Taking the “Pane” Out of Finding a Glass Installer

by Kevin Smith Author

Whether you’re building a new home or merely replacing some glass and windows in your existing one, you want to be sure you’re hiring someone who is experienced and can do the job to your satisfaction and within your budget. That is, of course, unless you plan to do it yourself.

DIY or Professional Installation?

There are a lot of DIYers out there with a wide range of skill. Professionals say it’s easier to do a DIY window installation in a newly-constructed home than replacing them in an existing one. There are other types of glass installation, however, such as glass shower doors, or storefront glass in a commercial setting. But whatever kind of glass you’re having installed, if you’re doing it yourself, it’s extremely important to precisely measure each space in order to have an exact fit. Even the slightest mistake will cause problems either now or in the future. With that in mind, it might make more sense, and be less expensive in the long-run to hire a professional.

Hiring the Right Glass Installer

When hiring a professional to do home glass installation in Fairfax County, VA, ask family or friends if there’s a professional they’ve used and if they were satisfied. If no one knows of anyone you’ll have to start your search from scratch. Here are several things you can do to help find the best installer for the job:

Make sure they are licensed, insured and bonded. Get copies of their license, proof of insurance coverage and bonding information. And check them out with the licensing agency to make sure their license is in good standing.

Ask how long they’ve been in business and make sure they have a physical address where they do business. Many fly-by-night companies are not experienced and don’t have a physical location where they operate out of. These are signals that they may not be legitimate or are very inexperienced. Best to hire someone else.

Ask them for references and call those people to see how satisfied they were with the work they have done. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau and online reviews to see how satisfied people were with them.

If installing windows, ask them about the latest technologies and energy efficiencies in windows.

Ask if they’ll give you a free estimate and, if you’re in a time crunch, can they meet your schedule. If you’re not pressed for time, get several estimates from different companies. That way you know you’re getting a fair price.

Ask if they clean up the mess from the installation and whether they haul away the old material.

Ask if there’s anything you need to do to prepare the area for glass installation.

Ask about what warranty comes with the glass and what guarantee you have on their labor. These are two separate things so be sure to ask both questions.

If you follow these guidelines when you’re looking for someone to do home glass installation in Fairfax County, VA, you should be pleased with the work and the company doing it.