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Frequently Asked Questions
"Your team was
just fantastic to work with. Jay the rep was
professional and did not pressure us into anything. The people
from your office were great and the installation team
was wonderful. Overall it was a fantastic experience"
- Melissa
All of the questions in this section were
submitted either by visitors to the Window Universe website or by our past customers.
We've done our best to provide clear straightforward answers for everyone to
see.
If you have a question that has not been addressed
please use the form on the bottom of this page. Your question may be
posted to help everyone. When we all work together things get much
easier!
Do my husband and I both need to be home for your
estimate?
No. First, we do
quotes not estimates. We're not guessing about how much your project
will cost. We're going to tell you exactly how much it will cost.
Second, we send you a detailed and
itemized quote by email. There's no in-home sales call so nobody needs
to be there. Just fill out the
form on this page and we'll be back you
with an itemized quote.
We don't do the old fashioned high
pressure sales pitch and we don't need anyone to be there. Welcome to
the future.
How come you don't need to measure the windows in
order to give me prices?
We love this question!
Many contractors still use some of the old school tricks to justify their
prices. Charging more for a big window than a small one is a classic
example of this. The actual cost of the window varies very little, so
we charge the same price regardless of the size.
Our pricing only depends on the
style of the window (i.e. double hung, picture window, etc) and the options
you pick. This
makes things much simpler and eliminates some of the old fashioned song and
dance during an in-home presentation. We know you have other things
to do so we make this simple.
How can you give me a complete detailed and
itemized quote by email when the last company I met with took 3+ hours?
So far this is our favorite
question of the bunch! The short answer is because we choose to.
We value your time and we understand that you probably have other things on
your schedule. Frankly, we do to.
We only need pretty basic info to
get you a quote. We do this everyday. Windows are our thing.
There's very likely nothing involved in your project that we haven't seen a
thousand times. The prices aren't secret so we'll be happy to
email
them to you.
Other companies need to take much
more of your time because they spend their first two hours trying to justify
their high prices and the next hour telling you about the "great" deal
you're getting.
There's an old line in this
business that says if your price is too high your story is too short. Luckily our prices and our windows
actually are great, so our story doesn't need to be long.
Someone knocked on my door recently and said they
could offer me a discount because they were working in my neighborhood. Is
this a good deal?
Beware! There are
many contracting companies who go from neighborhood to neighborhood knocking
on doors to solicit business. You might even run into them at a gas
station or warehouse store. These are typically not good deals at all.
The cost of paying someone to go from door to door is pretty high and the
company will need to recoup that cost from you!
These companies typically pull the
old "buy today or the price goes up" tricks. Remember this
means they know that if you have time to look into it, you will not decide
to work with them.
They know how their prices compare
to their competitors. If they're pushy it's because they know that if
you find out other companies actually do offer similar windows at better
prices then you won't buy from them. They'll tell you a different
story, but that's the truth of it.
In a recent survey nearly 40%
of homeowners who hired a door-to-door contractor said the contractor did
shoddy work. It's best to do a little research to find a company
with a good reputation and a track record of satisfied customers.
Do I need to make a decision right away? I
want to think it over to make sure I'm getting a fair deal.
You certainly do not need to sign
up for anything immediately and we will not try to pressure you with "sign today or the
price goes up" tactics. While many of our customers do sign up right
away you absolutely do not need to.
All of our prices are guaranteed
for 30 days so you'll have time to make sure you are comfortable with the
decision to work with us.
Do you measure the windows before you order them?
I want custom made windows.
This is a great question!
We absolutely will measure the windows before the order is sent to the
plant. Once you complete the order forms online we send the order to
the installation department and they'll contact you to schedule a
measurement appointment.
One of the technicians who
actually does the work will come by and take exact measurements so we can be
sure everything will be just right. This is the best way to ensure a
quality result.
Will the price change after the measurements are
taken?
The sizes do not affect the prices
as long as your windows are within the min and max manufacturing size.
For example the max size for a double hung window is 52" wide by 96" tall
that's over 4 feet wide by 8 feet tall.
It is possible that something
could come up at the measurement appointment that does affect the price.
We have a plan for everything around here and that scenario is no exception.
If we do find something at the
measurement appointment that will affect the price we'll be in touch with
the options. You'll be able to either pick out one of the options or
cancel your order at no cost. You're never stuck with anything.
Remember, we've made this easy.
What's the difference between an R-Value and a
U-Factor?
This is a common question.
Some companies will try to confuse the issue of efficiency by talking about
R-Values. Typically R-Values are used to measure the efficiency of the
glass in a window rather than the efficiency of the entire
window. This is a little misleading and it's done that way on purpose.
U-Factors provide a better measure
of efficiency because they take into account the efficiency of the entire
window. This is why the new tax credit is based on U-Factors not
R-Values.
How long will it take to get my new windows?
ALL of our windows are custom made
and ordered to 1/8" specifications. This is done to make sure they fit
exactly right in your home. This is the best way to get maximum
efficiency, because it virtually eliminates the potential of drafts coming
around the windows.
The actual installation will
only take 1 or 2 days depending on how many windows you have. We
work hard to get things done quickly and to minimize the disruption to your
schedule.
The total time to measure,
manufacture and install your new windows can vary, but a timeline of 6-8
weeks from start to finish is typical. Demand does vary a lot
throughout the year so if you have specific timing requirements just let us
know.
Your quote is much lower than another estimate I
received. What am I sacrificing by going with you as opposed to the higher
priced company?
We employ a number of strategies
to keep our prices low. For instance, an old fashioned window company
will spend up to 40% of their total revenue on sales and marketing and even
more on overhead, company cars, offices, etc. That means if you sign a
$10,000 contract $5,000 or more could be going towards things you don't care
about. That's a lot of money.
We don't spend any money on sales
commissions or marketing. We don't have any sales people and we don't
do any fancy marketing. Every dollar you spend with us goes towards
things you do care about like quality products and expert installers.
Some will spend
hundreds of thousands of dollars every year on ads in the newspaper, on the
radio and on TV. Do you think they need to
recoup these costs by charging higher prices? They certainly do.
The short answer is that you're not sacrificing
anything! We offer great products at great
prices with great service and great warranties to back them up. Please
read the quotes and watch the videos on our website. Our customers
know a great deal when they see one!
Paying too much is so 2007!
Who will install my windows?
That's one of the best parts about
this program. When you order windows from us they'll be
installed by the manufacturer's installation service. It's like taking
your car to the dealer for service vs the corner mechanic. The guy on
the corner might do fine work, but it's not the same as going to the dealer.
When you order windows from us the
manufacturer will take the measurements so they're 100% responsible for the
sizes. Then they custom manufacturer the windows so they're 100%
responsible for the product quality. Then they install the windows so
they're 100% responsible for the installation quality.
It's a huge benefit to have the
manufacturer so involved in your project. They're a billion dollar
company with a 70 year history. There are certainly several good
window installers in the area. The trick is that if one key person at
those companies retires or gets sick or moves on to another business the
whole thing collapses. With this program if one guy goes away there
are 100 other people responsible for making sure everything goes great.
This is a MUCH more stable
offering than you'll find anywhere else.
Will these windows qualify for the tax credit?
Yes. Almost all of
the windows and doors we offer will qualify for the federal tax credit when you
select a qualifying glass option. We offer several choices so you can
select the windows and the efficient glass option that works best for you.
We'll be happy to go through all
of the options with you. We love talking efficiency!
I want new windows, but I'd rather not dip into my
savings. Do you have any payment options?
We sure do.
We have several great financing options.
It can really make sense to spread out your payments to avoid dipping into savings.
The financing options change from
time to time so let us know if you'd like more info on the current options.
Some customers are surprised to
learn how affordable financing can be especially when you consider the
monthly savings in your utility bills after the new windows are installed.
I see you do a lot for the environment, do you use
recycled vinyl in the windows?
Thanks for noticing, we do try to do
our part for the environment. The quick answer to this one is
no. All of the vinyl in our windows is 100% virgin vinyl.
That means it has never been anything other than a window. This is
necessary to maintain the strength and durability that we require.
Recycled or "regrind" vinyl has
serious shortcomings and cannot be used to make a quality window.
Luckily, vinyl can be easily recycled and the scrap material in the plants
is recycled into other products.
We know some salespeople are out
there telling folks that every other company uses recycled vinyl. It's
just not true. All reputable window manufacturers use virgin vinyl.
How can I know that you really provide good
service?
This is a question every homeowner
asks. We can make a nice looking website and we can post videos of
customers, but how can you be sure you're really looking at a company with a
strong track record? Here are a few ways you can tell that satisfied
customers are our business.
1. You can look us up with the
Better Business Bureau by clicking the button at the bottom of every
page. You'll see that we have an "A+" rating (the
highest rating possible!). Some companies in this industry have several
complaints and often times the complaints are still unresolved.
This is important to check.
2. If you have a subscription
you can look us up on Angie's List by clicking the button at the bottom
of every page. It's against Angie's rules for us to tell you what
our rating is, but you can probably assume we wouldn't put a link on
every single page if we didn't have many many great reports!
3. We'll be happy to provide
you with a list of our past customers so you can call them and talk
about their experience with us.
Do these windows have welded corners and virgin
vinyl and glass breakage warranty and a sloped sill and upgraded balances and...?
Yes. We know a
salesperson may have told you that he's the only guy in town who offers this
or that. They sometimes say that a manufacturer made a "special"
window just for them or that they'll make your house the model home if you
just sign up today and promise to keep the prices secret from your
neighbors.
Typically none of that is true.
If you've heard about a feature or option that you'd like to include just
let us know. I'm sure we can help out and if not we'll tell you.
We're the most honest window company you'll ever meet.
What happens next?
If you don't have a quote yet
you can request one here.
If you already have your quote and
you're ready to move forward here are the next steps:
1. Email the person who sent you
the quote to let them know you'd like to place the order.
2. We'll send you the order forms
for you to complete online.
3. Once you've completed the order
forms we send the order to the manufacturers installation manager. His
team will be in touch to schedule the measurements.
4. If there are any discrepancies
after the measurements are received we'll be in touch to figure out the
details.
5. Once the order is all finalized
it's double checked by Dan the founder of Window Universe to make sure we're
all on the same page. Then it's sent to the plant for custom
manufacturing.
6. The windows are custom made and
sent to the local warehouse.
7. Your installation manager will
give you a ring to schedule the installation.
8. We add you to our list of very
satisfied customers.
It's that easy!
This section will always be a work
in progress and it would not exist without your help. If you have a
question, please don't hesitate to
contact us.
"Really a great job.
I got exactly what I asked for and didn't get the runaround at all!"
- Clint
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