Installation and The Big Mistake

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

Marvin Ultimate Casements

It’s hard to say why it happens, but time and again, homeowners make the big mistake when replacing their windows. After spending untold hours researching window brands they buy their windows without any knowledge about installation and they make the big mistake.

The big mistake is signing a sales order for your new windows and afterwards, beginning the installation discussion.

At Woodland Windows and Doors, we think window and door installations done improperly may not be immediately obvious, but can lead to serious long-term problems. There are some things that as a business, you just have to invest in, in order to ensure the job is done right. We at Woodland think that installation is one of those things.

The big mistake happens because homeowners don’t realize all the things that can go wrong with window installations if performed by an inexperienced installer. It’s important to purchase your windows from a window dealer with their own installation team.  Windows can be ordered wrong, arrive defective or the opening needs modifying. We know the pitfalls and we know that the surest way to deliver an expert job is to control every aspect of it, with trained people who are committed to the perfect outcome.

Marvin Integrity Casements

In a previous post, “Installation and Why Our Installers are Woodland Windows and Doors Employees”, we relayed several customer stories about botched installations and poor customer service.  There is no shortage of stories from customers who make the big mistake and here are a few more that we’ve come across.

We thought we’d save a fortune if we install the replacement windows on our own.

We watched videos and the process was straightforward. We’re DYIs and figured that we didn’t need to spend around $300-$400. per installed vinyl replacement window, when we could save at least $100. per window by doing the installation ourselves. What we didn’t count on is how long it would take. We’d been told that professional installers could completely install 10-20 windows in a day, but it took us six weekends to do the job. After spending money on insulation and caulk, and our time, we didn’t save much money by doing the job ourselves.

We were remodeling our home and the contractor found someone to install our new replacement windows.

We didn’t know anything about windows, so we let our contractor determine what windows to order and who would install them. Shortly after the job was complete we noticed that we heard more freeway noise with the new replacement windows than we had with the old windows. Our general contractor finally determined that the subcontractor hadn’t properly insulated or shimmed, and the windows were ordered without the correct glazing or for the proper wall width. Our contractor is fixing the problems and we see some improvement, however we won’t have the results we were expecting. Our mistake was not bothering to ask our contractor what type of window was going in the house and who would be installing them.

Andersen 100 Series French Doors

We bought our replacement windows from Home Depot and contracted with them to do the installation.

We regularly shop at Home Depot for our needs, so we assumed they would also have good brands and the best value for our replacement windows. The installers botched the job, including reusing our 25 year old fiber insulation for example. Home Depot has sent out contractors to correct the problems, but they can’t seem to get it done correctly. Only after making this mistake did we learn what others already know, that many subcontractors working for the big box places are transient and are working for less than the going because they need the work, but don’t necessarily have the knowledge or experience.

Installation, whether you are replacing your old windows or having new windows added to your home, requires careful planning, flawless execution, and superior response times to address those unforeseen problems. It’s a process that must be owned from the beginning to the end. Did the person who measured your job, check their measurements before the order was placed? Or did that person walk through the job with the installers? The best way, the only way, to achieve a flawless level of performance is to build a professional team of skilled people who don’t just show up, but who own the work down to the last keeper – if it doesn’t lock the job’s not done. 

We don’t use sub-contractors for window and door installation and we hope you won’t either. Don’t make the big mistake.

Replacing Windows - Keep Your Criteria to Three

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

To broaden your chance of selecting the right replacement window, narrow your criteria.

Choosing the right replacement window can be an overwhelming task because of the seemingly limitless options available today. If you focus on only three criteria, you’ll triple your chance of choosing successfully.

The three essential criteria to weigh are, your window budget, the window U-factor and the window warranty – everything else is ancillary.

How much do you want to spend?

It’s common when asked, what is your budget for replacing your windows most people try to skirt the question, because they think it will prematurely eliminate options. Replacement windows can range from inexpensive windows at around $150-400 all the way up to $750-1000 per window. The reality is that when it comes to replacement windows knowing what you want to spend per window is the best place to start. Price narrows the material choices, wood, fiberglass, composite or vinyl.

In a nutshell, wood windows will be the most expensive and if you want stain options, you’ll add additional costs. Fiberglass windows look like wood and will also be in the higher price range. Composites usually cost less than Fiberglass and promise similar durability. If you want a less expensive window you can select from a range of vinyl options.

Marvin Integrity Series

Vinyl windows may not be as durable as the other three options, but if you select the best vinyl windows you’ll have a better product. Window manufacturers offer a range of products and within a particular product category; such as vinyl, they will offer lower end lines and high quality lines. The upper end lines typically have lifetime warranties, better U-factors, higher quality weather stripping and extrusions.

What is the U-Factor?

One of the primary reasons to replace your old windows is to realize the benefits of more energy efficient window technologies. How well the window insulates is measured by how much heat transfers from the inside to the outside, this is the U-factor.

Warm air always travels toward cold air, so without a well insulated window, you home looses heat in the winter and gains heat in the summer. High performance double-pane windows can have U-factors of 0.30 or lower. The lower the U-factor number, the better. The full glass pack U-factor is the only number that matters, so if someone gives you a very low number, it likely being measured from the center of the glass, which frankly is meaningless.

Ask for the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) sicker, which contains the window’s U-factor among other measurements. Window lines offer different features, which makes direct comparisons difficult. Rest assured that it doesn’t matter what additional features a window has if it’s not as good in energy efficiency.

Who is the manufacturer and what is the warranty?

Many window manufacturers offer lifetime warranties, but what good is a lifetime warranty from a company that ceases to be in business? Our advice is to read the fine print in the warranty and buy your windows from a known manufacturer who has a proven track record.

Again, to broaden your chance of selecting the right replacement windows, it’s simply a matter of narrowing your criteria to three essential items, your window budget, the window U-factor and the window warranty.