10 Tips for Choosing a Reputable Window Contractor

Is It Time to Get New Windows?

When do you know it’s time to get new windows? Here’s a challenge: Go out to the street in front of your house and take a look at your windows. What do you see?

Old windows can leave a home looking drab and dingy, causing the whole house to look neglected and detracting from its charm. And that’s just the curb appeal factor! Old windows also can fail to live up to their other functions:

• to help insulate your home
• to let in much-needed light
• to allow you to bring some of the scenic outdoor views inside

Faulty older windows let in drafts or let heat escape, forcing the heating and cooling systems to work overtime.

New, modern windows offer homeowners the following advantages:

• improved heat retention in winter, potentially lowering heating costs
• reduced cooling costs in the summer
• greater curb appeal for rentals or houses on the market (and uplift for your neighborhood!)
• greater control over ambient lighting inside the home
• better privacy for rooms with tinted, frosted, or decorative windows
• a custom visual style that complements your home’s interior

If you’re a Springfield, {STATE}, homeowner, be sure to consider the advantages of replacement windows for any or all of these reasons. If you’re seeking a reputable window company in Springfield to handle your window installation, call our team at {BUSINESS} at {PHONE} for a free consultation.

Finding a Dependable Contractor for Window Installation

Once you’ve decided to update your windows, the next step is fleshing out the details of the project and finding a contractor to complete the project on budget. We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to choose a contractor with the specific skill set necessary to understand your vision and to carry out the project efficiently and with attention to detail.

Sliding windows? Arched windows? Single or double hung? Bay or bow? If you’re still not sure about the details of what you want, talking to a few experienced contractors can help you find out about all the possibilities we have to offer. We can suggest window technologies, installation techniques, and customization options that will suit your home’s overall needs.

Once you’ve settled on your desired goals, the next step is selecting the contractor you like the best and whose vision and work style seem most compatible. Interview them well! After all, you’re entrusting a lot to this person and company, so you want to make sure you can trust them.

Friends, family members, websites, and advertisements can suggest contractors, but telling the exceptional contractors from those who don’t measure up requires research, investigative work, and asking more than a few probing questions of the candidates.

The following tips can help you vet the options and select only the best, most reputable contractors for home consultations. This will save time and avoid disappointment or, worse, regret at having committed to a contractor who did not live up to expectations. Unfortunately, that does happen. We want to help you avoid it!

1. Reviews

Before contacting a contractor to request a quote, check their reviews on Google, Yelp, Angi, and other sites. The Better Business Bureau rates companies and provides an opportunity for customers to leave reviews and lodge complaints. If the contractor has an A or A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and relatively few complaints, they could be a good pick.

2. Previous Work and References

Established contractors often feature a gallery on their websites or social media pages showing their previous work. The contractor might be a good fit if the work looks neat and professional and if the projects they have done in the past are similar to the current project.

Even more importantly, ask for references—and don’t fail to call them! Many times, if you establish a good rapport with a referent, they will reveal valuable, candid information that may make you decide either for or against a candidate. But that takes more than a three-minute conversation, and you probably won’t get the honesty via an email.

3. Quality Windows

A professional contractor that cares about their relationship with their community will use high-quality, energy-efficient windows that will last. When looking over a contractor’s website or discussing the project with the contractor, be sure to ask which brands of window they use. Investigate to make sure that this brand is reliable and that it will suit the project’s needs.

4. Experience

Contractors usually describe the history of their business in an “about” or “about me” section of their website. Particularly for complex or custom jobs, be sure that the contractor has experience with window installation in general and experience with the type of installation needed for the current project.

5. Commitment to Success

A commitment to the project’s long-term success often reveals itself in the contractor’s websites or the initial home consultations. Is the contractor more focused on your needs—or on selling you a specific brand of products? Does the contractor take the time to understand the details of your project, or do they seem more eager to get a deposit? Does the contractor seem interested in a long-term professional relationship or a quick sale?

6. Customer Service and Communication

Is the contractor easy to contact? Is their website informative and easy to use? Does the contractor respond promptly to questions and communicate clearly?  If a contractor is evasive or unclear at the start of a project, the problem is likely to worsen as the project progresses.

7. Environmental Awareness

The contractor should know how window installation can save you money on heating and cooling costs. This includes explaining in relatable language the costs and benefits of different window technologies, including energy efficiency, to enable you to make an informed decision. You should never have to choose between an energy-efficient home and budget constraints.

8. Understanding of Your Whole Home

A contractor whose sole focus is on installing windows and doors might not be the best choice for a project that affects the look and lighting of your entire home. The contractor should understand how the window installation will affect the symmetry of the room, its décor, its color scheme, and other aspects of interior design. The contractor should also consider how the installation will affect the exterior of the house as a whole.

9. Certification, Licensing, and Insurance

For most types of contract work, accrediting bodies set the standards for materials, knowledge, technique, and best practices in the industry. Certification by the American Architectural Materials Association, offered by the Fenestration & Glazing Industry Alliance, demonstrates that the contractor has expertise in installing windows and skylights.

Also, be sure to check to make sure the contractor’s company has a business license in good standing with your state; these listings are usually on your Secretary of State’s website. You should also make sure the contractor and their workers are self-insured so that you will not be responsible in case of an accident.

10. Local Service Area

While it might be advantageous to search a little farther afield to find a genuinely exceptional contractor, finding a contractor in your local area can be helpful. Eliminating long travel times can speed up installation. An established local contractor is more likely to understand the quirks of the local inspectors and building codes. They should also be more familiar with homes in the area and any local architectural elements that might go better with some window designs than others.

Choosing a High Quality Professional Contractor in the Springfield Area

Serving Springfield, our team at NOVA Exteriors is a professional, established installer of energy-efficient windows and doors. We expect that our customers will do their diligent research before deciding to trust us with their projects. We are confident that you will find our experience, dedication, and skill to exceed even your highest expectations.

To work with our window company Springfield, be sure to call (703) 322-1500 to schedule an in-home consultation.

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