STORY
“I Didn’t ‘Fall Into’ Home Improvement... I Fell IN LOVE With It.”
How The Company That Made Home Improvement 100% Worry-Free Was Created
A Message From John Kolbaska, Owner:
What these $189-$249 contractors tend to omit are insulating your windows, which is the key step in the installation process. They won’t apply foam insulation, which helps seal and protect the window from drafts. They won’t use a high-quality caulk on the exterior and interior of the window. They won’t use flashing to protect the window from the elements like water that can leak into your home as well as the wall cavity, which could lead to wood rot and possibly mold.
My grandfather was a carpenter. My father was, too. When I was 13, my dad strapped a toolbelt on me and said, “Son, it’s time to learn the family trade.”
That day, I became a carpenter.
I spent every summer working with my dad, helping out when I could. I earned $30 a day, which, let’s face it, was a pretty solid rate for a kid in the late ‘80s early ’90s.
But it wasn’t the money I was drawn to. It was the work.
A Message From John Kolbaska, Owner:
I may have gotten my professional start in home improvement
when I turned 18 years old in 1995. But in truth, my remodeling roots run much deeper than that.
My grandfather was a carpenter. My father was, too. When I was 13, my dad strapped a toolbelt on me and said, “Son, it’s time to learn the family trade”.
That day, I became a carpenter.
I spent every summer working with my dad, helping out when I could. I earned $30 a day, which, let’s face it, was a pretty solid rate for a kid in the late ‘80s early ’90s.
But it wasn’t the money I was drawn to. It was the work.
See, a lot of guys “fall into” home improvement out of necessity or desperation. They have no passion for it. They simply learn it at a young age and end up doing it for the rest of their lives because that’s what they know.
Home improvement has always been MY family’s business, too. But I didn’t “fall into” it…I fell in love with it.
The very first time I was on the job site with my father, it just felt right. As if improving people’s homes was what I was born to do. On that day, I didn’t just decide to carry on the family tradition, I experienced a burning passion to do so. I’ve been in the remodeling business ever since.
The Birth Of Windows & Doors By The Men With Tools
I spent many, many years as a window and door installer for some of the best companies in the industry. In 2013, I made a decision to channel my experience and knowledge into creating my own company. A company which will honor my grandfather and father by operating on the values with which those incredible men instilled in me decades ago.
Hence, I sat down and wrote out a list of core values for my new company. These tenets would be followed to a “T” on every single project to ensure that my customers received the best possible results, and that they would not have to worry about a single thing.
Several hours later, I completed the list… and Windows & Doors By The Men With Tools was born.
The Birth Of The Men With Tools
I spent many, many years as a window, door and flooring installer for some of the best companies in the industry. In 2013, I decided to channel my experience and knowledge into creating my own company – one that honored my grandfather and father by operating on the values those men instilled in me decades ago.
To do this, I sat down and wrote out a list of core values for my new company. These tenets would be followed to a “T” on every single project to ensure my customers received
the best possible results and not have to worry about a single thing.
Several hours later, I had completed the list… and The Windows & Doors By The Men With Tools was born.
You can read Windows & Doors By The Men With Tools Tenets below. But here’s the bottom line: home-improvement isn’t just a job to me, it’s a passion that stretches back three generations—hardwired in my DNA.
This is why, even with 25+ years of experience, I’m as hungry as ever to learn and grow. I attend dozens of industry events each year. I visit the factories where my products are made with an eagerness to know and to stay updated on all the latest manufacturer developments and installation specifications.
Furthermore, as president of the Home Improvement Contractors Association of Staten Island, I keep my ear to the ground for the latest trends affecting contractors in the region. In a nutshell, I will always be a student of the craft.
My ultimate goal is to continue the tradition of honesty, integrity, and excellence started by my forbears. I truly feel blessed to do something that I’m not only passionate about, but also, that I’m able to improve the quality of people’s homes, thus, improving the quality of their lives. So, when the time comes, I intend to pass the company on to my children in hopes that THEY will carry the torch. And I believe they will. This is because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that home improvement runs in the Kolbaska blood.
Sincerely,
John Kolbaska
John Kolbaska
Owner
- Windows & Doors
By The Men With Tools Tenets -
OUR PHILOSOPHIES
Our Guiding Philosophies that Guarantee a Worry-Proof Project
Tenet #1: Quality Work Begins With Quality People
It is important to offer great products, and so is having great prices. But the key to a truly superior company begins and ends with the PEOPLE who work there.
All the installations we perform are spearheaded by a team of lead mechanics with over 10 years of industry experience (our most experienced lead has almost 30 years!) and with STRICT a dedication to manufacturer specifications. To acquire and retain this level of talent, we: pay MUCH higher wages than our competitors, provide excellent benefits packages, and offer ample advancement opportunity within our company. Bottom line: we keep our people happy.
Skill and experience are only part of the equation though. Our installers have the right attitude as well. We hire only individuals who are kind, personable, and respectful—the type of people who help grandmothers cross the street, volunteer their time to charity, and show up to work every day with smiles on their faces. We believe this is key in creating a pleasant project experience. After all, these are the people who will be working in your home.
Tenet #2: Zero “Lemons”
Our customers are the type of people who want pure quality no matter what it takes; even if it costs a little more.
We feel the same way. That’s why we install only industry-leading brands. And this is also why we took the time to time to develop our window line, ThermaLast.
You can read the nitty-gritty details about the ThermaLast on this page, but here’s the bottom line: ThermaLast is THE most energy efficient double pane window, not just in Staten Island & New Jersey, but in the whole world.
That sounds like a bold claim, except, it’s 100% true. At Windows & Doors By The Men With Tools, we walk the talk. It’s that simple.
Speaking of bold, we have some of the gutsiest guarantees in the industry, and we stand behind them without any exceptions.
Featuring our Break Your Glass, Get A Pass Lifetime Warranty! Most window warranties are “lifetime” in name only. They’re typically filled with fine print, prorations, and exclusions. Our lifetime warranty, however, completely covers ALL product-and labor-related issues now and forever. This will always be at a $0.00 cost to you.
In addition to the above, our warranty also covers homeowner mishaps at zero charge. We understand that accidents happen. Therefore, we’ll fix your window or door if you happen to cause the issue. It’s our way of “oops”-proofing your project.
Finally, we just plain do what we say. We’re honor-bound by the promises we make. We’re honest to a fault. And we ALWAYS follow through on our word. Period. Talk to our customers or read our reviews, and you’ll see that this is not just lip service. It’s the honest-to-goodness truth.
Tenet #4: Building Lifelong Relationships
With thousands of window and door installations performed to date, a customer isn’t a paycheck. Every single homeowner we work with becomes an honorary member of our Windows & Doors By The Men With Tools family.
Our repeat and referral rates make up nearly half of our business for a reason: we treat people RIGHT. Should you ever work with us, you’ll want to work with us again and again—telling everyone else about our services!
Even years after an installation, we’ll run check-up calls to ensure our customers’ windows and doors are functioning as they should. Whether it’s your first house or retirement home, whether it’s a small office or a sprawling headquarters, our aim is to ALWAYS take care of you.
A Reputation You Can Trust
4.9 Rating
4.9 Rating
