"The consultant was on time and had a lot of knowledge about window treatments that I plan to use in the future. I plan to use this company and consultant with the next widow project."
"I had a pleasant experience with my sales representative, Sade. She was friendly, honest, and thorough with her explanation of the blinds and the cost. I highly recommend her!"
"The customer service from choosing the window treatments to having them installed was excellent. The communication was always prompt and professional. We would definitely recommend their services."
Handyman with 30 years of DIY, renovation, repair, and remodel experience. I have fully renovated 3 houses, and built a 25-acre homestead from scratch including building cabins, decks, roads, barns, coops, water catchment, greenhouse, and gardens. I grew up on a farm and have a knack for understanding how mechanical things works. I have also assembled over 40 unique pieces of IKEA furniture for myself, family and friends, and love woodworking.\n\nI have the ability to do most home repair and improvement projects including: furniture assembly and repair, install or remove flooring, painting, baseboards, drywall repair, some appliance repair, replace outlets, install new lighting/fans, and toilets/faucet install.\n\nI have a truck and trailers to do demolition and junk hauling, garbage cleanup, landscaping, dirt work, tree trimming and pruning, small pressure washing jobs, and gutter cleaning.\n\nI will consider all jobs within 100 miles of metro Richmond.
"Made an appt. with Castle Rep, James, for 17 windows and vinyl siding. He spent 1 hour talking about how great his company and windows are before finally getting down to the issue. We were told that CASTLE makes and services their own window, with all the best technology and technicians available. The price per window for energy efficient came out to over $1,200 per double-hung window! And since they make their own products, we could not find a way to compare quality and price with other manufacturers. But his per-window price exceeds the average price of $500-700 by A LOT! When we balked, he made a call to his "manager" to see if we qualified for a "special promotional" discount. If we were to commit right there on the spot, we would get an additional 10% off! Still way to high. We said we would think about it (he got sad and snippy), and that we wanted to hear about the vinyl siding quote before we made any decisions. He told us he could not give us a siding quote until his company did an "eagle view" measurement, which would require another appointment! We had no intention of sitting through ANOTHER high-pressure appointment. High pressure, long-drawn out presentation and he would not leave us with anything in writing! No brochures, prices, nothing! He refused to put anything in writing and we could not have a break down of labor and costs. I even asked him if I could have a copyhh of the window warranty and he said "only if you purchase right now." And they did not come prepared with references or previous job locations! When we further researched the company, we found they did make very excellent products, but the #1 complaint was by far that they did not honor their lifetime warranty and that customer service was horrible. In the end, we chose not to do business.."
"They came and installed the windows last October, and I have not been too thrilled with the quality of the windows. Bruce told me that I had a lifetime warranty, but was never given anything in writing. I was never show how to operate these windows as swell. As of right now, when you bring the window in to clean it, you have to be very careful so that the window does not fall off. One of the windows did actually fall off as one of the clips would not allow me to push the window up or down. I am now not able to operate that window without the window falling off. When they came back to inspect the work, I was told that they did not cap the base of that window correctly. Because the window was not capped correctly there is water coming in. They said they would cap the base of that window on my next install. They are coming back out today to fix the window that will not open without falling off and they said they will cap the base of the other window as well. Bruce told me that I would not be charged for any of these problems. When I spoke to the company they said there would be a charge as Bruce was no longer working there anymore. I feel very strongly that I should not be charged for the capping of the window that they forgot to cap."
"We contracted with Castle for window replacement in January. The windows were replaced within 2 months of signing the contract. The installations went smoothly and the windows made a huge improvement to our home. Problems did arise when they were unloading the windows from the truck. We had requested contoured grilles but the windows arrived with flat grilles. We opted for a discount rather than return the windows. The second issue was that we had requested full screens for the front of the house. Castle sent someone out measure after installation, not using the original measurements. This was 2 months after the fact. Then we received a call from the factory, that the order had been placed without the measurements. We had to supply them. 3 months later, we have still not received the full screens. We had an appointment for their install that Castle cancelled due to a technician calling out. Rescheduling was set for another month out. It will be a generous 4 months from the original installation to get the screens that we ordered. Pretty disappointed. For such a minor fix, it has taken too long to correct."
"This is pretty much as good as it gets without having the designer come to your house. We received detailed recommendations for lighting, accessories, fabric types, window treatments, lots of good details in the recommendations. The actual remodel changed the room, but most of the recommendations still apply. I'm not sure about the prices of the items they recommend, but it does give you practical ideas for furniture you may already have or how to shop in a retail store, etc. "
"You know those contractors who never return your calls, don’t show up when they say they will, or push your project aside when a bigger one comes along? That is NOT Tilesmith. From my initial inquiry through the final stage of the project, they were the most responsive contractor I’ve ever encountered. Texts were answered within minutes. If I had a question or concern, it was addressed immediately. The quality of work was very good. They were dealing with a very old bathroom with misshapen walls and lots of quirks-the kind of bathroom in which you just want to do your business and get out. Tilesmith transformed it into clean, modern, polished-looking space with a heated floor that comforts & inspires lingering."
A common way to modernize arched windows is to install interior window treatments that allow light through the curved portion up to and let you cover the bottom portion for privacy. You can also install plantation shutters to make an arched window look more modern. From the exterior, arched windows can appear outdated if they’re coupled with ornate trim, so toning down the decor can make your window look more natural with a modern design.
Most modern egress windows installed in basements open outward into a window well, although some older homes have in-swing windows. Egress windows, like casement windows used in other parts of the home, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, may open inward, and these windows are often larger than outward-opening windows.
One of the best professional cleaning solutions that won’t leave streaks is one gallon of distilled or bottled water mixed with 2 to 4 teaspoons of dish soap. Apply using a sponge in a figure-eight motion, and then use a squeegee to remove the majority of the water and soap. You can finish drying with a piece of old black-and-white newspaper to remove any residue for a streak-free clean every time.
Wood windows fall in the middle of the window frame materials when it comes to energy efficiency. They’re more insulating than aluminum and vinyl, but they aren’t as efficient as fiberglass or composite frames. If you love the look and lifespan of wood windows and want to maximize efficiency, you can upgrade to double-pane or triple-pane glass and consider window tinting and low-emissivity (low-E) coatings to minimize heat transfer.
Whether or not new windows increase property taxes depends on where you live and by how much your upgrade increases your home’s value. Smaller projects likely won’t result in increased property taxes, but it’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution and check. Contact your local county appraisal department for the most accurate information about property taxes in your area.
The Solomons, MD homeowners’ guide to window treatment services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
When dressing a small window, you want to let in as much natural light as possible and avoid making a space look smaller. Here are 10 inspirational window treatment ideas for small windows—from blinds to shutters to patterns and colors.
Looking to buy custom window treatments or just looking for window treatment ideas? This home interiors expert shares 12 common types of window treatments.
Thinking about new blinds or shades? Learn about window treatment installation costs, design options, and how to hire the right local pro for your home.