Crystal Clear Glazing Company**, based in Meltham, West Yorkshire, and run by members of the Butterfield family, fitted my house with new PVC windows, French windows and composite doors in 2022. At the time their website advertised them as members of the Glass and Glazing Federation, although this turned out not to be true, and they have since been made to remove this assertion from their website.

Some windows, which had been non-opening, I asked to be made as openers, but this was not done, and by the time the frames had been made and brought to site there was no alternative but to accept them as fixed.

After installation I found lots of deficiencies : doors and windows were difficult to open, close and lock ; the overall insulation and draught-proofing were disappointing ; and especially on the French windows, which had a gap all round where the door seals had not been adjusted to make contact with the fixed frame. On completion the installation was not certified in any way, as required by statute, and the guarantee Crystal Clear provided struck me as amateurish, inadequate, badly written, and not giving any worthwhile protection. While trying to follow up on these deficiencies Crystal Clear soon stopped responding to me all together.

A professional inspection and report by a separate, specialist company confirmed the totally sub-standard installation on many parameters, including : cold and damp bridging ; inaccurate installation in terms of level, squareness, twist etc. ; inadequate number and spacing of frame fixings (some frames with none whatsoever) ; poor adjustment of opening windows and doors, leading to difficulty in operation, (and possible long term wear and damage due to the high forces needed) ; very messy silicone sealant application ; deficiencies in fire egress standards and provision of safety glass where required by statute.

The specialist inspection company were able to arrange for the removal, clean-up and reinstallation of all doors and windows to an excellent standard, the cost of which has been more than for the original supply and fitting. During these works even more examples of shortcomings were found, starting with significant inaccuracies in the initial measuring of the window openings for frame manufacture. This had led to the bodged fitting of many frames which had been made too large for their openings, with consequent damage to the house stonework, hardwood sills and plastering.

I cannot recommend this company whatsoever.

** Please note – there are a number of entities trading under the Crystal Clear name. I have had no dealings with, and have no knowledge about, any other than the one based in Meltham, and nothing written above should be taken to refer to any other organisation.