Pushy Window Salesman

Nobody benefits from sketchy / pushy salesmen.  The homeowner gets taken advantage of and the replacement window industry gets a bad name.  Just ask Vinyl Siding about the damage that an army of "bait and switch" sales theives can do to an industry.  Our advice to our potential customers is this... be picky, judge harshly and tell your salesperson that you will not be making a decision until you've thought about it.  Remember, the salesman works for you (at least he wants to).  Its not too much to ask for good prices from reputable companies who employ honest sales professionals.

Every single sketchy sales-pitch reveals itself with the simple question "WHY?".
Example:

Joe Salesman:  This deal is only good until the end of the day!
Customer:  WHY?
Nothing expires today.  If Joe Salesman is having a sale, it's a sale that he controls.  If he values your business, he will extend his sale until the next day (or next week).  If the purpose of the sale is to get orders in before the end of the quarter, next quarter will be just as important.  Or maybe the purpose of the "one day sale" is to force you to sign a bad deal without allowing time for research.  WHY would you fall for that?  Call Adams Home Windows (before his "deal" expires) and we'll match his offer and give you a year to think about it... how about that?

Joe Salesman:  I will give you $1000.00 off if you sign now!
Customer: WHY?
Any offer that can have $1000.00 subtracted from it, isn't a very good one.  Is tomorrows signature less valuable than today's?  Call Adams Home Windows and we'll give you the same deal but we require NO commitment today (or tomorrow).  Our estimates are valid for one year.
Beware of "Bait and Switch" tactics and demand "best price" up front.  Bait & Switch sales tactics are dishonest and should be unforgivable.  Even if a fair price is eventually agreed upon, consider the dishonest way they've introduced themselves.

        

When to Buy Windows

Unfortunately for Adams Home Windows, not everyone should buy energy efficient replacement windows.  We are in the business of selling windows and we'd obviously like to sell windows to every homeowner.  However, taking advantage of an uninformed customer doesn't help us in the long-term.  Our reputation as an honest and ethical alternative to the shady "used car salesman" types is more important than short-term paydays.  Energy Efficient Replacement Windows are usually a smart purchase for any homeowner but here are some cases when they're not.

Advice:  Inspect your windows yourself.  Unfortunately, when homeowners hire a "professional" to inspect their windows, they're usually hiring a "professional salesman".  Do your best to tackle this inspection yourself.

1. Are they single pane or double pane?
If you can't tell, go outside and put a sticker on the glass... then come inside and put a sticker in the same place.  It will be obvious if the two stickers are on either sides of the same piece of glass.

2. Does the glass rattle? 
Stand inside the smallest bedroom and open / close the door.  It should be obvious.

3. Is air coming in around the frame? 
Buy a stick of incense.  Light it and hold it about 5 inches away from the glass as you pass it all the way around the perimeter of the window.  Does the smoke blow around?

4.  Will the window slam shut without something holding it up? 

5.  Is there moisture / dirt between the two panes?
If your windows are single pane or if the answer to any of the other questions is "yes", you probably do need new replacement windows.  But to answer the question "Should you replace your windows", ask yourself the following question:

Do you plan to move within 5 years?
If the answer is yes, our advice is to replace your windows only if it's necessary to sell your home.  Otherwise, the potential buyer might ask for an allowance to repair the windows but repairing windows isn't nearly as expensive as replacing them.  There are plenty of benefits of Energy Efficient Replacement Windows but if you're not going to be the person enjoying those benefits, why bother?  (Remember to give your buyer our business card!  We appreciate it!)

On the other hand, if you KNOW that you're going to be in your house for 6 or 7 more years, you should have already replaced your windows.  By lowering your utility bills, Quality Energy Efficient Replacement Windows do pay for themselves over time.  They add value to the home and they make the home more attractive / comfortable.

        

Window Manufacturers

As you're collecting estimates for your replacement window project, remember to take a close look at the window manufacturer.  It's relitively unusual for a window installation company to produce a window (Example: Home Depot will install your windows but they don't produce a window.  When considering Home Depot for your work, it would be wise to also do some research on "Simonton Windows").  Ask your sales rep specifically, "who makes this window?".

Here is the danger: 
Some installation companies buy extremely low-grade windows and rename them (Example:  Joe Window Company sells "Joes Windows".  What you don't know is that Joe Window Company bought that window from a company that's going out of business).  This prevent the consumer from discovering the poor reputation of the window itself and allows the installation company an opportunity for huge profits.  Remember though, if the true manufacturer of the window goes out of business, your warranty goes out of business with them.

Our Advice:Until the economy turns around, be careful with smaller window manufacturers.  For the sake of your warranty, it's important to stick with well established (usually national) manufacturers.  However, there are (of course) exceptions.  Check the BBB and look at previous projects.

        

Reference Lists?

Of course, consumers should check references.  But remember that people don't list the job that they were fired from on their resume!  Yes, it's a good idea to drive around and look at windows before deciding which company to trust your project to but lets be honest about reference lists - they are populated by that the happiest customers!

Advice:
Ask Adams Home Windows for a list of projects that will be starting / completed at a convenient time for you can visit.  Show up and watch.  Are the window installers clean and considerate of the situation?  Is the site well kept?  Would you trust them inside your home?  Is the homeowner happy?  Are things going as the homeowner was promised?  Pay specific attention to the caulking!  Is the bottom of the window warped or bent like a frown?  Is there order to the project?

Adams Home Windows has a reference list that is the size of a phone book.  But honestly, as a consumer, I wouldn't trust reference lists.  A Reference list is only proof that a company is capable of competence, not that they make a habit of it.

        

Windows on a Budget

• invest·ment  

  • /inˈves(t)mənt/
    

    Noun A thing that is worth buying because it may be profitable or useful in the future.

This definition doesn't tell the complete story about "investments", does it?  We all know that there are GOOD investments and bad ones.  The best investments pay off in the short term and continue into the long term.  Windows can be that kind of investment but lets not pretend that there is no risk.  Is there anything better for your budget than making a good investment?  Is there anything worse than a bad one?  Just like every other important purchase that you make for your home, underpaying for windows can be as dangerous as overpaying for them.

Our advice is to avoid paying for labels.  Most of our customers are surprised when they learn that the best buys on the window market are usually from manufacturers that they've never heard of.  Most of the most familiar window manufacturers actually specialize in "New Construction" and in our opinion remain behind the curve on "Replacement Windows" (an entirely different animal).

The key to finding a window that saves long-term money without breaking the short-term budget is to work with a company that can offer estimates on multiple budget windows.  Some manufacturers provide great prices for large windows, others for small windows.  Some manufacturers provide better prices for colors or styles.  Not all "Single Hung" windows are cheaper than "Double Hung" and sometimes the most efficient glass doesn't make the most efficient window.

We at Adams Home Windows consider it our job to find each homeowner the deal that will work for both their short & long term budget.  Remember to check our Twitter feed for updates on Manufacturer promotions and deals.  We update it often.

        

Vinyl, Aluminum, Wood or Fiberglass?

Recently, we have been talking to some potential customers who have mentioned our "pro-aluminum" competition. Of course we understand that we still have some "old school" window competition around Dallas who have exclusive deals with aluminum window manufacturers. Heck, even we still sell Aluminum Windows on occasion. But to argue that aluminum windows are in any way superior to vinyl windows is just irresponsible of any window company who plans to remain in business long-term..
Folks, the windows that you currently have are probably aluminum. And how old are they? 15 - 20 years old? Simply walk over to your existing windows and examine their condition. Aluminum replacement windows fade, corrode, conduct heat/cold, conduct sound, they often "rattle" and the seals never last very long. Aluminum windows become hard to open and sometimes difficult to keep open (SLAM).
Every summer day the Texas sun heats the exterior of an Aluminum window to extraordinary temperatures, melting the silicone seals. That evening those seals re-congeal when the temperature drops. Repeat... month after month, year after year. This cycle is one of the reasons that your windows are so drafty. Also, because Aluminum conducts so well - when the exterior aluminum gets hot/cold the interior also gets hot/cold. The inside aluminum temperature simply radiates through the room as if it were a space heater or A/C vent.

Vinyl Windows on the other hand, are terrible conductors of heat/cold. They don't get nearly as hot and the seals stay in tact throughout the summer. Vinyl doesn't corrode like Aluminum and they tend to "flex" with the movement of Dallas homes, allowing them to smoothly open and stay open throughout the lifetime of the home. Aluminum windows can be painted. That is the only edge that they have on Vinyl. But in Dallas - a painted window must eventually be re-painted. Vinyl is virtually maintenance free.

Wood Windows are the most energy efficient type of window but most of our potential customers simply can't afford them.  Of course, wood is paintable and easy to match to your existing interior / exterior but if you paint them you must ALWAYS paint them.  Yes, they are more decorative but those decorative moldings rot and decay.  There is a risk of buying an expensive window that will need to be replaced relatively quickly if the homeowner forgets about inspections or painting for a season.  However, for those diligent homeowners who can afford them, wood is an extremely attractive option that adds warmth and beauty to a house.

I'm sure that some of our competition and any manufacturer who offers them will disagree with our opinion of fiberglass windows.  Unfortunately, the truth is the truth.  Fiberglass windows are not only expensive, they are brittle.  It is very common to see splintering and cracking relatively quickly with fiberglass windows and they're (in our opinion) just too expensive to have such expensive problems.  Of course, there are salesmen out there who make huge profit margins from selling fiberglass windows but Adams Exteriors is still searching for one that we can stand behind.  Check back in a few years.