Windows and doors should not be the last thing you decide on when building or renovating, Cherrie Handebo from Taberners Windows and Doors believes.

Leaving this most vital of decisions for your home to the last-minute is a common oversight for many home-builder/renovators.

“They put a lot of effort into picking a fridge and taps, but these are things that can all be replaced, but your windows and doors, which are such a major part of your house, they see as an afterthought,” Cherrie said.

“You wouldn’t spend $50–60,000 on a car without having a long and hard look, but they do that with what is a permanent feature of their homes.”

“Your window and door decisions should be incorporated into your home-plans at the earliest stage. But it can be very hard to visualise what you want without coming-in and having a look, that is why we have such a good showroom,” Cherrie explained.

The technology and choices for home-owners with windows and doors are constantly changing for the better, Cherrie said. With the new options available in 2020, there is now much more to consider when ordering the glass-featured elements of your new home or renovation.

“We have better-performing glass and better-performing frames. We have hundreds of different styles available. We have high-performing glasses that keep in energy, keep-out the heat, and that are sound-resistant,” Cherrie said.

For instance, she explains, the old timber-versus-aluminum argument is now moot with a range of textured timber-look finishes that provide the aesthetic appeal of timber with the low-maintenance of alloys.

“You can have the wood-look but without the upkeep that was such a drawback of the full-wood frames and doors,” Cherrie said.

Another innovation transforming the glass industry is the widespread use now of double-glazing for external windows. “Probably 60–70 percent of our orders now are for double-glazing,” Cherrie said.

“Councils are now very energy-conscious and Orange’s climate is cooler for so much more of the year, that it’s a real benefit for family homes.

“People are simply trying to keep their houses warmer, but it also works for summer as well, helping to keep houses air-conditioned cooler by locking-out the heat,” Cherrie said.

Once seen as a luxury for wealthy British and American homeowners, double-glazing has now become the norm in the Central Tablelands with the added cost far less than in previous decades.

“It looks now like ordinary glass; you can see straight through it, and the cost has come down dramatically,” Cherrie explained.

“No matter what your budget, we can always find a way to help our clients find an energy-efficient solution for their windows and doors without skimping on quality!”

Whatever you decide, get in early and give the time and attention to this central component of your house as you would any other. After all, your glass features are your window to the world!

“Windows are in your house forever, they’re a part of the fabric, of the envelope, of your home so put the thought and effort into them as much as you would another permanent feature of the house,” Cherrie concluded.