"Five Most Common Mistakes Homeowners
Make When Buying New Windows"
1) Not doing business with a Window Specialist:
A major mistake is made by not purchasing windows
from a firm that specializes. in windows exclusively.
Some examples may be lumberyards or contractors who
put emphasis in other areas of the building trade.
The average person knows very little about windows
because you may purchase them only once in a
lifetime. Usually people purchase a home and the
windows come with it. They then live with them or
suffer with them, whatever the case may be. Because
of this lack of knowledge and unfamiliarity they
usually depend on someone who hopefully knows more
than they do. A good place to start is by asking
friends, neighbors, and relatives. The next thing
to do would be to look in the yellow pages under
Windows. Look for a company that has "windows" in
it's name, then you can be pretty sure that they
specialize in window sales. They should have a
business location and a product showroom. This
will allow you to see and understand the many
different window styles and features that are
available. As in other areas of life, the more you
do something the better you get at it and this is
surely the case with specialty window companies.
2) Not Establishing Reputation and History of both
Manufacturer and Dealer: You should ask or find out
how long they have been in business and how they
rate in the business community. History is usually
a pretty good barometer, if a company has been in
business for quite sometime, it stands a good chance
of being there if you need them for warranty concerns
in the future. Brand Name recognition can also be
helpful in this process. A good dealer will explain
the installation procedure and the materials that
will be used. Disposal of the old windows and clean
up is obviously expected, but make sure it is discussed.
3) Pay Too Much: Windows are no different than other
products in the marketplace. There can be a wide range
in what they cost. For purposes of this report, we're
talking about the installed cost of windows, as very
few people can install themselves. Usually products
costing more are of higher quality and worth the added
expense. We can all think of examples of products that
we know and understand why paying more is justified.
Windows is one product that the consumer can and
often dots pay way too much for. This happens because
of the fact that most people may buy windows only once
in their lifetime. If you don't comparison shop and
evaluate price and quality you may end up spending much
more than you have to. There are what is referred to as
"high buck" or "high pressure" outfits in the window
industry. They usually conduct very long, detailed sales
presentations, trying to build more value into their
product. They price their product very high to begin with
and then drop the price considerably if you purchase that
day. High pressure tactics are used and some consumers fall
prey to them. Most good quality windows, regardless of the
manufacturer, will cost dealers about the same. So why the
wide range of pricing, you might ask? Normally these
companies that price their windows very high, do so because
of high operational costs in running businesses. Their lead
generation and advertising expenses force them to charge
twice what some dealers do for the same product. Heeding
some of this information can keep you from paying more
than you have to.
4) Pay Too Little: Not paying enough for windows can
be worse than paying too much. 'Mere is always somebody
who will produce a product of lesser quality and sell it
for less. The market place is full of examples of products
that are incapable of doing the job that they were purchased
for. Now you have to live with and put up with the
frustration of poor performance and quite possibly the
option of having to repurchase a replacement product. But
if you do your homework and choose a reputable window
specialist, this won't happen to you.
5) Don't be High Pressured into Purchasing Today: This
was briefly mentioned earlier in this report, but it
bears further explanation. Some salespeople use various
high pressure tactics to get signed agreements on the
initial sales call. Consumers should know and understand
that they have a 3 day option to rescind any in home sales
agreement. Now this is not to say that if you are totally
comfortable with a salesman, the product, and the offer
that you cannot or should not accept the offer. Just understand
that the salesman is a guest in your home, and if you
feel uncomfortable, just say "no thanks".
Northwoods Windows has been installing windows, patio
doors, and other door products in customer's homes
since 1983. Northwoods Windows is a full service window
and door specialty company, representing numerous major
manufacturers, including Renewal by Andersen, Pella,
Heartland, Great Lakes, and Comfortline.
David & Sharon Musch have owned and operated the company
since opening in 1983. Northwoods