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A
listing of helpful questions and answers...
We are committed to providing as much information as possible to our customers so that they can make informed decisions about their purchases. Below are some of the resources we have found to be of importance to our customers
Can I get a catalogue?
Unfortunately we do not produce a catalogue of our line of products.
We work very hard to present complete information on our WEB site
for each and every product we carry - many including a 'delivered to
you' pricing. Where possible we also offer a printable PDF brochure
on each product page so that you can print exactly what you are
interested in, rather than receiving information on products that
you do not want. All you need is Acrobat Reader on your computer.
What tools do I need?
Most
of our DIY kits require what every homeowner already has... hammer,
screwdriver, pliers. However on some of the more complex assemblies
a more detailed list of tools should be available for the job. The
following is not a comprehensive list, but will give you a great
idea of what it might take to put together say, our porch screening
kit... 4 ft. Carpenter’s level | Chalk line | Chop saw with a metal
cutting blade on it | Cordless drill/nut driver | Masonry bits for
drilling into concrete | masonry fasteners (if necessary) | Caulking
gun | Metal file | Hammer | Screwdrivers | Drill | tape measure |
Box knife | Gloves | Safety eye‐wear.
Are these DIY materials hard to put together?
On
each of our product pages you will find a "Build Difficulty" meter,
much like this...
 When
you click on it a separate screen will pop up explaining the level
of difficulty in building the associated product. You will also find
on each of our product pages links to the installation guidelines
for each product we carry. This will help you assess whether this
DIY application is in the range of your abilities as a DIY'er.
How can I pay for my order?
We accept VISA & MasterCard.
We also accept payment with a Cashier's Check, which offers a 4%
savings. For some of the larger purchases (modular sunrooms and
sunroom walls) it might make sense to do an International Wire
Transfer from branch to branch. The 4% savings would still apply
in this case.
Do you accept AMEX,
Discover or PayPal?
Unfortunately we do not.
Why is it cheaper to pay by cashier's check?
Actually it isn't that it is cheaper.
In fact the onset of credit cards has, over time, artificially
inflated the cost of goods from widgets to groceries. The initial
thought was that the retailer would cover the cost of credit card
charges at the point of sale. However the way we use our credit
cards has forced every single retailer in North America, whether you buy a
pair of jeans or an arbor, to build credit card charges into their
pricing strategies. Generally the charge to the retailer by the
credit card company is between 2.5 & 5% of the sale (depending on which CC, your volume and various fees).
It is a misrepresentation to think that the retailer can afford to
simply absorb that cost, and perhaps even unfair, since the use of
the credit card it a choice being made by the consumer. For example if the retailer is working off an 18% gross profit margin,
a 3% charge by VISA on a sale is a 17% reduction in his gross profit.
Therefore every retailer has adjusted pricing accordingly. Our offer, if you pay by cashier's check, is to put in your pocket what the credit card company would typically take from us.
How do I pay by cashier's check?
If paying by cashier's or
certified check:
Email us
full name, shipping address and
contact telephone number (for
the shipping company to call and
set a delivery time) along with
the description and item # or
quote # of that which you wish
to purchase. We will follow up
with an Order Confirmation, by
email, detailing the sale and
final cost including the 5% off.
It will also have your order
number and our mailing address.
Print a copy of the order
confirmation and mail it to us.
We will notify you when payment
is received and you will know
your order has been sent to
factory.
Can I call and get a "rough"
estimate over the
phone?
The short answer is no. We do not provide 'rough' quotes. For
each product that requires a quotation there are a number of
variables that can swing pricing significantly one way or
another. Therefore we are never confident in providing you the
'rough' number you need for your project. We encourage to you to
go through the pages that help you understand what we need in
order to do a quotation, provide us with those details and we
will be pleased to provide you with a no obligation quotation
that you can count on!
What is a 'local load requirement?"
Local load requirements are
specifications set by your municipality that you are supposed to
follow when building a structure with a roof. These requirements are
given in a 'pound per square foot' and a 'miles per hour.' Typically
these come into play when you are building something that is over a
certain square footage and considered permanent by your
municipality. The idea is that the municipality requires that
the materials you are using will satisfy the load requirement. We
ask that you get these requirements (by calling your permit office)
prior to contacting us for a quotation. We use these requirements to
work backward and select the materials which satisfy the load
requirement. Thinks like thickness of roof, size of beam, number of
posts and spacing between posts are all a function of 'load.'
Does
the insulated roof on the Four Season Sunroom and Hard Top Screen
Room stay up year round?
Yes! The insulated roof panels
are engineered and selected according to the load requirements for
your area. This means they are designed to take on the snow and wind
specific to your area. In both cases they are definitely considered
a permanent installation!
How do I clean the outside of
the Modular Sunrooms?
For the roof and walls, we
recommend the name brand "Soft Scrub" in combination with a soft
bristle brush and water. For the windows we recommend the name brand
"Sprayway." Whatever you use make sure it is non-abrasive and not a
harsh chemical product.
Where are your showrooms?
We work very hard to present
complete information on our WEB site for each and every product we
carry - many including a 'delivered to you' pricing. Since we work with manufacturers
in both Canada and the US and ship those products throughout North
America, we do not maintain showrooms - not even locally. Our
location(s) in Orillia are administrative only and we do not stock
anything. Everything we do is a direct from manufacturer to you
shipment.
Does Home Porch & Patio Inc.
offer installation services?
Unfortunately, no we do not.
The entire premise for our existence is to service the DIY homeower
/ handyman. We work with manufacturers that have put together a
'kit' format for their product and we offer these kits for sale
throughout North America. As such, due to the sheer size of our
market area, it would be difficult for us to offer installation
services that we can confidently recommend. However, in our
experience, it is not unusual for the homeowner to purchase the kit
from us and then hire a local handyman or contractor to assemble the
product.
Does Home Porch & Patio Kits Inc. offer 'free shipping?'
If
you think about it, there is no such thing as 'free shipping.' We
kind of think of it as a misrepresentation to the customer.
For your convenience, throughout the WEB site you will find various
products already priced out and the pricing (unless otherwise noted)
will include delivery to your home. In Canada, only applicable taxes are
extra. The products that require
a quotation, will also be submitted to you as 'delivery included
pricing.'
The 'delivery included
pricing' applies to the contiguous USA and does not include freight rate
up-charges to AK, HI, PR or US Virgin Islands. In Canada this does not include freight rate
up-charges to Newfoundland and Labrador, Vancouver Island, Nunavut, NWT,
Yukon or other northern or remote areas. Shipping charges will be added for anything other than our standard methods of shipping and for stand-alone options. This 'Delivery Included' offer does not include unloading of said products and we would refer you to our
delivery
instructions page for further clarification.
Areas of limited accessibility will be exempt from this offer. It will be deemed the customer's responsibility to inform
Home Porch & Patio Kits Inc. of the potential limitations of their geographic location and appropriate freight rate up-charges will apply accordingly.
What type of
screening do you supply with the Porch Screening Systems
or the Hard Top Screen Enclosure systems?
Depending on
the size of the openings we will supply the standard 18
x 16 mesh count or the 18 x 14 mesh count (larger
openings) fiberglass screening. The standard color is
charcoal unless otherwise stated. Want to know more about screening?
(Click
here)
I've never screened anything
before! How do I do it?
No problem. First, be patient.
There will be a learning curve that may involve 1 or 2 initial
attempts. Second, our instructions do offer some ideas on how to
accomplish the task. Lastly, the following video, though it is not
exactly our system, is a comprehensive tutorial on screening frames.
Many of the principals apply...
Screen
Repair
Can I get financing for my purchase?
Yes! Home Porch & Patio Kits has partnered with
SuperMoney to offer the best choices for financing in the home
improvement market available today. Simple visit our Specials &
Financing page at the following link on our WEB site...
*Finance
Your DIY Project
Doing it yourself does not mean doing
it alone!
Toll Free: 1.844.404.0484
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