Making The Window Business

Transparent For The Consumer

By Kaaren Valenta

Tony Gorin considers himself a man with a mission, and it’s not just to sell remodeling services.

“A lot of people who hire contractors wind up unhappy with the products and service they receive,” he said. “It gives the entire industry a bad name. I want to educate people. The only way you can make an intelligent remodeling decision and get the results you want is to have all the facts you need up front.”

Every year thousands of homeowners decide to replace their windows or doors, re-side or re-roof their houses, but are not sure where to go, what to watch out for, whom to trust, or what to buy. Many are overcharged by high-priced window and siding retailers or ripped off by unscrupulous, dishonest contractors.

Tony Gorin wants to improve the profession. He and his wife, Anne, who have operated Windowland, LLC, at 3 Simm Lane in Newtown since 1997, have dedicated their business to educating homeowners to avoid common mistakes that can be made when contracting a project.

“I’ve worked in the [remodeling] business for 15 years and I’ve seen the trend of contractors to sell at the cheapest price,” Mr Gorin said. “Fifteen percent of my business last year was replacing someone else’s work – work that was just six months to seven years old.”

“We wanted to operate differently – to educate, provide free reports, to hold seminars,” he said. “We are members of  NARI, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, and follow its code of ethics. We want to help people, even if they don’t buy from us.”

Mr Gorin and his wife came to the United States from Russia in 1988 on visas at the invitation of a professor from Southern Connecticut State University. Once here, the Russian Orthodox Church in New Britain offered to help them stay.

“It was tough to get out and tough for the first few years,” Mr Gorin said. “We came basically with a suitcase. My wife was six months pregnant with our daughter, Alexandra.”

In Moscow Mr Gorin worked with his father, a former professional athlete who had a remodeling business, and for the national tourist agency which provided tour guides and interpreters for foreign visitors.

“I was good at languages – the college I attended specialized in foreign languages,” he explained. “One of the visitors was the professor and he invited us to come to the United States.”

 Here, Mr Gorin soon found work in the building trades and, after working for several companies, decided to open his own business in Wilton in 1996. He soon outgrew the showroom, and found a larger,  more centrally located facility in Newtown the following year.

“I service customers in a 75-mile radius,” he said. “I usually won’t take jobs outside that area because I have so much work.”

Tony Gorin said a major problem in the remodeling industry is that the trend is “going cheaper – lowering people’s standards.”

“If the price is attractive, people want to buy it,” he said. “If you go to one of the large home improvement centers, you will find low prices but the products will be low standard, builders’ quality.”

Better quality products aren’t that much more expensive, he said. “You have to calculate the price over the life of the product. If it fails, you’ve lost your investment.”

Connecticut has no universal codes and requirements for the remodeling industry, he said.

“New construction has to be done to meet code. The building inspector comes to check it after it is done. But that isn’t true when you have windows replaced, or siding or a new roof. The building inspector doesn’t come afterwards and check it. The permit that is required to do the work only verifies that the contractor has a license.”

Mr Gorin publishes a free report, Ten Secrets to Successful Remodeling: The Report Over-Priced Retailers Don’t Want You To Read. The report provides advice on how to choose the right contractor and purchasing tips to save money. It explains most popular and costly misconceptions about remodeling, and it offers 10 questions homeowners should ask before they invite a contractor into their home.

Following are some things to avoid when choosing a contractor, according to Mr Gorin:

Avoid any contractor or salesperson who tries to pressure you into signing a contract immediately with promises of big advertising, discount, or a special low price that is available only today. These are just gimmicks.

Avoid any contractors who do not provide references or who try to give out-of-date information or credentials that are no longer valid. Look for the expiration date on licenses.

Stay away from contractors who ask for a sizeable amount of money up front or who ask for cash instead of a check. This is a sure sign of tax problems that homeowners don’t want any part of.

Be very careful about the lowest price. Shortcuts that may be taken will affect the life of the product.

Mr Gorin said Windowland does not offer the cheapest product. “We try to position ourselves in the middle to meet most people’s budgets,” he said. “We specialize in windows, vinyl siding, and entry doors, but also do some roofs and decks. I have four crews and only hire people who have a minimum of 15 years’ experience.”

“When a job is completed, we send warranties and also a questionnaire. We have a performance evaluation form. I want to know if there are any problems, so I can correct the process. We provide copies of all our licenses and a certificate of insurance so the customer can prove that it is still in effect. Some remodelers let their insurance lapse after they obtain it,” he warned. “And Windowland also will provide lien wavers to protect the customer against any liens by subcontractors.”

All of these are available up front, Mr Gorin said. “There is no ‘fine print.’ All parts are warranted for life – no exclusions or limitations.”

Mr Gorin said Windowland is the exclusive area distributor of Vasco products, a Canadian firm that makes top-quality products that are able to withstand the extremes of a northern climate. “They have nice, clean lines and are very high quality. We guarantee in writing that they will save 35 percent of the homeowner’s heating bill. If it doesn’t happen, we will pay for it. We know how much heat they save because we had them tested by an independent lab.”

Windowland provides a free inspection once a year for the first three years to be sure there are no problems. And the company offers a one-year “fair price” guarantee.

 Windowland  participates in the home shows at the Danbury Mall but doesn’t have a real presence in Newtown, Mr Gorin said, because zoning laws prevent him from putting up a sign on South Main Street separate from the sign that lists all companies in the business park.

 “Nobody really knows we are here,” he said. “But we have windows on display for anyone who wants to come in and see. We give free estimates, with no obligation.”

Windowland is a member of NARI, the Better Business Bureau, and the Newtown Chamber of Commerce. For a free copy of Ten Secrets to Successful Remodeling, call 800/815-0226. Windowland has a Web site at www.windowland.net.