im currently running a window crew installing for a discount window company. the price we get paid for these windows is below par for the industry. however the number of windows i get in a week has nearly no limit. one guy can only do so many windows in a day. ive hired more guys so as to install more windows per day. as you can imagine this can easily compound problems with the quality of installs if im not on top of my guys. i guess my question is are there other guys on here running a big window crew and what are some of the processes that have been incorporated in order to perfect this situation. i have 30 windows to install tomorrow, all with caps. my record so far is 26 with cap in one day. i have myself and up to 4 other helps. any information would be appreciated, questions are also welcome.
running a window crew
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When my guys install a 30 in a day including wraps they break it down by tasks. Say first guy pulls the sash's, second guy sticks new window in and caulks, third guy just wraps them.
Or something similar.
Crew leader should be wrapping so he can quality check everything since he's last to cap.
Or something similar.
Crew leader should be wrapping so he can quality check everything since he's last to cap.
Ive been doing windows for 9 years and this method has worked great for me
Myself and 3 guys
Get out and unload all tools
Everybody chisels out stopmolds (if its a wood wdw)
Everybody carries windows to the areas to be installed. Dont put them too close to your opening or theyll get dirty!
2 guys start setting one inside sets and adjusts then caulks while outside guy insulates around window.
As soon as the first wdw is set, I start making metal and let my best trimmer start trimming immediately.(Make sure its your best, cause he will trim a lot of them)
As soon as guys are done setting, one trims and the least experienced starts cleaning up.
When Im done with metal, I trim too, but on 15 or less I usually dont even put my tool belt on. This works great for me. Everyone knows what to do when we get there. I think that is the most important part. Hope it helps you:thumbsup:
Myself and 3 guys
Get out and unload all tools
Everybody chisels out stopmolds (if its a wood wdw)
Everybody carries windows to the areas to be installed. Dont put them too close to your opening or theyll get dirty!
2 guys start setting one inside sets and adjusts then caulks while outside guy insulates around window.
As soon as the first wdw is set, I start making metal and let my best trimmer start trimming immediately.(Make sure its your best, cause he will trim a lot of them)
As soon as guys are done setting, one trims and the least experienced starts cleaning up.
When Im done with metal, I trim too, but on 15 or less I usually dont even put my tool belt on. This works great for me. Everyone knows what to do when we get there. I think that is the most important part. Hope it helps you:thumbsup:
This is almost exactly what we do. We try to keep everyone busy doing something they're good at.
Gotta say we must be kinda slow though, have never done even close to 30 windows in one day. We tend to work hard for 7-9 hours and call it a day. People start getting tired and ornery and the work starts to suffer.
In my area the low budget companies that want to pay crap out number the good companies.
Its hard to understand how people can make it on what some of them are offering, and most likely only going to get worse.
Responded to an ad for a new one in town a while back, they were paying roughly $35/window less than our main employer.
The guy(ex sears salesman) actually told me "sure, we pay less per window but when I show you how we install and wrap them you will be so much faster you'll actually make more money overall" :laughing:.
thanks abky it was a help. what i know is that the window industry is changing. be it good or bad, things are changing. besides the difficulty of finding work in general, prices have dropped across the board. when it comes down to it, money is money and to survive i just have to adapt my procedures. never would i short the customer on a bad install. i hear alot of complaining about the discount window companies, they do have a down side. i either give them what they want at the price they want it or i have the freedom to sit. ill choose the work, no matter what it takes. oh and i had just an hour and a half left of work after one day on my 30 windows. it comes down to my ability to train my guys and keep them in line as well as motivated. thats tough to do pushing 12 hour days all week.
How do they pay you, out of curiosity, per window?
Companies like window world, clear choice, etc pay $40-$45/window installed and capped in my area. They also sell jobs without capping, their guys can make some decent money if they just stick the windows in the hole and caulk.
Your not gunna get rich at twice that, personally I'd be flipping burgers before I drag all my crap out and install a window for $40
arty:And what is your profit?
I usually get between 60 and 70 a wdw too. I know by the time they pay for material they usually make 25-30 a wdw. To me thats OK. As far as the big box companies like WW, I wont fool with them for 35 a hole either, but I dont blame anybody for putting them in. Poisgo has to eat just like everybody else. I remember doing stuff cheap to get by, and I still have to occasionally. Right now we're all just trying to stay afloat. I think it will be at least 2 years before Windows start booming again. Till then, we just have to hang in there, but my arms are already gettin tired! Poisgo, push the heck outta your guys at least 3 days a week and dont be afraid to pizz em off. The ones that stay will be the ones you need. If they keep making wdws heavier every year youll go through em anyway. Windows today ten times heavier than they were just 5 years ago. Or maybe Im gettin old?:sad:
Not trying to be rude to poisgo, he sounds like a nice guy and a very hard worker. We all are trying to make a living.
My comments are more based on my own frustration with the direction our business is headed in general.
Just that when you look at the day to day job of installing windows you don't average 30 wood out windows per house. Theres alot of crap jobs mixed in there with the nice ones generally, not to mention the time spent loading/driving/etc. Don't forget that nice 1099 we get come January.
Got a friend that installed for ww for awhile, after it was all said and done he figured he averaged about $12/hour. I would seriously sit on my a$$ in a gas station or whatever I could find before donating my sweat and blood (not to mention my truck and trailer) for that.
Talking about job quality, about once a week I pull up to a job that has aluminum windows in t-111 or masonite with no trim, just siding right up to the window. The sales guys don't address this, and its alot of extra work to cut back siding, add wood/drip cap, then wrap.
I call the company, they say "fix it so it looks good and won't leak and fill out a labor bill."
What do the low budget companies do in this situation?(honest question, I am curious:blink
Whats kinda ironic is that being a sub makes me a hack of sorts on jobs I sell myself.(by the forums general standards:jester
When I make 2+ times the cash for basically the same work I do for random company X I'm happy, so I tend to be a little lower on price.arty:
I never looked at it that way before I started subbing, always tried to get at least what I figured the "going rate" was.
My comments are more based on my own frustration with the direction our business is headed in general.
Just that when you look at the day to day job of installing windows you don't average 30 wood out windows per house. Theres alot of crap jobs mixed in there with the nice ones generally, not to mention the time spent loading/driving/etc. Don't forget that nice 1099 we get come January.
Got a friend that installed for ww for awhile, after it was all said and done he figured he averaged about $12/hour. I would seriously sit on my a$$ in a gas station or whatever I could find before donating my sweat and blood (not to mention my truck and trailer) for that.
Talking about job quality, about once a week I pull up to a job that has aluminum windows in t-111 or masonite with no trim, just siding right up to the window. The sales guys don't address this, and its alot of extra work to cut back siding, add wood/drip cap, then wrap.
I call the company, they say "fix it so it looks good and won't leak and fill out a labor bill."
What do the low budget companies do in this situation?(honest question, I am curious:blink
Whats kinda ironic is that being a sub makes me a hack of sorts on jobs I sell myself.(by the forums general standards:jester
When I make 2+ times the cash for basically the same work I do for random company X I'm happy, so I tend to be a little lower on price.
arty:I never looked at it that way before I started subbing, always tried to get at least what I figured the "going rate" was.
an installer gets screwed sometimes with extra labor when dealing with the discount companies. its a, take the good with the bad, situation. i always say i got tricks. these tricks allow me to bypass obstacles i see other installers deal with for far too long. when im running a big crew an obstacle can cost me alot if i cant negotiate a remedy and implement it right away. this happens from time to time. the more tricks you got and the effectiveness of said tricks will make or break a job. not only do you have to devise a quick solution, but it also has to be a solution that can be immediately conveyed to all helpers so the entire job can remains in flow. again all this information is priceless, all input. whether i believe another is right or wrong, they likely have something i can learn from. so thank you for all replies.
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