Window World of DC Inc

Review: We are moving out of our house and needed to replace 6 windows as requested by our buyer as a result of the home inspection. We had [redacted] as our sales person from Window World come by, take measurements, take pictures, and write up a contract for the work. Several weeks later we still had not heard from Window World about an installation date. We called several times, only to get answers that the contract must have been misplaced, etc. Finally they found the contract and ordered the windows. Though Window World had promised it would take just a week, it took two weeks for the windows to come in. Then we had to go through the trouble of getting an installation date. At this point, our nerves were being tried, but we still had hope. Two gentlemen arrived to install the windows (they did a great job, and received tips for their courtesy), but they did not come with screens. At this point, Window World claimed that if we wanted screens, we should have said something. Having never replaced windows before, we believe that this should have been a question asked by the sales person at the time of the contract. When he took pictures, there were full screens on our windows, so we believe the error is not on us; additionally, it is an HOA requirement, so if asked, we would have certainly said that we needed full screens. Unfortunately, we are closing on our home in 3 days and Window World is unable to order and install the screens in that amount of time, which may impede us from selling our home.Desired Settlement: We wish for Window World to do the following:

1. Provide a letter from Corporate detailing that a) the error was on their side, b) they will install the full screens within three weeks of the original installation date

2. Install full screens, for no additional installation fee, and with no added inconvenience to our buyer, within three weeks of the original installation date

Business

Response:

**. and [redacted]. [redacted]

had an appointment for an estimate on May 7, 2014. They did not purchase on the 7th. On the May 21st they called to

give a credit card number for their down payment. At this time we still had not received their

contract. We contracted the estimator

for him to bring in a copy of the contract.

On May 28th we received a copy of the contract signed by

[redacted]. Normally it takes 4 to 6

weeks for the custom made windows to be manufactured. These are not stock windows but measured to

fit their home. As you can see from the

attached copy of the contract full screens were not checked. On the back of the contract it states that

the homeowner is responsible for color, grids, Low E, or any other non standard

accessories. The windows have ½ half

screens as standard, as listed under the options section of the contract. Since they knew that their HOA required full

screens, they should have told the estimator when he was at their home. If not then, they had time to review the contract

since it was not signed that night. The

windows were installed on June 21, 2014.

Approximately 5 weeks from the date the contract was signed and 3 weeks

from the time we received the contract.

The 4 screens have been ordered, 3 have arrived and one is on backorder. We only charged for the 4 screens and not for

a service call. The company will lose

money on the 4 screens after paying for the screens and labor for the service

call to install the screens.

Review: I had used Window World of DC in the March of 2011 to replace a bay window and I found the work to be done well, with the completion from the initial call to the replacement bay window taking over three weeks. Based on this good quality service I called them again when the wind had blown one of our shutters into the garage window. I signed a contract on March 24, 2013 with Window World of DC to replace a garage window with Mr. Duane J[redacted]. I paid half of the cost of the window $176 and was told to pay the remainder after the window is installed. Mr. J[redacted] said the someone from Window World would call me within three weeks to schedule installation of the new window. After three weeks had past, I called Window World to check on the status of my window. I was told they had no record of me in their system, except for the work that was performed back in 2011. The person that I spoke to was Christine and she was going to contact Mr. J[redacted] to determine the status and get back to me. After two more weeks had past I contacted Window World again and still there is no record of my transition. I told them that this was unacceptable and I wanted to speak with a manager. The Shipping Manager came on the line and apologized and said that he would call me back with an update. Unbounded to me Mr. J[redacted] went on a medical leave and apparently his paperwork was misplaced. After about 45 minutes the Shipping Manager called I to inform me that Mr. J[redacted] was on medical leave and for whatever reason his order was not processed. The Shipping Manager told me that the window should arrive in two to three weeks. In about three weeks I receive a call from Christine to schedule a time to install the window. The installers arrived and replaced the window. They asked me to sign for the delivery and pay the remaining balance of $176. When I looked at the window I noticed the screen was a screen and not a full screen like the rest of the windows. I wrote this mistake on the receipt and expected someone to contract me. The following day I contacted Window World and they said that I had to purchase the full screen for $30. I thought that as much as I had gone through and considering it was their mistake, there should have been no charge. I paid that $30 dollars via credit card and was told that I had two options. 1) Someone would drop off the screen at no charge, but they would not install it. 2) They would send out a crew to install the screen, but I had to pay for their service. I told them to just drop off the screen and that I would install it. I contacted Mr. J[redacted] five times and he said the screen did not fit in his car. He apologized and said that he would get it to me as soon as he could. It is now late September and I no one from Window World has dropped off the screen. On October 9, 2014 my wife drove to Window Worlds [redacted] location and picked up the window. Needless to say it has taken over six months to get finality on installing a replacement window and screen.Desired Settlement: When you call for service and get a signed contract in March the matter should not still be unresolved in late October. My wife had to pick up the screen and it still has not been installed. I think a full refund and apology is warranted for this lack of customer service.

Business

Response:

We have reached a mutual agreement on this complaint. We are sending out one of our installers on 11/13 between 8am and 10am to install the screen. In the event that the screen doesn't fit, the customer has agreed to let us order a new screen and install it at no expense to them. Even though we have no record of the $30.00 payment, we have issued a refund in the amount of $80.00 for the inconvenience this situation has caused them. All parties consider this matter settled.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: I had all of my windows at my home replaced by Window World and was happy with the work performed.After the work was performed I asked for an estimate to have my siding replaced, they gave me a good quote but I didn't have the funds to have the work done at that time.In good faith I gave them a check for $715.00 towards the job getting done when I had the cash available, unfortunately as time went by both my husband and I became unemployed and could not go ahead with having the siding replaced.I have tried unsuccessfully on several occasions to have my good faith deposit refunded to me, the General Manager Greg D[redacted] will not return my repeated calls and is never in the Office when I visited!Please help me, I do not understand why they will not refund my $715.00Regards, [redacted].Desired Settlement: I would like my refund check mailed to me in a timely manner, as this check was written on August 30th 2010

Consumer

Response:

Reference our complaint with Window World of DC our check for $715.00 arrived today, thanks again for your help,

Window World is now trying to measure/install one simple window for the third time. After messing up a simple 15 window count on my house, the process got delayed and the sales person has to come in again AFTER two people from the measuring where already in the house.
The crew show up four weeks ago with one wrong window. A job half done, missing one window in the house.
Right now, the crew showed up again, and again with the wrong window. I even stored some of their materials in the past four week to make it easier to fix the problem.
I gave the company 5 days to fix the problem. After that I will file a complaint. They pride themselves on customer services - nothing experienced so far.
The windows are ok, although for replacement windows they have a much wider frame and reducing the amount on window area - thus making the window smaller than my previous replacement windows.

Review: Windows and a complete entry door set ordered in August, 2014. Windows installed about six weeks later, as were the parts of the entry door door. The door was not remeasured properly and the door was a poor fit. The storm door was missing. The company said they would order another door at that time and it is now January 14, 2015 and after many phone calls and many promises of delivery we still have a drafty, not very secure, ugly door that should have been replaced months ago. I am extremely disappointed in this company. I have asked for the owner to return my calls, but to no avail.Desired Settlement: Delivery of order AND a sizable reduction in the final price !!

Business

Response:

The customers products are installed. We consider this matter to rectified with the customer.

We contacted Window World with regard to replacement windows. On September 1, 2015 a representative came to our home and explained/displayed the product. We placed an order and paid a deposit of ½ of the cost.
On September 11 a representative was to come to our home to measure the windows. The representative was four hours late for the appointment, and then spent just a matter of minutes measuring.
On October 5 the windows were to be installed. When the lead installer got out of the truck he said “I can tell you right now that these windows are not going to fit. The wrong size was ordered.” He re-measured and left with the wrong-sized windows.
We called Window World that day, and the next day, and the next day, trying to get an assurance that our re-order had been placed. It was on the afternoon of the third day before we received a call-back. Over the course of the next nearly two months we contacted Window World, trying to learn the status of our order.
Finally, our windows were scheduled to be installed on December 4. But on December 2 we received a phone call saying that a mistake had been made…the crew was overbooked for December 4, and so would not be able to do our installation. Really? Arrangements were made for another crew to install the windows on December 3, 2015.
We do not have a problem with the Window World product (up to this point). However, we have found their customer service to be some of the worst that we have ever experienced.

Review: 5/1/13:Signed contract with salesman [redacted] to have two exterior doors installed despite being hesitant because of the company's previous inability to fix a window installed in June 2008.[redacted] inspected front slider window and said it needed a part and it wasn’t properly installed.[redacted] agreed the window didn’t operate correctly and gave me his word it would finally be addressed. [redacted] measured the doors. [redacted] phoned me later that evening to set up appt. to fix window. I explained that I wanted to wait to have it fixed at same time the doors were being installed since I trusted [redacted]' word.7/1/13: Installers arrived and had no idea about the window issue.Was forced to reschedule after it began raining heavily.Spoke with [redacted] to make sure that the crew would have the part to fix the window when they arrived next time.Also spoke with [redacted] over concerns that the doors had been exposed to rain during the attempted installation and also were unwrapped as the crew drove away with them on the truck.7/813:Same crew arrived and began removing exterior doors, placing plastic on ground and wearing face masks.At no time was the front doorway blocked off from the rest of the home despite the fact that there was known lead paint around the front door.The front door was installed during rain.Noticed the installer working on back door appeared to be wrapping up exterior work despite the fact that the door jamb had not been extended as it was before.Called and spoke with [redacted] because there was a language barrier and myself and the crew were having difficulty communicating. Asked asked me to put the installer on the phone and I did so.He told [redacted] it was extra work and told me either the measurer or salesman made a mistake and that they would have to come back and finish the job.I phoned [redacted] to complain after installer refused to fix sloppy interior wood trim and used caulk to cover it up. I also had to press the installer to place trim over the bottom of the back door interior after he was going to leave it caulked. Asked [redacted] about window and he said he didn’t know what I was talking about and didn’t know [redacted] had even inspected the window. He said there’s no part to fix the window and that if the installer couldn’t fix it while he was there, he would “have to take it up with the manufacturer.“The installer looked at the window and said that he could add spacers to the top of the window, but that if it broke down the road, they would not be able to remove the sliding panels out of the window . [redacted] said he didn’t like the crew leaving the exterior exposed and wanted to get the crew back out there in a day or two.Before the crew left, we talked about when they could finish the job. Told him I would make either day work, but couldn’t arrive before 10am(I live an hour away minus traffic) and needed a heads up so my husband could take off work to watch our kids. Said he would call me. Wrote check for remaining balance minus $300 in good faith, expecting crew to return to finish in a day or two(there was no rain in the forecast.) I refused to sign work completion form until job was complete. 7/9/13: Lead crew member called me and stated that he was “on the way.” I told him that was no good, that I lived an hour away. I told him that I could call my husband at work and see if he could come home and watch the kids and that I could get there by 10am. He said that was no good, but offered to finish the job without me present. I told him no. He said that he would call me in two hours to see if we could do it Wed. When he didn’t call me, I phoned [redacted], who told me the crew could not do it Wed. because they had “another job scheduled and had no one else to send.” I told him that I was going out of town Thursday with a return of Friday, he stated that it would have to be Saturday.7/10/13:Began raining during evening.Precipitation continued through Saturday morning.7/12/13:Phoned [redacted] because I was upset that doors were exposed to weather and was concerned about moisture intrusion around the new doors and into my home as well since no precautions were taken to protect the work area from the elements.[redacted] said he would have to call me back.I felt I had no other option but to stop payment on the check I had written to pay the balance minus $300 once I realized the company had their money and no longer cared about me as customer.When I didn’t hear back from [redacted] after five hours, I phoned him.He said that he had contacted the owner “to see what they could do about it.” Received a phone call from [redacted] who wanted to confirm that I wanted to cancel the crew for Saturday.I said that’s correct, there’s no sense in them wrapping the exterior when I had concerns about moisture intrusion. He said my concerns were valid and that he understood.I told him I was concerned about water being trapped in places that were not exposed to air and possible eventual rotting and mold as well as damage to door frame.Told him that I would wait to hear from [redacted] as instructed.Asked [redacted] if he had a more skilled crew and he stated that he didn’t and this was the first time he was hearing their work described as sloppy. [redacted] advised me not to wait too long to call back and schedule work for completion because then it was “going to fall back on me.” [redacted] did not mention how he was going to address the window issue despite his promise to speak with the installer about how to resolve it. 7/13/13: Sent [redacted] an email asking that the doors be re-ordered and re-installed. I did not have confidence in the crew's skill level to be able to pull the door without damaging it, so I wanted them to start over, ensuring there was no problem with moisture and damage the doors and my home. Informed [redacted] in the email that I stopped payment on the check and that I would pay balance in full once work was completed properly.7/14/13: Sent [redacted] an email with pictures to show how the crew left the doors exposed.7/15/13:[redacted] told me via voice mail I needed to call [redacted] and set up a time to complete the work and that they were not going to replace the doors.Desired Settlement: I would like to be released from contract dated May 1, 2013 with no further payment due. Contract states, "All work is to be completed in a workmanlike manner according to industry standards." That was not done in this case as workers left exterior door frames unprotected and exposed to rain allowing moisture infiltration because the job couldn't be completed in one day as promised. In addition, workers did not follow lead safe practices as mandated by the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting(RRP) Rule. Workers are required to contain the work area, but did not do that in this case, leaving the work area exposed to the interior of the home among other practices that are required by law for safety reasons.

Business

Response:

We are surprised by how this customer has framed the events surrounding her project!

Review: I have contract with window world dated on May 7th 2013 to replace all widows and patio door at my house, and I have not gotten a good service according to the representative presentation.

At June 17th 2013, 6 weeks from the contact date, I’ve scheduled for insulation starts between 8-11 am, I took off that day but nobody show up until 9 am, I called the company at 9 am to ask if my schedule changed and they confirmed that the installers should come at any time. The installers, 2 guys, arrived at noon time to my house, I asked them why did you come late, they said ”The company gave us the order at 9:00 am this morning and we have to go pick up the windows and patio door from the company” that means they have got the work order after I called the company to confirm that morning, even they didn’t have all the material they need, and one of them had to leave to get the rest of the material. At 3pm the other guy called for their truck need to be jumped for dead battery on the highway, I offered to go and give him a jump with my car for I need my job to be done as soon as possible.

They finished that day after midnight with small peace of broken glasses everywhere even on beds, we had to clean after them and my wife had a cut on her finger. Also, I have a young son has to sleep early, although I offered them to leave and come next day to finish, but they said “We have another job early next day”.

The job has not been done at this point. They left with one of the widows broken, factory defect, and they installed wrong size screens and they said we have to contact the company to reorder a replacement for both the broken side window and screens.

Next morning I found a lot of holes need caulking and a big gape in the top of the patio door for they have done half of the job in the dark after sunset and also I found one of sashes broken. Week later we got contacted form window world confirming the order of half screens, according to the contract, and replacing the broken window, also I informed them about the broken sash.

July 31st 2013, 6 weeks later, I have scheduled to replace broken window and delivering the right screens. The installers came to my house with the wrong side window and no screens and they have done nothing.

August 21st 2013, 4 weeks later, the installers came with the right window to replace the broken one but with no screens and they promised to inform the company to reorder the broken sash, which I showed him this broken sash since his second visit. I contacted the company and somebody called [redacted] told me “this half screens that in the contract has not been produced by the factory any more”, although I got promised before from another guy called [redacted] that widow world will provide me with the screens that in the contract, when I asked how your representative put half screens on the contract and you said the factory is not producing this screens any more and his answer was “the representative doesn’t know”.

Finally, the call center called to schedule me for replace the sash on September 24th 2013 at 9:oo am, about 4.5 months from the contract date.

At 8:00 am in the morning, I got a phone call from “[redacted]” the installer, not from the company!!, informing me without giving me a choice that he will be late 5 hours, but I had work schedules and I had to cancel that day.

I contacted the company many times to speak with a manager to solve all this problems and reschedule the job, I left messages for a manager to call me back, but nobody called me back.

October 7th 2013, I contacted the costumer services at the window world cooperate office. I spoke with “[redacted]” from the costumer services. He promised to let “[redacted]” the manager or “[redacted]” the DC branch owner to contact me, but I have not received any contact from anyone yet.

Still I want my job to be done, so I contacted the company on October 25th. They scheduled me to install the sash and finish the job on October 28th at 12:00 pm. At 11:30 am, I received a phone call from the company somebody called “[redacted]” to reschedule me again till Thursday 31st, he also offered to reduce my bill $500.00 for the wrong screens and the delay of the service and he will cancel to the warranty. I should get the warranty according to the contract, if the company offered bill reduction for two reasons of their mistakes, what is the reason to cancel the warranty??

Unfortunately, we are almost 6 months from the contract date, and my service just done today 10/31/2013, and the company received a check of the remaining balance, but I am not happy with the over all experience with window world.

Conclusion:

- Window World did not deliver the right product according to the contract "The Window Screens"

- Window world provided a delayed and bad service during the installation.

- Window world canceled the warranty.Desired Settlement: - A manager from Window world to contact me.

- The warranty according to the contract.

Business

Response:

Please see attached letter explaining the status of the warranty.

In regards, to the screens, half screens are not available on the windows purchased by the customer. The customer has been advised on multiple occassions that they are unavailable due to the color windows he purchased.

Finally, regarding the request for a manager to contact them, we will be happy to call them again to further explain the above. Please keep in mind that multiple managers in our corporate office and at the franchise level have spoken to this customer, explaining the above.

Please note that this job has been completed.