The scaffold is coming down on plot 14, the plasterers are booked for Monday, and the windows for the next six plots are sitting somewhere between a factory and a holding yard. Most site managers have lived through a version of that week. On a housing development the window package touches the build programme more than almost any other trade: no windows, no watertight shell, no second fix. So choosing a new build window supplier in Scotland comes down to far more than a brochure and a rate. It’s about what happens between the tender and the last handover. Here’s what we’d look for, written from the supplier’s side of the fence.
Know who actually makes the windows
Start by asking whether the supplier fabricates its own frames or buys them in and passes them on. It matters most when the programme moves. If a phase gets pulled forward or a plot type changes late, a fabricator can re-plan its own production line. A middleman has to join a queue at somebody else’s factory.
Every uPVC window and door we supply to housebuilders is made at our factory in Kilmarnock, where we’ve been manufacturing since 1983. That gives us control over both quality and production schedules. Our fabricators are all either training for or qualified to SVQ level in Fenestration and Glazing, part of a modern apprenticeship, so the people building your frames know the product inside out.
Products that clear sign-off first time
Your windows have to satisfy the building warrant, the energy model and, increasingly, the buyer’s insurer. The Scottish domestic technical handbook covers security, energy and escape, and verifiers will look for evidence that what’s installed matches what was specified. Ask for the certificates, and check that they cover the exact product and configuration on your drawings.
As an example, our new build casement windows use a 70mm frame depth with a 28mm sealed unit, glazed from the inside for security. They’re made to the BS 7412 Kitemark standard, can be upgraded to PAS 24:2016 and Secured by Design, and can reach a BFRC Window Energy Rating of A (+7) as an option. Easy-clean hinges come as standard, with escape hinges available where a window has to serve as a means of escape. The same thinking runs through our new build tilt and turn, fully reversible and vertical slider ranges, so one supplier can cover the house types, the flats and the more traditional elevations on the same site.
For more on the detail, see our guides to PAS 24 and Secured by Design and to how double glazing supports new-build energy targets. All of our accreditations, from ISO 9001 to the Secured by Design licence, are listed on our accreditations page.
Working to your programme, not theirs
The best time to sort out an awkward opening size or an egress requirement is before the tender goes out, not when the frames arrive. Our technical team gives advice and support before tender packages are issued, so they can be priced and turned round quickly and fewer surprises reach site.
Once you’re building, deliveries need to follow your programme. Ask how call-offs work and who owns the transport. We run a personalised call-off system, so you schedule windows to site as you need them, and our own fleet delivers window formers, windows and doors across the length and breadth of Scotland. Loads arrive palletised, secured and clearly labelled, which saves time when the forklift driver is trying to work out what goes where.
One point of responsibility on site
When a window leaks or a sash drops, the last thing a site manager needs is the fabricator blaming the fitter and the fitter blaming the frame. A supplier that also installs takes that argument away.
Our New Build team offers a full installation service, so we take complete responsibility for the window package from manufacture to final fix and sign-off. Every member of our site team holds a CSCS card, and Scotia has long held CHAS and SMAS accreditation. Our site supervisors and inspectors start at the pre-start meeting, then visit regularly to talk through the programme, inspect product and supervise the installation teams. They’re qualified or working towards supervisory SVQs and hold SSSTS health and safety qualifications.
Aftercare that protects your handovers
Buyers notice windows. A sticking handle or a misaligned sash ends up on a snag list, and slow fixes hurt your customer satisfaction scores. Ask what support the supplier gives after installation, and how quickly it reaches site.
Our site engineers fully commission the products once they’re in, and provide support and aftercare both before and after the homes are occupied. Behind them, a dedicated customer care team keeps site managers and technical teams updated every day. Homeowners also get our aftercare and inspection guides, which take some of the simple questions off your plate.
A track record you can check
Any supplier can promise good service. Ask for developments you can visit and site managers you can call. Our team has recently been involved in over 20 developments that received the NHBC Pride in the Job award, and we’ve won subcontractor awards from Barratt Homes, Miller Homes and Taylor Wimpey, including Best Contractor from Miller Homes and Outstanding Customer Service from Barratt Homes North. We work with national housebuilders, smaller regional builders and housing associations, and with modular builders too, such as our project with Connect Modular in East Lothian.
A new build window supplier checklist
Take this to your next supplier meeting:
| Ask | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| Who makes the frames? | “We do, in our own factory, and we control the schedule.” |
| Can you prove compliance? | Kitemark, PAS 24 / Secured by Design and BFRC certificates that match your exact products |
| Will you help before tender? | A technical team that reviews packages before they’re issued |
| How do deliveries work? | Your own call-offs, their own fleet, labelled palletised loads |
| Who installs, and who signs off? | One firm responsible from manufacture to final fix, with supervisors on site |
| What happens after handover? | Commissioning, site engineers and a customer care team you can reach |
| Who can vouch for you? | Named developments, housebuilder awards and site managers you can call |
If you’re planning a development and want to put those questions to us, get in touch with our New Build team. You can also download our brochure to see the full new build range first.
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