Making the choice to replace your home windows is a big project. But if you've been following along during our "Window Replacement Plan 2018" series (Parts 1 and 2), you've already come up with a gameplan for when to replace your windows and learned which type of windows are best for your home.
Stopping by your Murray Pella showroom can help you learn how replacement home windows not only bring a new style to your home, but also can help save you money with more energy efficiency.
So, what's next? Booking your in-home consultation.
It's an important piece in your window replacement plan. The best part: An in-home consultation costs you nothing.
During your in-home consultation, a sales representative will visit your home, chat with you about your wants and needs, help narrow your window selections and give you a price estimate.
Taking some steps before to plan for your in-home consultation will help provide you the best replacement home window options for your home.
If you were to talk with an interior designer, you'd probably be prepared to share some looks you've seen that piqued your interest. The same goes for a window consultation.
Having an vision of the looks you like will give your representative a focus point to finding the windows that are perfect for you. Look for ideas of what you want your new windows to look like. If you can't provide pictures, be ready to explain how you want your new windows to take shape.
You should also take a second to note down questions for your representative to help prepare for your consultation.
The target of an in-home consultation is to help you find the windows that are right for your home, meet your needs and budget, and highlight your home.
That means your window consultant will be focused on learning as much as they can about what you need and want. They'll ask you to know where the replacement windows will go and offer you different design, material and color options that may work for you. They'll also discuss pricing and the installation process for each option.
Which materials (vinyl, wood or fiberglass) are suitable for your home's area?
Which window functions and features are necessary to you?
Which colors work best with your home's style and architecture?
It's one thing to see a window installation in a showroom. But in order to make the most complete decision about your replacement windows, it's important to get an idea what those windows will look like in your home. That's why your representative will also offer window style and color samples for you to look at in your home.
Your representative will also measure the spaces where the replacement windows will be installed and give you what you need to know to prepare for your installation day.
Once you've decided on the best windows for your home, your representative will work out an estimate that gives as complete a picture as possible of both the expense and time required to replace your home windows. Your representative can also provide payment options, including financing, to get your home window replacement process started.
Typically, your representative will visit between 90 minutes and two hours for the consultation. This will give your pro enough time to properly assess your needs and give you an accurate estimate.
Once your representative goes over your estimate with you, you'll schedule your installation date. Both prices and installation availability can fluctuate greatly, depending on the kind of windows, materials purchased, type of installation and openings in the showroom's installation schedule. Probably, your installation date will be scheduled four to six weeks after your consultation. That allows for the correct windows to be shipped to your local Pella showroom.
Next month, the final installment of our series will look at what you can expect on your window installation day and how you can best prepare to make the process go smoothly for you and your installation team.