About Sovereign Exteriors

Core Values and Future

• I believe that the best way to build a company for the future, or long term, is to build it on integrity, quality, fairness, professionalism, honesty and courtesy.
• My pledge is to do the best possible job I can do on every house. I do each job as if it were my very own home.
• I pledge to treat others as I wish to be treated in return.
• My pledge is to do things right. I pledge that I will not cut corners to try to save a dollar.
• Referrals and repeat business are the bread and butter of Sovereign Exteriors. This is why I pledge to do outstanding work for reasonable prices. I strive for 100% customer satisfaction.
• My son wishes to join me in this family business when he is of age. I plan to pass the company along to him when I reach retirement. With that in mind, I am doing my best to build an honest and reputable company now. This will help my customers NOW, and will help my son in the FUTURE.
  
  

Sales and Pricing Policy

• I don’t start with a false high price in order to give a false discount. I do my best to price my work fairly and consistent with market prices. I believe that pressure tactics and discounts to “sign up today for a cheaper price” are not in the customer’s best interest. When salespeople push the customer, they are more interested in their own commission than really helping you.
• I will honor any quotation for 3 months. Review is required on older bids.
• My pricing structure is designed to be fair to both the Homeowner and Sovereign Exteriors.
• My prices are not the cheapest nor are they the most expensive. My prices are generally middle of the road. My prices are consistent to what other good and reputable companies charge for similar products and quality. My strength is value not price. A cheap price does not usually indicate a good value.
• My bids are detailed and itemized so there is no confusion about the charges.
• If you get a cheaper bid, there are several factors to consider:
  
  1. They may be using cheaper products
  2. They may be using cheaper labor or less experienced labor
  3. They may not be bidding all the same items I am bidding.
  4. They could unknowingly be bidding too cheap which could cost you in the long run. When someone sells a job too cheap, they try to make up for it in other ways to minimize their mistake. Cutting corners is popular.
  5. Even with good materials, a poor installation will ruin the outcome.
  6. In years to come, you won’t care or think about the price you paid if you are thrilled with the final result, but if you get a poor quality job for a cheaper price, you will look at your house everyday with regret.
  7. Companies that have cheap prices are typically not going to give you good service if you have a problem down the road.
  8. The bitterness of poor quality will stay with you long after the sweetness of the low price is gone.
• We charge market fair prices for above average quality. We win and you win.  That is where value is discovered.  Price alone means nothing.
  
  

Benefits of Hiring Sovereign Exteriors

• You will know up front who the installer will be…me, Don Schneider, the owner of the company. Who do you think will cares more about their reputation? The owner of a company, or some random subcontractor?
• When you hire a “large” company, you never know who the installer will be. It is a crap-shoot. Most installers are subcontractors. Some installers do very fine work, and some don’t. Most don’t. I know this for a fact. I have a long history as a siding manufacturer’s rep, and I have seen the poor workmanship and have seen the unhappy homeonwers.
• I care. I really do.
• My reputation is flawless. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I have never had a problem that I didn’t resolve to the customers satisfaction. I have never had a complaint with the BBB, not even one....EVER.
• I have all the appropriate insurance for your protection, work comp, general liability, etc.
• Cutting corners and rushing through the job are huge temptations for many installers who work as subcontractors. The installer has nothing to loose when he cuts corners, since it is not his company or his house. Many of the problems won’t show up right away. Most jobs look good when they are first completed. The problems show up later, and the installer is long gone.
• Communication and accuracy – Since I am the sales person as well as the installer, miscommunications are minimized. With the larger remodelers you have the “he said, she said” syndrome between the sales department and the production department.

My Background

• 1989 – I began in the siding and window business as a rookie, selling home improvements for the 3 years.
• 1992 – I accepted position as a Manufacturer’s Representative for Reynolds Metals Company (Now operates as Norandex). This was the distribution end of the siding and window business. I eventually became the manager of the entire St. Louis Area for Reynolds Building Products. I was with Reynolds for nearly 9 years, and gained valuable knowledge regarding vinyl, aluminum, as well as manufacturing and distribution. I became an expert field rep.
• Oct. 1999 – Oct. 2000 – I was production manager for Choice Remodeling of St. Charles. I measured jobs, ordered materials and scheduled jobs & ran the crews. My job was to make remodeling jobs happen.
• Oct. 2000 – I started my own company. I never really wanted to be a business owner. In this initial stage, I did not even have a company name. I wasn’t even sure if I would succeed. In less than 2 years it became obvious that I was here to stay so I incorporated and named the company.
• April 2002 – I named the company Sovereign Exteriors, LLC. People often ask if Sovereign has to do with God. Yes, it does. I believe that my ability to work and earn a living, my future, and my very life, are all subject to the sovereignty of God Almighty.
• Present – Well I have been in the industry since 1989 and running my own company since 2000. I have a lot of experience and I never stop learning. I was even requested to be a 3rd party “expert witness” in a lawsuit between a siding company and a subcontractor.