The Value of a Free Consultation Appointment with Hometown Window & Door Company
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Photographer / Brian Brosmer
For years Kelly Goshorn had been eager to transform her 20×16 back porch into a true four-season sunroom by installing quality custom-made windows. Her project required giant windows on all three sides. She didn’t want to see a seam in the middle of a double-hung window, so she requested one-pane glass with crank handles that open vertically rather than horizontally.
“I like to look out my backyard at the cardinals so I wanted the visibility,” she says. “In total, I had 17 odd-shaped windows that I needed to special order.”
She invited several companies to come to her house and provide a quote. Some of them didn’t seem to grasp Goshorn’s vision. One did, however.
“When Scott Dorrell with Hometown Window and Door came out, he immediately understood what I wanted,” Goshorn says.
This is why an initial consult is so important when shopping for windows.
“Window projects aren’t something you do a bunch of times in your life so you want to pick a company you can trust who will educate you and guide you through all your options,” says Dorrell, sales manager with Hometown Window and Door. He notes that not every consultation results in a sale, and that’s okay.
“Sometimes we find while going through a consultation that we aren’t the best fit,” he says. “We’re more concerned with helping people navigate home improvements.”
Hometown Window and Door is a small boutique Andersen dealership servicing Indiana. Andersen is the oldest window manufacturer in America. As a full-line Andersen dealer, they offer more options than any other standard window company.
“We don’t try to tell you how what we have is going to be best for you,” says Joe Bishop, design consultant for Hometown Window. “Instead, we find the best fit for you with what we have.”
The Hometown team, all certified installers, believe that Andersen makes the best products in the Midwest, and that’s backed with a quality installation.
“You can sell a wonderful product, but if you can’t put it in right, that doesn’t really mean anything,” says Andy Brown, GM at Hometown Window. “We take a lot of pride in the fact that Hometown is a family-owned and operated company, delivering quality products to consumers. From the sales process to the finishing touches, we make sure clients have a perfect install.”
Hometown Windows, a full in-house team, has been in the industry a long time.
“Cumulatively, it’s crazy how much knowledge we have in this business,” says Dorrell, noting that they provide an expert presentation before helping clients find a product that fits their needs.
Bishop asks his clients a series of questions to determine what’s most important to them. For instance, some people’s main concern is energy efficiency while others care more about the design aesthetic. In some cases, clients are looking for an overall improvement in a couple of different areas. Or perhaps they just want something that’s easier to use.
“We only figure out their needs and wants by asking the right questions,” Bishop says.
Hometown Windows has more options than any other standard window company. As a full-line Andersen dealer, they have five different windows that Andersen makes. Within each of those lines are additional options.
“In the final analysis, I don’t really care about the windows,” he says. “I care about the customer being happy with what they’re getting because if they don’t get what they want or are trying to accomplish, I’m not doing my job.”
Whether you’re purchasing one door or 100 windows, the quality process is the same. They offer a full-frame installation as well as replacement style inserts. This means that they have the ability to go down all the way to the rough opening, which is ultimately going to give the customer better energy efficiency and they are not going to lose any glass with a new window.
“When you do an insert window, which is what a traditional replacement is, ultimately you’re putting a smaller window with a frame inside of the original window frame,” Bishop says. “While it’s quicker and easier, it also requires a lower level of installation. The end result for the customer is less efficiency as well as loss of glass, sometimes as much as three or four inches. There’s really only a handful of people who can offer that style of installation.”
When getting a window replacement, important factors to consider include design, materials, energy efficiency, beauty, window types, and even your home’s architecture. And that’s one of the reasons why you need a Window Expert – Arlington company. These professionals can make the right recommendations as well as give you the best tips and advice based on your needs, preferences, and budget.
Dorrell stresses that you don’t have to be ready to jump on a project just because you set up a free consult. It can be a purely informational session in which you talk through the project you’re considering, have the Hometown team inspect your home, identify potential issues and discuss options. The free consultation usually takes between 60 and 90 minutes but could be less or more.
“I’ve gone to do a front entry door and sat with a customer for 2.5 hours because they wanted to look at every single design option under the sun and that’s completely fine,” Dorrell says. “They may not even buy because they sometimes experience paralysis of analysis.”
Goshorn was impressed not only by the initial consult with Dorrell but also with the installation team’s professionalism, punctuality, knowledge and kindness.
“The six-man crew arrived early, got to work, got done early, and were so pleasant to have in the house,” Goshorn says. “They knew exactly what they were doing.”
She describes herself as a picky customer but was greatly impressed with their customer service.
“The Hometown Window team exceeded my expectations,” she says. “The way they trimmed it all out added a lot of value to my home. I’m tickled pink with the end result.”
Goshorn has always enjoyed sitting out on the back porch even when she had sub-par windows. Now her enjoyment has been elevated to another level.
“I love that room now,” she says. Though fall is a beautiful season, she’s eager for the first flakes to fly this winter. “I can’t wait because it’ll feel like we’re sitting inside a snow globe.”
Hometown Window and Door Company is located at 1710 S. 10th Street, Noblesville. Their main showroom is at 240 W. Carmel Drive. For more information, call 317-773-2100 or visit hometownwindowteam.com.
