Without Prejudice or ill intent:
We have been encouraged to write about our experience with WINDOWTECH Windows and Doors by a neighbour who saw an ad and knew we had purchased from them. To start, we are not in a position to recommend the company, and caution others to dig deeper when reading they’re rather interesting “10/10” Reviews on the Internet. Although Company Responses thank Reviewers, it appears they tend more to use the platform to market, and sell their products to Readers, and complement themselves. Buyer Beware.
We learned of WINDOWTECH Windows and Doors from an Ad, and decided to upgrade our Entry, and Side Doors from solid wood to steel doors. We also replaced some windows. There was a 20-year Transferrable Warranty on the doors which sounded good.
We anticipated a simple, pleasant consumer experience - this was not the case.
1. We paid a deposit in early Dec. for “steel” Entry, a side door, and windows. Installation was scheduled for mid to late January latest – this was the promise. Installation was not done until months later. The excuse? Ivan, the Sales Rep. informed us that at the last minute WINDOWTECH decided to close for 3 wks over Christmas instead of their normal 1 wk. This was not quite believable, and sounded more like a stall technique. And it was, as installation was months later. According to the government, installation is due within 30 days of contractual agreement, and deposit.
2. Entry, and Side doors were ordered in Aztec Red with matching Aztec Red frame, and caulking. At time of installation, the frame, and caulking was in a mismatched caramel brown colour which looked terrible. However, we paid an additional $5000. at time of installation, and withheld $400.00 due to the mismatched deficiencies.
When brought to the attention of Ivan at WINDOWTECH, he advised it would take several months for a new frame as the correct one made for our door was used on another job. This did not make sense!
When our call was escalated to Ken, the Sales Manager he stated he threw the frame into the garbage, and it would be several months before the correct one would be installed. This made even less sense, and speaks to the junk-like quality, and value of a WINDOWTECH door frame.
It would be more than 9 months before WINDOWTECH installed the correct frame. As for the caulking, turned out they made a mistake, it was not available in the matching Aztec Red even though it is shown in a picture. We settled on black.
3. Shortly after the doors were installed, they began sticking when opening and closing. We contacted WINDOWTECH, and this also took months to correct.
4. Not long after, we opened the Entry door, and the entire bottom latch of the “steel” door came out. We found a ½” screw on the floor, and realized the installer had used ½” screws instead of at least 1” to secure the door. With the door hanging off the other two latches, it could not be used, and also posed a security risk.
After a few weeks, the person they sent only came to see the door, not fix it. This was annoying, and did not make sense. When we showed him the door could not be used, he went to his car, and found one screw about 1” which he installed. No one has since returned to replace the other ½” screws so this job remains incomplete – after 2 yrs.
5. Our Order, and confirmation from WINDOWTECH states “steel” doors, however we since learned there is only 1” or less of steel along the outside rims of the doors, the interiors are hollow.
WINDOWTECH Windows and Doors using the word “steel” to describe the doors was misleading, and dishonest. We were better off with our previous solid wood doors.
6. Door handles are a type of metal that is too hot to touch in summer, and freezing cold in winter. Not much more we can say about this other than their door handles are also junk-like.
7. To date (after 2-years), WINDOWTECH Windows and Doors has never provided an Invoice, or copy of the 20-year (or Lifetime) Transferrable Warranty to new home owners even though this is a requirement of the law. Emails requesting them went unanswered.
Ultimately, we contacted the Ministry of Consumer Services for assistance. Email correspondence, and pictures are available to Home Stars for validation.
8. As for the withholding of $400.00 this is a small amount, a token for the delays in installation; waiting 9-months to correct deficiencies; the outstanding work in changing ½” screws to at least 1” to properly secure the “steel” doors; and most importantly, the false advertising of “steel” doors when only the outer rims may be steel, the inside is hollow - this has given us a false sense of security.
We wasted so much time, and energy sending numerous emails, and follow-ups trying to resolve deficiencies, that eventually, like so many other consumers, we wrote off the experience as our misfortune in not researching WINDOWTECH Windows and Doors more in-depth when purchasing virtually life-time items. Some consumers may be worn out from their experience, and may not take the time to write a Review.
The first pic shows the installed door with the ugly caramel brown frame. The next is the 1/2" screw used to secure the "steel" door; and the last picture is a Red door & matching frame from WINDOWTECH which is what our door should have looked like.
