How To Buy The Replacement Windows You Need At The Price You Want To Pay
Learn how to avoid mistakes and rip-offs that could cost you thousands of dollars.
Brought to you exclusively by: Quality Windows and Doors at 818-988-5341
Know what you want ahead of time. Have a plan. What type of replacement window do you
want? How many windows do you want to replace and what style do you want? Read this report
and know ahead of time some general questions you want to ask, so no one can talk you into
something you don't want.
Get a couple of price quotes, at least 2, but 3 would be better. But don't get too many, as this
could confuse you with too much information. Just don't buy from the first guy who walks
through the door.
Before you let a window company into your home, call the Better Business Bureau and check
them out. If a company has a shabby record of doing sloppy business, the bureau will let you
know. Also check with the California State License Board. Are they licensed and in good standing?
Never let a company talk you into signing a contract today, with an offer of some special deal
that is only good for today. This is the oldest trick in the book and should be a dead giveaway
that something is wrong. If their special deal is so special, it will be there tomorrow. The truth is
that they are only trying to lock you into a contract, so that you will not get other estimates. Fact
is, when you do get other estimates, you will find out that their special deals are just a rip-off.
They will try to entice you with outrageous offers of huge discounts, trying to lure you into a
contract. The problem is, their starting prices are so high, that even after their huge discounts
the price is still astronomical. If someone uses the term "sign today", RUN, don't walk, RUN
Away
There is no such thing as a window that costs only $189.00. This is bait and switch advertising.
They "bait" you with a low price, and "switch" you to a higher price when they get inside your
home. They'll say the window costs more like $300, and that's uninstalled! The $189 price does
not include the inside trim that you must have for a complete and proper installation. The $189
price does not include the energy efficient glass that will save you money on your heating and
cooling bills. The $189. Price does not include anything that you will need to have a good
window that is properly installed. The price will jump to over $500 when you add that trim and
energy efficient glass. I even heard of a company that installed the customer's windows and
when asked where the screens were, the customer was told they cost $25.00 each. That's a rip
off, too!
Ask about other services. Does the company clean up and haul- away the old windows and do
they charge for that? (Hint: there should not be a charge). Do they charge extra for things that
should be standard, like removing the old screens or caulking the new windows? Are they nickel
and dime-ing you to death?
is there any follow-up service?( Hint: probably not)
Does the work crew have a leader trained in all areas, so at the end of the day can go over all
aspects of the work that has been completed. Or will you feel abandoned and left to deal with
the work crew. Do they speak English?
There is good glass, bad glass, and ugly glass. Do you know the difference? Don't get ripped-off!
Quick lesson in window insulation: Window manufacturers have concluded over the years that the
thermal performance of the unit is based on reducing the conductance of air space between the two
layers of glass. In the old days, the space was simply filled with air or flushed with dry nitrogen just
prior to sealing. In a sealed glass insulating unit, air currents between the two panes of glazing carry
heat to the top of the unit and settle into cold pools at the bottom. Filling the space with a less
conductive, more viscous, or slow moving gas minimizes the convection currents within the space,
conduction through the glass is reduced, and the overall transfer of heat between the inside and the
outside is reduced.
A double pane window is better than a single pane of glass because two panes of glass capture a
pocket of air between them. This pocket of air is a good start for insulating against cold temperatures.
Twenty years ago, they put Argon gas between the two panes of glass. The Argon gas is heavier than
air, so it insulates better.
The next generation of gas was the "Krypton" Gas. Krypton gas has made Argon obsolete. Krypton is
59% better insulation than out dated Argon. This type of insulation is much better suited for cold
weather climates and the cost is much more expensive.
Some window dealers will cut corners in order to offer a lower price and still be able to make money on
the sale of the window. One way that dealers cut corners is to use cheap glass. This type of glass does
not work properly by not insulating the way you want it to.
One place that dealers cut corners is with Low-E glass, which is a single metallic hard coat.
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