6 Questions to Ask Your Window Contractor
February 26, 2021 by
fotex
6 Questions to Ask Your Window Contractor
Most people are not familiar with vinyl replacement windows until it’s time to swap out their old windows. When learning about your window options and shopping around, you want to make sure that you’re getting the best service at the best price. To two most essential parts of the process are high-quality windows and a flawless installation. Today we’ll focus on installation. This blog will list out 6 questions to ask your window contractor to help determine their reputation, reliability, and experience. It will allow you to be confident with your window contractor selection and ensure that you receive the best service possible.
1. Does Your Company Carry Insurance?
Contractors should have workers’ compensation insurance and comprehensive liability insurance to protect you in case of an accident. Their insurance can easily be verified by checking their certificates of insurance. If you want, you can have their insurer send you the current certification before the job begins.
When searching for contractors, you’ll notice many come at different prices. Often this price difference depends on whether or not they carry insurance. Insured contractors have higher overhead costs, meaning they may charge more to compensate for this. Beware of less expensive contractors as they may not be insured! While the job may be cheaper, it comes with some risk.
2. Are They a Licensed or Credentialed Contractor?
This is a good thing to check because not every state requires contractors to be licensed. In some cases, contractors have to pass a written exam about their specialty to be certified. Know that the type of license you’re looking for is not a business license. A business license is only for tax requirements and is not directly related to their competence and skill set. Many window manufacturers offer programs for contractors to establish their credentials. If a contractor has this type of license, it usually indicates they are dedicated to their job.
3. How Long Has the Window Company Been in Business?
As with all businesses, the longer, the better! You want to make sure you’re working with a team with years of experience under their belt who has installed hundreds of window replacements. If you’re considering a company that is under three years old, they may not be very stable yet. You want to put in some research because failure rates within the first three years for small businesses are very high. While this may be an unfair way to judge a company (since every business starts with zero years), you can double-check with their references. If they have performed very well in the past, they are likely to continue to do so. In fact, this question is so important that we decided to put it on our list!
4. Does the Company Provide References or Referrals?
You don’t want to choose a company without seeing their previous work. It’s like buying a car without ever seeing how the vehicle looks or drives! You can ask for photos of completed work, or better yet, see examples of their work in person. If they don’t have any photos on hand, you can ask for a list of ten names and phone numbers of their references. While you don’t have to check all ten references, you can pick a couple of random names from the list. Ask them questions like how long the project took, if the contractors were on time, if there were any problems, etc.
5. What is Their Workmanship Warranty?
Most often, contractor workmanship warranties cover the installation for one or more years. While the length of the warranty isn’t too important, it mostly signifies the company’s ability to stand behind its work. You can always ask about the warranty when contacting the previous customer referrals. Check if anyone had to use it, and if so, what the process was like.
You also want to get the details about the manufacturer’s warranty on the product. Both the installer’s and manufacturer’s warranty will help protect the product and installation from defects. Typically if there are any defects or problems, they will show up within the first year. Therefore the near-term coverage is more critical than the warranty’s later years.
6. What is Their Track Record With Solving Customer Complaints?
To understand how the company handles customer problems, you can request a referral for a job that involved a complaint. Additionally, you can search the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or other licensing departments to determine if they have any complaints filed against the contractor. If a contractor has been in business for a long time, they’ve likely been involved in a dispute. Ask them about recent conflicts they’ve had and how they resolved them.
United Builders is Here To Help
While finding beautiful windows is an essential step in home renovation, it’s only part of the process. No matter how efficient the window is, they only work if installed correctly. We hope our blog about 6 questions to ask your window contractor will help you make an informed buying decision! At United Builders, you can trust that all of our window replacements are installed by master carpenters! Our installers have many years of experience in the business and can guarantee consistency and a quality job every time! To learn more about our company and team, give us a call at (619) 583-7171 or reach out to us on our website.