise a size ten boot is as good as anything”
Yes we at GFD can explain the technicalities that it is harder to get through a timber core door than a polyurethane core door and yes the better quality of ironmongery /locking systems used the harder it will be to break them and our customers come back with the same response –
“What if my budget does not run to the best of everything “
At GFD we also offer finance across all of our web sites so we know just how important budget is to many of our customers
Budget is apparently not on the agenda for the decision makers who draw up all the latest rules and regulations – in an ideal world it would be wonderful to have the best of everything we desire but in the real world compromise has to be the order of the day which in essence is the answer to our dilemma
At GFD we shall continue to endeavour to give our customers the very best of advice as is applicable to their independent needs and that advice will be based upon the things we know for certain which is that if your choice is –
A solid core timber composite door visit our Timber Composite Door, where all of our doors are quality solid core timber doors and where you can read more about the regulation changes in our article “ahead of the Q”
A polyurethane core composite door –visit our Global Door, where all of our doors are quality polyurethane core composite doors with styles and colours comparable with their timber core equivalents
An upgrade to your locks and ironmongery – visit our Eurosecure Ltd where you will find a range of products that conform to the new legislation.
At GFD Group HQ we shall continue to operate in as transparent as possible manner to ensure that all of our customers are happy customers – we are far from perfect – accidents happen and things do go wrong but we have a company philosophy of hanging in there until we have provided each customer with exactly the product they believed they had ordered and that philosophy will not change no matter how many times the demands of new legislation may change.
