DUH!   There it was right in front of my face.  Right there in the same sentence.

The R-5 window IS the "Super" Energy Star Window - 50% more energy efficient than the current Energy Star Window!

In our neck of the woods (Southern Oregon and Northern California) we are lucky as Atrium Windows has figured out how to get a triple glazed insulated glass unit that is Argon gas filled into their standard window.  Not only does that keep the cost down, but the standard thickness allows it to work in all applications - even mobile homes.

A window that is 50% more energy efficient for 35% more is a bargain in my book.  This is the window we've been looking for.

Click here for more info...and stop by one of our showrooms to check it out in person.

So call our Ashland Showroom and say HI to Alice.  Keep her busy - those knives are sharp!

Hard work should not go unrewarded.  I offered our employees the opportunity to set their own treat.  I worried they might go overboard, but I was willing to gamble.  So what did they pick?

For the 2nd year in a row they chose the Hellgate Jet Boat and Dinner.  Lot's of fun was had by all!

It's been dog eat dog fighting for every order.  Stretching my imagination.  How can I offer better service? How to better market to those customers that don't know me yet?  Day in and day out...fighting..... fighting for every order.  Some of my competitors have closed their doors.  There has just not been enough business for everyone....and only the strong can survive.

Then I woke up today with the news that one of my competitors, Davis Finish Products, burned to the ground overnight.  These were good people that served our community well.  I fought them for customers....that was my job....and they were tough competitors.....but this morning I feel so sad for them.

It could just as easily have been me.  It could be my family business in ashes this morning.  It could be my employees out of work.  And the dozens of famlies affected....just terrible.

I offer all those affected my sincerest condolences. 

Consumer Protection Hotline
1-877-877-9392
consumer.hotline@doj.state.or.us
https://www.doj.state.or.us/finfraud/concompform.shtml

So I looked these guys up on the internet and found out they ARE another bunch of slime balls people with questionable sales tactics.  They even have an "F" with the Better Business Bureau.  So here's a few snippets about these jerks.

BUYER BEWARE

I've read the claims on here against this company and I can say Most all of them are true. Commissions often do not get paid because the job "cancelled" according to the company, however when you drive by the home the windows were installed. I have witnessed this personally. They make outrageous claims about their product, promoting it as a European designed window yet it is nothing more than an LBL window with a piece of aluminum stuck in the top of the frame, and different weatherstripping. European?, how about Troutdale Oregon. I left the company almost 5 months ago and still Have not been paid all that was owed me, oh yeah and those" cancels? I have driven by myself and spoke to the clients and their windows were installed and the client never cancelled or even attempted to cancel. Next step is to talk to my attorney.

They came to our house!! They were EXTREMELY aggressive. When we told them we weren’t interested, they got even more aggressive and rude. They wouldn’t leave it alone.

I was (much to my chagrin) one of their customers. Evans claims they have a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, but I'm forced to conclude that this is simply a lie... we certainly haven't seen a penny of *our* money returned, and we're now going through the Construction Contractor's Board process to gain access to their bond (though Evans Glass is doing their damnedest to prolong the process).

BTW, the windows were shoddy, the installation looks like it was done by monkeys, and virtually every claim made to us in the sales presentation (You'll save at least 40% on your energy bills! We manufacture and install all our own windows! We installed all of the windows for Sears corporate buildings! Our windows are the most efficient on the market! You'll get a bunch of fantastic discounts... today only!) turned out to be absolutely false.

Evans Glass is a scam. Just last month it settled with the attorney general for $85,000 to avoid losing a deceptive practices lawsuit.

Lie: Evans Glass manufactures the Eurocraft window.
Truth: The "Eurocraft Window" is manufactured by VPI in Washington and LBL in Oregan. Evans Glass is just a reseller of the VPI Window which it marks up by a factor of 10x to 15x and tries to convince people is an original product.

Lie: Evans Glass was given the "2009 Best Choice Award" by Builder/Architect magazine.
Truth: More fraudulent marketing materials . Builder/Architect magazine is just a Eurocraft advertisement that Evans Glass created and tried to pass off as a 3rd party publication.

Longview city officials have alleged that a Seattle-based glass installation company is misusing the city’s name in telephone sales pitches.

The issue arose when Mary Jane Melink, a three-year Longview city councilwoman, received a call at home July 25 from a sales representative from Evans Glass selling window panes. The salesperson told Melink she could get $150 off per window because the company had a deal with the city to promote energy conservation, Melink said.

Melink didn’t recognize the program with the city. She asked the salesperson more details about the program and which department offered it, she said.

“Of course, they couldn’t answer my questions,” Melink said.

So Melink called City Hall and confirmed no such partnership existed. She filed a police report last week.

I've been hearing rumours that our small community, Southern Oregon and Northern California, is about to be the target of a very disreputable window company.  The economy has forced them to expand their territory and it seems we are in their cross-hairs.

I never talk about "the competition" in this manner, but in this case I feel compelled to make an exception.  When you read what follows you will understand and maybe thank me for it.  Forewarned is forearmed.  I am going to name names and so did the people I am going to quote.  If you cross their paths RUN the other way.

Consumer Protection Hotline
1-877-877-9392
consumer.hotline@doj.state.or.us

https://www.doj.state.or.us/finfraud/concompform.shtml

Read this guys experience with this company.

Read this guys experience too.

MUKILTEO, Wash. -- You've probably heard or seen the ads for Penguin windows. The promise: They would cut your energy bills by at least 40 percent.

Turns out, the State Attorney General's Office charges, the company could not back up that claims. "And that the claims themselves were false," said Assistant Attorney General Jack Zurlini.

Overall, the Attorney General’s Office accused Penguin of misrepresenting its products, making false claims about the energy savings customers would achieve, and misleading consumers into thinking that the in-home appointments they set up with Penguin were something other than sales calls.

"Penguin Windows has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau and over 50 complaints as of May-- Also Penguin recently settled a suit with the Attorney Generals office over misrepresentation and false claims: See http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/86025767.html or google "Penguin Windows Attorney General"

"Can't actually rate the windows; never got that far. When we made the appointment for them to come give an estimate, we expressed concern over complaints of 4-6 hour apointments. We were guaranteed that it would be 2 hours- no longer. Silly us for believing them. After 4+ hours, us refusing to talk to "the boss" after the rep repeatedly called him, and he giving us his personal sob story, we came to the conclusion that the only way they can sell their significanlty over-priced windows is to make a sale that night before you can compare companies. We went elsewhere for fairly priced windows from a company with a positive reputation. A year later, still loving them."

"I see the company as having a serious lack of integrity and I would NEVER suggest my worst enemy buy anything from Penguin.. Improvements: HONESTY, FAIR PRICES, INTEGRITY. REDUCTION OF GREED .....l.. Other: I worked at Penguin recently. In 2 days of training, it was OBVIOUS that my idea of INTEGRITY and Penguin's were solar systems apart. It would a chance to make a lot of money in hard economic times, I am so broke right now and I am receiving food stamps to survive. Yet, I could NOT and would NOT lie, cheat and bs customers out of money. I am in need, but I refused to adhere to Penguin's dishonest, and corrupt ways of doing business.."

"1 hour energy demo lasted almost 4 hours and wanted $68,000 (yes really 1/3 the purchase price of the house) to replace all the windows in the whole house. After telling him to get out several high pressure sales specials came up, still ended up throwing them out with great difficulty. Stay away from from Pengiun."

"Overpriced. High pressure tactics. Tried the old bait & switch where managemer offered 20% to make it look like a "deal". Still way above competitors' price for comparable window. I'd give no stars if I could. It's the most unethical company I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with. Stay away!!!"

"Sorry for the negative review, but I got ripped off by Penguin because I am stupid! Paid $1000 per window for these poor quality windows. A year later, no energy savings over the double paned vinyls I had, I was just as cold all winter, two windows have already jammed and they give you the run around when you call to have them honor their lifetime guarantee. Seriously thinking of calling the BBB or AG office. There ought to be a law as to what these sales sharks are allowed to charge. These window are worth about $100 apiece not $1000."

"SO I MANAGE TO GET AN INTERVIEW AND WAS HIRED FOR THERE SALES STAFF. I WENT THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE TWO WEEK TRAINDING COURSE BY THEIR TOP SALES PEOPLE FROM WASHINGTON STATE. WE WERE EVEN INSTRUCTED TO REMIND SENIORS OF REVERSE MORTGAGES TO PAY FOR THERE WINDOWS. I QUIT AFTER THE TRAINING WAS OVER AND DELIVERED A RATHER NASTY MESSAGE TO THEM ON HOW I FELT ABOUT THEIR SALES TACTICS AND WARRANTY THAT IS NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT IS WRITTEN ON. I NOW TRY TO EDUCATE ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN ABOUT THIS COMPANY. I HAVE MANAGED TO KEEP MY SMALL CONSTRUCTION BUISNESS GOING THROUGH THESE TOUGH TIMES BY BEING A PERSON OF INTEGRITY."

Personally, there is only so much bad news I can take before I must have some good news....and I go searching for it instead of waiting for it to cross my desk.  In this case I heard rumours of this and was waiting for it to be published and confirmed.

Ply Gem has announced that they are planning to go public.

So why is this good news and why does it interest me?

• CertainTeed Windows was our #1 brand just 6 years ago.  Slowly the quality and service declined to the point that it had become our bottom rung brand.  When Ply Gem purchased the window line from CertainTeed, a little over a year ago, I did not have high hopes.
• I have been proven wrong on multiple occasions over the past year.  We have done a few decent sized projects with no problems whatsoever.  Their inside team is now on the ball and knowledgable.  They have also stepped up to the marketing plate putting their money where it will do the most work for us, in turn producing sales for them.
• They have new products that we are about to roll out that will make for some very happy Southern Oregon and Northern California consumers.  More on that later.

Ply Gem must believe that we are at the "bottom of the market" and sees light at the end of the tunnel to move forward with an IPO at this time.  It is a very positive vision from them.

I have been doing "social networking" from day one.  First meeting hundreds of people online on bbs's then Prodigy.  Later running a local bbs that moved to the internet and offered free email to the local kids. 

I've watched the internet take off and morph into the mainstream.  And although I go to commercial websites all the time I never thought of Superior Windows & Doors in that way.  Although we have a website I never put 2 and 2 together and brought my business into the social networking world...till now.

In the same vain as Habitat for Humanity, the RVCDC model is based on new home owners putting in sweat equity.  They get to know their neighbors in ways that the rest of can never know, as they are all helping each other to build each others homes.

We are currently working with the RVCDC on an incredible passive solar affordable housing project.

Building a website, writing this blog, designing graphics, writing and producing tv commercials are all work and tedious and satisfying.....but the real fun is meeting people.

This time of year we have three home shows back to back.  The Jackson County Spring Home Show in February followed by the Yreka Home Show on Mother's Day followed one week later by the Josephine County Home Show.

Besides the great people we meet we usually work these shows with some of our favorite customers too.  So they turn out to be extra special times of getting to know each other a lot better.

Ed Westbrook working the Yreka Home Show

Peter McBennett working the Jackson County Spring Home Show

I tried to modify it......

But just could not make it work to my satisfaction.  So came the logo's and graphics that most are familiar with.

And although I had been much happier with this graphic representation of Superior Windows & Doors it still left a lot to be desired.  If you've ever been graced with one of our baseball caps then you know the logo on it was not the same one shown above.  It is not possible to embroider that window on a hat....nor reproduce it on our pens, tape measures, etc...

So we decided to hire a graphics designer and get it done right....finally.  Let me thank Tek-Printing Services for doing a spectacular job.   And now the new logo.  I hope you like it as much as we do.

We've been watching and waiting on the Environmental Protection Agency for the past year as they progressed further towards regulating the remodeling segment of the construction industry.  In order to protect "the kids" from the negative affects of lead based paint dust that is a by product of remodeling the EPA has developed a long list of rules that contractors must follow. 

If your home was built before 1978 you will be affected by this order starting on April 22nd.

As a father I concur with the basic premise:  Protect The Kids

It is the implimentation that bugs the heck out of me. 

First, I guess it is my natural inclination to follow news that affects me.  Most contractors had no idea this order was even coming.  Weeks after it took effect some of our local competitors did not know about it.  I found myself calling one of my friendly competitors to warn them that they were quoting a job incorrectly and could find themselves in trouble.

You must go through a training program and get "certified" by the EPA.  We were in the first class offered in Southern Oregon.  We brought our installers along to get them certified too.

Before doing any remodeling you should check to make sure your contractor is certified by the EPA.

Secondly, there was an opt-out provision in the original law that allowed homeowners with no kids to take a pass on the stringent, and costly, procedures.  That opt-out got dropped in the final order.  Why?  If it is in fact to "protect the kids" and there are no kids.....what's the problem?

I have a major aversion to government getting too involved in our lives.  They tend to get it wrong.  There are way too many people in government with more good intentions than common sense and brains.

All of that said, when we come to your home we will ask when it was built and if it is a pre-1978 home we will check it for lead based paint.  If it has none....it is business as usual.  If we do find lead in your paint we will take all precautions as prescribed by the EPA....most of which we would have done anyways.

I try to buy from the locally owned hardware store instead of Lowe's.
I try to patronize the locally owned restaurant instead of Applebee's.
I try to avoid Walmart at all times, but it gets harder all the time.

So I grabbed my wallet, pulled out my credit card and joined up with these folks that very day. I believe in putting my money where my heart is. If you too believe in this philosophy I would suggest giving them your support.

Buy Local Buy Rogue

Roy

With 2009 coming to an end (and what a year it was) I come to you with wishes of health, happiness and prosperity for the new year.

All of us at Superior Windows & Doors are optimistic about 2010 and are working towards making it our best year ever.

Roy

An empty shell that could be completed how I wanted it and right across the street from a simpatico company selling kitchen and bath supplies. Both of us were excited to have access to each others customers.

Swoosh! It was a whirlwind of activity. Negotiations, construction, signage, phones, packing, notifications, address changes, moving......... and all the while trying to continue to do business as usual.

The Ribbon Cutting was awesome....who doesn't love a party?

So it's Saturday morning, I'm having a cup of coffee and reading the news (online), and thinking about the past and the future and feeling awfully good. Fall is here with the leaves changing color. It's going to be a perfect 70 degrees and I am getting ready to go to the Medford office to put on my accounting hat....then off to the Ashland office to meet a client.

To some this may seem like a chore (going to work on a Saturday) and my life may appear to be filled with stress. Nothing could be further from the truth. I look outside and see the sun coming up in beautiful Southern Oregon and I think, "How lucky are we to be here?

It's a great day indeed, and I hope you are feeling as content as me.

Roy

But there we were on the front page of the Business Section in the Medford Mail Tribune.

To show our appreciation for the hard work and enthusiasm our employees show to you, our valued customers, we decided to take them and their significant others on the Hellgate Jet Boat Dinner Trip. A good time was had by all.

The economy being what it is it takes more than wishing and hoping to stay in business. It takes a lot of hard work to continue to offer the highest level of service when your profits are off. Those businesses that were not built on service to begin with will, obviously, be some of the first to go.

There are many reasons that businesses fail, but only a handful of reasons that they survive in bad times like these. The three most important reasons are Service Service Service.

During the past few months we have lost some competitors in the Rogue Valley. Keith Brown and Lumberman's in the lumber trade. The Pella Store is gone. WoodView is gone. And now I just heard that Philips Windows has shut down their NW manufacturing facility.

We really appreciate our customers and we look forward to working with you next year, and the year after.

Roy