We’re very excited to have Jim Snyder guest blogging for us this week. A seasoned professional in the fenestration industry, Jim Snyder has worked on the front line of home building, home remodeling and residential window and door installation for over two decades. As a serious craftsman, Jim has journaled and cataloged nearly ten years of fenestration research, establishing best practices along the way. You can follow Jim and twitter @WindowJimSnyder and learn more on his blog.

We purchase several replacement products for our homes over the years. A new roof, furnace, water heater, replacement doors, and windows to name a few. These investments have a couple things in common including that they all need to be installed and that the quality of their installation can affect their performance.

With each of these replacement products, there are two elements:

1)  the product itself, and

2)  the product’s installation

Sometimes, these 2 elements will come from different sources. For example, if you are repainting your home, it’s common for you to buy your own paint but hire a painter to actually apply it to your walls. But when you have your water heater replaced, it’s common that your plumber will both furnish and install the unit.

That’s a good thing, too, because if your water heater fails – especially under warranty – you want to make one call, regardless if it’s a product or installation problem.

In the case of replacement windows, there are many advantages, some hidden, to hiring a turnkey (product furnished and installed) contractor such as Long Life Windows.

Here are just a few:

• One call, that’s all. A turnkey contractor can provide product information, window installation information, handle permitting, cleanup, and debris disposal. In most cases, once their work is done, there is nothing left to do.
• Experience of dealing with window replacement everyday. This is key to a quality end result. There is an art to our trade, which separates a good job from a great job. There are so many varying factors in window replacement, many of which are not even written. Experience fills the bill.
• Experience in measuring. Measuring has everything to do with proper fit. And measuring for a proper fit takes experience. There is not a “one measuring technique fits all” standard because it is so dependent on the existing application.
• Familiarity with product. This is one reason why window specialty replacement dealers focus on only one or just a few brands. Developing a partnership with the manufacturer is key to proper ordering and problem resolution.
• The best track record. Occasionally, issues will come up, but no doubt with a specialty replacement company the issues are usually fewer and farther between. More importantly, they can be resolved more quickly and easily.
• One source means all the liability. This touches on the most important cautions I make to consumers.
  • Who is liable for measuring, ordering product, installing? Get this defined. If windows are delivered in the wrong size (and this can easily happen), they are of no value. Who pays for them?
  • If there’s a warranty issue, it’s usually product or installation. If these came from two different sources, each can blame the other and nothing will get resolved. This unfortunately happens quite often when the two are split. With a reliable turnkey contractor, there’s no debate.

Turnkey contractors have the most incentive and qualification to provide and produce quality replacement installations. That’s all they do, so they do it well.