Updated June 2026 · CW Doors & Windows
Local vs national window companies: which is better?
A local window company is usually better value when it uses its own fitters, gives an itemised written quote and backs the work with an insurance-backed guarantee. National companies offer brand recognition, but often carry sales and advertising costs and may subcontract installation. We've quoted against every major national window company in Leicester for 40 years. Here's the genuine comparison — where the nationals are stronger, where the locals are stronger, and the high-pressure sales tactics to be ready for either way.
Price
Nationals quote 20–40% higher than us on identical specifications. That's the reality — and the discount-on-the-day routine is built into the original quote.
Locals like us run lean: no commission-based salesmen, no expensive showroom rent, no national advertising budget. We pass that saving on.
Fitting quality
Nationals subcontract fitting to whoever's available that week. The quality is inconsistent — sometimes excellent, sometimes poor — because the fitter doesn't work directly for the company that sold the door.
Locals (the good ones) employ their own fitters. We do. The same crews have been with us for 10–20 years and they know our customers' streets.
Aftercare
Nationals have a call centre and a 4–8 week wait for a remedial visit.
Locals will be back within a week, often the next day for urgent issues. We live and work in Leicester — we can't avoid you.
Sales tactics to watch for
The 3-hour kitchen-table sales pitch. Walk away.
The 'today only' discount. The price was never £14,000 — it was always £8,000.
Pressure to sign before they leave. No legitimate installer needs you to decide tonight.
Vague guarantees from a parent company that may not exist in 5 years.
When a national might actually make sense
If your local installers don't offer finance and you need it. Some nationals have better finance terms.
If you genuinely value a national brand's warranty paperwork over a local relationship.
Otherwise, get three quotes — one national, two local — and compare on identical spec, including cylinder grade, glass spec and guarantee terms.
What actually differs
The frames and glass available to local and national firms are often similar. The difference is usually in who measures, who fits, and who you call if something goes wrong. A local firm working within a set radius can return quickly to adjust a door or window after fitting.
National firms can offer consistency across regions and familiar branding, which some buyers value.
Questions that level the comparison
Whichever you choose, ask:
Who will fit the windows: employees or subcontractors?
Is the guarantee insurance-backed?
Is the quote itemised and fixed in writing?
Who handles after-care, and how far away are they?
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