England Coronavirus Lockdown: What it Means for Double Glazing

On Saturday evening, the UK Government announced that on Thursday 5th November, England will enter a second lockdown, with new Coronavirus restrictions being enforced. 

This second lockdown will last until at least 2nd December but could be extended if the Government chooses to do so.

The announcement comes after a rise in infection rates across England. 

But what do these restrictions mean if you have installation work planned for your home? Can tradespeople still come to your house during the second lockdown?

Now, when clarity is needed more than ever,  our team is here to clear things up. 

In this article, we take a closer look at the new lockdown restrictions and what it means for the homeowners looking to have new windows, doors, or conservatories installed. 

The second lockdown 

On Thursday, the new COVID restriction will come into action across England. What are these restrictions you may ask? Here are some of the rules you must adhere to:

• People should stay at home unless for specific purposes including; for work, for education and for exercise. 
• You must not meet others socially. However, you are allowed to meet in a public, outdoor space with people of the same household, a social bubble or with one other person. 
• Certain businesses and venues must close. This includes non-essential shops, hospitality venues (takeaway service can continue) and personal care facilities. 

But what does this mean for home improvements? We take a look at if your planned work can still proceed.

Can tradespeople still come to people’s homes during the lockdown? 

In short, yes. However, any tradesperson working in someone else’s home must adhere to COVID-secure guidance and ensure social distancing from homeowners.

There has been much confusion regarding the eligibility of tradespeople to continue to carry out work on people’s homes. Recently, the Government website  has included this statement to attempt to make things clearer: ‘[You may leave your home] for work purposes, where your place of work remains open and where you cannot work from home (including if your job involves working in other people’s homes)’

COVID-secure practices: Working in people’s homes

In order for tradespeople to work in people’s homes, there are a set of practices that must be followed, to ensure the safety of homeowners and staff. These guidelines involve: 

• Completing a COVID-19 risk assessment 
• Cleaning more frequently 
• Asking customers to wear a face-covering
• Ensure social distancing 
• Increase ventilation 
• Encouraging NHS Track and Trace App
• Refusing services for customers with Coronavirus symptoms. 

Tips for homeowners 

With Winter coming and temperatures dropping, it might be vital that you make home improvements sooner rather than later. Before you call in the installers, here are some tips to ensure that you stay safe when getting installation work done. 

1. Ensure tradespeople are adhering to COVID guidelines before employing them

It is important that any installer that you choose to employ follows the current Government guidelines, carry out comprehensive risk assessments and should inform their team of the guidelines. 

2. Insist PPE be worn  

Despite your best efforts, it is not always possible to social distance, especially when people are in your home. For greater protection, it is worth insisting that tradespeople wear gloves and face-coverings whilst working in your home. 

Once the installers have left, make sure that all surfaces are thoroughly cleaned. 

3. Digital consultations/visitings 

In the current climate, more and more business is being conducted online. To limit the contact between you and others, it may be an idea to opt for video calls with home improvement companies rather than face-to-face meetings 

In most cases, companies are more than happy to arrange digital consultations and video tours are also possible to help show tradespeople the layout of your home before visiting your home in-person. 

Your questions answered

Choosing a trusted tradesperson 

As you can see, it is definitely possible for home improvements to be carried out in your home during this second lockdown, as long as all the safety measures are being followed. 

However, before you get any work done on your home, it is important to choose a tradesperson you can trust. 

If you’re looking to make any home improvement changes to your home, use our tool to find a trusted installation company near you.