Like most people, I understand the allure of getting a good deal, and I can appreciate a bargain. In being in this business for the better part of a few decades, I have seen some appealing offers come and go. Who wouldn't want to buy one window at the regular price if they can get the next one at a huge discount? Sometimes 30% off, 40% off, or even half off? That's a heck of a deal! Especially if you have multiple windows to buy. Even better, if it can be financed, especially with zero interest, why wouldn't you??? That just makes it easier to say yes. It's kind of like Christmas.
Well, I can tell you it is a lot like Christmas, especially like Santa Claus. Hopefully no little children are reading this, because I'm gonna burst their bubble. Santa's spirit is alive and well, because we as parents keep it alive and well. For those of us that have little kids, lots of us have played into joy of Christmas spirit and the fable of a fat man in red leaving us presents under the tree and eating our milk and cookies. But, sooner or later, we are faced with reality and have to tell our children the truth: Santa isn't real. So let me do the same for all of you... window sales are not real. They only live on because we keep the lie alive.
I can say that from 2016 until today... I have never seen a window or door manufacturer offer a special sale price on the product I'm offering. I have been given extensions on buying product at an agreed upon price around the first of the year, when we all get price increases. I have seen promos on hardware or screens for doors or windows when the manufacturer is trying to get people to buy something new, or when they want to get rid of old stock. But sales that justify a big percent off... never happened.
Here's what goes into pricing, and hopefully this will help you understand how pricing is set. First off, the product itself. This can range dramatically, but you do indeed get what you pay for. An Andersen or Marvin window should cost more than a vinyl product (ALWAYS). Second, the labor cost to install such a product. This is likely a set price, or at least it should be. This is what the installer gets paid for doing their work, utilizing their skills and abilities. This is not the place to skimp either, because a great product installed poorly will always be a poor product, and may not be covered under warranty. Then the last thing that is standard is the cost of material needed for installation. This includes flashing material, insulation, sealant, trim coil, etc... If it is a full frame installation, like we do, you also have the cost of interior casing and likely finish painting.
But the other variables that go into pricing a window are not as clear. Non-negotiable expenses include insurance (obviously important), employees, building and warehouse expenses, advertising, debt, tools and machinery, trucks and trailers, and a slew of other things. But let me be clear, the flashier a showroom is has no direct correlation to how much a company will respect and care for your home. It also has little to no relation to how good of a job they will install either. The more advertising you see from a company should be a red flag as well. One company I know well in my local market spends nearly $1,000,000 in advertising each month. As a customer, you ultimately pay for that. If you understood that your investment went to pay for their vanity, wouldn't it make a difference?
Another thing that greatly influences a company's pricing is the cost of financing. There is no such thing a free financing: either the company pays for it, or you do. And since the customer is the one spending their money, they are the one that always pays for financing. Let me give you an example, you may be able to get 18 months no interest and no payments on a special financing offer. What you don't realize is that the cost of that plan can be anywhere from 12-20%. So, if a company offers financing, that is a cost that's built into their pricing that you may not even use. And even if you did use it, wouldn't you want to know who much it actually costs? Now you do.
One final thing that goes into the mix is profit and commissions. These are important for a couple reasons. First off, if a company is not profitable, they're not going to be around. So if you're counting on them for service or for more projects on down the road, you want to be sure that they're still going to be in business. Company profits also go hand in hand with paying their people well. If you want top talent, that costs money. Anyone that is good at what they do, regardless of the business, is going to make sure they are getting paid what they're worth. So if you have a good experience with a sales professional, and they're still there five years later, it's likely that the company is healthy, and they take care of their people. If a company can't take care of themselves, they won't take care of you either.
As far as an overview, this is most everything that goes into a window price. There are some small things I have likely missed, but in one way or another, they probably fall into one of these categories. Some companies handle expenses well, others are caught up in a system where they just feed the machine and it keeps producing. the question you have to ask yourself is what are you really buying? Are you buying a product, or a price? Windows or whimsy? A reputation or a runaround? Hopefully this has helped you see behind the curtain so you can make an informed decision, not a hasty one.
So I'm gonna stand firm in saying that there's no such thing as a window sale. There are window scams, and giving you fake savings that are built into the price is just that, a scam. So with United Home Services, don't expect special savings or great financing. You wouldn't go to a bank to get your windows replaced, don't expect a window company to give you top financing. With us, don't expect a deal if you make a decision on the first appointment. We will happily earn your business whenever you're ready to trust us with it. You shouldn't have to be pressured into making a decision like this. All of these special deals sound great, especially when presented at the Homeshow, that's the point. Remember, the lie only works if you choose to believe it. Now you don't have to.
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