Interviewing Home Improvement Guys (Not trying to be sexist, but they were all guys!)

Whenever we go about a big project (big as in my handy husband cannot do it himself - for once) we do our research. We read reviews.  We speak to people we know.  We do more reading online. We question. We doubt.  We listen.  We also get a lot of quotes.  I mean, a lot.  As in an absurd amount.
For our HVAC project we had several....one I call "Jim Bob and Joe's HVAC off the back of a truck" because that's pretty much what they were.  Some guys who do it off the back of a truck on the side when they aren't busy with their 'real' HVAC job.  Okay, so sometimes that is a good idea. Tradespeople who know what they're doing can really save you a bundle if you cut out the corporate overhead. But JimBob and Joe?  Not so much.
Then we had a couple of highly-rated companies quote us.  One really stood out as far as customer care, warranty, competence and knowledge of the sales guy, etc. So we went with them, and didn't regret it.  Again, this was a HUGE purchase.  We basically bought a nice car and it is now running our heat and a/c. Not really, but it was the cost equivalence.
So we knew windows would be another HUGE purchase. (Note that I am using all CAPS for HUGE because I don't know how else to express what a big expense this was for us.)
We interviewed companies night after night, day after day for two weeks. TWO WEEKS. One evening, just as one guy was leaving (after a three hour presentation), another truck pulled up.  Oops....I forgot to cancel one. Oh well, we had another two hour presentation that evening.  Exhausting.
Anyway, everyone told us a different story.
 "You can't trust ______. Their windows will fall apart in two years."
"Well, _________'s windows are junk.  Don't believe a word he says."
 "You'll pay twice as much for _________ and they are NO better than this-here-winder."
"You don't have to temper that glass."
 "You do have to temper that glass."
 "You don't have to temper that glass, but you do have to this one."
"You should replace all of them."
"You don't need to replace all of them."
"This is a one-time only price!"
"Our price is the same now until next year.  We won't change it."
"Let me call my manager and see if I can do anything better for you....."

AHHHHH!

In the end we learned several things.
1) Sales guys smile. A lot.

2) Get EVERYTHING in writing.  Everything. Don't trust yourself or your sales guy to remember what was said.

3) If you have done your research, you know what questions to ask, and you know the right answers. If he gives you a different answer, don't go with him. He's uneducated and probably wrong about other stuff, too.

4) The price should ALWAYS be the price.  They might offer a sale every now and then, but it shouldn't change just because he talked to someone on the phone.  Either he knows the prices or he doesn't.  No wheeling and dealing. Bait and switch, whatever.

5) He should be able to think outside the box and offer you other options.  For example, we shaved $5,000 off our total cost by changing some single-hungs to picture windows. And guess what? They look more expensive. We had wayyyyyy too many useless single-hung windows in our house. By eliminating some, we changed the look of our house and made it seem very updated and classy. I love it.  Plus, we never used those windows anyway. Of course, in the bedrooms they stayed the same, and wherever we needed cross-breezes.

6) Make sure he is accessible and can get you in touch with the right people.  For example, our sales guy (he wasn't really sales because he sells all the brands from Home Depot, and doesn't make commission like other sales guys) actually called Andersen and spoke to their engineering department to make sure something would work out.  He also answered our calls anytime we called him.  Early morning to late at night. He was dedicated to helping us.

7) Ask detailed questions about the installation process, and get it in writing.  This is very important because with most things, the installation will make or break it.  It can also void the warranty if it's done wrong.  Make sure your installers are NOT day laborers, or contractors, but employees.  There is much more recourse if they are employees.

8) Go with your gut. In the end, the numbers won't lie.  The sales guy might.  If you feel like he is pulling a fast one, he probably is.