Roberts Glass & Service

This was a major 15 window full replacement within a 25 year old home. Yet because John Eby and Chuck Smith are consummate professionals and authorized installers (ie, certified with annual factory training and recertification), this was handled smoothly, expeditiously and quite thoroughly. We researched windows and doors for 8 months before finding this winning Marvin combination. Roberts' Manager Donovan Box is patient, prompt and thoroughly knowledgeable. With Marvin, Roberts, Donovan, John and Chuck you get exactly what you hope and pay for with no hassles or surprises before, during, or after the sales and installation process. Oh, icing on the cake: our heating bills have gone down 25% even though this 2013/14 is one of the coldest on record in Central Indiana!

They did a pretty good job. I have wooden windows and they did well replacing them. I would rate them an A+ if I could.

I am not impressed with Roberts Glass and Service. I met them at a home show a year and a half ago and we were interested in them mainly because of the windows that they had and a man came out from there and did the measurements because we desperately needed the windows, and never got back to us with an estimate. I knew he had health issues and he had been in hospital before he came out and I called 6 weeks later thinking the man was on his deathbed or something but he was sitting at his desk and he said that he had it right there and he was going to take care of it but he never got back to us. I have been reading reviews about him and the other reviews say the same thing. He never contacted us again. I live in a house of 3800sq with a lot of windows and you would think that he would drop everything to get the job.

We selected this company from several estimates that we had gathered. They were professional from start to end and even used a very good sub-contractor to perform the install. I had stressed that I was very picky up front about the quality of the instalation and they were very patient and agreeable with me on that topic by taking the time to explain why they were installing the way they did. I was not concerned about the product since I had already researched the Marvin brand windows. The installer took extra time to make sure everything was installed just how he would want it. He completely insulated the windows inside and out and used the flashing tape to make sure that no moisture would work it's way back in. He also replaced all the trim, including priming all the cut ends of wood so that it was all sealed up. The nice thing is that we did notice a difference this winter in those rooms being less drafty.

It went well. The windows came in as promised. The Bonded Insured Installer recommended by Roberts Glass did a fine job
installing the windows. That installer was Ken's Home Improvements. He charged a reasonable price of $2080.00
2613 Sheffield Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46229
(317) 626-7342

Marvin provided the installation crew and the whole job was done in half a day. They were clean, professional and let me watch the whole process.

Fine. We knew the size of the opening and we had room to make the window any size we wanted so we went with one we felt was appropriate. All Robert's did was order it for us from Marvin.

Where do I start? Full disclosure – we are both engineers by education. We are discriminating consumers, and we expect high quality products and workmanship. We do our homework. We chose Marvin windows after much research (comparing to Pella and Anderson) b/c we believe they offer the highest quality product. We looked for Marvin dealers on Angie’s List and found Roberts. The reviews sounded positive, so we gave them a try. We really like the windows, but the service left something to be desired. Grievances:

(1) INSTALLATION - Roberts recommended a 3rd party installer (they don't have any in-house installers for residential work). Long story short - the installer did not install according to Marvin installation specifications (http://www.marvin.com/download.aspx?DocumentID=611, http://www.marvin.com/download.aspx?DocumentID=1116) and caused damage to our property. Specifics:

• The installer cut the security system wires in each window and threw away the magnets that were attached to the windows. There was no way to reconnect the security system so we had to have each window completely rewired.
• He used fiberglass insulation (not low expansion foam) to insulate the windows. When low expansion foam was requested, he put it on the exterior and used to drop cloths or covering for our exterior trim. In fact, he repeatedly took the can and flung the overflowing foam all over the gardens – stone mulch, plantings. Great Stuff stains everything it comes into contact with (there are warnings on the internet and every other expert we have talked to warns of this). I spent several hours cleaning up the plants, stones, and trim and threw away a good amount of stone mulch. .
• He left gaps under the window frame without shims.
• He secured the window with only nails through the shims. This was discovered by the 2nd installer, who pointed out to us where every Marvin pre-drilled screw hole was unused.
• He put our old interior trim back up with chips and cracks from removal.
• He was planning to close up the window with no flashing (flashing is common industry practice today).
• He was planning to forego any support structure behind the frame expander. The Marvin specs show a support behind the frame expander and Marvin Headquarters insisted that there should be a support http://www.marvin.com/download.aspx?DocumentID=820 (page 24).
• He used no caulk around the window frames when he set the windows into the rough opening. This was discovered by the 2nd installer, who was brought out to remedy the install.
• When asked about the other Marvin specs, he told us if we wanted it done that way, we would need to do it ourselves.
• He left with the windows set in the rough opening, with no covering and rain forecasted. When questioned he replied, and quot;you don't need plastic; it rains vertically.and quot; (We have west-facing windows!!!!!) My husband and I spent a few more hours securing plastic covering to the windows so that we wouldn't get water into the openings.
• He installed the windows level, but not plumb and square. This was corrected by the 2nd installer, who informed us that the windows had been ordered and frac14; inch too wide, which made the adjustment difficult.

(2) CUSTOMER SERVICE - We reached out to Ted, the owner of Roberts, to share our concerns and to get his opinion. Rather than trying to understand a concerned customer's viewpoint, he told us that he understood we were difficult to work with. When asked if Roberts ever installed windows with low expansion foam and flashing (what I'll call the Marvin way or the new industry standard), he said no, that they always use fiberglass and no flashing. In fact, Ted ultimately said he couldn't help me and suggested I call the Regional Sales Manager for Marvin in our area. So I did. He told me that he wasn't sure he could answer my questions b/c it sounded like a lawsuit waiting to happen. (Other industry experts with whom I shared these responses, including those at Marvin Headquarters, were floored at both of these responses, especially since they all agreed the install was unsatisfactory after viewing photos). Ultimately, the Regional Sales Manager did agree that the install needed to be done according to Marvin specs and he visited our home. But the initial reaction was unexpected and unwarranted.

(3) PURCHASE RECOMMENDATION - Roberts recommended full frame window replacements. Through all of our research, we have since learned that it is typically not recommended to do a full frame replacement unless you have significant frame deterioration/rot. We didn't. Many builders and experts we have since talked to said they would not have recommended full frames for our situation. Full frame replacements cost much more in both product and installation than replacement windows. Marvin does offer replacement windows, but we were steered away from them b/c they told use we would lose daylight (glass surface area). While true, we believe the difference is not material enough for most homeowners to warrant the drama of full frame replacement.

Throughout this process, I heard over and over, and quot;we have done it this way for years and never had any trouble.and quot; Unfortunately, this mentality is common in the construction industry. 10-20 years later, are they around to see the trouble? It is a short-sighted way to do business. It is a compromise. When you purchase Marvin, a top quality window, you expect an installation to match. After all, the windows are only as good as the install – something Marvin Headquarters acknowledged.

So you can see why we felt forced to look elsewhere for expertise. We have done plenty of research that supports our concerns. We have discussed photos of our install with respected builders, with Marvin Headquarters (including their guru installer and the person in charge of code and regulatory), with Rob Moody (recognized industry expert and trainer, owner of organicthink.com and contributor to greenbuildingadvisor.com), and with an employee of Cardinal Glass (the company that makes the glass for Marvin windows). We had the county inspector out, who concluded that our window installation did not meet code and was not plumb. They have all stressed the importance of a sill pan, flashing, low expansion foam and waterproof tape.

I have provided some links below to save fellow window shoppers some time. EDUCATE YOURSELF!
• Airtight Window Installations: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/PDF/Free/021221090.pdf
• Replacing Windows in Brick Veneer Homes: http://coastalcontractor.net/article/149.html
• Window Installation Done Right: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/PDF/Free/021197054.pdf
• ASTM Standard for Installation of Exterior Windows, Doors and Skylights: http://www.texasinspector.com/ASTM%20E%202112-01%20Window%20Installation.pdf

4 weeks after the initial tear-out, and after much rework (recommended by Marvin HQ), we finally have windows that are sealed up! The installation now satisfies air/water tightness standards that are common today in the industry. Additionally, we no longer have to worry about the validity of our product warranty due to a faulty install. To be fair, there are a few things that were done right in this process, namely:

1. Our sales rep from Roberts worked with us to remedy the situation even when the owner of Roberts was not willing to. Thanks Bruce Banta!
2. Marvin Headquarters employees are OUTSTANDING! They have invested in our project to ensure that we have an outcome that is warrantable and air/water tight. They have provided thought leadership and even vetted our 2nd contractor b/c they were concerned about our experience.
3. Our 2nd contractor was knowledgeable, professional and did great work. He was more than willing to answer our questions and was accommodating to homeowners like us who are very active in their projects. Thanks,

We picked out the windows at Roberts Glass to match windows we had put in a room addtion which we had done years earlier. Ken Price was the installer and he was superb. The bay window arrived damaged and a new one was ordered and installed soon. Ken repaired a number of other problems around the house as he is a contractor not just a window installer. We were very happy with the windows and with the work that Ken did.

Gave good estimates over the phone without a trip; confirmed those estimates when onsite. Brought standard-size windows in case they could be installed immediately. One of two windows were installed the same day and the other was ordered as custom size. Very good experience working with this company.

See above

We are pleased with their work and happy with the product.

The concord glass windows in the door are beautiful! Vick Madison was the representative that I spoke with; he was the doors and windows specialist. We talked with two other suppliers and we found Vick to be the most knowledgeable, had the best product and were just the best to deal with. He was very accommodating, had good knowledge of his product, gave us a competitive price and delivered everything just as promised. We would definitely call Vick first for any door or window needs we may have.

He did a wonderful job installing the windows. He also did some molding for us too. He bent the aluminum trim to fit around the windows, making the outside of the house look beautiful!

Since there was no real work involved, the experience was quick and painless. My wife swung by their office and picked up the parts we needed. I am excited to install them at home and have working windows again!

This was a really pleasant experience from beginning to end. This teaches me to submit reports sooner, because some names are escaping me (so don't be offended if I get them wrong, guys). A window got broken into so I needed it fixed ASAP. Roberts is one of the only local places to get official Marvin windows through, so I called them and prepared for the worst from a pricing standpoint. I think I dealt with Lynn (not sure of name or spelling) on the phone. What I do remember is how kind, professional and responsive she is. I got frequent callbacks and general communication regarding pricing and scheduling. Paul did the measurements and got the window ordered. He also put plywood in the broken window frame for security (much better than my taped up cardboard). When the glass came in a few days later, Paul got back out to install it. He was also very kind and thoughtful not just in how he did the work but his overall approach. He made sure to vacuum up all the broken glass and clean up any remnants of his work. Bottom line is great staff, good turnaround, very pleasant surprise on pricing and a nice "happy plus one" approach to doing business. If we can dig the cash up and they follow through with equally reasonable pricing, I'll now likely have them replace all of the windows on the back of our house (lots of foggy glass from broken seals). I'm looking forward to working more with them.

They are really good at offering alternatives and suggesting a less expensive alternative.

Outstanding! The installation was performed in an all brick custom home. Four of the windows were installed in roof dormers and the other eighteen were installed into full brick walls with limestone sills. I could not be more pleased ... from sales, to delivery to installation - everything went well. I researched replacement windows for over a year, visiting many firms and going on site to look at installations in progress and after completion. I was most impressed with the Marvin window product and the very professional installations performed by the contractors they use. I spent time comparing different windows and installation firms. I looked at Pella and Andersen and all the others - vinyl, wood and clad. I found the Marvin products to be superior, especially the factory attached aluminum brick moulding. Other top rated installation firms will suggest it is better to fabricate the brick moulding on site and attach after the window has been installed in the opening ... but they use aluminum coil stock that is used for aluminum siding jobs and it does not have the same thickness or finish as the clad window. They will debate that with you ... but I checked first hand and saw for myself the truth versus the sales pitch. When bending and installing "on site" wrapping or brick moulding, they also need to caulk the seams to make that "fabricated on site" work weather tight. This is a short cut in my opinion since they don't need to measure as carefully. The final installation also does not look as clean and neat. My opinion: Go with an installer who measures twice or three times to get the windows "perfect" - that is what Roberts Glass and Service did - the sales person measured, then the contractor came and measured .. then after the order was placed he came and measured one more time ... just to be sure. When you spend the amount of money I did to replace windows you want the job to be perfect - and it was. The finished product is perfect and as weather tight as I had hoped for. And surprisingly, when I compared costs - the Marvin product was comparable to all the others!

I chose Roberts Glass over several other vendors because of the manufacturer they represented (Marvin) and their responsiveness to my request for quote. The ordering process was fairly simple. Roberts brought their installation contractor to ensure the measurements were correct and the windows did come in on time. The installation contractor was very good with communicating when they would be there and the status of the job throughout the whole process. Unfortunately the windows were not measured correctly (an assumption was made by the contractor when he measured) and the windows did not fit the original window opening. This caused much additional time and more importantly, all of the trim on the inside and outside had to be removed to make the windows fit. Many of the trim pieces were damaged or marked during this process. The contractor made the windows look as good as possible and offered to touch up the paint, but you just can't match 60 year old trim exactly.

Roberts was able to exactly match the new windows to our existing making for a much easier installation. Roberts Glass delivered our windows two weeks ahead of schedule and in perfect condition. Two window cranks were missing from our order, but Roberts had them delivered next day. The installer was excellent too. I would use them again.

They were able to provide Marvin windows that were a specialty. I found the windows on line and contacted them. At first the salesman John said that they did not have anything like that then another salesman Donavon said they did. Yeah Donavan! There were communication issues between John and I but we eventually got a bid for what I wanted. John hung in there with me. The windows arrived somewhat damaged. The installer corrected most of the issues. Overall I would use them again.

The workmen arrived on time. When the installer found the wet, rotten wood, he got busy cleaning the area and putting treated wood into the wall on which to place the new windows. This was extra work not planned on. The worker did a terrific job and the project was completed. The day was packed but they did everything that was contracted and more. After I paid the bill, I saw this company was listed with Angie's List. Thinking I had missed my chance to use the coupon, the company sent me a check. I am so happy I went with Roberts Glass.

Excellent. Our sales man, Donovan Box, was professional with no pressure. He answered all our questions and even provided us an education on window replacement. Timing of the installation was 4 weeks. As he had indicated when we placed our order. The installers were great. Extremely neat. They did no damage to the wood trim and was able to use all the existing trim. Which required no touch up.

First the salesman presented several options to me and I chose the door I wanted. After the installer came out I found out that that door did not come in the size I needed. After choosing another door, the installer told me the job would take 2-3 hours. After 4.5 hours, I had to leave and asked them to lock up. After I got home I discovered that they had failed to finish setting all of the nails on the molding, did not finish caulking, and left a space underneath the door on the outside. I also discovered that the weather stripping was torn and that one of the panels had a defect. The installer came back and fixed the items he could. The defective panel and weather stripping were eventually replaced. However, after reading all of the other very positive reviews on Angie's List, I was very disappointed that this took so much of my time to get fixed.

They arrived on time, did great work, cleaned everything up and were friendly and nice.