Member Spotlight- Illumicast
Wes Miller, who owns and operates Illumicast, is in the business of installing egress windows. How did he come to name his business Illumicast? By simply putting together two words, which are both very important in his line of work: “illuminate” for light – which an egress window brings to a dark basement room, and “precast” for the precast concrete used in forming the egress wells.
So how did Wes Miller come to own a company that installs egress windows? He said he’s been in foundation repair for most of his life. He did some work in a cabinet shop right out of high school and also helped put basements under existing houses. In 2010, Wes and his wife adopted three children and decided that being self-employed would be a better fit for his family. So he started cabinet and precasting work. Before he knew it the egress window side of the business overtook the cabinet side. The cabinet shop is no longer active, but Illumicast is doing quite well, installing 250 egress windows in the last year.
By specializing in egress windows, Illumicast is able to provide their clients with a quality product with a top-notch installation process at a fair price, and a turnkey installation in one day. When Illumicast comes into your home to install an egress window they are VERY careful to cause a minimal amount of disruption to not only your home but also to your yard and schedule.
Lawn protection is an option clients can choose which involves placing plywood over the lawn area that will be involved during the installation. This helps eliminate sprinkler damage and about 90% of the lawn damage. Inside your basement plastic barriers are set up and plastic protection is placed on the floor. This helps in containing the dirt dust as well as the water used during the cutting of the concrete.
Cutting the concrete themselves is a part of how they are able to do an installation in a day. Cutting everything on the outside minimizes the potential mess inside. Illumicast precasts the window wells at their shop. Window wells, done in a stone pattern are bolted to the wall and are engineer approved. The walls are strong and the Illumicast crew can hydraulic tamp the backfill area, which greatly reduces the chance of water issues. Kiln-dried treated lumbers are used for installations. This prevents termite rot or moisture issues. A variety of window styles can are used by Illumicast. By visiting their website you can check out the options available. The trim on the inside of your basement egress window can be painted or stained and varnished. The covers used outside for the egress windows are practical, durable, and very cost-effective. The covers get their strength from a welded aluminum frame and the use of a very durable polycarbonate. They are strong, relatively light, and can be easily latched from the inside.
Wes is very proud of the crew that works with him at Illumicast and the clients they serve appreciate them as well. The crew was installing egress windows just yesterday. “I checked in, you know, just to make sure everything went well and met the customer’s expectations,” Wes said, “and here’s what they said – the crew ‘did a great job for us. They were good to work with and took care of our home in a respectful manner, which we appreciate very much. We had a surprise or two throughout the process, but they responded in a positive manner and found a solution to each challenge. Thank you.’ Those are the kind of guys that will come out to do the job.”
One of the things that differentiate Illumicast from the others in the industry is that they make sure all the needed permits are pulled, which protects their clients and maintains a positive relationship. Another thing is that Illumicast uses precast concrete window wells, so you know they are strong and durable. The covers used are customized and they fit well. They will show up at 8 a.m. and the installation will be completed that same day. The travel radius for Illumicast is around 70 miles. They have done installations in Hutchinson, McPherson, Salina, Great Bend, Pratt, Newton, Wichita, and Kingman.
For Illumicast the goal is to be able to bring the beauty and light of the outdoors into your basement while protecting the lives of loved ones. Also important to Illumicast is serving the client to the best of their ability by installing an egress window correctly, efficiently, and affordably. If adding egress windows to your home is something that you’ve been contemplating, give Illumicast a call at 620-200-0616. Check out their Facebook page for a look at before and after photos of completed projects. It’s very eye-opening! You can also get more information about Illumicast by visiting their website. Wes said, “What I tell people is we want you happy the day we leave, but we’d really like to have you happy 15 years from now.” For a look at photos from Chamber Connections hosted by Illumicast go here.
