Carlson Exteriors was included on a national list of 200 Home Improvement Pros for 2018. This list tracks construction companies that continually grow despite the slowing economy. Last year 41% of our business was new roofs for Bloomington and surrounding cities. 37% was replacement siding for Bloomington and surrounding cities.
Al is December’s Employee of the Month. Consistent and dependable are words frequently used to describe Al. If you see him on your siding crew, know you are in good hands.
Ricky Schultz is no stranger to hard work. Not only did Ricky step up and fill the roles he normally doesn’t do, he EXCELLED at them! We are so lucky to have him as a versatile part of our team. Thank you Ricky!
Joe Schenk is no stranger to the Employee of the Month. He continually strives for perfection. He’s the first one to the job site and very organized. Thanks for all your hard work!
Making color selections can be very difficult and stressful for first time home builders; but it doesn’t have to be! Here are a few easy steps to get you started in knowing what you want, but just as important, what you don’t want.
Subdivisions are a great place to get color selections.
Drive Around Local Subdivisions
Your local neighborhoods are great resources to find combinations that you like. We usually suggest newer neighborhoods because are more likely to be up to date on all product styles and color offerings. Take photos and record address of homes that strike your fancy. These are great to share with your contractor.
Pebblestone clay siding, wicker handsplit shakes, red gable accents, white trim in Normal il
James Hardie Siding panels and real cedar siding in Heyworth Il
Look at Pinterest or Instagram
These two platforms are chalk full of photos. You will definitely find a wide array of styles, colors, and combinations. This is perfect to do when you have a few extra minutes or want to look late or night. The one downside to looking on Pinterest or Instagram is that not all products you see are guaranteed to be provided in your area or by your contractor.
Custom LP Smartside in dark grey
Browse Your Contractor’s Portfolio
Your contractor should have tons of photos readily available to you on their website. We love asking clients to start here because we know exactly what products/colors are installed on each home.
Ironstone grey siding with white trim, black roof, and faux wood garage doors in normal il
Meet With Your Contractor
Often times customers want to know what’s available in their budget or get a little reassurance from a professional. Meeting with your contractor lays a great foundation. They can even go through their online photos with you to help you visualize.
Mastic Deep Granite siding with Royal Weathered Grey hand split shakes, white trim, and moire black roof in Bloomington, IL
Customer testimonials and customer references seem like the same thing on the surface but they are very different and serve different purposes. They are equally important.
So what’s the difference?
Let’s start with the more familiar: Customer Reviews. You can find these on the contractor’s website, Facebook, and any Third Party website (like Google, BBB, Yelp, Home Advisor, etc.). When you start the hunt for the best roofer or perfect siding repair company, you should start by looking up reviews from previous customers. Click here to be taken to Carlson Exteriors’ page of testimonials.
Find Google reviews by clicking where the red arrow is pointing to
Example of Google Reviews
Things to take note of to help you gauge the contractor’s professionalism:
How recent are these reviews/ testimonials? How frequent do they occur? How many are there? You want to see a lot of recent and frequent reviews. Take in to consideration any off-seasons for exterior contractors; they will have less reviews during winter.
Do they talk about their experience working with the sales person/ Project Manager? A sales person or a Project Manager will likely be your first and main contact to the company. They should not apply any sales pressures or gimmicks – only treating you respect. They should be easy to communicate with and happy to answer any questions you may have.
Is Customer Service a common theme inreviews? For some reason, it’s easy to forget that contractors need to provide a high level of customer service. Remember you are paying them for their services.
Are there repeat customers? The true testament to a contractor is if you can find evidence of returning customers. If a homeowner was truly satisfied with a contractor’s work, that contractor will be the first one that homeowner calls.
How did the contractor handle mistakes? Even the best contractor is still human; they make mistakes. What separates the good contractors from the bad is how the mistakes are handled. Can you find evidence that problems were handled in a timely manner and to the customer’s satisfaction?
Example of BBB Reviews
Example of online reviews on Yellowpages.com
Now let’s talk about customer references! When you meet with your potential contractors ask them for a list of previous customers you can call. This way you can ask previous customers how the whole working experience was like. Perhaps you are shy and are not interested in calling a handful of strangers. Ultimately, customer references are more meatier, more detailed than customer reviews. Look to see if your contractor has any Customer Spotlights on their website. Examples of that are:
If you click those links you will find a before and after pictures, detailed descriptions of the job, and videos of interviews with the homeowners talking about their experience.
A couple weeks ago, Inc 5000 named the fastest-growing, private companies in America. Carlson Exteriors was thrilled to be recognized as one of the 5000!
Inc 5000 prides themselves on examining entrepreneurs every year to gauge the development. The look at rate and total revenue to rank companies.
We are so excited to be included for the second time in a row on the Qualified Remodeler’s Top 500 National List. We are the only Bloomington/Normal contractor to make the list!
If you are unfamiliar with the QR 500, they benchmark growth amongst remodeling companies. They use third party verification to ensure the companies that make the list deserve it.
David Brenner is this month’s employee of the Month! He works hard to keep the roofing crew on schedule and our customers happy. If you see him- Tell him thank you!
