With winter on it's way, now is the perfect time to replace your drafty windows and doors. By replacing your doors and windows you can save up to 35% off of your heating bill! Since heating cost are very high, most people are torn between paying the high heating bills or living in a cold house. Energy efficient doors and windows can cut your heating bill and make your home a more comfortable place for you and your family.
When you add up all of the gaps around a window that is drafty it adds up to the size of a brick! If your house has 12 windows and 3 doors it is like your home is missing 15 bricks. With the cold air pouring in and your heat rushing out the thought of living in this environment is just insane. Wearing extra layers of clothes, placing plastic sheets over the windows or hanging blankets over the windows is not the answer.
New energy efficient doors and windows are the answer if you want a comfortable house and lower heating bills. They are properly weather stripped in order to block drafts and their insulation slows down the heat when it try to escape from your home. With no cold air blowing into your home and the ability to keep your warm air in your home you will able to relax in your comfortable home. You will notice that your furnace cycles on and off less often, this means one thing, you are burning less fuel. Depending on your climate and how bad your existing windows are, you can save 35% on your fuel consumption. I have heard of cases where people saved up to 50%! Add up your heating bills for the past few heating seasons and ask yourself if you would like 35% of that money in your bank account?
The only catch is your new energy efficient doors and windows will need to be installed by a professional door and window company. You can take the best windows in the world and if they are not installed properly they will actually cost you more money to own than your old windows. Generally home builders, handymen, carpenters, and other tradespeople are not professional window installers. If your windows are not installed properly your warranty will become void, your home will be drafty and you will of wasted your hard earned money.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT WINDOW COMPANY FOR YOUR NEW WINDOWS
1. How long has the company been in business? Since most new companies do not make it past the first couple of years, it is very important to hire a company that is establish. If your project requires service work or warranty work, will the company be around to service your needs?
There is a big difference between “I’ve been doing this for 20 years” and someone actually running a company for 20 years.
2. Does the company hold the required licenses that the state requires for your project? Both MA & RI require window companies to register with the state. Make sure that you see a copy of the contractors current license.
3. Does the company have a general liability policy? Insurance is expensive for contractors, working with a company without insurance is a very expensive gamble. Ask to see a current copy of their insurance policy.
4. Workers comp insurance is required if the contractor has employee’s working on your project. If someone gets hurt while working on your house and the company does not have a policy the worker can go after your homeowners insurance.
5. Most towns require PERMITS for replacing your windows. The permits are for the towns to make sure that your contractor is using widows that meet the state’s standards. If your project is completed without a permit, you are responsible for the outcome of the job, not the contractor. If the contractor uses windows that do not meet the standards, you are responsible for correcting the problem.
6. How long has the company that actually makes the windows been in business? There are not many companies that have been making windows for several years. You should look for a company that has been making windows for a long time and that will honor their warranties.
7. Window product warranties have small print. Is the lifetime warranty really a lifetime warranty? Do you have to pay for a portion of the replacement parts during the warranty period? Is the warranty transferable in case you sell your house?
8. Labor warranties are also very important! How long is the labor warranty that the company is offering? Do they charge a “service fee” to come look at your problem? Does the company have a partnership with the window manufacture or will they both point fingers at each other while you are stuck in the middle?
9. Does the company conduct criminal background checks on their installers? Are you willing to have people working in your house with a questionable background?
10. Does the company conduct drug testing? Do you want someone working in your house that might have an issue with drug dependency? Can you trust them around your assets and your kids?
11. Does the company have an established business location? Is the company run from the backseat of a car or from a commercial location that you can visit?
12. Can you communicate with the company, do they answer the phone and reply to e-mails in a prompt manner? Are they available for emergency service should you have an issue with your project?
13. Are the installers factory trained? Window manufactures will void a warranty if the project is not installed correctly. You can buy the most expensive widow on the market and if it is not installed properly, the window will fail and you will not have a warranty.
14. Does the window company have a clean record with the state? When you check the on-line complaint forums, does the company appear?
15. Does the company provide you with pictures of completed jobs?
16. Does the company provide you with references that you can call?
17. Does the company have a formal proposal and contract? Does the contract state the starting and completion time frames? Does the contract protect you and the contractor or just the contractor? MA law requires wording that protects the homeowner.
18. How much money is the company looking for up-front? Do they want you to pay in full and then wait months for your project?
19. Do they offer several way to pay for your project? Does the company take checks and credit cards? Do they take the credit cards that you like to use for points and cash back? Do they offer a finance program so you can pay for your project over a longer period of time? Do they offer a deferred payment program so you can start your payments in a few months?
20. Does the company offer a referral program? If you refer them to your friends, neighbors and relatives do they reward you?
1. How long have they been in business? (1) = not important to me (5) =very important to me.
1 2 3 4 5
2. Do they have the required licenses?
1 2 3 4 5
3. Do they have general liability?
1 2 3 4 5
4. Do they have a workers comp policy?
1 2 3 4 5
5. Will they pull a permit for the project?
1 2 3 4 5
6. Length of time the company has been making windows?
1 2 3 4 5
7. Window product warranty.
1 2 3 4 5
8. Labor warranty.
1 2 3 4 5
9. Does the company conduct criminal background checks?
1 2 3 4 5
10. Does the company conduct drug testing?
1 2 3 4 5
11. Does the company have an establish business location?
1 2 3 4 5
12. Will the company answer you calls and be there for emergency service?
1 2 3 4 5
13. Are the installers factory trained, do they receive annual training?
1 2 3 4 5
14. Does the company have a clean record free of complaints?
1 2 3 4 5
15. Does the company provide you with pictures of similar jobs?
1 2 3 4 5
16. Does the company provide you with references?
1 2 3 4 5
17. Does the company use a formal proposal and contract, is it legal?
1 2 3 4 5
18. How much money do they want up front?
1 2 3 4 5
19. Do they offer you several ways to pay for your project?
1 2 3 4 5
20. Does the company offer a referral program?
1 2 3 4 5
As you can see there is more to picking a company than just the price. The 20 things listed above will give you a rating so you can determine the actual value of the company that you choose. By comparing scores you can get a really good feel of what you are getting for your money. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact us at our website.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
How Much Does A $200 Window Really Cost?
The average person driving down the street seeing sign after sign littering the telephone poles promoting $200 windows could only conclude that a new window cost $200. After seeing several signs of different colors and with different phone numbers, all new windows must cost $200. Let’s explore what a $200 window really cost.
A $200 window is a base model that is used to attract price shoppers in order to get a salesperson in their home. Generally the salesperson is honest enough to inform you that the window is a piece of garbage and that a good window will cost at least $400+. Let’s assume that the sales person is not honest. When you add on Argon gas and a single layer of Low E to meet the energy codes the price jumps to a little over $300. When the sales person finds that your install is not a “basic install” your price will generally jump another $50-$75 which brings your total to a little under $400. So now we can conclude that a $200 window cost a little under $400.
At this point my article should end, I answered the question correct? Well not really, cheap windows are just cheap windows and are made by companies that make cheap windows. Cheap “vinyl” windows are made of vinyl that is mixed with used plastic. These windows will always began to fade and discolor, the surface begins to chalk like cheap plastic lawn chairs and the material falls apart. The glass is generally a single strength glass which cracks very easily letting cold air in and creating a hazard. The frames are never sturdy and they will sag due to the weight of the glass this prevents the frames from contacting the weather stripping properly. The life span of a cheap window is around 3-5 years before they fail. But wait, the sales guy said that they have a lifetime warranty. A warranty is only as good as the company that stands behind the warranty. There are over 600 names brands of windows in the US today, how many can you name? Companies make a ton of money making cheap products and changing their names every few years in order to avoid warranty issues. Look for a replacement window company that has been in business for a while.
In case you have not put the pieces together yet, a $200 window is actually a $400 window and it will fail in a few years. Once you replace the $400 windows you are at $800 per window. The question now is how long do you want your windows to last before you need to replace them again? Hopefully you will only want to replace them once in your lifetime. So, how about asking the “$200 window company’ for some really good windows? Let’s take a look at the integrity of a company that sells crappy products. Their marketing is illegal in most areas, they litter telephone poles, place flyers under your windshield and call your home even if you are on the do not call list. They offer prices that are low in order to pull a “bait and switch” once they get in your home. They generally have not been in business in one area long enough to answer any warranty complaints. Is this the type of company that you want to buy your product from?
You might need to reread this again to understand how a $200 window turned into an $800 window, it’s hard to stomach! If you are going to spend $800 on a window, please only spend it once in your life!
A $200 window is a base model that is used to attract price shoppers in order to get a salesperson in their home. Generally the salesperson is honest enough to inform you that the window is a piece of garbage and that a good window will cost at least $400+. Let’s assume that the sales person is not honest. When you add on Argon gas and a single layer of Low E to meet the energy codes the price jumps to a little over $300. When the sales person finds that your install is not a “basic install” your price will generally jump another $50-$75 which brings your total to a little under $400. So now we can conclude that a $200 window cost a little under $400.
At this point my article should end, I answered the question correct? Well not really, cheap windows are just cheap windows and are made by companies that make cheap windows. Cheap “vinyl” windows are made of vinyl that is mixed with used plastic. These windows will always began to fade and discolor, the surface begins to chalk like cheap plastic lawn chairs and the material falls apart. The glass is generally a single strength glass which cracks very easily letting cold air in and creating a hazard. The frames are never sturdy and they will sag due to the weight of the glass this prevents the frames from contacting the weather stripping properly. The life span of a cheap window is around 3-5 years before they fail. But wait, the sales guy said that they have a lifetime warranty. A warranty is only as good as the company that stands behind the warranty. There are over 600 names brands of windows in the US today, how many can you name? Companies make a ton of money making cheap products and changing their names every few years in order to avoid warranty issues. Look for a replacement window company that has been in business for a while.
In case you have not put the pieces together yet, a $200 window is actually a $400 window and it will fail in a few years. Once you replace the $400 windows you are at $800 per window. The question now is how long do you want your windows to last before you need to replace them again? Hopefully you will only want to replace them once in your lifetime. So, how about asking the “$200 window company’ for some really good windows? Let’s take a look at the integrity of a company that sells crappy products. Their marketing is illegal in most areas, they litter telephone poles, place flyers under your windshield and call your home even if you are on the do not call list. They offer prices that are low in order to pull a “bait and switch” once they get in your home. They generally have not been in business in one area long enough to answer any warranty complaints. Is this the type of company that you want to buy your product from?
You might need to reread this again to understand how a $200 window turned into an $800 window, it’s hard to stomach! If you are going to spend $800 on a window, please only spend it once in your life!
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