Questions to Ask Awning Contractors and Their References
Questions to Ask an Awning Contractor
After you have called several local contractors about your awning installation project, it’s time to take the next step and interview your favorite choices in person. Invite these companies to your home to see the installation site and submit bids for the work. While they’re at your home, consider asking them the following questions:
- How much time will it take to get my new awnings?
- Will I need to special order the window awnings I want or are they available to take home right away?
- Will you need to install the awnings or can I do it myself?
- Do you have customer references whom I can call?
- How would I handle future service issues? Are you responsible for warranty work if there’s ever a problem with my new awnings?
- What can I do to ease the purchase and installation of my awnings?
Remember, it’s smart to get bids from three to five awning companies. That will give you a range of bids and companies from which to choose, and it’ll help you see if one company charges much more or less than the rest. As always, you get what you pay for when hiring an awning installer, so you’ll want to focus on value and service instead of price alone.
Questions to Ask an Awning Company’s References
In addition to interviewing awning contractors in person, it’s wise to ask for a list of references whom you can speak with. Specifically ask for the company’s five most recent customers, then give them a call and ask the following questions:
- Were you satisfied with the awnings you purchased from and/or had installed by the company?
- Was the staff at the awning store able to suggest the best type of awnings for your needs?
- What was the type and scope of job they did for you?
- Did the awning store have the awnings you wanted in stock or did you have to special order them? If so, did they arrive in the time frame promised?
- Did the contractor keep you up-to-date on the status of your awnings?
- Did the company complete the work on time and as promised?
- Were there unexpected costs associated with your new awnings or awning installation? If so, what were they for and were they avoidable?
- If you live in a rural area, did the contractor charge extra to travel to your home?
- Was the company responsive to your needs and mindful of your budget?
- What was the best part about working with this awning company?
- Was there anything that concerned you or that went wrong?
- If you need new awnings for your home or business in the future, would you use this company again?
Keep in mind that references provided by awning companies can be cherry-picked or even fake, so you’ll need to use your best judgment when researching them. To get greater assurance, consider hiring a Diamond Certified awning company. All Diamond Certified companies have passed an in-depth rating process that most other companies can’t pass. Part of this process involves conducting telephone interviews of actual customers. References provided by an awning contractor are not equal in value to the large, random sample of customers surveyed during the Diamond Certified rating process. So, if you want quality, you’ll have confidence choosing a Diamond Certified company.
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