How we make money

Plainly, because a reader deserves to know what our incentive is before they weigh anything we publish.

The arrangement

Chicago Window Guide is free for homeowners. We are paid a referral fee by the window contractor we match you with. That fee never increases the price you pay for your project.

What that means for what you read here

We get paid when a homeowner asks for quotes, which creates an obvious pull toward telling everyone to replace everything. We manage it in three ways, and you can hold us to all three.

• Every page that can honestly say "you may not need this" says it. The first thing this site published is the city rule that tells many homeowners they need no permit.
• Repair versus replace is treated as a real question, not as a step toward a sale.
• Every figure carries its source and date, so you can check us rather than trust us.

What we are not paid for

• We take no payment for a favourable mention, and we publish no rankings.
• We are not paid by manufacturers, and no brand has bought placement on this site.
• We do not sell your information to a list. It goes to a contractor for the purpose of quoting your job.