Thinking about getting new impact windows for your home? You should start your search with finding a team of certified impact window installers who know what they’re doing. The problem is that it can be tough to sort out the real pros from the fly-by-nite installers who don’t know what they’re doing.
But why is it so important to work with a licensed contractor who has certified expertise installing impact windows? What are the potential consequences of using a window installation company that doesn’t have certified impact window installers with the proper training?
Let’s go over some of the reasons why it’s important to work with a company that has impact window installation certifications rather than the first installer to call you back after you look at an online ad:
Why You Need Certified Impact Window Installers: To Avoid Scams
One of the problems with finding any kind of contractor is that not all of them are legitimate businesses. There are, unfortunately, fraudsters out there who will rent out some office space, create a spiffy website, then hire someone to write a bunch of fake positive reviews of their impact windows.
Once they’ve got their business address and a bogus reputation, they start taking out some ads promising cheap window and door installation at, frankly, impossible prices. They then get homeowners to give them down payments for future window installation work so they can put in orders with the manufacturers. After they’ve gathered as much money as they think they can get away with, they declare bankruptcy or just outright abandon the business, take the money, and run.
While authorities do try to clamp down on these fraudsters, it can take a long time to investigate and charge companies that do things like this. For example, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office reported that they made an arrest “following a comprehensive year-long investigation into construction fraud.” For that year, the accused was continuing to take contracts without delivering on the services promised. And a Fox13 story noted that the man from the Sheriff’s Office report was “arrested for [a] third time on two additional larceny charges.”
Scams are a constant danger when dealing with unlicensed contractors. Finding a company that has an official license with the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) showing that they’ve completed the requisite verification of their skills as a specialist contractor.
Of course, this is a worst-case scenario, where you put in an order for windows, only to wait and wait until you finally realize you’ve been scammed. This is far from the only possible outcome of working with an unlicensed and uncertified contractor for impact window installation.
Why You Need Certified Impact Window Installers: To Avoid Inconsistent Quality
One of the dangers of working with a company that doesn’t have certified impact window installers is that you might get stuck with subcontracted installation teams. Subcontractors are a frequent part of construction projects, home remodeling, and other services in Florida.
However, not all subcontractors are guaranteed to have the skills, tools, and experience needed to ensure that your window installation project goes off without a hitch. Unfortunately, a lot of them are just general contractors who don’t have specialized experience and knowledge. Great for filling out a team when under the supervision of a trained specialist; not so great when having to take the lead without supervision.
They often have superficial knowledge of window installation, but often don’t know the why or how something is supposed to be done. This leads to large inconsistencies in the quality of work done on a window installation as they miss or intentionally skip critical steps in the installation process to save time and money.
Yet, many big box stores and national chain brands rely almost exclusively on outsourced labor to install their windows. The company has a license, but their subcontractors do not. And, because they’re working with an ever-changing list of subcontractors, there’s no consistency in the quality of the work done.
One customer might get a good subcontractor who puts in their window perfectly. Meanwhile, the customer across the street might get one of the less skilled or experienced installers who misses several key steps, leading to drafty windows and water leaks.
This inconsistent quality is one of the hallmarks of a window company that’s too reliant on subcontracted work going to the lowest bidder to save money.
Why You Need Certified Impact Window Installers: To Get Authentic Impact Windows
Here’s a horror story for you, the names have been omitted to protect the innocent:
A customer came to Karoly Windows looking for impact window replacement to install new windows to replace the windows that another company had put in less than three months ago. As it turned out, when the customer signed the contract for new windows, they weren’t getting the windows they thought they’d been promised.
Instead, they got knockoff, white-labeled windows that were allegedly ‘like’ the Simonton StormBreaker Plus windows they were sold on. When looking at the quote and the contract, trying to see if the homeowner had it in writing that they were supposed to get StormBreaker Plus windows… but the quote and contract both failed to specify the actual brand of the window.
Instead, the contract and the estimate both said something like “8000 series” for the supposed Simonton windows… but Simonton doesn’t have an 8000 series line.
All the promises of Simonton windows or ‘equivalent’ windows weren’t in writing. So, when the windows turned out to not be what the owner expected and quickly started showing a bunch of issues (leaks, sticking, condensation on the interior glass panes, etc.), there wasn’t much the homeowner could do besides seek yet another replacement… which is what led them to Karoly Windows & Doors.
Yeah, for some reason, they didn’t trust the other company to handle their window replacement and give them real Simonton windows after getting knockoffs once.
This story is all too common: companies making verbal promises of top brands, but not committing to that in writing, delivering an inferior product in an effort to cut costs and leaving their customers holding the bag since the promise was never in writing.
There are two things you should do to avoid this situation:
- Look for state-certified impact window installers who have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Be sure to check the complaints they’ve gotten and how they handled them to see if they’ve been accused of ‘bait and switch’ on window sales in the past.
- GET IT IN WRITING. On the estimate or the contract, be sure to check to see what windows are specified there. If the estimate or contract isn’t specific about brand and product model, DON’T SIGN IT. Make sure you have a copy of the agreement for your own records and that the text of that copy matches what you signed. That way, if you find that you haven’t gotten the exact windows you were expecting, you have proof that you can use to protect yourself from an unscrupulous company.
Work with Certified Impact Window Installers: Choose Karoly Windows!
The story above and the other issues outlined in this blog are just a few of the reasons why it’s so important to work with a company that has certified impact window installers on their payroll instead of one that farms installations out to the lowest bidder.
At Karoly, we only use our own in-house specialists for all of our window installation work. We never outsource our installations to a third party subcontractor. And, when we write a price quote or estimate, we spell out exactly what brand and style of windows and doors we’ll install in each opening of your home in addition to the costs for them. We don’t play bait-and-switch games with brands or pricing.
When you want authentic impact windows from actual top brands installed by real specialists, Karoly Windows & Doors is your top choice in Tampa Bay! Reach out to us to work with a team of certified impact window installers who do things the right way: the Karoly way!
