
Window Universe
About us
Window Universe in Baltimore has become the leading window and door company in town. They are 100% locally owned and operated right here to serve you. Due to their size they can offer big company pricing and warranties along with the care that a local company provides. It's the best of both worlds! They offer full service energy efficient replacements from very economical vinyl windows to complete full frame historic wood windows and everything in between. Give them a call to see what so many other Angie's List members have been raving about! This is the reason you signed up for Angie's List.
Business highlights
Services we offer
Energy efficient windows & doors.
Amenities
Free Estimates
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
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72% | ||
14% | ||
5% | ||
7% | ||
2% |
"On time and as scheduled is one of the goals and we're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the process. Thanks for taking the time to post a straight A review!"
"Short and sweet. I looked over this customer's order and it looks like everything is complete and looking great. Thanks for taking the time to give us an [Member Name Removed] for price! Remember we offer the guaranteed best pricing on Angie's List and complete lifetime warranties. It's the best deal around!"
"We LOVE our customers! Thanks for taking the time to write. Remember you now have our complete lifetime warranty so just let us know if there is ever anything we can do to help out!"
The installers did an excellent job. Our complaint is with management. We waited, and waited, and the crew did not show up on the day we were told they would come, and we did not receive a phone call, or any other form of communication to advise us. When I called the company, I was eventually told by the manager, "I will take the hit for that. There was a message from the crew stating that they would not make it to your house, but I did not see the message". He then said, "We will make it up to you". My husband and I both thought he meant that the price for the service would be reduced.
When I came home from work on the day the work was being done, my husband and I walked around to look at the work done thus far. It was nearly finished, but we noticed that two of the windows had a slight blue tinge to them. We wondered if those windows might be the two special windows that we had ordered for an especially hot in summer, cold in winter room. We asked the installers about the two windows, and they said that they hadn't been informed about two special windows, but yes, on closer inspection there were indeed two special windows, and they had been installed in the wrong places. Again, the installers were wonderful, and corrected the mistake.
The windows were installed on a Thursday, and on the following Monday I called the company to see what we owed them. We had paid half the bill on the day we contracted them for service, with the remaining half due upon completion. I thought the remaining portion would be adjusted, based upon our initial understanding that we would be given a discount. I reminded the manager of our previous conversation, and that I had called to find out what we owed. He was aggressive and unpleasant, and then knocked $50.00 off the bill. We did not ask for a discount, but following the first conversation, with him we understood that one would be given. I felt bullied by the manager, and ultimately insulted.
"Well that's certainly not the feeling we're going for. It is always possible that someone can make a mistake, but we want to make sure we're handling it in a professional manner. I'll touch base with the team to find out what went on here. Remember you do have our complete lifetime warranty so if there is ever anything else we can do to help just let us know."
On this website, they advertise a special program where they are able to extend a significant discount as well as streamline the window purchase process for replacement windows. They basically cut the middle-man out of the process with the negative sales tactics involved in this process normally. The site is also an excellent source on the Internet to perform your window research as the owner/moderator is deeply knowledgeable about all kinds and styles of windows, most major manufacturers, and construction processes used in most windows, old and new. Between the Q&A between him and other persons asking window questions, you can learn an immense amount of valuable information in a very short period of time. I quickly zeroed in on the replacement window I wanted installed within my home based on these reviews. The window turned out to be an Alside-manufactured window (Revere Birkshire Elite). All of my questions were answered by "Dan" on https://thewindowdog.com via email, including asking him his opinion of triple pane windows, pro's and con's of different spacers, gas used between panes, quality of window verses other manufacturers, U-factors, etc. My emails were answered within a day at most - nice. Once my questions were answered, all I had to do was tell him how many windows I wanted replaced and the window style (in my case, double hung).
A contract was sent to my email address, and it was very detailed on exactly what I was getting, including all options. I actually added a few more options after seeing all options on a single page, and only after I asked Dan his opinion of value verses cost. There was zero game playing, and everything was 100% transparent. The total cost for the 10-window package was very aggressive; much less cost than most other companies for the same window. Once I signed the contract, an Alside window measurer came out to my house less than a week later to measure the existing 10 window frames/openings. Process took all of 20 minutes. The windows were then ordered behind the scenes and arrived 3 weeks later, likely due to my order for triple pane vs double pane. A simple phone call informed us the windows arrived, and we agreed to an installation date.
Two installers arrived on-time at 8:30am. Installers were very nice. Complete installation went smooth as silk. No problems whatsoever. The installation included exterior aluminum capping within the cost, which was a plus, and this team did an excellent job on this part of the job. The installer bending this aluminum capping was a true artist - there were features and bends on the capping which were not all 90 degree bends, yet made the windows capped beautifully and laying on brickwork ready to be caulked. Caulking was superb. Installation of these windows also featured spray-foaming the gap between the replacement window frame and the house window frame - a technique way better than filling in this space with pink fiberglass insulation *if* you're lucky enough to have a competitor installation team take the time to do this "little detail" in the first place. Most homeowners don't know the importance of this step.
The triple pane windows are excellent and the quality is fantastic. Opening & closing the windows are easier than the older windows that were replaced. With these new windows installed, I can already feel a significant improvement in temperatures from room to room ? all rooms are now the same temperatures, rather than colder or hotter than others. Big difference compared to the windows I had replaced.
Overall, a pleasant and truly spectacular and efficient experience! I couldn?t be more pleased from the beginning to ending of this process. I highly recommend this company for your future window replacement needs.
"Thanks for taking the time to write!"
"Thanks for taking the time to write. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the process and please don't hesitate to let us know if there is anything else we can do to help out."
"Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. We're always happy to help out and we LOVE repeat customers. We didn't even mind your neighbor!"
"Thanks for taking the time to write. We're looking forward to getting everything completed and looking great. Just let us know if there is anything else we can do to help out!"
"Before I tell you what happened here I'll tell you this project is 100% complete and looking great, just like all of our projects. If you talk to anyone who runs a home improvement business about Angie's List, sooner or later the conversation will turn to the extortion that some customers try to pull to get discounts. This customer demanded a discount and said she would write a bad review about our company if we didn't comply. She made the project incredibly difficult from the start. After she had made something harder than it needed to be she wanted a discount, every time. This project is 100% complete and looking great just like every project. It would have been done months sooner, literally months, if she had let us get it done. Instead she refused to schedule the installation while complaining that it was taking too long. She even reported us to the State of Maryland and they told her to schedule the completion appointment. Once she did it was completed professionally and it looks fantastic. I know people have a lot going on in their lives and we'll never know all of the details. This customer did tell me that her husband didn't want the new windows and was unhappy that she had ordered them. I imagine that could have contributed to her unwillingness to schedule the installation. Regardless, the windows were ordered, installed and a service call was completed and everything is all wrapped up. To anyone about to start a window or door project, the best advice I can give is to approach it like you're working together with the company to achieve a great result. If it's you against them you'll never find happiness."
This was a $121 big deal purchase. The actual installation, when they got around to installing it, was pretty good. The installers were good. The quality of the work was fine, but the scheduling was horrible. I purchased the deal in late August and they did not get here until after Thanksgiving. I paid more than the price of the deal. The job was more than a $2,000 job. I am very happy with the windows. They were on time when it was finally scheduled, but they did not give me a call beforehand. They said they would. They gave me an estimate that they would be here between nine and two, and the got here right before nine, but they did not give us a call beforehand. They did send me updates by email, but the windows were actually in, in October. They did what they said they were going to do, except they never got the da*n thing scheduled. Or when they had it scheduled they had it scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving.
"Thanks for taking the time to write. We did run into some scheduling difficulties back then. We a busier than anticipated fall season and we had one of our senior installers out with an injury. There were some projects delayed, but we made the decision that if we were going to fail at something it would be the timing and not the quality. I'm glad to hear everything is looking great and I'll let anyone else considering a project know that things are now back to normal running at full speed again!"
"The trick here is that the Angie's List account that bough the coupon is not the same as the customer name we had in our system. It caused a bit of confusion as the customer was telling us that they bought a coupon, but we didn't have any coupon by that name. It all ended up just fine and the project looks great. We're all friendly around here. Next time it would help to either have the coupon upfront or give us the coupon number so we can pull it up. Nobody is trying to pull anything and we do appreciate the kind words about the installers."
"Success! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. I'm thrilled to here we were able to exceed your expectations. Keep telling your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers about us!"
"Thanks for taking the time to write and please don't be shy about telling your friends and neighbors about your fantastic new windows! Don't forget you have both our complete lifetime warranty and our 110% best value guarantee. You can be sure you got the best deal in town and we'll always be here to help if you need us."
We love our new windows and our neighbors love how much better our house looks from the street.
"Success! Thanks for taking the time to write. We've never found windows we can't replace, but you're absolutely right that some are much easier than others. I'm glad to hear you're loving your new windows. Don't hesitate to let us know if there is anything we can do to help in the future!"
"We always hate to hear from a customer who wasn't thrilled. This one may have been an issue of setting realistic expectations. First, the member wrote us a D review before we even started work, so we had an uphill battle on our hands. I've been doing this long enough to know you can't please everybody, but that was probably a sign of things to come. Regarding the timing of the project our typical lead time is 4-6 weeks and that does vary throughout the year depending on the number of pending orders at any given time and the specific products a customer picks. In this case he placed his order with us on June 8th and the project was completed on July 18th. That's 5 weeks and 5 days by my count which is definitely in the rage of time we estimated in the beginning. In the unusual case of any delay we do have a policy in place to make things as easy as possible. Just to be clear there was no delay with this project. It was finished on time just like the vast majority of our projects. We know everyone wants their windows installed ASAP and we want to have all of the projects completed quickly too. We do offer a rush order program for someone who is in a hurry and this member chose not to take advantage of that program. We try our best to be as clear as possible about the timing upfront. Sometimes things do come up that impact the timing, but in this case nothing did. The project was completed onetime and the results look great. I would ask anyone considering a window or door project to take the time to talk through the details of the project before getting started. Understand how things will likely go and what will be done in case things don't meet your expectations. We try to be as clear as we can with our forms and our process so everything is in writing and understood upfront, but that doesn't guarantee someone will understand the situation. We'll continue to try to refine our process and set the best expectations we possibly can to make sure everyone is thrilled with their new windows. Remember, our 110% best value guarantee ensure we're always the absolute best value on Angie's List and our complete lifetime warranty ensures we'll always be here to help if you need us!"
I would definitely do business with Window Universe again if I have a need arise.
"Thanks for taking the time to write. We LOVE that you LOVE your new door. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help!"
"Thanks for taking the time to write and we're thrilled to hear that you would recommend us to a friend. The winter weather can be tough to deal with, but we always find a way to get everything completed. Remember you now have our complete lifetime warranty so we'll always be here to help if you need us."
Team arrived on time and immediately contacted me to see if I had questions. They set up and worked throughout the day, checking routinely to update me on their progress. The installation went smooth and the finished product is beautiful - excellent job!
This is the second major project we have done with Window Universe.
We had windows replaced earlier this year - project went equally well!
Highly recommend this outstanding service provider!
"Thanks so much! That's about the best review we could ask for and we're thrilled that you're enjoying the end result. Please do let us know if there is anything else we can do to help!"
I would absolutely recommend Window Universe. We met with reps from Thompson Creek, Clear View, Lowes, and also got estimates from a couple of our contractors. Every other company was outrageously expensive in comparison. Beyond price, WU had helpful and open communication with us throughout the process, their windows are great quality, and the installation went very smoothly.
PRICE: Thompson Creek and Clear View were both asking almost $17k, Lowes was over $12k, and one of our contractors quoted around $11k. These prices were far beyond that of a wise investment in our minds. Window Universe did everything for a little under $10k! (Mandatory lead paint fees contributed about $1k to all those numbers.)
SALES PITCH: Thompson Creek was at our house for over two hours, and the others weren?t much better. I learned more about windows than I ever wanted to know! All of them required me and my wife to be there (so you can?t give that excuse to think about it), and they put pressure on you to make a decision before they leave, often saying prices will increase later. WU was much more laid back, didn?t push for the sale, encouraged us to take our time and think about it, and answered all our questions.
PRODUCT QUALITY: After learning so much about windows, the product from WU, made by ?Revere Windows?, looked as good as the others. Their U-Factor of .29 compared fairly evenly with the others; the costliest places only get a point or two lower. They have the same features - double locks, both the top and bottom panes swing inward for easy cleaning, they can lock at a partially-open position for safely getting a breeze. There were a few small quality issues we noticed once the windows were installed - a couple of the inner grids were slightly crooked and one of the locks was broken. But they came out and fixed these things right away, as they have a great warranty?
WARRANTY: Some of these companies offered warranties that were not transferable to a subsequent owner, or included materials but not labor, or didn?t include accidental glass breakage. Be sure to ask about these things when shopping for windows. Lowes was the worst for this, with only 2 years of labor coverage, and a warranty that turns into a 10 year warranty for a new owner. WU has an excellent warranty.
INSTALL: Our installer was great. He went above and beyond in some tough situations, he took it upon himself to replace extra aluminum trim around our bay windows. The installers worked around large overgrown bushes and handled our old lead paint framing well.
"That's a great review from a very thorough shopper. We thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I would note, that we offer windows with U-Factors as low as 0.18, but they do cost more than our typical offerings. This member makes a great point about warranties. You'll see that (almost) every company says they have lifetime warranties, but when you read them there are HUGE differences. There is absolutely no better warranty in town than the warranty we offer. We'll hear people say that they don't care about warranties as they'd prefer not to have a problem in the first place. I get the logic, but that person is missing the point. A warranty is a direct indicator of how long the manufacturer expects the product to last. If they thought it would hold up over the long term they'd have a great warranty. If they think it may fail soon they'll have a short warranty. Companies that offer short or limited warranties will have all sorts of ways to try to explain them away, but that fundamental truth remains. If they expect that the product will last a long time they'll put a long and comprehensive warranty on it. We do, every time. Thanks for taking the time to write!"
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