Saturday, December 27, 2014

Getting a Model Home Discount on your home improvements.

The Model Home Discount in Home Improvements

Lot's of people like to do their research on the internet.  That's a given.  Most of my customers find me while looking me up on Google.  My site is on page one of most of the relevant search terms I like to have.

Dallas Windows, Vinyl Windows Dallas, Replacement Windows Dallas and various other phrases including Wood or Aluminum.   Long story short, I have pretty low overhead.  No shop.  Just a service that I provide.  Installation of residential replacement windows and pre-hung doors with an occasional patio door here and there.

I worked for a big multi-million dollar window and door company that sold replacement windows for a thousand dollars a piece in the 90's.  In many ways they were worth it.  Today it's not the best choice but for millions of homeowners it was.

The reason I am revisiting my window installation past at this juncture is that I just read a post from a notable site with reviews and such on it that I sorta disagree with.

This is an opportunity to see a real simple contrast in overviews from two different seasoned window guys.

I have a friend in Richmond Virginia.  A new friend but not a competitor.  Very down to earth.  You can tell in his writings.   He put up a post on the Model Home Sales Pitch you sometimes hear about.  As he so aptly points out.  It was hilarious in Tin Men with Danny DeVito.

The premise is that a contractor or company comes to you with a deal for being a model home.

His post is here and you can give it a look :

http://thewindowdog.com/model-home-windows-program-window-scams/

Now here's why I think it's sorta cynical.   If a contractor has nothing going for himself, his products and craftsmanship besides a "model home discount" of course you should never do business with them.  Thats just good common sense.

That said, I'll sometimes bid a job a bit lower to get my foot into a good neighborhood.  I know my work is beautiful and neighbors who see it will be tempted to want some.  I don't see that as unreasonable or as he seems to implicate "a scam".  Bottom line is that you should get a few estimates and always look for someone you can trust with your money, your home and your project, because they will end up being responsible for all three.

Often that's not a cheap guy.  I don't even try to be the cheap guy.  That leads to the budget being too tight and product or quality of labor diminish.  The trade off isn't worth it.

No one needs the cheapest car at the Carmax.  Most of us need something dependable in the middle of the cost spectrum.  None of us expect a good car for a thousand bucks.  None of us like spending Thirty to Fifty Grand on one either.   There are reasonable choices in the middle of the two extremes.

Back to the model home discount.  If that's the only thing they have to offer you to win your business you should probably keep looking.   If someone offers you something like that it's probably not a scam, but it is certainly a gimmick.




Monday, March 3, 2014

Alside Mezzo Vinyl Replacement Windows

Alside Mezzo Replacement Windows will be our first new window line released in 2014.  






This should be one of the best updates to come out in years.  It will have a narrow frame for more glass and the option of custom exterior colors.

Many of these aren't able to boast of a narrow profile frame and still be a lifetime warranty, energy star approved replacement window.

I scanned the first brochure I got in.  This product was released on 2-15-2014 to replace the Excalibur Series.Alside was the Energy Star Partner of the Year 2000, 2001 and 2002.  

They've been Better Homes a Gardens Best Buy and produced several proven lines over it's history.  We use their casement windows, Ultra-Max vinyl replacement windows and were pleased with the quality and durability of their product.


The upgrades on this window are:Interior trim groove for factory trim as needed.New Exterior Color choices beyond the typical white and beige to include the following:Architectural Bronze, English Red, Desert Clay, Hudson Khaki, Forrest Green, American Terra, Castle Grey and of course, Beige and White.

Optional interior upgrades include 

White wood grain, Soft Maple wood grain, Rich Maple wood grain, Light Oak wood grain, Dark Oak Wood grain, Foxwood wood grain, Cherry Wood grain and again beige or white interiors as extruded.


Solid white or beige are always less costly, This product is Energy Star Rated and Approved in all climates.

Composite horizontal reinforcement bars instead of steel to be less conductive of heat and cold.It has the factory preferred 3 1/4" jamb thickness while keeping the profile under 2 3/4" of frame in the single hung model.  This is a great new option for us in Texas and will be a great new addition to our available lines.

Here's the link to the full scan of our first brochure on our Google Plus Page!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Fogged Up Windows on the Real Estate Inspection

A call that I field a great deal comes from the home seller and has to do with fogged up windows on the inspection report.  This creates a few options for the seller that should be balanced and it also is a good read for a home buyer as the options effect your new home and it's longevity.




For the sake of discussion we have a 2400 square foot house that is listed at $265,000 here in Dallas Texas.  Most homes built from the 80's forward have had builders grade aluminum double paned windows.  They often came with a 5 to 10 year seal failure warranty but they seldom have anything more than this.  The end of our warranty hopes just came upon us.

This home would have on average 18 to 24 windows and probably about 8 to 10 panes of glass that might be showing condensation between the panes or white calcium build up between the panes.

The home inspector will not be able to see all the windows with seal failure as many times the actual tell tale signs are years away for some of the windows.  Back to the example home.  Twenty four windows will have 40 or so lites of glass and if 8 get flagged (tagged, dotted, whatever the inspector did to them) that's probably a win as there are 8 more just about to go out.

Cost to replace fogged windows.  On average the small ones are $125.00 and the big ones above them are $175.00.  Big circle tops and arch-top shaped glass replacement is considerably more and can be $600 to $1000 depending on the size.  This means the big beautiful one in the foyer.



As this problem is usually noted at the time of sale, here's another option.  If 8 flagged units can be settled with the new buyer at $800 to $1000.  That's always a win for the seller.  No scheduling, no issues.

For the buyer that can be a win too.  A thousand towards a better solution than glass replacement might be a good thing.  You can both haggle over the other $500 in labor and variables that could come into play.

Glass replacement will fix the clarity of the glass but not the energy efficiency of the window.  Most 80's to 90's era homes have that builders grade frame and installation that just won't seal well after a period of time.  New glass in a builders grade window is much like new tires on your 1972 Pinto.  You'll be stuck to the road better, but you're still driving a 1972 Pinto.

A long term solution is a good vinyl replacement window with a lifetime warranty that can offer better U Value and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient.  The builders grade clear insulated window allows 87% of the heat through the glass whereas a quality replacement window will only allow about 21% of the heat to pass through it.  That's furnace heat staying in and sunlight heat staying out, all year long!

Now I admit that I am partial to replacement windows as I've had a lifelong career in Dallas and surrounding areas as a window guy, but the reality of how happy folks are when their house is suddenly airtight is so very motivating to me.  It makes me want the job to be perfect so the results are notable.  Enough about me though this is about foggy windows isn't it?

So now you know the options.  Google Glass Replacement if glass only is what the inspector came up with.  I also recommend you enter the zip code and look for a glass shop closest to your home.  That is the guy who can do it cheapest in most cases.  If you're a house flipper replacement windows may be a better option to put a fresh face on the property.  In your case you'd search for Replacement Windows or Vinyl Windows.  If you're in Dallas and surrounding areas I hope you'll let us weigh in on your project as well.  ~  Dave Traynor

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

A New Blog for a New Year!

A New Blog for a New Year

By Dave Traynor

Well the SEO world says that it's not enough to have a Facebook Page, and a Twitter Profile, and a Google Maps Listing, or a Google Places listing.  Now the thing to have is a blog.  I personally even hate the word much less the concept.

What's a blog?  It sounds like a contraption created by a bad log.  It's not an article.  Not a webpage.  It just sounds useless already.  So much for optimism in the New Year.

No really I do have good things to say and add to society I just haven't figured them out yet.  Well that's not true either, I do know what to say.  Say something nice or don't say anything at all.  Thanks Grandma.

I have a great list of 13 things mentally strong people don't do.  I can't remember where I put them.  Google Plus profile I think.

Google Plus!  That's what it was I needed to blog about!  The single most important thing for a New Year and a small business is not really a blog in most cases.  It's a Google Plus Business Page.

A G+ profile for yourself will work much like a facebook page but more importantly, serves as a base author for your business profile, which over time will become the "publisher" of your website.  This Publisher and Authorship association with your web page will serve to bring higher organic web rankings to your website.

You can't underestimate the importance of getting in early.  For my company DallasWindows.com the two words Dallas and Windows are important.  How awesome was it to get my Google Plus Business Page up and acknowledged with a new cool page id like this one:  www.plus.google.com/+Dallaswindows  

Now maybe it will never be important for you to promote yourself in any way.  That is doubtful if you desire to be an expert in your field.  Most small business owners have 20+ years in their trade or industry and are experts but the internet has to be able to see that expertise and see it benefit the reader or the web searcher.

This is why I have to get a small business blog that talks about my small home improvement company.  And this is why you have to get a Google Plus Business page as soon as possible.

I'm looking forward to sharing on this blog.  My years of web development just hit 15 and I've made a great life with a small replacement window company and a great web presence.  Let me share it with you and come back to visit us often!  ~  Dave  And don't miss our other outreaches for the cool pictures!   www.Facebook.com/dallaswindows   www.plus.google.com/+dallaswindows  www.linkedin.com/in/dallaswindows