Window Makeover

Don’t believe the hype

Ryan Schwartz — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:58:07 +0000

REPLACEMENT
WINDOWS

Last year I replaced all the windows in my house with that expensive

double-pane energy efficient kind, and today, I got a call from the
contractor who installed them. He was complaining that the work had
been completed a whole year ago and I still hadn’t paid for them.

Hellloooo,…………just because I’m blonde doesn’t mean that I am
automatically stupid. So, I told him just what his fast talking sales
guy had told me last year, that in ONE YEAR these windows would
pay for themselves! Helllooooo? It’s been a year! I told him.
There was only silence at the other end of the line, so
I finally just hung up. He never called back. I bet he felt like an idiot.

Obviously this is a joke but an all too common sales pitch by replacement window companies to sell you on the energy savings of their windows to justify the expensive price! A few things to keep in mind when shopping for new windows:

1. Their savings claims are based on lab tests and averages. No one can say with any certainty how their windows will perform in your specific house.

2. They’re usually talking about the glass, not the window as a whole. You can upgrade your glass for far less than a whole new window and wood is a far better insulator than plastic.

3. Great! Save $100 bucks a year with your new windows. You probably spent $20,000 more than you needed to. At a $100 bucks a year…you do the math!

4. How do those white vinyl windows look on your brown house?

5. Did you get your $1,500 tax credit last year? Again, did you spend another $20,000 to get $1,500 back?

A Window Makeover is your smart choice for replacement window options. New replacement components with a five year warranty that restore your existing windows to like new condition for 50-60% less than new replacement windows. Check us out and see how much money we can save you!

We are the real deal

Ryan Schwartz — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:30:47 +0000

Please, please, please, before you hire a handyman or a “window rot specialist” to work on your home do some research. There is a huge difference between what we do and what these guys do. We continue to work diligently through our marketing efforts to show our customers the difference between “a repair” and a “Window Makeover”. Nothing about what we do is a fix or a patch. A Window Makeover is a complete restoration of your existing window to like-new condition. You get all new parts. All new products with warranties on those “new” products. Window Makeover manufactures brand new replacement sashes to retro-fit into 15 different brands of windows. With most of those being out of business, we are your prime source for your window needs. Check your contractor’s credentials. Research his reputation. Ask for product samples and pictures of his work. Don’t fall into the trap of the “cheaper price”. You will ALWAYS get what you pay for, and the buyer’s remorse in this situation can be costly to undo.

I wanted to share a few photos of what is going on in our shop as I type this to illustrate our manufacturing capabilities and the strength of our company today and for tomorrow. We currently have 151 sash orders in progress and 62 others ready to go out the door. We are a company of integrity. We are a company of strength. We take pride in our products and the people who install them.

Customers build a reputation with testimonials

Ryan Schwartz — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:20:30 +0000

All too often I see claims made by companies in advertisements about how great they are, the certifications they have, or the awards they’ve won by some obscure organization. That all looks great on paper, but the true test of company is their performance face to face before and after the sale. It takes years of honest hard work to build a business. Taking short cuts and advantage of those around you may get you rich quick, but it is short lived when you don’t put your reputation first. We can talk all day long about how we do things the right way and make the sacrifices we make, but it means so much more to hear it from our customers. Our installers are encouraged to get written testimonials. Here are actual written statements from Window Makeover customers collected from recent job field tickets:

Suzanne D. “The Work looks great”

Louise L. “Eric and Kevin did a great job”

Mike H. “The workmanship was excellent”

Dan P. “Everything looks great”

Mark H. “It’s amazing you guys can do this”

Brian T. “Your guys were very pleasant and professional all day”

Terry S. “It’s a miracle”

Andrea K. “You guys worked so hard. I’m so glad I found you”

Bill G. “The guys were neat, on time, and the work looks great”

Nancy M. “Wow! They look just like the original windows”

Beth R. “Looks awesome! I’m amazed you can do that”

Debbie S. “The windows look great and you listen to great music”

Donna S. “Looks amazing! Very maticulous. A well orchestrated effort”

Charlie S. “Looks great! You have really hard workers”

George B. “The windows look awesome and work great”

Susie B. “The process was painless just like you said it would be”

Bob D. “The work exceeded my expectations”

Semco Double Hungs…Piece of cake

Ryan Schwartz — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:24:52 +0000

This is very typical of what we see from most wood double hung units 10-15 years old. Rarely do we see double hung sashes go bad because of the recessed design. The added advantage of a protected sash design combined with our trademarked Rot-Free frame conversion offers the homeowner years of additional life without costly replacement.

Rockwells in Zionsville

Ryan Schwartz — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:17:56 +0000

If you follow our blog on a regular basis you already know we work on a lot of Rockwell windows in the Indianapolis area. In fact, were pushing nearly 1000 units this year alone. You could say we’ve done it once or twice. This project is no exception. This is actually trip two/year two of an on-going restoration of this luxury home in Zionsville. Referrals are our biggest complement, but we love repeat customers just as much!

Pozzi windows in Indianapolis

Ryan Schwartz — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:06:46 +0000

This was a substantial project for us in the Admirals out at Geist. We have been restoring Pozzi Windows for ten years now. With the purchase of Pozzi by Jeld-Wen, a new Pozzi replacement window is obsolete. However, Window Makeover manufactures a replacement sash and frame components that match the original profile of Pozzi windows and 15 other major brands no longer available.

Here are a very kind words Donna, the homeowner had to say about our crew: “The work looks amazing! Very meticulous! A well orchestrated effort by all!”

Lincolns saved!

Ryan Schwartz — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:06:38 +0000

It’s always tough when we are the second guy to work on windows. Several of the windows on this home were altered previously by another contractor that clearly did not have the necessary knowledge and experience to perform this work. The result is the pictures below. To be specific, the frame parts don’t match and the carpentry is very poor. The biggest tragedy is the sashes. The replacement sashes are merely single pane plexi-glass sandwiched between common pine boards face screwed into the frame rendering them useless. The icing on the cake is the homeowner waited three weeks for this with the window boarded up! Several other units had some minor and still incomplete work done to them. Despite the homeowner not wanting this unit redone properly, we were able to save several other units and maintain the beauty and integrity of their Lincoln windows.

Complete or cheap?

Ryan Schwartz — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:21:54 +0000

Complete restoration means just that. A Window Makeover is designed to restore the entire exterior side of the window frame all at once. From an installation stand point, this makes sense because window construction is based on multiple components building upon each other. Outer pieces have to be removed to access parts behind them. From a value stand point, pay for it once and be done with it. It may make perfect sense at the time to only replace the piece that’s bad, but you constantly have to revisit that same window over and over again and in time, spend more money than if it got restored all at once. Below is a prime example that we recently came across. Yes, I’m sure only replacing the nosing of this window made sense at the time. But as you can see, the sill has gone bad behind the new nosing that was installed less than two years ago by a contractor that doesn’t offer a complete process or lacks the experience to know the ill fate of a bare minimum repair.

Ron,W. Smokey Ridge, Carmel

Ryan Schwartz — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:47:48 +0000

Ron had several issues with his Rockwell windows on the front of his home that faces west. In most cases, homeowners will find their most significant window issues on the south and west sides of their homes. Reason being, it’s the sun that does more damage than the water. The ultra-violet rays from the sun break down caulk and paint allowing the entrance of water between window components. Once the wood becomes saturated, it becomes continually more difficult to keep paint on them. Thus, a kind of snow-ball effect. When left un-maintained, it’s just a matter of time before those wood components go bad. The picture below is a good example of water leaking behind a stationary sash. This really cant be controlled, however, maintenance is the key to longevity.

Bob,H. North Harbour, Noblesville

Ryan Schwartz — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:37:55 +0000

Bob’s house has been on the market for quite some time. Slowly, he has made improvements to the home to make it more appealing to buyers. As with many homes on the lake, there were significant window issues. An already competitive selling market would not support a new window package running into the $50,000 range. We addressed nearly every window on the home in some form or fashion and kept his project under $20,000. Thus making his home attractive to buyers and keeping $30,000 in Bob’s pocket. Below is just one example of what a Window Makevoer can do for Caradco windows and 15 other major brands.