Selecting the Right Replacement Contractor
When considering an Exterior Remodeling Project be sure to do the research to make sure you are selecting the right contractor.
Selection is Key
Shopping for replacement windows for your home and finding the right person to put them in can be a stressful undertaking. Many companies provide checklists or questionnaires to help homeowners navigate through a crowded field of prospective contractors. But it’s also important to get straight answers from a company providing the right solution for your specific home that will focus on the installation process.
New Windows and Doors are more than just a new look
A window or door performs three functions – it acts as part of the wall, it lets in light, and it allows for ventilation. Replacement window installation is a destructive process to the home. When a window is removed, the surrounding wall must be reconstructed properly to keep air and water out. Premature failure is common in the industry and can often be prevented through proper installation.
There are five barriers built into a wall that a professional installer must understand: water, moisture, air, thermal, and vapor. With more than 25 different window and wall combinations, window installation should be made-to-order for your wall construction and your home.
Which matters more – product or installation?
With many options in the replacement window market, consumers are often confused about which product is right for them. Most manufacturers try to differentiate with performance numbers or accessory options, but today’s homeowners are more interested in the delivery of service by a trusted company than the product itself. An improper installation can have a damaging effect to your home, health and your environment.
What to look for? And, more importantly, what to listen for?
When selecting any contractor, go through the traditional checklist including BBB, state licensing, insurance, reviews, but also ask a few pointed questions as you interview companies. For
example:
- How will you install the window specific to my home?
- How do you plan to maintain the drain plane of the wall?
- What steps do you take to ensure that each project is done as you describe it?
- What training qualifications do your installation teams have?
As you listen you listen for answers specific to your situation, there are three D’s or goals you should be listening for. As in every window installation, the three most important goals are:
1. Divert
2. Drain
3. Dry
If the contractor you are interviewing isn’t mentioning the installation, it should raise a red flag about their ability to meet your home’s needs. Explaining how and why a window will be installed is ultimately the biggest differentiator between contractors. Purchasing windows should be a generational, long-term decision and your home deserves a plan to keep air and water where it belongs: outside.
Replacing windows is a big investment, and a little research and preparation will put you in command to make the right decision for your home.
Q: ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS I SHOULD LOOK FOR OR WATCH OUT FOR?
A: Look for some of these telltale signs of contractors who shouldn’t be trusted:
• Main phone numbers that ring only to cell phones
• Main phone numbers that are never answered by receptionists
• No business cards or cheap business cards
• None or few references available
• Unresolved BBB complaints or no report at all
• Prices that are unusually low compared to other bids
• No website or very poor website
• Ability to start on your job immediately—no backlog
• Unwillingness to give any information
An Ounce Of Prevention…
It’s been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When the stakes are high—your home and your wallet—that saying is even more true.
We hope that by reading this guide you feel more prepared to evaluate home improvement contractors and make the best decision for your family.
Q: ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY COMPANY IN THE AREA THAT CAN
UPHOLD THESE STANDARDS?
A: Most companies cannot uphold them, but there are several good, honest
contractors to be found. Just be sure to take the time and use this guide to
make sure before you hire anyone.
Q: CAN A CONTRACTOR JUST “FAKE” THESE STANDARDS?
A: Not likely. Most shady contractors that don’t put any effort into making
their businesses good, also won’t put effort into faking these standards. It’s a
lot easier for them to just move on to their next unsuspecting victim.
Q: WHAT IF A CONTRACTOR SAYS THEY CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS, BUT CAN’T SHOW THE PROOF?
A: Don’t settle for lip service. Demand to see the documentation for every single standard.
If you have any questions about your specific situation or project specifications, please CONTACT US for more information.
