Satisfied CR Smith Customers - All in a Days Work

Badly as they needed it, Mr and Mrs Begg of Dollar had been putting off having the patio doors and windows in their sunroom-type extension replaced for some time. This is because they believed it would be a major job that would entail a lot of chaos and upheaval which they simply could not be bothered with.

Mrs Begg explains: “We just thought it would be such a major job so we kept putting it off and putting it off. Then one day out of the blue, one of the CR Smith salesmen called. He left a brochure and that was it, we decided to go for it!”

The Beggs’ old windows were past their best, with the seals broken causing condensation to form in between the two panes of glass.

Mrs Begg goes on to say: “I must admit, when I found out that the team were going to do the work in just one day I was a little apprehensive. However, I needn’t have worried. The team arrived at 8.15 and they were away by 5.30; and everything was perfect. We can’t believe we put it off for so long when CR Smith took care of everything so quickly and efficiently!”

And it is not only the speed of the job that Mrs Begg was impressed with. “The Lorimer windows look fantastic. They are so much more modern and clean-looking. Everything in the room just looks so much brighter with the white frames, and the room even looks bigger. Plus now I get more use of the patio doors, as I can actually open them! Before, getting them open was such a nuisance that I just didn’t bother!”

CR Smith Double Glazed Windows are Good for the Environment

The WWF is promoting a big switch-off to energy users. It hopes that a billion people in a thousand cities across the globe will switch off their lights from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on March 28 for its Earth Hour.

Edinburgh is one of the 375 cities that has pledged to take part in the mass event which hopes to make world leaders do something about climate change.

The support behind this campaign shows how keen people are to go green. There are things you can do in your own home that will make a massive difference. Up to 18% of your household energy could be escaping every year if you are living in a poorly insulated home with single-glazed windows.

CR Smith Lorimer windows are manufactured using low emissivity glass and filled with argon gas, which prevents energy being wasted, saving yourself and the planet a little. So not only do CR Smith windows look good, but they’re also good for the environment!

CR Smith Versatile Conservatories. A new dimension to your home.

Gareth McCluskey, Marketing Manager at CR Smith, explains that conservatories can be used for a lot more than simply relaxing and watching the world go by.

He said: “Customers are often surprised by just how versatile a conservatory can be.

“It effectively adds another room to your house and the possibilities are endless.

“We have had several customers over the years who have transformed part of their conservatory into a working office or a dining space. For example, we had a music teacher who used hers as a classroom, a childminder in Inverness who opened up a nursery in hers and a hotel which added a new conservatory to house a restaurant.

“Our sales team will spend time getting to know their customers so as to achieve the perfect design Partitions, stairs or shaded windows can be added in order to create separate areas within the conservatory for different uses.

“A conservatory adds a whole new dimension to your home. I would advise anyone planning to get a conservatory to fully consider what they want from the room.”

Free Heating for Pensioners in Scotland

A warm home is important for everyone in Scotland but it is an absolute must for the older people living in our communities.

The Government is encouraging people to see if they qualify for a scheme to have a central heating system installed into their home for free. Over 60s with no central heating, or a system that is beyond repair, qualify if they own or privately rent their homes.

The scheme is also applicable to over 80s and those on a state pension if they have an inefficient or only partial system.Another important way to keep warm is by having secure double-glazed windows. Even if a top-class central heating system is installed old, single-glazed windows can still allow the chill to creep into a home and set heating bills soaring.

This is a great Government scheme but people need to get in touch before March 31. For more information call 0800 316 1653.

Apprenticeships by CR Smith's Gerard Eadie

We have to invest in a strong, skilled workforce in Scotland if we are going to come out of this recession with any sort of advantage. And if young people are going to learn a proper trade, they should start life as an apprentice.

The decision to fund another 7,800 apprenticeships as part of the budget agreement should be applauded. But let's get this right.

In reality, employers create apprenticeships. And in current times can we expect companies to take on another 7,800 employees? During a recession, new apprenticeships are, in fact, often the first to suffer.

Currently, funding goes towards external exams and college fees, and I even question whether all the current college places for apprenticeships are taken up. So, if government is serious about thousands of additional apprenticeships it must make grants and incentives available to companies, big and small, to recruit, or this simply won't happen.

We then have to ask what type of apprenticeships we need. Gordon Brown recently announced that McDonald's would be one of the biggest providers of apprenticeships as part of his plan. But, do we really want to create a nation of burger bar managers?

Apprenticeships should be all about creating a new army of craftsmen and women who will become the engineers, mechanics, electricians, plumbers and joiners of tomorrow. We must train young people who will be capable of quality work to contribute towards building an infrastructure for an ambitious nation.

Gerard Eadie, Chairman. CR Smith, Gardeners Street, Dunfermline, Fife, KY12 0RN. Scotland.