Updating windows can be an excellent way to improve the look, feel, and functionality of your home. Upgrading to energy efficient and high quality windows and doors can also enhance curb appeal and reduce outside noise. Like anything related to home renovation, however, the process is often far less straightforward than it sounds at first. Specialized window types like bay and bow windows can significantly impact window installation costs due to their size, complexity, and specialized framing requirements.
While we can’t speak for every circumstance, many homes would benefit from replaced or repaired windows (especially if the structure has been around for a few decades). Replacement windows can improve both energy efficiency and noise reduction. Replacing all the windows in your whole home can be a significant investment, but may offer better value and efficiency in the long run.
Window repair or replacement can be motivated by the desire to improve curb appeal or address issues like increased noise. Repairing is only an option if the window frame is in good condition and free of rot; otherwise, you may need to replace the entire window. New windows can also improve the style of your house and save money on energy bills.
If you’re eager to pursue this particular window project path, but are intimidated by the choices and challenges, remember that homeowners may be considering an upgrade as part of a larger remodeling project. Take a deep breath. Making the right decision doesn’t have to be difficult. So let’s discuss how to make it easier.
Why Hiring the Right Window Contractor Matters
Choosing a certified contractor who offers quality products and comprehensive services ensures you receive professional expertise and results for your new windows. A good window installer will ensure proper removal of old windows and install new ones efficiently, making sure there is clear access to the work area for a smooth process.
Your contractor choice can lead to more affordable prices, better quality work using better quality materials, and contractors who provide warranties and stand behind their work, speedier timelines, and improved transparency. Or, it can lead to shoddy work, predatory pricing, unnecessary delays, dubious regulatory compliance, and other headaches in order to replace windows. Be sure to ask if the warranty covers the installed products and if the contractor offers maintenance services to help you maintain your windows after they are installed.
Most of the time, we all find something that sits somewhere between those extremes, often even in spite of dedicated efforts on our part to find the best fit. Truth is, there’s no surefire way to guarantee anything in this industry. Certified contractors with the right know how can help ensure you get the best products and reliable services. Prices spike, delays happen, and even reputable crews make honest mistakes. It’s also wise to choose a contractor whose products are tested for durability and performance, so you know your investment will last.
So be prepared for some bumps in the road, and don’t be discouraged if things don’t go exactly as planned (because they never do). Instead, your objectives in hiring a window replacement contractor should be avoiding the most critical pitfalls, and choosing a team of professionals that will prioritize the things that matter most to you. It’s also important to select a contractor who offers a strong warranty and uses only quality products on the job. Additionally, purchasing multiple windows at once from the same contractor can sometimes save you money, so consider bundling to save on window replacement costs.
All of that may sound like a softball answer, but the main point is to not go looking for perfection; you won’t find it. Now, hiring pros that will lead to a good or positive experience, that’s something that can be achieved. That said, the “right contractor” will look a little different for every homeowner.
Searching for Local Window Contractors: Dos, Don’ts, and Where to Look
There are a number of places you can and should look when hunting for a reputable contractor. But let’s start with what you shouldn’t do. Understanding the replacement window installation process and knowing what to expect from your window installer are crucial for making informed choices and avoiding common pitfalls.
When looking for a window installation contractor:
- Don’t just sign on with the first quote from the first contractor you talk to.
- Don’t pick a contractor based solely on price.
- Don’t choose installers who do not offer an initial consultation to cover all necessary factors that can affect your project cost.
- Don’t choose a contractor you know to be unlicensed.
- Don’t allow yourself to be pressured by false urgency (such as “time-sensitive” promotional pricing).
It’s important to contact multiple certified contractors to compare services, discuss your needs, and get a clear understanding of the window installation process, including what to expect at each stage. Some contractors offer both window replacement and repairing services, so you can choose the best option depending on the condition of your windows. Window replacement projects are typically completed within a few days, but factors like rain can delay the installation job due to safety concerns and the need to avoid moisture entry.
As for where to search, here’s a list of places to start looking, in loose order of reliability:
Professional Window Installer Referrals
Perhaps your most reputable recommendations will come from people you trust who have professional relationships in the industry (such as certified contractors in different trades). Ideally, you have contacts—such as friends or family members—who work in adjacent or related fields. They may have interacted with window installation teams, or seen their handiwork first-hand.
This scenario is optimal because these referrals come from people who want positive outcomes for you and possibly understand nuances of your situation, who have seen the good and the bad in the market, but who aren’t incentivized to try and do the job themselves.
Like us, for example! Click here to find reputable window contractors in your area!
Direct Customer Referrals: Finding Quality Products
A close second is any time you can get first-hand accounts of customers that worked with a contractor. Aside from fellow professionals, they’ll be your most direct insight into how a given contractor performs. Best case, you can get multiple referrals and testimonials from sources you trust, to verify that none of them had a unique or isolated experience with the contractor.
Second-Hand Referrals
It may be that you know plenty of people who work in construction, or who have had home renovations done. But it’s also entirely possible that no one in your immediate circle of acquaintances can act as a primary source.
If that’s the case, you may be able to cast the net a bit wider, and ask people you know if they know anyone who can provide referrals.
Like hearsay in a TV court drama, however, this kind of referral telephone can result in diminishing returns rather quickly. The further you are from the source of the referral, the harder it is to trust that source as being reliable, or relevant to you.
Review Online for Certified Contractors
When your social networks (online or otherwise) fail to lead to anything conclusive, your next stop will likely be an online search. Even if you’ve been given referrals from trustworthy sources, this is still a worthwhile follow-up step to further vet those installers.
Just keep in mind that not all review sites are created equal. Some are aggregators that collect reviews and customer feedback, attempting to present information in a (mostly) unbiased way. Others are more like the yellow pages of yester year, and companies earn their place in large part by how much they’re willing to spend to be featured on the list.
Check Local Listings for Window Replacement
The last category is what we might consider “primary sales sources,” meaning that these are the ones most directly influenced or controlled by the business in question. Construction as an industry is a bit behind the times generally when it comes to online visibility, but some do it better than others—particularly any brand that has franchised out across the country.
Whether it’s the company’s own website showing up in a Google search, Facebook pages and listings, advertisements online, or even just something you see in a local paper or mailer, these are all starting points at best. Sure, you might find your contractor among some of these, but they’re heavily incentivized to look as good as possible and avoid turning any potential customer away.
In other words, take anything they say or claim with a grain of salt, and don’t forget to shop around for second and third opinions.
Conclusion
As a matter of fact, that’s a general rule you can apply across the board. You’ll want to get second opinions and cross-reference information where you can. This approach is the best way to vet claims, assurances, and guarantees from salespeople, and to avoid taking the bait on something that’s inaccurate, overhyped, or otherwise ill-suited for your needs.
At Homeowner.org, we’re here to guide you along the way in your journey regarding all things related to buying, owning, and loving your home. Check out our site for more today.
