The more you know about how to choose your products, the more confident we are that you'll choose Schmidt Siding & Window Company. Browse our buyers guides below:
Three questions you should ask every door company:
At Schmidts, our price includes everything you need to complete the installation: sales tax, hardware, labor and wrapping both exterior casing and interior casing.
At Schmidts, all of our doors come pre-finished in your choice of 16 colors and/or 9 stained finishes. Custom colors are also available and all finishes are clear-coated for durability.
The price may initially seem like less, but once you start adding up the items that are not included in the lumber yard price, you’ll find that our doors are your wisest investment. Again, our door price includes sales tax, labor, hardware, painted or stained finishes, disposal of the old door, and last (but by no means least), service from our trained and experienced installers.
Three questions you should ask every door company:
At Schmidts, our price includes everything you need to complete the installation: sales tax, hardware, labor and wrapping both exterior casing and interior casing.
At Schmidts, all of our doors come pre-finished in your choice of 16 colors and/or 9 stained finishes. Custom colors are also available and all finishes are clear-coated for durability.
The price may initially seem like less, but once you start adding up the items that are not included in the lumber yard price, you’ll find that our doors are your wisest investment. Again, our door price includes sales tax, labor, hardware, painted or stained finishes, disposal of the old door, and last (but by no means least), service from our trained and experienced installers.
Four questions you should ask every gutter company:
Most companies provide you with few options and tell you they can “come close” to matching your existing fascia color. At Schmidts, we warehouse over 40 colors in 3 distinctive finishes. We also have access to 40 additional colors through special order.
The majority of companies can only offer larger downspouts. But Schmidt Siding & Window provides you with 4 options:
Many rain gutter companies cut and bend down the gutter to affix the downspouts. At Schmidts, we punch a precise hole to accommodate a flanged drop tube to connect every downspout to your rain gutter system. This solidifies the connection between gutter and downspout and allows for a problem-free ow of water.
Most gutter companies jeopardize your home’s foundation with short 1 to 3 foot long extensions or do not install any at all. Schmidt Siding & Window’s standard extension is 5 feet long and also tips up to maximize your ground water control and makes lawn mowing easier.
Five questions you should ask every gutter protection company:
Many gutter protection installation companies switch brands frequently, short-changing their customers in warranty and service and also failing to develop consistent installation techniques. Schmidts has installed over 40,000 feet per year since becoming an authorized Gutter Helmet dealer in 1991. Gutter Helmet is the original gutter protection system and gives our company a competitive edge over all other newly marketed imitations.
While other companies may try to pressure you into replacing your gutters with their one-piece systems, Schmidts is busy inspecting your existing gutters to ensure a problem-free solution. Our two-piece gutter protection system allows us to utilize your existing gutter, thereby saving you money.
Gutter Helmet will neither create nor eliminate ice. Ice and ice dams are formed from other causes, usually poor or inadequate insulation (ask our sales team about helmet heat). Gutter Helmet does a marvelous job of eliminating damage to gutter systems by preventing most of the ice from building up within the gutter and downspouts themselves. Because some other gutter protection systems lack a nose-forward design, they have at surface that does hold water — causing ice to form and possibly harming your gutters and roof.
Many companies will charge you to service their system. Gutter Helmet installed by Schmidts has a proven nose-forward design and comes with a fully transferable lifetime “Never clean your gutters again” warranty. And, if they should clog, just call us and we will clean them for free.
Beware of false and misleading information or claims. In our almost 2 decades of experience installing Gutter Helmet, no roof has ever been damaged and no roof warranty has ever been compromised. But many other gutter protection systems can cause ice dams, which in turn can damage your roof.
Four questions you should ask every gutter company:
Most companies provide you with few options and tell you they can “come close” to matching your existing fascia color. At Schmidts, we warehouse over 40 colors in 3 distinctive finishes. We also have access to 40 additional colors through special order.
The majority of companies can only offer larger downspouts. But Schmidt Siding & Window provides you with 4 options.
Many rain gutter companies cut and bend down the gutter to affix the downspouts. At Schmidts, we punch a precise hole to accommodate a flanged drop tube to connect every downspout to your rain gutter system. This solidifies the connection between gutter and downspout and allows for a problem-free ow of water.
Six questions you should ask every siding company:
Frequently we hear from homeowners who’ve been badgered by high-pressure sales reps from other companies who refuse to take “no” for an answer. We know that your time is valuable. Our sales person prefers to simply introduce our products, answer your questions, measure your project, quote a price and leave behind a proposal and a sense of fairness in the sales process. We also know that this is a large investment and we want you to be comfortable with all aspects of your siding project. Homeowners are rarely ready to make a hasty decision at the end of our sales person’s initial visit to their home. We prefer that prospective customers take the time to make a well-informed confident decision, and we encourage them to take the list of homes that we have completed for other homeowners and drive past some of them to see our craftsmanship.
There may not be a more important question to ask than this one. Many companies outsource the installation of their siding products to sub-contractors, eliminating their responsibility to guarantee workmanship and potentially creating insurance liability issues for the homeowner. Other companies may employ installers with varied levels of experience and professionalism, and their crews may end up at the job site off and on for several weeks before fully completing the project. Homeowners working with companies like these have no guarantee that they’re getting a top-quality job.
“Experience is the Difference” is more than a slogan at Schmidt Siding & Window Co. Our siding crew foremen have an average of 15 years of experience installing ABC Seamless steel siding. All crew members are courteous, highly-trained and efficient, and take great pride in their craftsmanship. In short, we think you will enjoy having them around! This is very important to us as 38 percent of our business is a result of repeat business from satis ed customers.
Numerous siding companies cut corners by using only white mounts on homes, even if the siding is another color. At Schmidts all of our accessories match our siding colors, providing a more professional and complete overall look. We offer a complete list of homes that we have completed so you can see our craftsmanship and the beautiful result of having ABC Seamless steel siding.
Many home improvement companies make numerous claims about their siding warranties. In reality, however, their soffit and fascia, trim and rain gutters may have been purchased through other sources and vendors. These outsourced products may have an entirely different texture and color palette than what is offered by the siding manufacturer, and the quality and gauge thickness of the metal may vary quite dramatically depending on source standards. These outsourced products have their own warranties, which generally are not covered by the siding warranty. At Schmidt Siding & Window, all siding, soffit and fascia, trim, rain gutters and downspouts have identical paint finishes, color and a warranty backed by three strong companies – ABC Seamless, Edco Products and Schmidt Siding & Window. Remember, no warranty is any stronger than the company backing it!
Some home improvement companies make extravagant claims regarding their product warranties. But frequently what they tell you and what the written warranty actually states are not the same. If it sounds too good to be true, that may be the case. Be sure to ask for a copy of the manufacturers’ warranties and make your comparison based on what you read, not what you are being told. The sales consultants at Schmidts take the time to provide you with all the information you need to enable you to make a well-informed decision, including warranty information.
The decision to remove your existing siding or leave it on before the installation of the new siding will depend primarily on the siding’s condition and type. You can make this decision with our sales consultant upon a close inspection of the existing siding. During the inspection our sales consultant will explain the advantages and disadvantages of its removal. There is also one very important factor you will need to take into consideration before making your final decision. What type of an insulation underlayment will be installed? There are a variety of underlayments on the market, but be careful – some types are less expensive but absorb moisture, which can destroy its insulation value and cause other potential problems. At Schmidts, we exclusively use Green Guard, which carries the certified Energy Star Rating. We not only want to beautify your home, but protect it. We take our company slogan, “Between You and the Weather Since 1949,” seriously.
Six questions you should ask every window company:
Some companies change their brands often, trying to find their own better deal and leaving previous window customers without service and on their own with warranty issues. Since 1997, Schmidt Siding & Window has installed Renewal by Andersen Windows. We take great pride in being able to service the products we sell.
Yes, if the replacement window frames reduce the glass area of the window. The Renewal by Andersen custom replacement window company uses a strong fibrex composition allowing for narrower framework. This maintains the original glass appearance and integrity of your windows.
To see, feel, lift, tilt and operate a full-size, fully operating window is what we always suggest to our prospective customers. We can demonstrate all of the different window styles — bay window, double-hung, glider, casement or patio door — right in our state-of-the-art showroom. You can lift, slide, tilt open and close all of the units. It is always best to know exactly what you are getting before you buy. If you only look at a small sample during an in-home demonstration, you will not get the true experience of seeing an actual full-size window.
Many warranties sound good until you dig a little deeper. The last thing you want is to be stuck with an expensive service bill for a defective product. Make sure to find out the terms of the manufacturer’s written warranty, as well as the installation warranty. You will be able to tell if your installer has confidence in the products they carry.
Some window companies only include energy efficient glass or frames in their ratings. This means that the glass may be considered efficient, but the window’s overall performance might be poor.
Green Seal is a national non-pro t environmental organization that helps consumers choose environmentally responsible products. Andersen Corporation is the first and only window manufacturer to receive Green Seal Certification, including certification of all Renewal by Andersen custom replacement windows.
Green Seal estimates that if all windows in the U.S. were as energy efficient as those made by Andersen, Americans would save up to 2.5 percent of the annual U.S. energy consumption – an estimated 200 gallons of oil for every household in the U.S.
We've been transforming and protecting homes and businesses in southern Minnesota since 1949.
