Negotiate for the Best Price on Home Upgrades
The message that many homeowners receive today is that they should seek ways to increase the value of their homes. Upgrades are available for so many features of the modern home: appliances, electrical systems, security systems, gadgetry, decks, patios, and even doors and windows. Some companies specialize in upgrading just one aspect of the modern home. One such company is Penguin Windows. Based in the northwestern United States, since the early 1980s Penguin Windows has been challenging the competitive custom window replacement market through a direct sales model.
While other companies may have been in the field longer than Penguin Windows, the public turned its attention to Penguin in the summer of 2009 because Penguin Windows celebrated its 25th anniversary with a $25,000 sweepstakes. The commemoration of an anniversary with a sweepstakes may not necessarily be a new idea but it came at the height of the Great Recession of 2008-2009, and thus some people have suggested that Penguin Windows may have leveraged hard economic times better than many other companies.
It’s hard to make qualitative assessments of custom window replacement. You can certainly buy replacement windows for your home in do-it-yourself home stores but companies that specialize in high end replacement claim that their products are superior. They may also offer extended customer service and warranties that might not come with store-bought windows.
Before making a final decision on whether to replace your windows with low-cost retail products or custom-manufactured products, consider talking with several replacement firms. And here is a tip: assume they have some flexibility in the purchase price. Unlike with retail outlets you may be able to persuade the salespeople to reduce their prices by 20-30%, perhaps more, just by insisting they make their best offer.
Although you don’t want to deprive a hard-working salesperson of his income, neither do you want to be the only person on your block who paid full price. So be sure to talk with several competitors in the market place and keep and open mind.
