Many people may become confused by the number of window tinters in the Phoenix area and may have a hard time determining who they should contact. This blog will help you determine who you should contact when you are looking for a professional installer for your home or business.
- Is the company or individual licensed, bonded, and insured? Why is this important? According to the Arizona Registrar of Contractors "Hiring a licensed contractor offers many additional protections to the
property owner, especially regarding residential property. First of all,
a contractor can not obtain a license without possessing a minimum
amount of experience and must pass a business management test. The
applicant also may be subjected to a criminal history background check,
and must not have any unresolved contracting complaints outstanding." NOTE: Many people will state they are licensed, bonded, and insured and they are not. To find out if they truly are, ask them to show you their information - if they refuse -- run!
2. Do they have an ROC# (Register of Contract). Why is this important? For the same reason as above...please know that not every professional installer needs to have an ROC unless they are performing an installation of $1000 or more; however, if they have a ROC, you can go to the Arizona Registrar of Contracts website and conduct a search either by their company name or ROC #. This link that will bring you directly to their search site. If the business is current, this means they are licensed, bonded, and insured so you can be safe knowing you should not be ripped off. If you ever have a complaint, the AZROC website allows to you to complete a form and they will investigate your concerns.
3. Experience. Experience doesn't necessarily mean how long the business has been in operation, but the experience of the installers. Some businesses have been around for over 20 years, which is great, but that doesn't mean they were always owned by the same person or have had installers around for that long. Below are some questions to ask the salesperson, or whomever you are talking to about the installers experience:
- How many years of experience has the installer had installing in homes? (there is a difference between installing car film and architectural (residential) film).
- How long has the installer been with your company?
- Has there been any concerns with your installers?
Veteran Tinting and Blinds has been in business in Arizona since 2010, however the owner, Scott, who does all of the installation, has been in the industry for 25 years.
4. Customer reviews. The great thing about the Internet is that you can find out what other people have to say about the companies you are researching before you even call. There are great sites such as Yelp, Angie's List (must be a paid member to see these reviews), and BBB, just to name a few. These are great tools to make sure you are working with a reputable company and/or individual.
5. Website. If their website does not list "residential" as part of their services, they are primarily car tinters, which is great if you are looking for your car to be tinted. However, if you are looking for your home to be tinted, then make sure that at least half of their business is with residential or commercial services so you know you will have an installer who is experienced working with flat glass.
Last, but not least . . . .
6. Go with your gut or gut instinct. They have actually done scientific research on this "feeling" and found they are real and you should listen to your "gut" (see link at end of blog to read article). With that being said, after you have completed your research and spoke with some companies, go with your gut as to whom you will hire. Think about the individual(s) who made you most comfortable, who weren't out for the kill (sale), but instead educated you about making a great decision, or the one you just liked the most. Price sometimes plays into this, but remember that cheap doesn't always mean good -- make sure they pride themselves on quality and can stand behind their products with a lifetime warranty.
We hope you have found this information helpful -- even if you are not looking for a window installer, but for any type of contractor. Please contact us if you are looking for a trusted, ethical, and educated Professional Installer for your home or business.
As promised, here is the link to the article from Science News about gut instincts:
No comments:
Post a Comment