Featured Business
A Cut Above Exteriors/Renewal by Andersen
by Virginia Bruce

In 1995, Mark Tiffee began his company, then called A Cut Above Siding. He quickly gained a reputation for honest, careful work in a field that occasionally attracts less-than-stellar performers. Then in 1996 came the big LP Siding debacle: Louisiana-Pacific was hit with a successful class action because some of their siding was failing disastrously. Tiffee was in a perfect position to grow his business rapidly, providing replacement siding to the victims of the failed products.

Windows are rated by a "U-factor" for insulation and UV protection. "Smart Sun® products have a 95% UV reduction. Andersen Low-E4 glass is coated with a material that repels dirt!

His business sense and attention to detail and customer service allowed the family-owned company to grow rapidly. In 1998, he moved into the company headquarters on Cornell Road. (The remodel of that building was featured in the very first issue of the Cedar Mill News in January 2003!) Listed among the top 500 exterior remodeling companies in the country by Qualified Remodeler magazine every year since 2000, A Cut Above Exteriors is in the top 1% of their industry.

In 2005, Tiffee was approached by Renewal by Andersen (RbA) to be the exclusive provider in Oregon and SW Washington of RbA windows, Andersen Corporation's replacement window division. The company name was changed to A Cut Above Exteriors to reflect the company's broader focus.

The company does not sell construction materials, they only do installations. Dan Tracy, Director of Marketing, says, "You can have the most expensive siding products or windows in the world, and if they're not installed correctly, they won't be worth anything. We warranty everything we sell, and we can only do that because we know that our people are doing a great job."

Before-and-after displays in the showroom, provided by RbA, help customers envision how their finished projects will look.

The company has about 70 employees, including office staff, project managers, and installers. They train their own people at their Operations Center, which is located in Tigard. "Everyone is lead-certified because we often encounter lead paint and other products containing lead when we remove old windows and siding. In addition, we are continually training our installers in techniques and materials," says Tracy. He says that they have very little turnover, because the emphasis on customer service demands that they keep their employees happy so they can make the customers happy!

They maintain separate crews for siding, windows and roofing so that their people can focus on doing their job well. Every detail of the customer experience is designed to be satisfying, from knowledgeable phone support in the office to the final cleanup. In fact, the company worked with Price Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in improving business practices related to quality control. They implemented a Total Quality Management plan that ensured that each employee takes responsibility for customer satisfaction rather than having it come from management.

The company keeps a tight focus on a specific market—remodeling/renovation—people with existing homes who either want to upgrade their exteriors, or who need to replace their windows or their exterior surfaces. A substantial amount of their business comes from replacing products that other people and companies did not properly install.

Replacement casement windows can be tilted out for maximum airflow

Tracy says the recession affected their business, but they were up to the challenge. "As with many home improvement companies, the recession has forced us to redouble our efforts in terms of customer service and effective project management. Homeowners have many choices for their projects and anything but a laser focus on taking care of the customer is not going to get the job done," he explains.

"Yes, many people are focusing on improving their existing homes instead of buying new. With that, homeowners are becoming much more educated about their projects than ever before, and they're being much more careful about how they spend their money. With unprecedented access to information about companies through review sites such as Angie's List, Google and Yelp, homeowners are now in a much better position to research companies before the initial phone call is ever made." The company has been top-rated by Angie's List for five years.

The company provides more than just workmanship. "We've found that most people aren't simply looking for an estimate but more importantly, they're looking for a true consultation. Replacing windows is a significant investment and people want to know that their new windows will not only look great but function well for many, many years." Tracy outlined the process from the first phone call. "When a call comes in the caller is greeted by a professional here at our office, who will take some general information about the homeowner and the potential project. A time for the consultation is agreed upon and one of our consultants arrives promptly at the appointed date and time."

Fibrex window frame material is extruded, which makes it lightweight, strong and very consistent.

Once the customer agrees to the plan and estimate, precise measurements are taken and, if it's a window replacement project, the windows are ordered from RbA in Minnesota. Their products are created from a material called Fibrex® which is made from 40% recycled wood and 60% thermal polymer. This product is both environmentally sound, using recycled wood, and extremely sturdy because it is very consistent, unlike wood which always has variations. It exemplifies A Cut Above's dedication to balancing esthetics and performance.

A Lead Installer manages the project and is the primary contact for the customer once the work begins. That person ensures that good communications are maintained, questions are answered, schedules are kept, and that everything is done well.

The company expanded to include roofing a couple of years ago, and they also provide exterior doors, so they can now offer almost everything a homeowner would need to renovate a home's exterior surfaces.

In addition to many types of siding, they carry a line of manufactured stone which wears better than the natural product.

A Cut Above/RbA has a beautiful showroom at their Cornell Road office. Displays show not only the products, but examples of before-and-after siding and window projects. They also participate in the big February Home Show each year. "We know that the people who attend the Home Show are likely to be qualified buyers. That means we can provide information to people who are really in the market for our services," says Dan.

The company serves customers in the Portland Metro area and Southwest Washington primarily, but they regularly do work all throughout their service area, which includes Longview down to Corvallis and from The Dalles to the coast. They're not currently thinking about expanding beyond that service area because, as Tracy explains, they have plenty of growth opportunity within their current market.

Patio doors and hardware

Their websites, ACutAboveExteriors.com and RenewalbyAndersenNW.com, includes useful information on all their products along with information about financing and energy saving. They assist customers who want to get tax credits for products that increase home energy efficiency by providing a packet of forms and information.

Owner Mark Tiffee lives in the Cedar Mill-Bethany area with his wife Julie and their three children, ages 14, 11 and 9. Many of their employees also live within ten miles of the office.

Visit their websites or call 503-643-1121 for more information. The showroom is located at 12985 NW Cornell Road, Suite 200.

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