Guide To Hiring Installers | Learn The 5 Steps To Choosing The Best

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Guide To Hiring Installers

Read our guide to installers to uncover the five keys to selecting the best contractors and companies for your replacement windows. There is a legitimate argument to be made that hiring a good installer is more important than the window itself. This argument often comes from the company or installer doing the work, but they are also the ones who have to clean up the mess of poor installation jobs.

Step 1 - Understand The Importance

Step 1 is simply understanding the importance of proper window installation. Before a window is installed, you basically have a hole in your wall. Water, snow, wind, dirt, debris - they aren't going to come through the walls, they come through doors or any improperly installed or sealed windows. Lousy installation can make the best windows seem like leaky pieces of junk. Conversely, a mid range vinyl window with proper installation can keep you and your family comfortable and warm for 20 years or more. Check our window calculator for initial ballpark pricing.

Step 2 - Get Some Free Estimates

Every project is unique and the bids you get from local contractors are a great first step. Get 3 or 4 local bids and then set them side by side and compare them. Look at the price of the windows themselves (you probably have bids from different manufacturers), look at the installation prices along with any other costs they included. If any of them are way out of line with the others (especially on the high side) you can probably get rid of them. Remember that companies and contractors can bid out your project at whatever price you want - don't go in for overpriced bids!

Step 3 - Go Online And Vet the Bids

Go online to one of the these home improvement forums (www.replacement-windows.com, www.vinyl-replacement-windows.com and www.gardenweb.com) and ask knowledgable contractors whether the project bids are in line with current costs or whether you need to keep looking. Include all of the project specifics; number of windows, window measurements, manufacturer, type of installation, any and all additional steps that are included in the bid (disposal fee, exterior capping or trim work, sill rot repair, etc.) The more details you include the better. The contractors will usually be able to let you know whether one of more bids look good or whether you should consider getting additional bids.

Step 4 - Vet The Contractors

Once you get the thumbs up from the online contractors, it's time to vet the company. Make sure they have a website and they present themselves well (this isn't a must, but any company that looks like a fly by night operation online is probably just that). Check their online reviews using one of the following; google places, yelp.com (the reviews are almost always real), Angie's List (this is a pay for use service), or the BBB. Next get 3 references from past customers who have used their service and call them up and ask about the install. Were there any issues that came up? Was the customers happy with how they were handled? How has the work held up over time? Would they recommend this company?

Step 5 - Check On These Final Points

Make sure you know who is doing the install. Big box companies like Home Depot sub out their installation and pay poorly for the work. You want installers who are paid a good hourly rate. You want the installers to thoroughly know the brand and model of window they are installing. You want to understand who is responsible if something goes wrong - is the installation portion warrantied for life? Hire a well reputed company that has worked with the manufacturer for many years and has a good relationship with them. That way, if something does go wrong, you can feel confident that they'll fix whatever issues should arise.