Extended Lead Times Continue As NMJ Prove It’s Worth The Wait

Despite a global pandemic, or perhaps because of it, the demand for our handcrafted wooden doors and windows has massively increased. With holidays cancelled and lockdowns in place throughout much of 2020 and into 2021, people felt inspired to undertake renovations and home improvements, increasing NMJ lead times by up to 50%.

The COVID-19 challenge

As an independent, small business, the initial COVID-19 pandemic threw us into uncharted territory throughout most of 2020. But as time went on, there were positive signs that we’d be able to continue carrying out work. Thanks to extra safety measures and social distancing, we were able to continue fitting people’s windows and doors with our new, handcrafted wooden versions, through the lockdown.

But with holidays, home or abroad, firmly off the table, there was a boom in home improvements and renovations. Many people were understandably spending more time and extended periods at home, so chose lockdown to do any domestic upgrades they’d been putting off while they had the chance.

But with almost everyone being in the same boat, it meant a massive upswing in enquiries and confirmed bookings that kept us going. More than just keeping us going, it extended our lead times by almost six months. As a result, we’re currently taking bookings for projects up to and beyond 12 months in advance.

Extended lead times

The standard lead time for the majority of our projects is around six months, so bookings this far in advance are certainly unusual, but of course very welcome. And while a 12-month wait seems like a long time to replace any wooden doors and windows, it’s a testament to our quality of workmanship and service that we find ourselves in such high demand for repeat work from customers.

The process of replacing a series of wooden doors and windows in your home can be costly and quite a major undertaking. With a great deal of planning, preparation, and manufacturing, all projects take time to complete at every stage. And that’s because we create an entirely bespoke and individual item that suits your needs and is custom-designed and handmade to fit your home exactly.

So while a 12-month lead time might not sound ideal, the alternative would be to shop around for a business with a faster lead time, but that could be a false economy. There’s no guarantee of getting the best of anything and it comes with the potential for a more rushed turnaround, complications, and a lower quality finish.

Results worth waiting for

The need to place bookings long in advance for anything is a true sign of a sound reputation and proven quality, and the public demand for using a company with both. And by sourcing all our raw materials from suppliers across the UK, including your chosen window and door furnishings, locks, handles, and glazing, sometimes we might have to wait a little longer too.

By falling into the ‘supply and demand’ chain ourselves, it means every part of your order is helping to keep other, often small, UK businesses going. And it helps reduce carbon emissions for a greener, more sustainable future.

All these things combined mean the end result is certainly worth waiting for. It ensures you get the best results with the perfect finish for your home from concept to completion and beyond. And you get products that are designed and genuinely built to last, all with our trademark quality and service.

And it’s our commitment to quality workmanship and service that lead to NMJ being chosen as winners of the FENSA Installation Of The Year Award 2020 earlier this year. As a FENSA registered company, it was a proud moment for us and proof that to get the best, it’s almost certainly worth the wait.

Contact us today

For more information on our latest lead times and how we can help your door of window installation project, call us on 01822 615 010, send us a message, or email us at info@nathanmccarter.co.uk today.