MILGARD WINDOWS

We recently did a large addition to our home. The addition included 2 sliders and 12 windows. As we already had ~$15k in Milgard windows that we'd previously replaced, we decided to purchase a lot more of them -- the total order was ~$10k for the latest batch. We purchased them through Home Depot, and that part of the experience was smooth thanks to the great buyer at our local store. We also paid a premium for their "PureView" screens which are really nice, but also proprietary in that you'd need to replace them with the same material if/when they were to get damaged. Unfortunately, 3 of the screens arrived from the factory with small tears in them. And I did not notice this until a few days ago because I had promptly put the screens in storage when they arrived in order to prevent them from being damaged while we finished our construction. This past weekend, approximately 8 weeks after the windows were installed, I went to install the screens. This is when I noticed the problem. I first contacted my buyer at Home Depot who was more than willing to repair the screens for me, but he admittedly does not stock the PureView screen material. I then decided to contact Milgard's service department to see if they could help. This was my first time reaching out to their service department, and it was an awful experience. Here is the initial email response I received from them: "We have received your request for screens. Any missing/damaged items must be reported within 5 days of receiving product. Please contact your dealer for replacement of your damaged screens." At this point, I just wanted to get my screens repaired. I was prepared to be told that I needed to pay money to have it fixed, given how long I had taken to discover the damage. (In fact, I was prepared to pay more $$$ to have all my existing windows/doors re-screened with the same PureView material at the same time, given how nice it looks). I decided to call and talk to a human being. My call was answered by Jeanette in their Hollister, CA service department. I explained to her right up front that I was aware of their policy now, despite the fact that it was never explained to me upon receipt of my windows, and that I just needed help getting my PureView screens repaired with the same material. She told me there was nothing she could do for me, since I was past the 5 day period. I reiterated that I just needed help finding a way to pay for the right material, and that I was not asking her to bend the rules. She kept insisting that the policy was unchangeable and that she could not help me. We went around in circles for 5 minutes, and I started feeling like I was getting a script from a robot. I asked her if there was anyone else I could talk to and she refused. At this point I started feeling frustrated and raised my voice, reiterating that I was willing to pay and just needed help figuring out how to buy the service. She hung up on me and my issue is completely unresolved. I love the Milgard products, but their service-oriented promise seems to be a complete farce. I will never contact them again, and I will try very hard not to spend any more money with Milgard ever again. There are a lot of choices and they seem to have forgotten they are not the only game in town.

unknown

When I called I was a little dissappointed because we had to book so far out. But, it was explained that since our window was so large, they needed three men to do the job. They came on time, calling upon arrival. They were in and out in 30 minutes or less. It was quite extraordinary to watch them. The hardest part was that it took three guys to remove and replace the large piece of glass ( maybe 5' x 6') . They are a no muss no fuss group! I have these windows in our home near the beach and they have given me the same great service when I had a replacement there. Because of their service, I refuse to use any windows other than Milgard!

They did a great job getting the windows out to us and they were here quickly! They are the best company to deal with! These doors and windows are very high in quality and with warranty!

I'm omitting description of the service, which is related to Signature, and focusing on the windows by Milgard. I am very happy with the product. They can sometimes be hard to open because they do such a good job of keeping out the cold air that the suction is sometimes difficult to break. Also, the window lock can fall into locked position without my realizing it. Otherwise, I'm very happy with the decreased drafts I used to feel with the old windows and increased energy efficiency.

Milgard was a nightmare to deal with. There were some mistakes in the windows that were delivered to the dealer: insect screens that didn't fit, a cracked sash, wrong glass, etc. Most of the windows had minor scuffs and scratches. Some of the windows are incredibly hard to open and most of the double-hungs and horizontal sliders allow air to come in. They're not as airtight as my old wood doublehungs. As you read the rest of this report keep in mind that these are expensive and high-end windows. I chose Milgard because of their warranty and because they would service the windows as long as I lived in the home. I've had half-a-dozen visits from various Milgard service-techs, I've spoken to service managers, warranty managers and everyone else I could speak with. And now I've filed a BBB complaint. After almost ONE YEAR Milgard can't seem to address basic issues like getting me insect screens and getting me the glass I paid for and replacing a broken sash.

EXCELLENT QUALITY WINDOWS THAT ARE IN THE UPPER PRICE RANGE, BUT WELL WORTH IT IF YOU NEED CUSTOM SIZES AND NEED CHOICES OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND GLASS FINISHES. HAPPY THAT WE COULD FIND SOMETHING MORE ENERGY EFFIICENT.