Door glass and decorative window manufacturer ODL is rolling out a national franchise program that will allow remodelers and other independent entrepreneurs to tap into their local markets for upgrading existing steel and fiberglass entry doors by providing on-site door glass installations. Called Entry-Point Door Transformations, the program trains installers in the use of equipment, provides marketing and advertising materials, and supplies a fully mobile workshop housed in a trailer.
According to ODL's research, in the past 10 years nearly 73 million steel and fiberglass entry doors without decorative glass have been sold.
Homeowners may be interested in enhancing their entryways with decorative door glass but don't want or can't afford to replace the entire door. "[Homeowners] think they have to buy a complete door unit to get attractive door glass, but the price and process can be costly and inconvenient," says Charles Swilley, dealer installer market manager for the EntryPoint program. "We have developed a process that allows an installer to visit the home, remove the door, cut out the hole for the door glass, install the door glass, and reinstall the door."
EntryPoint installers work out of the Mobile Shop, a specially designed trailer that functions as a mobile workshop. It comes outfitted with cutout equipment that was specifically designed for the EntryPoint program, a workbench, shelving, and power supply. The equipment is designed to work on steel and fiberglass doors, but due to dimensional constraints, some of these doors will not accept the process.
There are currently 38 installers across the country. The costs of starting a franchise vary from market to market, according to Swilley. EntryPoint provides product literature, as well as an informative Web site at www.odlentrypoint.com and also provides graphics to illustrate how showrooms can be set up effectively.
For more product information, visit ebuild.com, Hanley Wood's interactive product catalog.
