Champion Windows and Home Exteriors Reviews

My experience with Champion is what I expected. It was very good. The siding looks great and I’ve had tons of compliments. The guys who did it are subcontractors and when I was talking to one of them about the warranty, he said they had gone to a house where the siding warped after a couple of weeks, so they replaced it. A few weeks later, it warped again and they replaced it again. When they went back the third time, they realized the homeowner had a grill right next to the siding. They told him they warranted it twice, but he couldn’t grill next to vinyl siding, so they were not covering it a third time. I said that was fair. That was what the sales guy told me.

The one end of my house had a bunch of holes in it, probably from mowing or rocks getting thrown up, and he said even things like that would be covered. I couldn’t believe it, especially since it also covers labor. I was only going to do the South end because it was the worst, but there were other areas that weren’t in great shape, and the siding was already 12 years old. It was only about $10,000 more to do the whole house, and once he explained the lifetime warranty, I decided to do the whole house. Prices are only going to go up, so it didn’t make sense to wait and end up paying more later.

We installed a screen door, and the quality was great. There was a mistake that they made, bringing the wrong door. But once it was pointed out, they were on top of things. Going back to get the right door, installing everything, cleaning up and being respectful of our home. It was great, definitely, the experience we went through. If anyone is looking for work, we would refer Champion Windows to them.

Champion replaced 10 windows. They called and asked, “You’re free this day or that day to have your windows installed?” They also told me the progress of the windows. There was a team of five installers, and they were in and out in four hours. They showed me what they were doing, how they were doing it, and how to operate the windows. They cleaned up after themselves, and they were gone. Their product is what they say it is. There is a noticeable difference in the house with the windows being installed. The temperature from room to room is more constant. The windows were old, so they leaked. I'm pleased with the replacements.

We called and called and no one seemed to care to follow up. It just seemed like we have our money and you're stuck. The level of follow-up and care about our project seemed to stop at the commission check. I chose to use Champion because of our window experience...wish I hadn't. While me $19,000 door project maybe peanuts to them...it's an investment to me. We have more projects planned for our home...Champion will no longer be our first call.This has been an ordeal waiting on project and case managers to call. "Archie" and "Amanda" wish you would've called or just followed up better.

Our install was supposed to come on Monday and it was a no call, no show...but Tuesday was their day (I'm guessing) they just showed up...thankfully we were home. I'm saddened by this transaction and the friends and family we referred we have retracted our original satisfaction review to you may want to go with another company. What a shame! So unhappy with how we were treated.

A few weeks later I still had not received it. Someone then called to tell us that one of the window styles that we chose would not work in the room we ordered it for and we would need to change our choice. I asked to be called by the sales rep to talk about prices and different window models. I waited a few weeks for a call but didn't hear from anyone. I decided to cancel my order and started by calling my credit card company and putting a hold on the payment. I then documented everything and filed a complaint on the Champion website.

I left messages with the phone numbers I was given to call about questions. I finally got a call from the sales rep and he was "concerned" about the problems I had encountered and he was very helpful in my decision for a new window style. He crunched some numbers and came up with a new total price that was about a thousand dollars less than our original order. Still no receipt. The windows came in and were expertly installed. They are beautiful and well made. I was thrilled with the windows. Still am after a month. But--then I decided to file for energy rebates with my local electric company and tried to complete the paperwork even though I didn't have all of the information that I needed to file. They sent me a request that I needed window measurements, window numbers, and an itemized receipt. I thought to myself, "here is where the nightmare begins..."

I called the customer rep number on my information sheet and got no answer. I called the local Champion office and listened for 20 minutes to a recording that said "we will be right with you" but they weren't. While I was on that call I got a call back from the customer service specialist that I had called 30 minutes earlier (I was shocked!), but that quickly went south after she listened to my requested documentation and she told me, "providing a receipt with actual prices listed on it is against company practices". WTF????

She then told me that the windows are NOT Energy Star rated, but they are still GOOD windows. She then told me that the windows will NOT qualify for any kind of rebate or tax credit, and (coincidentally) she was just talking with her bosses in the past few weeks that it just isn't right that the windows aren't rated and that needs to change. (I can see by the posts in this chain that Champion has knows for ages that their windows are NOT Energy Star rated...). I plan on documenting this entire ordeal and filing with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's office. I don't expect to get any personal resolution, but Champion's business ethics are outrageous and if enough people file complaints, it will affect their business and maybe force some change. It is too bad, though, because the windows are quality. Unfortunately their business methods are not.