Advantages of Hiring Professional Window Installers

As every avid DIY fan knows, instructional videos don’t always tell the truth. The best laid schemes of mice and men oft go awry, particularly when you’re getting your window replacement instructions on Pinterest. It’s not easy to replicate the quality of an expert. You’d be forgiven for wanting to try, but there are benefits to hiring a professional.

You can’t replicate professional materials

Professionally-sourced vinyl is one of the strongest window options on the market today, but the material can’t protect you on its own. You also need interlocking sashes, perfectly-fitted window rails, and tightly-placed spacers. The aesthetics and insulation power of your windows rely on the finest fiberglass, metals, and vinyl.

Cheap materials aren’t just difficult to maintain. They’re also more expensive. They’ll drive your energy bills through the roof in the form of heat loss, and they’re just as demanding in terms of upkeep.

Professional window installers have an established collection of suppliers and the longstanding relationships required to earn reduced prices. This stretches your budget further, and you’ll be enjoying the benefits for the next 20 years.

You probably don’t have the right tools

Window replacement requires a huge box of tools, from safety glasses and caulk guns to waterproof shims and power drills. The pros also rely on exceptional sealants and adhering compounds. They have the tools required to handle dry glazing and cable netting well enough to achieve a sleek, compressed fit.

They also have the components they need to build the perfect miter joints. The tools don’t tell the whole story, though. It takes skill to wield them, and no DIY enthusiast can beat the experience of a professional who handles window installations all day, every day. Windows are also heavy and easily broken. Handling their delicate weight is a skill that takes years to perfect. Injuries are common, so professionals count on safety equipment that you might not own.

You might not have the skill

Replacing a window is tedious, complicated work. If you’re performing a full frame replacement, you’ll need a level of precision that’s hard to achieve. A pocket type installation can be even more challenging because it requires you to perform tiny adjustments according to an opening that has shifted over the years.

A water-tight fit needs more than mere sizing, though. You’ll need to match up your palette as well, and that’s tough when there are thousands of different shades to blend with. Badly-installed flashing can lead to soaring utility bills, insect infestation, and windowsill mold, so one meager mistake can have lasting consequences.

DIY windows are expensive

DIY materials and equipment often cost more than a professional installation. You’ll have to buy insulation, minimal expanding foam, shims, tools, a window sash kit, liners, and sash weights. You’ll need to get a precise depth measurement, which will require furring stripes and sanding equipment. While you can invest in a full sash replacement kit, you’ll still need to buy a replacement insert mount.

Professional installation of a single hung window costs an average of $170 to $360—a far lower price than you’ll pay to stock up on replacement kits and tools.

If you do have a caulk gun and power drill lying around the house, you might be able to beat the cost of a professional installation, but your lifetime costs could unsettle the balance.

Unforeseen glass breakage aside, your sparkling new window isn’t under warranty. It can’t provide Energy Star-related rebates, and it probably won’t insulate as well as a professional replacement. Window glass is a hazardous material to work with if you’re installing it at height, so your investment also needs to include PPE.

There are better ways to spend the weekend

If you choose a professional installation, your glazier will whip through your home in a matter of hours. The pros will get it right the first time, so you won’t have to give up another weekend to fix your mistakes. Those blunders might even leave you with a gaping hole in your wall for days, which will expose you to neighborhood rats, ants, and criminals.

To make matters worse, your windows must be installed according to your local building codes, which might require you to apply for building regulations approval. The red tape alone will cost you precious hours. Rather spend your DIY savings on a weekend away. We promise it’ll be more fun than sweeping up broken glass.

Anyone can fit a window, but that doesn’t mean they should. Your lack of skill will announce itself through every crack and climbing utility bill. When you hire a professional, you don’t just pay for labor and materials. Your investment covers skills that have taken a lifetime to perfect, so make sure you get it right the first time by choosing the pros.

Need help with a window project. Click here for a free estimate.