Prepare to be shocked. In 2026, the UK's biggest and most well-known home improvement brands are still using a pricing system designed to legally overcharge you by thousands of pounds.
It's called the Sliding Scale Commission System. And if you've ever had a salesperson in your home quoting for new windows, doors, or a conservatory, you've been a target of it.
Here is the exact truth of what that salesperson has on their laptop when they sit at your dining table.
The 60% Secret
The salesperson can offer you anywhere between 0% and 60% off the "book price" of your installation. Yes, 60%. That discount is already built into the business model. But over 90% of customers are never offered the lowest price. Why? Because of how the salesperson is paid.
The industry operates on a simple, brutal rule: The lower the discount offered to the customer, the higher the commission paid to the salesperson.
How the Game is Rigged
Let's look at a real-world example. You want new windows, and the salesperson's "book price" for the job is £12,000.
Because of the 60% sliding scale, that salesperson is fully authorised to sell you that exact same installation for just £4,800.
But here is what happens to their pay packet depending on what you agree to:
| Price You Pay | Salesperson Commission | You Overpay By |
|---|---|---|
| £12,000 (book price) | £1,500 (15%) | £7,200 |
| £8,000 | £640 (8%) | £3,200 |
| £4,800 (floor price) | £50 flat | £0 |
The salesperson is highly trained, heavily incentivised, and actively encouraged by their company to charge you as much as they can possibly get away with.
Why Are We Exposing This?
Our team has a combined 88 years of direct sales experience inside the UK window and home improvement industry. We were there. We wrote some of the sales training practices still being used today. We were brought up in this "sell or starve" commission-based world. But it's 2026, and it has to end.
How to Beat the System
Use our free Check My Quote tool. Tell us the company, the product, and the price. We know their sliding scales. We know their floor prices. We'll tell you instantly — and negotiate it down for you if you've been overcharged.
The game is up. It's time to get a ReQuote.