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GalleryCrittall Specialist Partner – Star Performer: KJA Services
- 30 June 2023
- News
The Crittall Specialist Partner network is special. It’s pivotal to the Crittall journey – and its success.
It’s great to see the innovation, creativity and business acumen our Crittall Specialist Partners (CSPs) continuously show. And the diverse and often complex and imaginative projects they progress to the highest standards to meet their clients’ needs.
That’s why we’re showcasing our CSP Star Performers. This Summer we’re highlighting long-time network member KJA Services, based in Barnsley.
Danny Murphy, KJA’s owner, outlines why a recent milestone for the company was a client project – Endymion House in the Lake District – which won the accolade Crittall’s 2022 House of the Year Award. It’s a stunning art-deco property built in 1938 and featured Crittall windows throughout. Its been deftly renovated with absolute care by the owners and showcases Crittall products supplied and installed by KJA.
‘When the owners bought the house all the windows needed replacing. They did not consider an alternative supplier as they wanted to keep the authentic look of the property; they felt it was nothing without the fabulous windows. Nothing shouts 1930s elegance like original Crittall steel framed windows, and the owners told us they feel like they are on the set of a Poirot shoot when inside their home nestled in the foothills of Skiddaw in the Lake District. It is one of the only Art Deco houses in the area and somehow it manages to both blend into its surroundings – and stand out – as a beacon of modernism on the hillside.
It was built by a local family after they had been to California and fallen in love with the Art Deco style there – they recreated a little bit of Hollywood glamour in the Cumbrian hills. Endymion house is currently run as a holiday let and without fail the guests comment on the beauty of the windows and how perfectly they frame the view of the fells beyond.
Timeless
The present owners chose Crittall products as they regard them as beautiful and with a timeless, distinctive, look adding a splash of modernism to any design. That the windows and doors do not rust and require little maintenance were other benefits they cited too. The steel windows are the perfect framing for the garden, ensuring a seamless transition between inside and out, which truly change the look and feel of the home, while being able to echo the size of their Crittall windows and partition to keep the space balanced. They told us the KJA team was fabulous throughout the project – responsive and communicative.
Prior to the owners buying the property, Crittall Windows directed the property’s owners to us to discuss window repair or replacements. It was really important to the client that the windows were sympathetic to the Art Deco feel of the house. After our meeting with them and discussing options, they decided to order Homelight windows in the old standard sizes, even though this would have some impact on their budget. This was a like-
for-like replacement, although while the originals were single glazed, it was decided that double glazing would be better, but with the cosmetic bars to keep the 19mm glazing bars as close to the originals as possible.
Involved with this amazing project from the beginning, there was a lot of contact to get the project right and to achieve our client’s needs and vision for the property, including meeting them on-site to fully assess their options. We took full-site measurements and produced drawings and provided much advice – I have over 30 years’ experience in the glazing industry specialising in Crittall windows. We replaced all the windows and three sets of doors, with the final phase of the stairwell to be finished this year.
Authentic
We gave the client a frank evaluation of the existing windows – they were beyond reasonable repair – which the client really appreciated. The Crittall products was already well known to them. They were super keen to keep the house as authentic as possible to the time it was built. Crittall was perfect for this. Our job was simply to replace them as closely as we could – and that’s exactly that we did.
At KJA, we understand that compared with other players in the marketplace and with suppliers using different materials, with Crittall’s steel windows, doors and screens, people are paying a premium price for a premium product, therefore they deserve a premium service. We pride ourselves on this – we don’t over-sell. We offer a friendly, professional service with customer service at the forefront of what we do. Crittall sells itself – potential clients come to us because of the profile and reputation for quality, heritage and craftsmanship Crittall has long had or seen it on the internet or in person. Once you’ve seen a Crittall product nothing else compares!
We have been involved in replacing Crittall Windows in some iconic buildings in the North of England including The Palace Hotel in Manchester and the Rendezvous Café in Whitley Bay. We also worked on the second phase of works at Laverstoke Mill, the home of Bombay Sapphire. We get to work on some stunning homes, both in Yorkshire and further afield. We always seem to have some great projects in the pipeline – which we see as testament to the excellent work we do for clients. We have quite a few projects coming up and I am confident that some would be contenders for next year’s Crittall House of the Year Project!
Another example as to how we operate was during the Pandemic. KJA bought 10 new laptops and donated them to our local secondary school. We wanted to assist the school kids who might have been struggling with home schooling without the relevant technology. It was nice to be able to give something back to our local community at a time when so many were struggling.’
The national network of Crittall Specialist Partners are official installers of Crittall products, trained by experienced Crittall staff to ensure the highest quality standards. Crittall Specialist Partners are located throughout the UK to assist with design, order and installation of homeowner projects.