BY MARK MCKINSTRY
My brother and I came to Hawaii 13 years ago and started marketing and installing windows, first as the owners of Windows Hawaii and now with Diamond Head Windows.
Deciding on whom to use to install new windows in your home, like many construction projects, is sometimes trickier than other large purchases. If you are interested in buying a car or a big screen TV, you can research online and find the brand or model you like. Once you decide it’s pretty easy to find comparative prices and purchase from the source you like best with the best price.
Getting work done on your home is different. You can research window manufacturers and ratings for windows but as windows are custom made for your home it’s hard to get an apples to apples comparison. Most of the marketing for windows in Hawaii compares windows and sometimes warranties but both miss one of the most important elements in getting windows installed. It’s the installation.
While we challenge anyone to find a better vinyl window and warranty than our Amerimax window, what we feel sets us apart from most window companies are our installers.
Some background you may already know. If you buy windows from big box stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot or Discount Windows you end up purchasing the windows up front with one purchase/contract and then separately contract for your installation. We find the most complaints are with this system, as there is no one person who is responsible for the entire job. If the window leaks is it the window or how it was installed? What if the person contracted to install the windows you purchased wants to charge more. Some of the contracts for labor have clauses that say you may end up paying more than you agreed to.
I can tell you after working in the window business for many years, the most critical part of the equation and the hardest to find are installers. Unlike the mainland, Hawaii has a variety of types of construction and a corrosive environment that can take its toll on homes here. It takes someone with care and experience to competently install windows. Some prominent companies in Hawaii have a 24-week lead-time because of lack of installers.
So what goes into a good installation?
It starts with what is called “Spec Measurement.” Once you have purchased your windows, most companies will come back and do a final measurement for their orders. As all of these windows are custom-made for your home this is a critical step. Dave who does our spec measurement has been a licensed contractor for over 25 years and has experience building and installing windows in every application. I have seen some good quality windows with terrible installation, negating the benefits of the window.
The installation itself and the materials used are also an integral step. Are the fasteners used by the installers non-corrosive? How about the quality of the caulking? Can the installers do both retrofit or new construction installation, or do they know only one style?
Todd McKinstry, an owner of Diamond Head Windows and the licensed contractor has 33 years of experience supervising window installation. He has completed the Installation Master training and certification program, the most highly regarded certification in this business. He, in turn, has trained and supervised our installers. Our installers have an average of eight years of experience installing windows. They are also trained to do the supplementary construction that is sometimes needed in window installation such as cutting in new openings for windows or repairing dry rot or termite damage.
We not only believe we have the best-trained and most experienced installers, we back it up with a lifetime warranty on our installation, separate from the manufacturers warranty.
Find out for yourself what makes Diamond Head Windows different. Call for a free consultation and estimate. Take advantage of our year-end sale with the best prices of the year. Remember, the more you know about windows, the better we look.
Mark McKinstry is co-owner of Diamond Head Windows
DIAMOND HEAD WINDOWS
CONTACT 419-7500 • 799-8979
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