Roofline, rainwater and cladding manufacturer Freefoam Building Products says stockists and home improvement companies can use its Registered Installer Scheme to differentiate themselves, benefit from better guarantees and maximise sales opportunities.
Installer networks and schemes can be one of the most powerful sales tools available to both installation companies and their suppliers – helping them sell more product and build their businesses thanks to access to extended warranties, technical and sales support, qualified leads and more.
Freefoam’s Registered Installer network, for example, has grown to include 1,200 companies across the UK. Supported by Freefoam stockists nationwide, it’s been successfully helping distributors and installers grow for nearly 20 years.
Free to join, Freefoam’s Registered Installer scheme is open to all companies that install fascia, soffit, rainwater, and cladding – whether roofline fitters, window installers, roofers, home improvement companies, or general builders.
Market-leading guarantees
One of the scheme’s most popular selling points is access to the 50-year ‘Extended Lifetime Guarantee’, exclusively available to Registered Installers. A strong, clear promise that’s easy to understand, this helps installers remove the risks to buying and builds trust, giving homeowners confidence in the product as well as the company fitting it.
Our 50-year guarantee on white roofline and rainwater products is an upgrade from our standard 20-year guarantee. To qualify for this market-leading guarantee, the products fitted must be fascia, soffit, and gutters made only by Freefoam, and fitted by an official Freefoam Registered Installer who logs the project online.
It gives homeowners the ultimate peace of mind, covering against warping, cracking, discolouration, and blistering. A formal guarantee certificate is issued directly to the homeowner by Freefoam or the installer after the job is completed and registered. What’s more, it’s fully transferable to new homeowners if the property is sold.
Freefoam stockist UPL Building Supplies, one of the Midland’s leading independent suppliers of building materials, says: “Only Registered Installers can offer homeowners the Freefoam 50-year Lifetime Guarantee – so that’s a big plus for local fitters when they are pitching against other companies.”
“Freefoam support us with the guarantees that they offer. That gets us a hell of a lot of work,” adds Steve Bray of Barnsley-based Registered Installer, C&S Fascias.
Not every job qualifies for the Extended Guarantee, of course, but with 10-year guarantees on woodgrain and foiled roofline, as well as most cladding, installers can take full advantage of Freefoam’s wide range of RAL-coded coloured products.
Colour choice for the win
Being able to offer unique colour options or a matching suite of products is becoming increasingly important for many installation companies. If a homeowner chooses Agate Grey for their windows and doors, for example, they expect matching trims – and being able to offer fascia, soffit, and even cladding in the same colours can make for valuable add-on sales.
“Offering a wide range of colours has helped us win many contracts,” agrees Terry Luscombe of Weatherproof Systems, a Plymouth Registered Installer. “I always take a sample box, supplied by Freefoam, on my first visit to customers and tell them about the 10-year guarantee offered on most cladding products.”
“We prefer to fit Freefoam cladding,” comments Chris Davies, of Swansea RI CJ Davies & Sons, It has a great range of colours and the guarantee that comes with it is a real benefit too.”
Building loyalty
It isn’t just installers that the scheme can help. Stockists – who can nominate their customers to become Freefoam Registered Installers – benefit too. Many of the building materials suppliers we work with use the RI scheme to attract new customers and build stronger relationships with existing customers.
“A lot of customers will buy from us just for Freefoam,” adds Scott Whitelam of Barnsley-based stockist Building Plastics Direct. “We have quite a few Registered Installers that work with us and they insist on Freefoam products.”[pull-out]
When stockists switch to Freefoam, dedicated Registered Installers often follow suit. Mac Home Improvements in Wales has installed Freefoam products exclusively since 2007, nearly 20 years. Supplied by Building Plastics Wales, Mac HI is one of Freefoam’s ‘Top Ten’ installers regularly registering work for the Extended 50-year Guarantee, exclusive to the RI scheme.
“We use Freefoam’s full range of fascias, soffits, guttering and cladding,” says Director Cathy Bressington. “There’s no-one else we’d rather use. When our previous supplier stopped selling Freefoam we moved to another stockist, because our relationship with Freefoam is so positive.”
TruSeal Plastics, which has 18 trade depots across the Midlands, Yorkshire, Humberside and the North-West, ran a successful campaign to promote the scheme (which we supported with bespoke marketing materials), inviting installers to pop into branches to sign up. Branch Managers were incentivised to get Registered Installers on board – and it gave customers a reason to visit. TruSeal has the full product range, sample stock, and Freefoam marketing materials available at every branch, so staff can talk confidently about the products.
Marketing that makes a difference
To be truly successful, no installer scheme should just be about the product: marketing and sales support is crucial too. Registered Installers get a whole package from Freefoam including installer packs, marketing literature and van signage – all to help them sell and build their own brand locally. We provide stockists and installers with professional images to use in their own social media, and a wealth of quality brochures, leaflets, samples and swatches.
In terms of technical support, all products and product leaflets now have QR codes which link to fitting guides, while professional advice and FAQs are available from www.freefoam.com/professional. Our technical advisors are also happy to help on the phone.
Meanwhile, two dedicated consumer-facing websites: www.myrooflinematters.co.uk and www.mycladding.co.ukgenerate quality leads for customers by directing homeowners to their nearest stockist and installer. These are supported by social media campaigns that promote roofline, rainwater and cladding or ask homeowners to sign-up for free samples and get a supply and installation quote. Freefoam has a strong presence across all social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest with professional photography, videos and shorts showcasing stockists, homeowner transformations and best practice from installers.
Sales tools for use in the field are also available – installers say they often use our online and Visualiser and Calculatoron tablets to show homeowners what their new cladding will look like on their homes, and quickly calculate how much product will be required.
Ashley Marvin, Managing Director of Nottingham’s NG Roofline Windows & Doors, confirms the value of Freefoam’s support: “We’re a Freefoam Registered Installer because they offer great choice, service, marketing support, as well as unbeatable product guarantees.”
To learn more about the Freefoam ranges of cladding, roofline, and interior panelling, and how its Registered Installer Scheme can benefit stockists and installers, call 0800 002 9903 or visit www.freefoam.com
