Truitt and White began the New Year with two informative and practical window clinics, held on January 22 and 26 one geared to the builder, the other the homeowner. Presenter Chris Martin of Marvin Windows worked with Truitt and White staff to provide in-depth information on wood replacement windows at the first clinics in the three part series. Chris has been our Marvin representative for 10 years and brings his expertise to builders and homeowners alike. According to Chris, the clinics proved popular with both these groups.

Benefits to the Homeowner

During the clinic for the homeowner, Chris talked about installing the Marvin Tilt Pac replacement window product. “If they have average carpentry skills and if they’re gung ho to try it, I encourage them to go ahead and do a laundry room or garage window first,” says Chris. The homeowners who attend these clinics are typically do-it-yourselfers or people that want to learn more about the product before making a purchase. “We have people that come to see me install a Tilt Pac on the display and that gives them a little more confidence if they want to do it themselves, or after watching the step-by-step installation demonstration, they may decide to go with one of Truitt and White’s referral contractors,” adds Chris. “Whatever they ultimately decide to do they get a good idea as to how it goes in.”

Chris also offered a crash course in milling terminology. “I explained that the sash is the part of the double hung window that moves up and down,” he says. “And then explained what a stile and a rail are as they relate to how a sash it built. There’s a lot of terminology in the industry and I try to make it easy for laypeople to understand.”

For the Builder

The clinic designed for builders focused on both Marvin’s retrofit windows, the Tilt Pac and Insert units. Chris demonstrated the two different types of installations used to replace wooden double hung windows.

Builder Jim Brulet, who attended the January 26 building professional clinic, has been attending various clinics offered by Truitt and White for over four years. He’s been a customer for about twenty years, and finds the workshops beneficial. “I actually installed five insert windows the week after the clinic, so that was particularly useful and immediately applicable,” he says.

Not only did Chris cover the straightforward installations, he also gave the builders some helpful time-saving tips. “On the Tilt Pac window, I offered a few shortcuts on how to apply the hardware before you put the new unit in and the different ways of fastening the jamb liner clips. We probably spent a good 15 minutes on that alone,” says Chris. “These kind of shortcuts were a big focus during the clinic.”

The clinics also get builders up to speed on new products. “The clinics are a great way to introduce new products to the contractors,” says Jim. “They add to my experience and help me increase my sales because I can suggest different products to prospective clients.”

The Marvin Difference

The clinics were designed to invite questions and provide in-depth information on both installation techniques and product options. According to Chris, a lot of these questions revolved around the subject of glass. “Both homeowners and contractors asked about the high-performance glass on the market today,” says Chris. “For example, with Marvin, the low-E coating is an option that allows you to lower the solar heat gain that heats up a room.” The coating does this by reflecting the sun’s rays back to the outside. This is just one of the many glass options offered by Marvin. “We provide a myriad of choices to fit everyone’s different needs,” Chris says. “Although so many choices can be confusing, I try to go through the different glass options to narrow it down and make it easier for people to make choices.”

Not only does Marvin Windows offer numerous choices in window styles and glass options, but they also work particularly well in the older homes here in the Bay Area. “We have products geared to the bungalow and Victorian style of home prevalent in the area,” says Chris. “We do really well in older neighborhoods where historical accuracy is a must,” he adds.

Upcoming clinics

Whether you’re a builder or homeowner and couldn’t attend our January clinics, more are on the way—we’re offering more free window clinics through the end of March, including a Replacement Techniques and Product Options clinic on February 23. The clinic will teach builders how to select the right window for a client’s project as well as some of the key points for ensuring a successful installation.

On Saturday, February 26, we’ll show homeowners how to install new windows through our Product and Installation Overview for Replacement Windows. We’ll demonstrate some of the best practices for installing new windows in existing walls, how to evaluate options and make the best product and installation decisions.

On March 23 and 26 we’ll have our final window clinics at Truitt and White for both building professional and for the homeowner. Though these clinics are free, registration is required. More information and registration is available at www.truittandwhite.com.

Just added! Early March clinic for the building professional

On March 9, we’re offering a best practices course for installing windows at the Walnut Creek Embassy Suites, 1345 Treat Blvd., from 6:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. The workshop provides in-depth information for the building professional on the latest techniques and overview of essential components for watertight, energy efficient installations. Brush up with Dupont Tyvek’s Marc Silveira and James Roper of Truitt and White on some of the best practices for installing new windows in existing walls, how to evaluate your options, and make the best product and installation decisions.

Though the clinic is free, space is limited, and registration is required. To register, please RSVP by March 2 to Patrice Parame; pparame@truittandwhite.com, call (510)649-2635 or register online at www.truittandwhite.com.

Cabinetry & Joinery Clinic for the Building Pro

In April 2, we will also be offering a hands-on cabinetry and joinery clinic sponsored by Festool. Please visit www.truittandwhite.com for more information and registration.

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