Credit Card Fees Explained: What Most Window Companies Won’t Tell You

Every week, we talk with homeowners who are shocked to learn how credit card fees are handled in the home improvement world. It’s one of those details that can quietly add hundreds of dollars to your project.

And when you’re investing in your home, those details matter.

At Southwest Exteriors, we’ve been helping San Antonio homeowners with windows, siding, and doors for more than 30 years. We’ve seen just about every pricing model and payment policy in the industry and we’ve heard the same frustration from countless homeowners.

That’s why we decided to pull back the curtain and explain how credit card fees really work, how most window companies handle them, and the transparent way we do things instead.

By the end, you’ll know how to keep more money in your pocket instead of accidentally paying for someone else’s bill.

Jump to FAQs: Credit Card Fees and Payment Options

How Most Contractors Handle Credit Card Fees

Here’s the truth about how the industry usually works.

Most contractors build credit card processing fees into every single project they sell. That way, they’re covered no matter how the customer decides to pay.

Sounds simple, right? But here’s the problem. If you pay with cash or check, you’re still covering the cost of someone else’s credit card swipe.

It’s like being at a restaurant where everyone splits the bill evenly, even though you just had water and salad, while someone else ordered the surf and turf. You end up paying extra for choices you didn’t make.

How Southwest Exteriors Handles Credit Card Fees

At Southwest Exteriors, we don’t believe everyone should pay for someone else’s choices.

Instead of baking credit card fees into every quote, we adjust each project based on how you choose to pay.

• Pay with cash or check? You’ll get the lowest possible cost.
• Want to finance or use a credit card? Totally fine, we’ll show you exactly what that costs before you decide.

No hidden math. No guessing games. Just transparent options so you can pick what works best for you.

This way, nobody’s subsidizing anyone else’s payment method. You’re only paying for the choice you make.

Why Transparency Matters

At the end of the day, this comes down to fairness.

Every contractor has to deal with credit cards and financing fees. Most companies hide them in the fine print or spread them across everyone’s price like fog across a field. It’s there, but you just can’t see it clearly.

At Southwest Exteriors, we don’t do that. We’d rather show you exactly what’s built into your project price, so you know where every dollar is going.

When homeowners understand their options, they can make the decision that’s right for them, not what’s easiest for us.

That’s what transparency looks like to us, and it’s the kind of clarity we’d want if we were the homeowner.

The Bottom Line

Every business pays processing fees, but not every business handles them fairly.

At Southwest Exteriors, you get to choose:

• Save money by paying with cash or check (ACH), or
• Choose financing or credit cards for convenience and rewards but know exactly what that choice costs.

No surprises. No hidden fees. Just clear, honest pricing that respects your budget.

If that kind of transparency matters to you, schedule a commitment-free consultation with our team here in San Antonio. We’ll walk you through your options clearly and help you make the decision that’s best for your home.

FAQs: Credit Card Fees and Payment Options