News

‘Choose a conservatory roof supply partner carefully and with an eye on the long-term,’ says Martin Saunders, Sales Director at Eurocell Profiles.

“Relaxation of planning rules in 2008, combined with more homeowners deciding to improve rather than move are some of the reasons for continued optimism in the market. Product improvements and marketing initiatives are other key reasons.

Planning for the future

Since October, planning permission for a conservatory has been relaxed, which means it may not be required on smaller installations – of up to three of four metres in size, depending on the property. The outcome of this has been a dramatic increase in enquiries to our conservatory roof fabrication business, particularly for smaller conservatories. In effect, there has been a shift away from more traditional Victorian styles to space efficient Edwardian, Gable-ended and Lean-to designs.

As well as the changes to planning rules, many homeowners are choosing to stay-put rather than move, because of the uncertainty in the economy. However, because most growing families still need extra space, they are creating this additional square footage by adding a conservatory. In effect, there has been a subtle change in buying behaviour from homeowners choosing a conservatory because it adds value, and here larger was better, to buyers looking for cost-effective extensions, which incidentally are still highly attractive to potential buyers when they do eventually decide to move.

Set against this background of quiet optimism in the sector, more retailers are choosing a conservatory roof supply partner for the long-term. That means identifying those suppliers that have a proven track record in the conservatory roof category and as such, have developed a product that is right for the fabricator, retailer and installer as well as the homeowner.

In simple terms, suppliers that offer a one-stop-solution of window and door profiles, alongside conservatory roofs and accessories, provide much better long term prospects. For starters, it avoids duplication of procurement and distribution resources, which in itself saves a huge amount of time and money. It also ensures consistent quality assurance between different components. As the proportion of smaller conservatories increases, being able to achieve this efficiency is vital to winning new business.

An additional advantage of sourcing from a single supplier is that it creates a perfect colour match throughout the home and here at Eurocell we are one of the few to even offer this on roofline components. As homeowners and clients become more discerning, they are looking more critically at these aspects, which is another reason why customers should link-up with a one-stop-shop conservatory roof partner.

Finally, for a truly long term successful partnership, we always advise customers to look for a conservatory roof supplier that is prepared to invest in the business, as that demonstrates real commitment – crucial if you’re offering 10-year guarantees to your customers.

Complete retail solution

At Eurocell, we view conservatory roofs as a core part of our offer. This has been reflected by the investment we have recently made in response to the changes in the market. For example, the development of conservatory roof glass and the competitiveness of the glass market have increasingly encouraged buyers to choose glass over polycarbonate glazing. This effect has been particularly significant on small conservatories where the incremental impact of the uplift in price for roof glass is less.

With the move to smaller conservatories, along with this preference for glass, we recognised that it would be much easier and again more efficient for our customers to buy the complete conservatory roof solution from us. Working in partnership with our glass suppliers we therefore took the decision to offer our roof kit and glass as a complete package, making it much easier for the retailer or trade buyer to order. This one-stop shop approach offers a huge benefit to our customers and takes away any worry about glass size or angle confusion, and we have already had a very positive response from customers to this new offer.

Helping retailers win business is crucial to a successful long term partnership, which is why we have also invested in new conservatory and door brochures. The new brochures include ‘The Lifestyle Collection’ of bi-fold, French and patio doors, along with a new Conservatory Collection brochure. Our aim is to inspire homeowners, whether they are looking for a large or small conservatory and so the emphasis is very much on appealing to their lifestyle.

As more homeowners decide to upgrade their homes rather than move and with conservatories still high on their ‘most wanted’ list, retailers are being presented with many new sales opportunities. Our role is to help them grow their sales by constantly improving our product and service offer.  Eurocell is one of the few companies to continue investing in this area as we remain focused on providing customers with a ‘complete solution’ for the long-term.”

For more information on Eurocell’s conservatory roof system or for a copy of ‘The Lifestyle Collection’ and ‘The Conservatory Collection’ brochures, visit the website: www.eurocell.co.uk or contact the customer services team on 0800 988 3049. Alternatively, email press@eurocell.co.uk