THE ENGLISH PORCH COMPANY 
0345 222 0155
PRODUCT ADVICE & TERMS OF SALE
PRODUCT ADVICE & TERMS OF SALE
At The English Porch Company, we understand that our customers' expect a level of service that reflects the quality of our products. We aim to provide the information you require to enable you to decide if our products fit your requirements. We also take the safety of our products and their installation seriously. If you or your installer have any questions concerning the safe installation of our products, please contact us.
The information below includes product information and product care. If you cannot find the information you require, please contact us either by calling  
0345 222 0155, or email us at enquiry@theenglishporchcompany.co.uk or via the 'Contact Us' page.
General product information
Whilst we try to be as accurate as possible, all sizes, weights and measurements if and where quoted on the website are approximate. Images of the products shown on the website are for illustrative purposes only. We have made every effort to display all of our products accurately, however we cannot guarantee that the image displayed on your monitor will accurately reflect the product delivered to you since every porch is manufactured to order. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that product specifications are correct on the website, due to continual product development, the design detailing (including a product’s decorative details and dimensions) may change without notice. Prior to placing an order, we will make the customer aware of any variations between the product and or details shown on our website and the product we will supply.

BROMPTON - The Brompton porch relies on the support of the box section post to ensure its structural integrity. If the porch is located close to where vehicles can manoeuver we advise fitting a barrier to protect the post from being struck.

What's included

 All of our porches with the exception of the Brompton are supplied unpainted. We don't include any items which customers' can purchase locally and at a more cost effective price since this would only add unecessary extra cost. This includes roof tiles, tile battens, lead flashing. The Brompton porch includes powder coated aluminium and Canadian Western Red Cedar slats. The cedar can be treated to preserve its colour, or left to silver and we suggest customers' contact 'Wood Finishes Direct' to enquire about alternative finish treatments available they can purchase.

Timber variation

We are unable to guarantee that one batch of timber will be the sa me as the next. By placing an order with us, the customer acknowledges that a variation in timber colour and grain must be anticipated even when placing an order for more than one unit at the same time.
Characteristics of timber products 
Products made from Sapele, oak and joinery grade softwood: Our products are made from a range of timbers, including a hardwood called Sapele, kiln dried and green oak and joinery grade softwood. Timber constructions by nature are likely to have knots in and natural blemishes and move during the life of the product and may result in joints opening and splitting and twisting. Customers' ordering timber products should expect movement, which may result in the need to adjust doors and gates etc and may also require repainting where joints open or splitting occurs. These should not affect the integrity, strength or stability of the product. Sapele, much like any natural material will vary and you may find areas of softer grain, which can result in ‘fluffing’. Fluffing is best described as an area where the grain ‘fluffs up due to its' softer, less dense make up and is likely to require more preparation before painting. Please see decorating advice below. 

Green oak has some particular characteristics which customers' should consider before ordering a porch. The timber used in the manufacture of green oak porches is likely to move, twist and split. This is caused by the natural drying out process of the timber and will not affect the structural integrity of the construction. The drying out process will however give a green oak porch a unique look and patina and customers should consider carefully if these characteristics are acceptable, as well as likely visible features including knots and blemishes.  As the oak dries out and particularly in wet weather, it will release tannins, these are the natural acids in the sap. These will run out of the oak from time to time and may leave a stain or mark on the oak and any adjacent brickwork. It is possible to remove the staining using a mild solution of brick or Oxalic Acid, however in certain circumstances some staining may be permanent. In addition, tannins do react with steel so anywhere that metal objects such as tools come into contact with the fresh oak for any length of time, they will leave a black mark. Consequantly, during the manufacturing process our tools and machinery can leave some black marks which can be easily removed using Oxalic Acid. For further information and advice about green oak please contact us.
Delivery information
Our porches are delivered on protective pallets throughout the UK on an AM or PM non time slot basis. Our transport partner is SPEED and they co-ordinate our deliveries via the Palletways network using vehicles with a tail lift and single driver. We do not have our own fleet of vehicles, which would be prohibitively expensive. We rarely have any problems in making deliveries, however it is important that your property, or the delivery address, is accessible to a large vehicle with tail lift. If the entrance to the delivery address is narrow, or there are overhanging trees, please let us know.

The pallets which hold our porches are fairly large simply due to the typical size of a porch. This can sometimes present a challenge for the drivers as they have to manoeuvre the pallet onto the tail lift on their lorry in order to deliver the porch. In the event that it is not possible to move the pallet onto the tail lift, the customer, or an able-bodied individual can assist the driver to unload the porch components in a sensible and safe way, however please be aware that some of the components are heavy and can require two people to lift and carry them to a safe location.

If you do not feel confident that a large vehicle can access your delivery address, or you would prefer to book a ‘tailored’ delivery with manpower to do all the lifting for you, please let us know and we will provide you with a quote for this service.
Assembly advice
We provide assembly and fitting advice with all of our porches. We urge customers' to read this information carefully before carrying out the assembly and installation to ensure they have the necessary skills and equipment to undertake the task safely. Customers' who are concerned about any aspect of the assembly or installation process should contact us.

Please note that all timber can shrink and swell at different rates depending on the timber and environmental conditions. Accordingly, we advise that our products should be assembled and completely decorated within one week of receipt to minimise splitting and twisting and the potential for joints not fitting, which will result in the need for additional site work.
Storing our products after delivery
Porch frames, doors and gates should never be stood up before assembly and or installation in an unsupported way as this can lead to warping. If the item cannot be fitted within one week, it must be fully supported and kept undercover. We recommend storing the product flat and away from the elements.
Fitting our products
Where the customer is fitting our products to a new or existing structure or mechanism supplied and installed by others, such as door frames, gate automation systems or the like, we cannot be held liable for any problems associated with the installation, including but not limited to, binding, dropping, swelling, twisting etc.
Decorating our products
Customers' are advised to decorate their order completely, including all areas which may be inaccessible either before and or after installation and ideally within one week of receipt to avoid water ingress. Always apply any finish  in accordance with the paint, or stain manufacturers advice. At the very least, complete all coats of paint as advised by the manufacturer to protect the timber, leaving the final top coat to be completed 6-8 months after decorating when any cracking (know as shakes) can be filled with a suitable exterior wood filler and decorated. Please be aware that to avoid seeing a variation in paint between any new application and the original application, customers' should completely decorate the porch.

End Grain Sealing - We recommend that customers' treat all end grain where it is exposed ie not on or in a joint, including bottom of posts, ends of the rafters, edges of the decorative brackets, edges of any over-boarding etc and the edges and face of the exterior MDF gable end panels to help preserve the timber before painting.  Anker Stuy Coatings produce a clear product called Hydrolux End Grain Sealer which can be applied by brush and which can be overpainted. We recommend 2 coats. This product is not suitable if customers' who are going to stain the timber. For technical advice, please contact Anker Stuy direct.

For added protection, we also recommend Barrettine Universal Wood Preservative is applied before decorating to all faces. Further advice and information on this and other products can be obtained from Wood Finishes Direct. If the porch is to be left natural, one or more clear coats of a suitable timber treatment should be applied. Failure to adequately protect the timber could result in deterioration of the timber, including twisting and splitting. Please visit our Q&A page and see 'when to decorate your porch'.

Brompton Porch Treatment - The side panel frame on our Brompton Porch  is constructed using joinery grade softwood with a removable cedar 'slatted panel' to one side. To increase the durability of the side panel frame we recommend that customers' treat all exposed parts of the frame with a clear preservative, such as Barrettine Universal Wood Preservative from 'Wood Finishes Direct'. This product can be overtreated with a stain or secondary treatment. Information and data sheet is available on this product from 'Wood Finishes Direct'.
Replacing damaged or incorrect parts
If we supply the wrong product, we will replace it free of charge. If a component part is damaged during transit we will repair or replace the part, or arrange for a professional local to the customer to repair or replace the part. If there is a failure due to a manufacturing defect and where the customer has followed our advice with regard to handling, storing, assembly, installation and decorating, we will replace the item.
Payment & discount/sale terms
If you wish to place an order with us, we will send you a deposit invoice for 50% of the total cost. Once this is paid, we will produce the manufacturing drawing which we send to you for checking and your approval. Only after receiving your written approval by email will we plan in the manufacture of your order.  We will send you an invoice for the balance approximately one week before delivery. We do not offer credit terms and payment is by cheque or bank transfer only.
From time to time we will run promotions or sales which typically include a 10% discount. The discount applies to the porch only and not the delivery charge. The promotion applies to our standard product range and does not include fully bespoke designs.
Share by: