What to Know When Choosing a Window Company
You’ve finally had enough. Last winter showed record-low temperatures for you and your home. For four long months, you’ve had to choose between ridiculously high heating bills or uncomfortably frigid temperatures within your own home. You can’t handle another moment of the inefficient and outdated windows in your home any longer. It’s time to replace them.
But where’s the best place to start? Well, the answer isn’t as simple as it might seem.
It’d be easy to do a quick search through Google to find popular window replacement companies in your area, and entrust them with the project. However, this can be a huge risk that many don’t even realize.
There are hundreds of window replacement companies out there, which means there are quite a few that lack the expertise and technical skill required to properly replace your windows. You can’t afford to take this gamble when it comes to your home. Luckily, there are quite a few red flags that these window replacement companies exhibit before they oversell... and underdeliver on their promises.
The Jack of All Trades
When you need a window replaced, would you rather hire a home specialist or a window specialist? It’s not a decision you really need to rack your brain over. Installing a proper window replacement requires years of knowledge and proficiency. When you hire companies that advertise window replacement right alongside home decor and kitchen renovations, it’s apparent that they offer too many “above-par” services without offering truly high quality for any of them specifically.
When a “home specialist” provides a window replacement service, they probably aren’t the Encyclopedia Britannica on standards for this service. They’ll typically hire whatever contractor they can find, and trust that the contractor has the proper knowledge of the trade. Meanwhile, window specialists are dedicated professionals that understand the ins and outs of window replacement.
The Skimmer
When you ask window replacement companies for an estimate, you should be able to have confidence that they’re properly assessing your property. However, some of these companies could basically offer you the same estimate without even looking at your home. They have a hyperformulaic blueprint of the window replacement job, and they overcharge you to account for potential subversions of their plan. So, this contractor will likely take very little time for an estimate.
For a proper assessment, a window replacement assessor should take anywhere from 60-90 minutes depending on the size of your home. This accounts for precise measurements, visualizing procedures, and accurate documentation. If the estimate falls too far short of 60 minutes, they could not have appropriately examined your home.
The Vague Estimator
Some window replacement companies will attempt to make their estimates vague and unintuitive. This is likely an attempt to overcharge the client. When receiving an estimate from a window replacement company, everything should be accounted for, including proper names of materials and exact procedures. This ensures that protocols are not being overlooked in the process, and the company can see to it that billing is orderly.
The most important thing you can do as a homeowner is to ask questions! “What procedures will you be using?” “Will there be any fees for this service?” “What does this mean?” These types of questions will keep contractors from hiding information from you, and the answers will alert you as to whether the company you hire knows what they’re doing.
The Desperate Salesman
When replacing your windows, it’s ideal to seek out multiple estimates from different window replacement companies. This way, you can make sure that you find the best price for the project. However, this is a major issue for companies that overcharge their customers. They attempt to work around this by offering “limited-time deals.”
If the company attempts to aggressively rush you into using their service, these “limited-time deals” are often their regular price in disguise. An experienced window specialist prioritizes the homeowner, which means that they don’t feel the need to rush clients into a deal.
Replacement Windows from Window Nation
Looking for a great place to start? Our experts here at Window Nation have decades of experience in window replacement, and we are proud to offer a wide array of premium, energy-efficient windows that will give your home and your wallet a break. Get a free quote, and learn why we’re the gold standard for window replacement,.