8 Window Installers Questions To Ask As You House Hunt | Colleyville, TX
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So, it’s time to search for a new-to-you home in Colleyville, TX. You want the best home for the best price to grow your family and set down roots in the community. You may have a wishlist in mind for the perfect abode: the number of bathrooms, the proximity to the best schools, and the overall condition of the house.
In all your searching, don’t forget to inspect each window in the homes you visit. They don’t just add curb appeal and interest to the design of the home — windows separate you and your family from the elements, and, quite possibly, from a chunk of your money.
With the following questions, you’ll be prepared to negotiate a fair price for the home based on the work that may need to be done — including contacting window installers for any issues you find as you go room to room. And, once you’ve found that dream home, Energy Window Solutions will be here for all of your installation or repair needs.
1. How old are the windows?
Your realtor may not know a specific answer to this question — and the owners may not, either. If the home is fairly new construction (within the last fifteen years or so), the windows likely have good life left in them, so long as the homeowner properly maintained them.
If the home is over 25 years old, consider calling window installers from Energy Window Solutions to ballpark some prices and window style options, because the ones in this particular home will need replacing soon. A trusted team of installers would be honest with you about this issue.
2. Are the windows under warranty…
…and will that warranty transfer to the new homeowner? Don’t be afraid to ask for a hard copy of the warranty and do be sure to call the contact business on the warranty to ensure that transferring is an option. There may be an added fee, but it may be worth it depending on how good the warranty is.
If there is no warranty because the windows are older, or the warranty won’t transfer from the original window installers, you’ll be out any repair or replacement costs ahead. Keep this in mind when discussing the price of the home.
3. Do you have any receipts or repair history?
Again, hard copies here will help you decide to update or further repair the windows in the home. If there is no paper trail and the owner just doesn’t know, that’s okay. Perhaps they can recall which window installers they used for repair work. At any rate, do a careful walkthrough of the home and check the locks and seals. Make note if any of the panes are broken or if there’s glass missing.
4. Do any of the windows have issues I should know about?
Though reputable realtors do their best to accurately describe the condition of the home, some things just go unchecked or remain “back of mind” until the right question is asked. A simple jog of the memory may help a truly honest and willing seller to disclose issues you may miss on your inspection.
However, the answer to this one doesn’t release you from inspecting each window for yourself, but the agent may be able to point out areas that could use work. A quick call to your preferred window installers can give you an idea of the costs to repair.
5. Do you have copies of utility bills?
Windows can increase the energy efficiency of a home dramatically. They can also be detrimental to your wallet if they are old or in need of repair. Higher-than normal utility bills aren’t an end-all-be-all red flag that the home needs immediate window replacement.
Other factors that can push up the energy bill could be the homeowner’s preferred temperature, roof issues, or an inefficient appliance. However, this may be a clue that drafty windows are allowing the air conditioning to escape into the Colleyville, TX heat, and a call to your window installers is in order.
6. Have you seen any mold around the windows?
Hopefully, you’ll get an honest answer to this question, as savvy realtors and staging agents will have had the owners do a thorough cleaning of the home before any open houses or showings. You can check for this issue yourself by looking for those tell-tale black dots near the edges and seams of the windows.
Unless the fungus is in between the panes of glass, the presence of mold doesn’t necessarily mean the window needs to be replaced. It could be moisture from a poorly-vented humid bathroom or kitchen environment. At any rate, an inspection for this can clue you to other issues that may need to be dealt with if you choose to purchase the home.
7. How do the windows open?
This may seem odd, but sometimes it’s not obvious, especially in older homes or those with ornate construction. And sometimes the homeowner may know of a window or two that has that odd, “you gotta tap it just right” scenario. You’ll need to know this information to see how easy they are to clean — and to know if that picky window should just be replaced altogether by professional window installers.
8. Do all of the windows lock?
Again, your agent or realtor may not know the answer. Check all window closures yourself for your peace of mind, as this is something that you need to be sure of before you move in. It may help to contact the window installers to replace or repair broken or missing locks even before you move your belongings into the home.
Being as prepared as possible when hunting for a new home can help save you a ton of money. Once you’ve landed a good deal on a house, let Energy Window Solutions and their team of trusted window installers guide you through any window repair or installation your new-to-you home may require.