The people have been asking, so we sat down with our Chief Operating Officer, Tim, to get an answer (and asked a few questions of our own.)
Q: Why Did CalCo Stop Doing Kitchens?
We get this question a lot! We simply don’t advertise or take on new clients for kitchen-only projects. We made this shift based on our clients’ needs in the current market. There was a new home construction boom between 190 and 1995. Those homes are now 30-55 years old and in desperate need of bathroom updates. For this reason we focused our energy and resources to provide our community with much needed bathroom solutions.
But here’s a secret: we are often working on kitchen projects in the background for our clients whose bathrooms we’ve already completed and who have asked us to return for their kitchen. Plus, kitchens are fun!
Q: Why did CalCo start doing windows and doors, and are you qualified to install them?
Same deal as bathrooms. We received a lot of requests from our clients who had a great bathroom remodel experience who also needed the benefits of updating their windows efficiency, comfort, aesthetics, etc. It also turns out that the life span of a window is similar to that of a bathroom.
Our community asked and we answered. When the team met to decide on this program, we quickly realized how qualified we were to handle the task. Team members have years of experience with window and door installation, along with many window manufacturer installation and warranty certifications.
Q: Why did it take CalCo so long to start offering windows, then?
Providing good window service involves much more than meets the eye, and significant behind-the-scenes work was required to ensure our offerings aligned with our standards. Let’s break it down in reverse order.
- The obvious element needed would be experienced team members who can execute a window project. Next would be an installation SOP to ensure that our quality is consistent across the board.
- Next we had to gear up our warehouse facilities to handle a large quantity of windows and doors (that was the easy part). This is way more than simply storing windows until they go out to a job site. Just like in our bathroom projects, we inspect every part and component necessary to complete a project. So we had to develop an SOP and train our team members for our window and door QC process.
- Now for the time-consuming part: we interviewed numerous window manufacturers to partner with for this program, and some very specific boxes needed to be checked on our list. Here is my recipe. The product quality had to be high, the cost had to be reasonable, the right options needed to be available, the lead time had to be acceptable, and we needed to run a logistics test to ensure the product would arrive on time and in good condition. Most importantly, I needed to know that the level of support and ownership the manufacturer provided was consistent with the support and ownership we give our clients.
Q: What do installing a window or door and building a shower actually have in common?
On the surface you could point to the obvious things; the use of particular tools or carpentry skills which both types of projects would require. But honestly as someone who has truly invested a large amount of time and effort into both of these industry spaces, I can tell you the real common thread is the satisfaction in, and the passion for attention to detail.
Every single bathroom or window and door project comes with its own lesson and opportunity for growth or innovation and that’s an opportunity we do not take for granted.
Q: So who does CalCo’s window and door installations, and what’s their background?
We have a pretty wide range of relevant backgrounds within the team. We have some younger installers like Sam who, in their mid-20s, have already gotten their Lead Safe certifications and installed hundreds of windows from a range of different manufacturers. We also have more seasoned lead installers like Greg or Drew who have planned, measured and installed windows and doors not only as a focus but also as one piece of a larger scope of their work required to complete extensive interior and exterior remodeling projects.
Additionally, our project manager Jerod has personally worked directly with some of the largest window manufacturers in the country on quality assurance as a lead warranty technician, certified installer and inspector helping to problem-solve and coordinate solutions for both manufacturing and installation-related issues. When you add the dedication to quality and customer experience that comes straight from CalCo’s ownership, that is what truly allows us to succeed in delivering for our customers.
Thinking about windows, doors, or a bathroom remodel?
If your home is due for either, we’d love to talk through what that looks like for your space. Give us a call or fill out the contact form today to get started.
