Double-Hung Window Installers and Contractors

Before you hire double-hung windows installers and contractors, practice due diligence and save yourself headaches down the road. The bottom line is that if you hire the wrong installers or contractors, you may end up paying way more in the end--in both money and stress.

1. Recommendations of Contractors Mean a Lot

First, ask friends and family who have hired double-hung windows installers and contractors whether they were happy with them. Then check the National Association of the Remodeling Industry for a list of local members in your area.

2. Interview Prospective Installers and Contractors by Phone

Take the list you've compiled and call each installer to ask them these questions:

• Do you take on projects like mine?
• Can you provide financial references from suppliers or banks?
• Can you provide me with a list of previous clients?

3. Sit Down for a Face-to-Face

Select three or four contractors to meet for a discussion about the project. They should answer your questions and make you feel good about hiring them. Then check with your state's consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau for work history.

4. Fact-Checking Pays Off

This is an essential step, even if you don't want to take the trouble to do it. Call the list of referrals that the installers or contractors give you. Ask about the company's ability to complete the project in a timely manner. You can even visit a current job they're working to get a feel for their professionalism.

5. Ask for Proposals and Compare

Window projects can get pricey. That's why you should get firm proposal bids in writing from the short list of double-hung windows installers and contractors you've compiled. This will keep you from paying too much, or hiring a company that tries to low-ball you.