Hiring A Contractor - This Caulking Gun For Hire

The replacement window industry is now an extremely profitable one indeed. So this means there's a wide choice out there when it comes to hiring a contractor.

Hiring contractors can be a potential minefield. Some of these window installation contractors genuinely take pride in their ability to improve homes by installing the products with efficiency and service. Whilst others, frankly, can be incompetent or downright crooked.

So to help guide you through this minefield, let's check out some tips for homeowners to help hire a contractor:

Choose a contractor that has been in business for at least three or four years.

Get estimates from at least three different installers, and make sure each includes everything you want done.

Ask if they are specialist contractors for installing windows or `general purpose.'

Ask for around five to ten local references.

Choose a local contractor if you can, for convenience in case you need to get hold of them. And you need to know their phone number and business address.

Find out if the contractor buys the windows through a distributor, and if so, contact them to see if they have had trouble.

Ask for all the contractor's license and insurance info and make sure the same contractor license number appears in all the documentation. You need to check that it really is that contractor's license as well and not an illegally borrowed one.

Demand full written lien waivers. This will protect you from having to pay twice for the work if the contractor company does not itself pay the people who physically installed the windows for some reason.

Check the contractor you hire will do the job themselves and not subcontract the installation work out.

Make sure they know about any building code permits that may be required for the installation and that they will take care of them.

Never sign anything the contractor offers that is time pressured. Like "you get twenty percent off if you sign right here and now" for example. Quality professional contractors will give you time to think about their estimate.

Get copies of all warranties that you are shown when you get your estimate.

Ask if the contractors will remove your old windows from your premises after taking them out.

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Author Notes:

Anthony Lee contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.replacement-windows-n-shutters.com. Find everything you need to know about replacement windows, shutters, tinting, basement, fiberglass windows and more.