Windows on Washington

Replacing windows is the definite "sweet spot" for Windows on Washington. Eric clearly is an expert in the area of window replacement. His proposal was in the ballpark of the other estimates i received, but his obvious knowledge of the product was what convinced us to use WoW over the others we talked to. The windows were manufactured to fit by Okna and the installation was performed within 2 days including capping all of the exterior window trim. The crew was very professional and they cleaned up quite nicely. My bottom line is that if you are looking for replacement windows WoW is going to be hard to beat.

For details of the job, see the box above.

The work being reviewed is the first major renovation project we began since buying our (1967-built) home in mid 2011. Upon reflection of our experience with WoW, there are five main areas that are important to consider when working with a contractor and WoW excelled on all of these dimensions. Before getting into the details, I will say that overall, our home is more efficient, our home is quieter, and our windows and door are beautiful! And we are more knowledgeable about what we can do to continue to improve our home's energy efficiency. We will be using WoW for upcoming projects for a new roof and siding -- without question. 1) Research & Quote Process: WoW excelled in this area. To put it lightly, our research process is extensive. We started the research process, both for materials and contractors in late 2011 and finally committed to a project in late February 2012. WoW really excelled in this area -- we first met with Kevin (sales) and had a great first impression. He was very knowledgable and helpful, but not at all 'pushy' -- he let the quality of materials, reviews, etc speak for themselves and stopped at nothing to answer questions for us. He didn't show up with fancy heat lamps, or with a lovely color palette. He showed up wanting to understand what we wanted and to educate us on our options. We visited WoW's showroom and met the same helpfulness in their office. As our research process progressed, Kevin brought in Eric (the owner of the company) and another home visit was made by them - not to sell, but to answer our questions, evaluate the project, and give us advice. Not only did Eric, Kevin, and the team give us sound advice about the project at hand, but they gave us advice about projects they weren't selling us directly -- just honest, good advice for new homeowners. 2) Pricing: WoW's prices were competitive. They aren't the most expensive, but they also aren't the cheapest. That is for two reasons: a) They only install high quality materials -- they won't be your $200/window company because they want your windows to be efficient and to hold up to the test of time. b) They pay attention to the installation process and the materials they use down to the caulk used on the windows. What good is a nice window if water or air leaks in around the edges after a couple of years? With all that said, the prices are still competitive and I think it would be hard to find a better combination of price and quality. 3) Knowledge about the industry, installation, etc: Exceptional! As part of my research process, I read as much as I could in trade magazines, websites, etc about windows, doors, and insulation. I knew I wanted to stick with a few specific brands of doors and windows that were high quality and efficient and that helped narrow my search for contractors. As I searched forums on home construction, window reviews, etc I found that WoW is very active on these forums. At first this gave me a pause because I worried they may be on these forums to self-promote. But I can assure you that is not at all the case. WoW is on these forums because they are passionate about this industry of home efficiency, insulation, windows, doors, roofing, etc. I have probably read dozens of posts by WoW on these forums and never found one that was self promoting -- all of them are about sharing knowledge about materials, installation advice, simple DIY advice, etc. This is a huge positive for the integrity and credibility of the company -- and also the passion for the work. I am pretty passionate about DIY jobs -- partly because "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right -- the first time". I found WoW to share this same perspective and it gave me a great deal of confidence in their approach to the work. 4) Materials Available/Used: Only the best! WoW only carries some of the best materials you can use in the industry. If you search the internet for high quality windows -- you should find Okna to be at or near the top. If you search for high quality doors -- you should find ProVia to be at or near the top. They do have other options and will quote pretty much anything they feel is worth installing. They don't push one specific thing, but plainly lay out the pros and cons for the homeowner to consider. 5) Installation/workmanship: Top Notch! I cannot say enough about the professionalism and fortitude WoW had. The easy stuff first -- Our windows were installed quickly -- in a day. Our insulation was installed quickly, in less than a day. After a few months, there are no issues -- zero. Now for the tricky part... we wanted our double entry door replaced with a single door with sidelights. When WoW was out for final measurements, they felt it may be tight to fit the door and sidelights we wanted -- this was complicated by the fact that we have brick surrounding the entry door -- not an easy job to squeeze an extra half-inch into the opening without masonry work. After some research on their end, they felt it wouldn't work, but said they felt a company they work with from time to time could 'custom make' the door we wanted from ProVia and trim the sidelights down every so slightly so it would fit. Before committing to this other company, they asked this company for a sample of the product. After receiving it, they felt it wasn't satisfactory -- it didn't look as good as the ProVia and thus they wouldn't sell it to us. WoW didn't give up -- they came back to our house and took more measurements and found a way to make it work -- or at least they thought. On the day of the door install, after removing our existing door, they found that some of the brick that wasn't exposed stuck out further than they thought... making the door opening slightly too small for the door they had sitting on their truck. Well, WoW didn't give up... they broke out the chisels and drills and began some basic masonry work to chisel back the brick (non-exposed) so the door would fit. Eric was on the job site at this time -- he wanted to make sure this was done right. WoW finished the door install -- and it looked great! Aside from a little red brick dust as evidence of the tough work, the whole project was done on time and no additional charge to us -- even though it was clearly an unexpected obstacle. Finally -- I feel like it's hard to find a company who cares as much about your house as you do. But I have to say that I think WoW just might be that company.

I had Windows on Washington provide an estimate on replacing all windows in my home, including a fully glassed-in sunroom.The estimator was reasonably prompt in arriving to measure and discuss options, and was friendly and professional at that meeting. It took rather a long time (several weeks) between the estimating appointment and my receiving the actual estimate. When I reviewed the estimate, I realized that the window count was wrong - the estimate did not include one window, and the estimate was coded in such a way that I could not determine for certain which window was omitted. When I contacted Windows on Washington about this, the estimator was not interested in reviewing the actual data to make an accurate correction of the error. He was not willing to come back out to the house to check his figures and figure out which window had been omitted. He simply wanted to add to the estimate, then and there on the phone, one more window of a code that I had no way to interpret. When I asked whether the estimate would be adjusted once the actual windows were ordered, he stated that no, once I signed, the estimate became a hard cost. There was sufficient sloppiness in this whole situation and an uncomfortable uncertainty in getting what I wanted to cause me to eliminate Windows on Washington from consideration for my job.

It turned out that Windows on Washington did not do the specific job I needed. However, I was happily surprised that when they told me they could not do the job they also provided me with three companies that could. I was able to successfully find the right provider based on their information and was impressed that they readily provided assistance knowing they would not be compensated.

They were extremely knowledgeable, responsive, and professional.

Excellent company. Know their stuff. Efficient. Timely. Quality product. Outstanding customer service. Is the first place I will turn for any future work that requires windows or doors.

I liked their business model - they didn't come in with a high price and negoiate down. They were honest, told me the best price and options they could do. Their product was the best windows I could find and the best price.

Being a long distance landlord, embarking on projects like this is sometimes an adventure, but WoW made it very easy for myself and my tenants. The estimating process was quick and upon placing the order the material was ready fairly quickly. On installation day my tenants said the onsite staff was very professional and did a good job keeping the work site clean and respected the property as a whole. Given this was a fairly small project (8 windows in total, small house) they surprised me with the attention they afforded to the project.Sometimes it is hard to get good service when you have small projects, but WoW surprised me! Yes I would use them again.

The technician that came out was very helpful and I really liked the products he brought with him. So far, company is very great to work with. They were very nice and we did not feel pressured.

I was trying to install a new screen for my window. The problem was that the window was builders grade and when I took the screen out, the window pane fell and broke. For about two months, I was taping a piece of plexiglass into place. I called about four different window places and got four different estimates. I selected Windows on Washington because they were strightforward the whole way. The salesman Zach was very professional and knowledgable. Jose the installer was very courteous and finished the installation quicker than I thought he would. I am very impressed with the work they did and would use them again and recommend them without hesitation.

WoW had the best price by far for the Marvins - this is a superior product that doesn't come cheap BTW - but we intend to stay in the house for another 20 years so it was worth it. Installation is half the battle with window replacement. You can buy the best windows, but if the installers are incompetent, you will still have serious issues almost immediately. WoW provided a crew that was so superior I could write pages describing all the little things they did to make the two day install period go smoothly. Some examples: a) On his own initiative, Young identified the source of some existing rot in a window frame to poor caulking in an attic vent, and after repairing the window and capping it (we capped all the exterior woodwork) climbed up and caulked the vents on both ends of the house at no additional charge b) One of the crew members identified an issue with the ballast in one of the windows during the installation - a factory defect. He never would have had to say anything, and I would have just had to deal with manually holding the top sash on the doublehung up while I locked the window - something I probably could have lived with and may not even have really noticed - though it might be an issue for an older person with less physical strength. WoW kept after Marvin, and after several go-rounds, finally obtained the support and parts needed and came back and restored the one window to perfect operating condition at zero extra charge and no hassle. If you have a problem, these guys wil stand by you and help you obtain satisfaction from the manufacturer/OEM. c) The finish carpentry around the interior of the two installed doors inside the house was superior. All I needed to do was simple painting the next day and it was if it never happened. The exterior capping and caulking of all windows was superior. The crew was polite, respectful of property, caused zero damage to the home despite being in every single room, cleaned up ALLdebris from removing the old windows, and basically, when they left - you never would have known they were there This is a superior company run by ex-military guys who take the whole Honor Code thing seriously. They will not try to trick you, pull the hard sell routine, or tell you anything that you cannot verify easily via the internet. Talk to them after talking to some of the competition - most notably the aburdity that is Window World - and see for yourself. Remember - the installation is at least as important as the product that you buy. WoW employs a top notch crew, and there are few replacement window retailers in Northern VA who can say the same without you having to pay way more for it.

WoW is the role model for all contractors--honest, dependable, cost competitive, and committed to customer service. We had a large sun tunnel sky light installed in our master bathroom. They worked with us on placement to ensure the maximum amount of natural light without being too bright. We also asked them to look at the roof as we had two small water marks in one of our bedrooms. They found the source of the leak--a previous contractor had poked holes in our roof when installing some trim work and did not close the holes. WoW quickly identifed the leak sources, repaired/replaced damaged roof tiles that were eventually going to cause leaks--they stayed late into the evening to finish all the repairs. We have used WoW for insulation, windows, trim capping repairs (they expertly fixed another contractor's shoddy work)--I cannot recommend them enough.

Windows on Washington has replaced all of my windows over a period of 4 years. I had an energy audit done by them before any of the windows were replaced, and at that time they recommended air sealing the sill boxes and sill plate to reduce air leakage. Now that I am ready to finish the basement, I wanted to do the air sealing before the walls and ceilings go up. Adam and his crew removed the existing batt insulation from the rim joist boxes, spray foam'ed the cavities, replaced the batt insulation, and spray foam'ed along the sill plate along the entire perimeter of the basement. There were a few areas that needed more spray foam, and Adam quickly came back to shore up those areas. I was able to tell an immediate difference because my basement is not as chilly as before, and the floor by the bay window on the main floor is no longer cold to the touch. Adam did a pressure door test to determine the level of air leakage before the air sealing. After the work is done, Adam did another pressure door test and the air leakage level dropped 22%! He also did draft tests to make sure my gas furnace and water heater continue to have adequate fresh air to operate properly. All in all, I have been extremely happy with Windows on Washington on the various projects I had them done. They not only know how to do the job right, but why it should be done the right way. I have the confidence if they were to take on a project, that they know they can perform to the highest standards and produce quality work.

Windows on Washington has replaced all of my windows over a period of 4 years. The very last is the basement hopper window, which I decided to replace in conjunction with finishing the basement, and of course I turned to Windows on Washington. There was a miscommunication between me and my basement contractor, and between me and Windows on Washington, as to when during the construction process the new window ought to be installed. The long story short is I needed the window measured, ordered, and installed within a little over 3 weeks. Windows on Washington came through for me and had the window installed in exactly 3 weeks. My basement project stayed on schedule, and of course, the installation was superb. All in all, I have been extremely happy with Windows on Washington on the various projects I had them done. They not only know how to do the job right, but why it should be done the right way. I have the confidence if they were to take on a project, that they know they can perform to the highest standards and produce quality work.

The experience was excellent. WOW does NOT put the hard-sell on you during the initial phases of the project. In fact, just the opposite. Kevin, their sales guy was professional, knowledgeable and very helpful in discussing the options we faced. He prepared an estimate and basically handed it to us to review at our leisure. Absolutely no high-pressure tactics. Based on the horror stories we'd heard about other window companies this behavior, in of itself, almost sold the job on the spot. Once we accepted the proposal a 50% deposit was required which then started the ordering process. It took 4 weeks to get the windows produced by the manufacturer in PA (Okna). Another week or so to schedule installation. WOW office staff is very polite, professional and accommodating to your schedule. Their office manager, Lee, stays constantly in touch by phone and email to apprise you of the status of your order and installation date. Top notch. The installation was pretty amazing. The installation was scheduled to be completed in one day. The first part of the crew arrived promptly on time at 8:00 a.m. This crew was responsible for removing all 14 existing windows prior to beginning the installation of the new windows. They covered every inch of interior floor and carpet with tarps. I had already moved furniture and removed blinds. It was obvious they had developed a "system" that worked well from an efficiency standpoint. They removed every window in under 3 hours! Watching is not for the faint-of-heart as the process is very physical, loud and irreversible. Another crew arrived as the first crew was finishing their work. The second crew started installing the replacement windows and as the guys from the first crew finished the removal process they cycled back to assist in the installation process. The process moved like clock work. The crews were polite, very respectful of not damaging the rest of the house and were reasonably open to questions. Clearly though do not expect them to stop every few minutes to answer questions. They're there to get a job done. By 3:30 they were completely done. That's 7.5 hours for 14 windows. The quality of their installation was perfect. The quality of the Okna windows is also great. Okna and WOW also provide excellent life-time warranty coverage at no additional cost. We had a very minor follow-up issue (nothing to do with the installation) and WOW addressed it promptly and very much to our satisfaction. We will definitely use them again as other windows fail in the house.

My wife and I were look for new windows to improve the insulation in our home and allow us to actually open our old, drafty wood windows (house built in 1992). We interviewed three different window companies, of which Window on Washington was the first. From the start, we were impressed with their knowledge and straight-forward, non-hard sale manner. We had had an experience previously with such a windows salesman, and had soured on the prospect of replacing our windows. Zach, the sales rep, knew his product (Their preferred window is Okna, although they'll work with other windows. After much research, I discovered this was a good, quality window.) well. When we told him our reason for getting new windows, he was forthright and told us that if our primary desire was insulation, he would recommend air sealing and insulation, at a much reduced cost to us (and much reduced profit for him). I really appreciated this input, as he was the only rep who actually mentioned it. We did actually have Zach and Eric (company president and another very knowledgeable fellow) come out on another visit to assess air sealing and insulation improvements. In the end, we decided to do both, based on a reasonable price for a quality product and the impression that the company really know what they were doing and how to meet our need. WOW initially tried to schedule the insulation/air sealing work ahead of the window installation, but we corrected that and have both crews get scheduled for the same time. After signing our contract, WOW kept us informed of the status (windows ordered, window delivery date, window installation schedule) regularly via email. When the day of installation arrived, both the air sealing/insulation crew and the window crew arrived promptly and got to work. One minor negative (and this is really minor) is that the window crew chief didn't arrive with the crew and chat with me about the plans for the day. That would have been appreciated. Once he arrived, however, we chatted and I actually spent some time watching they crew go to work. The insulation crew chief talked with me from the get-go, and we did a walk-around on all the work to be done. I was simply amazed with the speed and precision of both crews. The old windows - all 36 of them - were gone in a matter of hours. The new windows were going in before noon. The insulation crew worked seamlessly around the window crew, and had the attic work (new blown insulation, sealing ducts, sealing various attic joints), garage work (sealing leaking area beneath master bedroom), and exterior work (sealing bay windows and overhang under kids rooms) all done in a single day. At one point, the insulation folks noticed some interior rotted wood once a soffit was removed. The window chief noted that our siding in that area had not flashing, leading to the rotted wood. Members from each team worked together to repair the rotted wood and put flashing in place for the siding. The window crew chief noted that some wood rot repair work in our contract and some wrapping work would not have to be done, so we offset the cost of the new work on the spot. I really appreciated his honest and professionalism. By the end of day 1, the insulation folks were all cleaned up and gone, and the windows were all installed and interior work done. On day two, the window team completed the exterior work. The thing that struck my the most (other than my beautiful new windows) was that the incredible, huge, scary mess that was created while the work was being done was entirely gone when the crew left. It was like The Cat in the Hat cleaning up after Thing 1 and Thing 2 - it was just all gone. I expected nails, pieces of wood, and whatnot all over my yard based on what it looked thing during the old window removal on day 1. Nothing. I was very happy. The work on the windows themselves was very clean and the wood wrap was (as far as I have been able to tell) flawless. The insulation work noticably changed the heatful in the house. I can't wait until winter to really test it out. During the window interview process, missing roof ridge shingles were pointed out. I later discovered a missing roof vent boot. I also had several shingles missing. Rather than search for a new contractor, I ask Eric if one of their roofing people to do a few minor repairs. I made sure, up front, that Eric know I was not interested in a new roof (after just buying the windows and insulation). We made arrangements for him to come out a take a look. He showed up with one roofing guy (I forgot his name), and they popped up onto the roof and assessed the problems. We negotiated a very fair deal (Eric just billed me later), and they had the work done in a jiffy. The fixes were small, but I feel I received a fair deal, and will probably head back to WOW in the future should more significant work need to be done.

The entire WoW team is extremely customer-oriented. We talked with several window contractors (about 8) and were immediately impressed with WoW's professionalism and knowledge. Eric and his partner were very patient in explaining the pros and cons of a couple of options we were considering (high quality vinyl vs. fiberglass.) While a some of the other firms were also professional, WoW pointed out a couple of important considerations that the others neglected to mention. I spent a great deal of time educating myself through 3rd parties and was able to validate everything WoW told me. So, in my view, WoW absolutely knows what they are doing and are very honest about the products they carry and the service they provide. Their approach to pricing was also easy to understand and easy for me to adjust as I toyed with different window options. (One of the competitor window people was so secretive about their "special deal" that he would only write the total price on the back of his business card.) The install crew was also very professional and careful in their work, including replacing several rotten sections of wood trim. The crew did a great job and completed it on time on the day promised. We are thrilled with the result and thankful that we found Eric and his team (through Angies List). I strongly recommend Windows on Washington for replacement window services.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Eric and his crew at Windows on Washington. This is the third time we've used WoW for a variety of different services (insulation and air sealing, trim cap/wood rot repair, and siding repair). We are very picky and busy homeowners who only want to deal with qualified, trustworthy, ethical, and reasonable contractors. WoW fits the bill in every aspect. We had some damaged siding pieces that needed to be replaced. They were able to replace the damaged pieces without any visible seams. The worked quickly and cleanly--you would have never known they were there if it were not for the excellent repair job. I just wish WoW did every type of contracting services as I would give all of my business to them. Cannot say enough great things about this company--if you want honesty and service, then you found the right place!

Windows on Washington (WoW) showed up when they said they would, they put down drop cloths for inside the house, they took their shoes off when they came inside, they worked quickly and efficiently to get the work done, and they cleaned up before they left. They even offered to dust a hanging light fixture in our two-story foyer. This was the second time we used WoW and they lived up to all expectations. The installation crew did great work, they were polite and respectful of our property, and made sure we were satisfied with the work before they left. The only complaint I have had with WoW is that communication is not always prompt and informative. Specifically, several weeks went by after we provided a deposit (1/3rd down) before we had any indication when the windows would be installed. In fairness to WoW, it is my understanding that Marvin takes 6-8 weeks to produce their windows and it may very well be that WoW was waiting to find out from Marvin when the windows would be delivered before they communicated any information about projected installation dates. Additionally, I received an electronic meeting invitiation for "windows installation" lasting 1 hour in duration on 20 April. When I attempted to clarify the purpose of the meeting via an email, I never received a response. However, I never called WoW to clarify the purpose of the meeting and I never sent a follow up email. I later was called by the installation crew forman who wanted to schedule a time to comeout and remeasure for the windows. We did have a follow up visit when we noticed one of the windows had not been caulked around the interior trim. We called WoW the morning after we noticed the issue and they had an installer out to our house within an hour. Overall, I would rate WoW very high and I would use them again.

Excellent. I received quotes from 4 different window companies. I actually had a very well advertised company give me a quote (price started out at over $10K, and finally ended up less than $5.5K). WoW was very upfront with the price and was definitely a fair price. Entire process was low key - no hard sell by this company. Either you like the price and product or you want to spend more money with that other company. I was definitely on edge during the installation but it wasn't due to the installation crew. The old windows were very difficult to remove. Unfortunately they were not energy efficient, no matter how difficult they were to remove! Eric and his crews did not rush thru any portion of the job. Tarps were laid down over all the counters, floors, carpets, etc. to keep them clean. They vacuumed up after their work.... I wouldn't have known that work was done because they cleaned up so well after themselves. From the measurement appointment, to the installations, to the repair of the window sills, the crews all showed up promptly. This is an amazing company to deal with. Highly highly recommended! The new windows were wonderful thru the winter. My energy bills were definitely a bit lower (but it was a mild winter) but there were no more drafts coming from the windows. I didn't have to have a towel at the bottom of the windows to absorb the condensation. They are wonderful!

After doing extensive research on replacement windows, and meeting with several companies, we decided to use Windows on Washington for our replacement windows, sliding door, and some smaller jobs (listed above). The experience was fantastic. The initial consult for the windows was a no-frills, no-pressure experience. They simply showcased their product, answered questions, and left the choice to us. I can't say the same for many other company reps we had over, who either stayed for a ridiculous period of time (3 hours+) or used high-pressure sales tactics (today-only sales). WoW avoids those tactics entirely, and after doing additional research, decided on the Okna 500 windows. Perhaps most indicative of the service and knowledge of the company comes after performing a search for replacement windows online. You'll undoubtedly come across many, many postings and opinions from WoW's owner, Eric. After signing our contract, WoW's office was very communicative about the window installation process. They passed instructions on prepping for the window installation, and were very flexible in their scheduling. The installation itself was great. The crew arrived early, worked throughout the day, answered questions during the job, and left the site spotless. Their installation is top-notch, and it completely transformed the exterior of our home. We also had a variety of smaller jobs performed, from new gutters to a replacement bathroom vent. Despite being low-cost jobs, WoW took the time to do the job right the first time. Eric came out for a quick energy consultation, and was extremely knowledgeable of energy issues, and was also appreciative of our budgetary constraints. The gutters, bath fan, roof vent, trim, windows, and sliding door all look great and perform flawlessly. There were some minor issues with product mix-ups (our sliding door came without grids and the roofing team did not arrive with a bathroom fan), but these issues were quickly addressed. WoW also determined that some of our aluminum trim was in OK condition and did not warrant replacement, and they were quick to issue a partial refund. Great company to work with, at a very fair price.

They were very good. They did a good job and were very friendly.

Everyone that we dealt with, from the salesman (Brandon), the installer (Jose and his partner), and the owner (who helped us out in correcting an error that we caused in ordering the window) treated us in an absolutely professional and courtious manner. Everyone showed up on the date and time agreed upon. The installation of the bay window, while difficult, went smoothly. Cleanup after the job was thorough and included a total vaccuuming of the work area. When Jose and his partner left, there was not a single trace of their having been there except for the new window and door. By the way, we are planning on replacing some fancy french doors and Windows on Washington will be the first company we call.

Brandon from Windows on Washington gave a detailed estimate of the type of windows that would be used based on a photo we sent. This was important because the house was built in 1929 and located in a historic district. They needed to have the same look and feel of the original windows. This was a small job, so it was difficult to find someone to come out and make an estimate but we managed to obtain 3 estimates. Windows on Washington was in the middle of the price range, but the details on the proposed windows indicated they really knew what they were talking about. They came in person to take the measurements. When the windows were ready, they came promptly and were of the highest quality. The installation was no easy task, because the smallest custom window that Pela made was still half an inch bigger than the opening of the attic windows. They patiently and methodically scored the frame until the two windows fit. The result is beautiful, tight fitting windows that look great.