Window Universe

Just purchased a home in Alexandria, where the previous owner replaced most of the original windows but for some reason, left the original sliding glass patio door and basement windows. With the warm summer we've been having, I wanted to get our house as energy efficient as possible, so we started shopping around for a company that would provide great service and value to replace the door/windows. We got estimates from 3 different recommended companies and chose to go with Window Universe because of the no pressure, educational presentation given by Jason. The pricing options and fees were up front and they actually had the best prices. Once I decided to work with Window Universe, they let me know that it takes between 4-6 weeks for them to custom manufacture the windows/door for your house and they provide you with a weekly email update to let you know the status of your order. Once they receive your order, they coordinate an installation date/time that works for you. While I don't anticipate any issues with installation or the quality of they windows, it is good to know that I have the lifetime warranty from a local business that I can count on. The installation was just as smooth as the ordering process; the installers came on time and were very neat and professional. They did not waste any time and you can tell they had years of experience doing this as they worked independently during certain portions of the installation and then together as a team as needed. This probably saved me and them a few hours of time. At the end, they even provided me with some tips on the maintenance of the patio door and windows. Again, I am very happy with the service, price and communications with Window Universe.

Windows Universe were responsive and punctual in all their appointments, their representatives were thorough, careful and competent. I was a little concerned that our deadline for finishing this project was October 31, but they arrived October 30, and completed all necessary work in a timely and organized fashion. They were very careful about the exterior of the building, and did not leave any trash, chips, or old paint flakes outside or inside our home on completion, doing a good job of covering the work area in tarps and other protective materials. Our condo association has had other good transactions with them as well. The interior work is tidy and well done, I'm a little obsessive about caulking being smooth and consistent on the finish work, and they did a decent job of that, with only three or four spots on 11 windows that I found to smooth out later. I did not do extensive research on the quality of the windows themselves (since this was a small apartment installation), though the windows have gotten decent reviews, but was pleasantly surprised to realize that for our pretty basic installation fee, we were getting aluminum exterior wrapping on our window sills and other surrounding woodwork. That was a nice feature that is not always included in other window installations. Overall, we were happy.

Window Universe was prompt in making their appointments and accurate in estimating the length of time between measurement and installation. I give them bonus points for providing regular updates on the delivery status in the interim. Installation went quickly and smoothly. While expensive, the cost was not out of line with other bids I received. I'd recommend them.

They were very professional--sent weekly updates regarding the status of my project and performed the work in a timely manner. They cleaned up well after the work was performed.

Late review - thought I had submitted it many months ago. In January I had Window Universe replace 12 windows in my townhouse (which were over 25 years old). I had previously solicited quotes from other window vendors and their high-pressure sales tactics of some of those companies left me less than impressed. I was very pleased with the salesman at Window Universe - he wasn't pressing us to make a decision that day, and their pricing beat the previous quotes I had received (I believe they also have a price-match guarantee). After we signed up - we were kept up to date on the progress of the order, and when we received confirmation that the windows were ready - they were able to install w/in the next few days. I think it was approximately 3 weeks between the time we had our initial meeting and when the install took place. Install only took 1 day (approximately 7 hours) and the two person crew was very good. No issues with the install nor with the windows after. The windows are the same quality and style that the other companies were trying to pressure me into buying & I got them for much less...and with a much more pleasant experience. I'd recommend them for anyone looking to upgrade their windows.

We needed a window replaced, and it is VERY hard to find someone that can replace one window at a time and not charge enormous fees for failing to do the minimum number of windows. Ted at Window Universe helped us through this though, as we had a tight budget and needed options that could help us get a new window economically without sacrificing quality. He gave us options, and helped us look for the savings that we needed to get us closer to our price range. Had I been able to afford to do multiple windows at once and avoid minimum fees, I would have, but I understand why they exist and can appreciate how they tried to help me out on them. The people at Window Universe were fast and communicative, emailing us or calling us frequently to keep us informed of where we were in the process. Dominique, one of our project managers, was always very polite and responsive to my questions, and what I particularly liked was that she left voicemails when she wasn't able to reach me directly to give me the information I needed, rather than just holding on to the information until we could connect directly. Our window was installed within 3 months of ordering the custom window, and the installation itself was a no-hassle, no mess, no stress event. The installers worked very quickly and were very respectful of our time, our property, and our furnishings, making sure that everything was kept clean and free of dust and dirt. Soup to nuts, we had a great experience with everyone at Window Universe, and I have no doubt that we'll use them again in the future for windows, storm doors, and really anything else they can do for us.

Windows Universe was perfect from start to finish. They came onsite quickly after my call to provide information on windows/doors, demonstrate window mechanics, show/discuss various options, and ultimately provide an estimate. We also met with other providers to get estimates but Window Universe was a better price and far more professional. They came back to take measurements and scheduled the install date. The installers were extremely professional and efficient. The work was top quality and completed on time. The cleaned everything very meticulously - it was spotless when they were done. Our house is about 80 yrs old with plaster walls...we expected to have some damage and cracked as a result of the replacement. They left with the walls in as good a shape as when they started...I didn't have to do any repainting or touch up. They were an absolute pleasure. Fully recommend them to anyone considering a full house window replacement job.

I initially called the company about replacing windows in some bedrooms. I had storm windows that I couldn't raise and was concerned about risk of fire. The windows in my family room were clouded over and pretty unsightly but they were a secondary concern. The guy from Window Universe came out and advised me that I could simply remove the storm windows permanently - they weren't serving any purpose. He examined the bedroom windows and determined that they were actually in good shape and a replacement wasn't necessary. I was pleasantly surprised by his honesty. Since the FR windows had been bothering me I decided to go ahead and have those replace. Measurements were made and a few weeks later, they returned to do the install. Communication was great and everything was performed in a timely fashion. Would definitely recommend this company!

They were very professional, did a great job. They were very timely, and the price was very good.

The preliminary discussions went well, and I worked well with the salesman, Jason. The problems arose in the tail end of the project. Jason had gotten confused on the proper trim for the outside of the windows, and the installer, Julio, was unable to complete the project. It has taken Window Universe months to get the proper trim (grey) in their warehouse, and Julio has missed two appointments to finish the project. Julio has been marginally responsive to calls and emails, and while I continue to have a strong relationship with Jason, Julio continues to present an issue. Further, the wood surrounding my windows has been exposed to the elements for months. I am disappointed, to say the least.

My tenant had problems with some old windows in the house and I assured him I would get right on it and get the job done soon. I told the company that this was a job that needed to be done reasonably quickly. When I was assurred that it would be I decided to replace all the windows in the house. The contract to replace all windows was signed on June 12, 2013 for $9408. The understanding was that the measurement would take place within a week and the work would done within 6 weeks. It took almost 13 weeks to get the work done. My tenant was not pleased and this was terribly embarrassing. It would have taken longer had it not been for the several calls that I had to make to prompt the company to get going. After the workmen finally came the job went smoothly and it took almost 4 days because it was a big project involving 25 windows. No complaint about the workmen. Finally when the work was finished unknown to me the Co. put $9508 on my charge card when it was supposed to be $9408. I only found this out when I looked at the credit card statement about 2 weeks ago. On calling I was assured that the extra $100 would be put back on the card. As of now they have not done so. This means I will have to call again (my time is not worth anything I suppose).

I have gone through the orginial estimate process with Jeff Twardy which was very smooth on Oct 15. Jeff represented the company and the product very well. I ultimately decided to go with Windows Universe for the replacement of my patio balcaony door. I was contacted just a day or two after the initial estimate to finalize the measurements for the installation of the balconly patio door. Windows Universe said they could come from 10-11 am on Saturday Oct 19. I rearranged my day to accomodate them. By Noon no one had come or contacted me so I call them. The initial person I spoke with told me that they didn't see anything scheduled for me at all. They transferred me to Julio, who scheduled the appointment with me, Julio said there was a mix up with the person that was supposed to do the measurement job going to work on a different job or something like that. Julio, said they could come at 2-4 pm today (saturday Oct 19). He didn't offer any other dates or times. This is a huge inconvenience for me, and I told him as such because I had arranged my day to accomated them, but again all he offered me was 2-4 pm the same day, Oct 19. I am preparing for an important trip the following weekend and was looking forward to using this afternoon to get all the errands for it taken care of today (specific and unique items that I require for the trip are a good 2 hr drive from my location). I'm going to have work something out during the week to make it all work, e.g. take leave or what not; which ultimately makes the door more expensive in terms of personal cost of time. I hope I don't regret this decision and that the rest of the process goes smoothly, but this leaves an extremely bitter taste in the mouth. I'll provide an update on the installation itself once it is complete, but so far my review is mixed, overall a D. Once the door is installed I'll mark a rating for quality which I left at N/A for now. (Plus we'll see if they really show up sometime between 2-4 today).

Very professional, the actual installation was done in only two hours, which was much less than I expected. The measurements and ordering of the windows took a long time, though, all told from first contact to completion was three or four months. Very positive experience in the end, though, I would definitely recommend them.

Windows Universe I can?t say enough about how happy my wife and I are not only with the window but also with the installers. The windows are Revere Berkshire. They are vinyl with the grids between the two panes of glass. I just finished cleaning them and it was a breeze. They tilt in and are very easy to handle. In addition to twenty-two windows (18 double hung and two picture windows) I also has a set of French Doors and a basement door installed. I have not had windows replaced before and was fascinated with how it was done. There was one installer and a helper. The first day they installed all 22 windows. The second day they installed the French Doors and the basement door. On the third and last day they covered all the wood around the windows and doors on the outside with aluminum custom cut on the premises to fit perfectly. They were on time each day and didn?t bother to take a lunch break. They worked straight through until about 4:00 pm each of the three days. I subscribed to Angie?s list to get an honest appraisal of window installation companies because there are so many in the Washington DC area. While others got relatively high marks none came close to Windows Universe. I?ve heard that the best form of advertising is a satisfied customer. I?m happy to join the ranks of all the others who sing the praises of the company.

The first installation went poorly as the measurements for the sliding glass door were inaccurate. I was very unhappy as they had to put a temporary cap over the space for a couple of weeks. However, I spoke with one of the owners, we were able to work things out and in the end a good product was installed.

Install was satisfactory. Cleaned up after finished work. Workers were friendly and professional.

Initial contact was with the sales person who explained that they were booked for the week but would send someone out in a week (the timing was okay with me). I explained that I could send the specs and was informed that they like to see the job in order to give an accurate assessment. I received a confirmation email. I went ahead and sent the specs and received a call from one of the technicians to explain that our specs were not within their scope. He was very professional and from the conversation I could tell that he knew the door business. The quick turnaround of a matter of hours was appreciated as was the honesty in explaining the type doors/installation they specialize in.

The service provider came and gave an estimate for windows, but I had previously obtained an estimate from another provider which proved to be better for my purposes. The provider was courteous and the experience overall was quite good. No high pressure whatsoever.

They were awesome, friendly and did a great job. I am really happy with the quality of the product. The only issue we ran across was that they were going to squeeze us in because they had a cancelation, but they apparently had their wires crossed. They thought they could squeeze us in, but somebody else took the spot and that was a little annoying. Once they got out here and we scheduled it everything was great.

I requested 4 quotes, three from top rated Angie?s List providers including Window Universe, and one recommended by a neighbor. I was primarily looking for (1) the absolute best energy rating I could get within my budget (looking principally at the u-factor, and avoiding triple pane); and (2) confidence that the installer would do it to the highest degree of professionalism. Jason arrived on schedule and was professional and knew the Revere product well. The problem was that he never seemed to understand the importance of #1 to me and none of the literature had an NFRC rating for the product offered. When I searched, I found that the u-factor for the offered Berkshire window was .31, which was much higher than anything I was looking to invest in. While the warranty was very good, and the price was the lowest quote I received, it was an inferior product and simply did not meet my high energy efficiency requirements. Based on the company response, I would REALLY like to emphasize that the representative that came to my house to explain the available products did not show me ANYTHING REMOTELY CLOSE to the energy efficiency ratings that I purchased from another vendor. I really do hope that you use my feedback in training, because if you actually do offer something with a U factor of .18, then the representative you sent to my house knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about it. The product range I was offered was nowhere near what I sought, even at a higher price. To give you genuinely constructive feedback, I honestly felt that your literature AND your representative actually did not convey ANY understanding of what U-factor means. If you actually offer 85 U-factor rated products, then your sales representative completely failed you -- he NEVER acknowledged my focus on this element. A phone call would not have helped me given the inferior information I was provided about your offering. The good news is that I did NOT overpay for what I purchased in any way. I have a lifetime warranty and am extremely happy with my purchase. There are many vendors out there, and the only way to differentiate is product quality and installation quality and assurance.

The windows were installed wonderfully. No problems with the window installers and the work which was done. The representative who initially came out to my house to go over the project with me did not realize that when I purchased the 7 window energy efficient deal coupon from Angie's List, that I actually paid for the windows when I purchased the deal. He tried to charge me for the windows again. I would just advise fellow customers to let the representative know that if you purchase the deal on Angie?s list, you actually pay for the windows at that time. He asked me to show him that I already paid and then deducted the window charge off my billing statement. I had to reschedule the installation (I called a few days before the installation) because of a work emergency and the company was very accommodating. My windows look great!

I initially contacted 3 different window providers and I chose Window Universe because they gave me the most competitive price and also they spent the most time with me explaining their services and what windows they use. I started my search in March 2013 and didn't not get my windows replaced until July 2013. My only complaint was how long it took. Part of the problem was Window Universe and part of the problem was because I live in a condo complex which requires the Board of Directors to review the window purchase. After my initial consultation with Window Universe in March 2013, they had to come back again for me to sign a contract and provide payment information. Once that was settled, I had to contact my Board of Directors to review the windows that I was going to put in my condo. It took my Board of Directors about 3 weeks to approve the job. Soon thereafter, I contacted Window Universe and told them it was a go. ANOTHER person had to come by and measure my window frames to customize the windows. After him was my windows finally ordered. Approximately 6 weeks later, I was informed that my windows were finally ready to install and by the time that occurred 4 months had already passed. Besides the long, arduous process, Window Universe provided a relatively decent product and installed it with no problems. The window installers did destroy my surrounding window frame but they attempted to cover it up with caulk and spackle paste. All I had to do was paint over it to finally make my new windows look brand new.

I am so disappointed in this company. My husband purchased my windows through his Angie's List (he lives in another city) on May 3, 2013. The sales representative came out in the evening at 6PM, which was great, since we both work and he had to drive to Fairfax. We fell for the pitch, and purchased 5 windows on the spot. We were told that it would be 3 to 4 weeks for installation to be completed and someone from the company would be calling me to schedule, which sounded like a reasonable amount of time. The only negative to this appointment was: (1) I was asked to "LIKE" them on Facebook and (2) to write a "positive " YELP review just to get a $200 discount before any work on been done. Of course, I did this, I was on a budget and needed to save money. After two weeks, and no one from Windows Univerise had telephoned me. I reached out to the company, and was told that an appointment was needed to measure. They apologized for not calling me. The first measurement took place on or about mid-June (almost 6 weeks later). After another two weeks and no response, I had to follow up follow with the company again to inquire about an installation date. When the installers arrived (I was told they would be out between 8 - 110AM, and would call when they were on their way). The installers arrived 30 minutes after the 8-10AM window (at 10:30AM). I was informed that the measurements taken were incorrect, and the windows were not going to fit. Furthermore, I was told that "they" no longer do business with the sub-contractor who measured my windows. Once again, I had to call the company (not mentioning all numerous calls and non-returned calls). The company "apologized" and said they were "sorry", which really didn't make the situation any better. They came back out to my home 1 weeks later and re-measured. I had to call again to schedule an installation date did for July 27, between 8-10AM. However, Windows Universe called me at 7:40AM to say that the "trim" didn't make it onto the truck. The installer said he would call the boss to see if he would open the warehouse. When he called back, he said the supervisor would not open the warehouse, and I need to call back on Monday to reschedule. Also, he said they could install the windows but it it rained, they would leak. Good thing I didn't have them install the windows because it stormed that afternoon. Again, I had to call the company to compalin, I think their receptionist knows my name. I never once, raised my voice or lost my temper but I sure wanted to yell and scream. Finally, on August 2 (after 90-days, okay 89 days) my windows were installed. The Manager, Dan, came to my home the morning of the installation to make sure everything went smoothly. He had to isten to my story, and never once seemed irritated. He was very professional and said he would provide me with a credit for the inconvenience. Although, the credit was not nearly what I was looking for, I never called back to complain. I'm sorry but I would not recommend this company, and I told Dan so August 2.

It went well. They did everything in one day and left the house clean and mess free. Gave them B for punctuality because they had to reschedule the service, but other than that everything was fine.

They came out after I purchased the "Big Deal" and they were prompt. They did what they said they would do and we were very pleased with them.