image credit: Matt Hoffman/Unsplash
Bay Life interviews Manolo Sanchez, owner of Pevensey Glazing about his twenty five year service to the community. His big reveal is the day he was asked if he would fit some triple glazed sepia wood windows which were sent in a container from Germany. The hallway window was five metres high by three metres in width & included four patio doors at 5 metres long, the hallway window took 6 people to lift into place. ‘I stopped sweating’, Manolo told us, ‘when I resized it fitted’ .
Bay Life, 17 September 2019
Q!: This is some service to the community, 25 years. How did Pevensey Glazing start?
Manolo: I started in the double glazing business with Davis & Tate which I served 15 years , I would also do my localised work with them in Pevensey Bay & surrounding areas . When the recession came in 2000 I started Pevensey Glazing & things seem to take off from there .
Q2: Over that time you must have seen a lot of changes with products and people, what has been the biggest change for you?
Manolo: The biggest changes were the number of people moving down from the cites & still today . The products have also changed a lot due to thermal insulations within the products to keep our properties warmer in the winter & cooler in the summer
Q3: What was the first project that you undertook as Pevensey Glazing?
Manolo: One of my first jobs was a 5 storey building which needed 85 windows & a porch which went well, I think if this one had gone wrong I would not be in business today
Q4: What is the most interesting project you have undertaken?
Manolo: I would say a conservatory conversion to a extension which included biofolds & lantern roofs which are qute popular these days. The customer was so impressed with the finished project, they made me a video from start to finish which I will put on my website on the next update.
Q5: Where are the jobs, what kind of percentages? How much of your work is in the Bay? How much of your work is further afield?
Manolo: I would say that 90% of my jobs are in the Bay and the rest of my work in the surrounding areas.
Q6: Do you cover industry and commercial settings or is most of your work domestic settings?
Manolo: I prefer to stick with my domestic work but I do cover industrial & commercial
Q7: Do you charge when you first go out to people?
Manolo: All of my visits are free & there is no pressure but a cup of tea won’t go amiss
Q8: You mention your reputation, a sound reputation really does take time to build, when did you know you had got the profile of the business right and could confidently talk about your growing reputation, must have taken time.
Manolo: I would say that my reputation is building all the time , feedback seems to be positive & ongoing, I would say after around the 5 year point, the work just kept coming in at a steady rate
Q9: What is the daftest job you have been asked to do as Pevensey Glazing?
Manolo: Without a doubt… I was asked to do a quote for Pevensey Castle by English Heritage, but this was for one of the towers on the inside with secondary glazing to keep the pigeons out.
Q10: Which job was the one job? Which job has given you the most satisfaction, when did you get in your van start to drive home and think, that really was an amazing experience, a great job and the client was just so happy that they could not praise you enough? Do you still drive past and smile?
Manolo: I was asked if I would fit some triple glazed sepia wood windows which were sent in a container from Germany. The hallway window was five metres high by three metres in width & included four patio doors at 5 metres long, the hallway window took 6 people to lift into place. I stopped sweating when I resized it fitted . The job went like clockwork, but I would not recommend this option unless you have deep pockets .
Bay Life interviews local business owners from Pevensey Bay with a record of service to the community. If you would like to talk about your record of service, you can contact us here to answer our starters for ten. Interviews also feature in our newspaper, the Pevensey Bay Journal, publsihd ten times a year, and available in local newsagents, priced 40pence. info@pevenseybaylife.co.uk
