MARCH 2018 | 15
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
EXPERIENCE DAYS ANSWER
FITTERS’ PRAYERS
Wye Valley Engineering in Hereford is running ‘Experience
Days’ to show installers all about its Durabase product – a
steel base frame and modular walls for conservatories, home
extensions and garden rooms. The company told Pro Installer
more about the days, planned to run for the next 12 months.
Durabase Experience was
born following success at the FIT
show 2017, where conversations
over the quality of the product
sparked interest from a wide
range of people that had seen
and heard of it on websites and
publications but had never seen it
demonstrated in a ‘real life’ home
extension.
Durabase spokesman Jon John-
son explained: “This probed the
question, how can we show peo-
ple the product and the process to
give a fuller understanding of the
product, manufacture and instal-
lation?
“Our idea was to take them on
a factory tour, talk to them about
the benefits, show them how the
products work and how to install
them, and also talk to them about
marketing and building the range
to grow and develop opportunities
for their businesses.”
The Durabase range consists of
a steel framed base which sits on
concrete pads. A fully-manufac-
tured dwarf wall for a conserva-
tory or full height wall for a roof
to fit on to, is engineered and
supplied to the customer’s specific
measurements and requirements.
This can now be built and gain
systems approval through JHAI,
so there is no requirement for the
installer or homeowner to have
to deal with the local authority
building control, where building
regulation approval is required.
In short, a conservatory or
home extension can now be built
without the need of wet trades -
everything delivered in one go,
and little paperwork to deal with
either.
The finishes come in a wide
range of brick and stone as well as
ready to render, or plain insulat-
ed for the customer’s choice of
finish.
When Pro Installer spoke to Jon,
the company had hosted eight
Durabase Experience days and
was able to share some feedback
from fitters.
Ross Fisher, Technical Director
of Horizon Home Improve-
ments Ltd, said:
“We were looking for a
less labour-intensive and
time-consuming way to
construct sunroom and
conservatory bases in an
effort to reduce cost and
lead-time. We had encoun-
tered all the problems that
every company does - bad
weather delaying base com-
pletion, bases not mm perfect
extending the erection time, with
the knock-on effect on the fitting
schedule and cash flow.
“At a trade show we discovered
Durabase and it was almost the
answer to our prayers. We have
in the last 18 months installed a
number of conservatories and sun-
rooms using Durabase and they
have
proved to
be very successful. A big asset of
working with Durabase is the sup-
port they provide. Having never
surveyed, ordered or installed one
I was a little apprehensive about
placing our first order. All these
concerns were laid to rest on the
Durabase Experience and Fitter
days. Myself, our surveyor and
two fitters attended a Durabase
training day. The day was well
presented, covering all aspects
from site survey to pointing the
bricks, in a manner that left you
feeling competent and ready to
get started. Our first base was
surveyed, ordered and installed
without drama. If using Durabase
I’d highly recommend you attend
a training day.”
A fitter from another business,
Turners Windows, said: “The Du-
rabase Fitters’ day gave me a great
insight into how the system is
manufactured, and I’m much more
confident to install the Durabase
products.”
To see the process for
yourself and to understand
how the Durabase range may
compliment and extend your
product range, join a Durabase
Experience Day free of charge.
Please see www.durabase.co.uk
for further details and to book a
place call 01432 266507.