The Sash Window Workshop has been named Which? Trusted Trader of the Month for March 2023.

The Berkshire-based company specialises in manufacturing, installing and draught-proofing timber windows and doors, and serves locations across London and Southern England. New joinery supply-only services are available nationwide.

This isn’t the first time this business has been commended by us either - it was also our Trusted Trader of the Month for November 2021.

We got in touch with Richard Dollar, Managing Director of The Sash Window Workshop, to hear more about the company’s achievements and how things have changed for the team a year on from their last win.

Stand out from the crowd and become a Which? Trusted Trader today.

Three decades of growth

The Sash Window Workshop will be celebrating its 30th birthday next year, and is currently a business operating with 70 employees across a multitude of departments and accreditations from FENSA, The Guild of Master Craftsmen, and Which? Trusted Traders (of course) to name a few. But it had humble beginnings, Richard tells us, starting up in a pig shed in the mid-1990’s.

He said: ‘I started the business in February 1994 to provide high quality, traditional timber windows and doors that are both period appropriate and energy-efficient. Specifically, I wanted to provide timber windows and doors that would meet the needs of even the most discerning customers.’

One thing the company prides itself on is high-quality craftsmanship and industry expertise. Richard told us: ‘We are an independently-run company, with family values and a high level of knowledge and expertise about our industry, with many of our employees having been with the company for over 10 years. We also manufacture all our new windows and doors ourselves in our workshop in Bracknell, allowing us to ensure a high quality of product.’

Providing great customer service is also at the heart of The Sash Window Workshop, helping to set it apart from competitors. Richard said of himself and the team: ‘We are proud to be [part of] a leading company within our industry and our aim is to ensure that our customers want to recommend us to others. We believe it is important to go the extra mile for our customers throughout their customer journey.  We are therefore proud that over half our orders come from existing customers and recommendations.’ 

Since the last win, the business has continued to go from strength to strength, opening a showroom at its new workshop.

Fantastic customer feedback

The Sash Window Workshop has an impressive 5.0-star rating on the Which? Trusted Traders website and is recommended by 100% of customers (based on 19 reviews).

One customer who received work in January 2023 said that the company was ‘professional and helpful at all stages, from our initial inquiry to completion…the product appears to be really good quality and the installation, swift and efficient with such attention to detail, safety concerns and impeccable tidying up - the whole experience painless and the result, beautiful.'

Another happy customer was pleasantly surprised by the Sash Window Workshop after a poor experience with a previous company. They said: ‘...from the first meeting with Stav the salesman it was a delight to do business with them all. The surveyors, the engineers, everyone. Plus the door itself is a solid piece of art. A beautiful thing to behold. I was so impressed I got them to do my back windows and they’ve just completed another perfect job from start to finish’. They continue: ‘If you want the best, look no further.'

Furthermore, The Sash Window Workshop goes the extra step to reply to each piece of feedback posted on the Which? Trusted Traders website within a few days. Our judges appreciated this added touch, with one saying: ‘The responses to the reviews on the WTT Profile really sum up their customer care.'

Commitment to sustainability and charity work

A standout feature of The Sash Window Workshop’s application was the focus on sustainability and supporting charitable causes.

Richard told us that since the company’s previous win, improving environmental sustainability has been a significant goal. He said: ‘We have started switching our car fleet to electric vehicles, reduced our carbon emissions, and believe we are the first timber window company in the UK to have achieved carbon neutral plus status, meaning that we offset 125% of our remaining emissions. We also have won an industry award.'

The company also supports various charities throughout the year through events such as raffles and bake sales. In 2022 alone, £9,000 was donated to charitable causes, including £3,000 to Crisis at Christmas to help support people facing homelessness.

Our judges were thrilled with the eco-friendly and charitable endeavours of the business, with one saying: ‘Really love their focus on sustainability, this really stood out for me. Really impressive amount of money raised for charity.'

Which? Trusted Trader endorsement reassures customers

We asked Richard how being a Which? Trusted Trader has affected the company. He said: ‘Our customers really value our Which? Trusted Trader status as it helps to reassure them that we provide both top-quality windows and doors and excellent customer service. Also, by choosing a Which? Trusted Trader, customers know they are getting a vetted company who they can trust’.

He continued: ‘Reviews on Which? are also more valuable than other sites, as they check that everyone is a valid customer before the review is posted.  This means you can be confident that all the reviews are completely genuine’.

The Sash Window Workshop frequently champions the Which? Trusted Trader endorsement, and can be seen to use the logo in a variety of ways, including on customer quotations, on company vans, on its website and social media, and even in magazine advertisements and on leaflets.

Congratulations to the Sash Window Workshop for winning March 2023’s Which? Trusted Trader of the Month award.

More on this: