FHIA Remodeling Reviews

Issues with the Oct. 18 installation are as follows:

• I brought it to the installer’s attention when they returned from their lunch break. They then worked to correct the windows, but after they left, I checked the measurement and found that one of the windows now ended up being crooked the other way and still needed to be corrected a third time. (one side of the window was 3” from the windowsill and 3 1/2” inches from the other side) This third correction was done just minutes before the city inspector came.

• Poor job of cleanup inside and out. Outside on our patio they just used a blower to move the debris to one end of the patio and left it that way.

On Oct. 23 I sent the FHIA installer supervisor pictures I took of the crooked windows. I also sent him a photo on Oct 28, showing the sticker on the inside of the sliding door pillar. On Nov 8 FHIA sent a troubleshoot guy out to our house to look at these issues and he recommended that all the caulking needed to be redone, and the windows straightened. He also noticed a bubble in one of the picture windows and said they will need to order a replacement which would take 2 months.

On Nov 13 an FHIA person came out to measure for potential new windows (which we decided to cancel) and he noted how terrible these issues were. He said he would bring this up in his staff meeting that afternoon. On Nov 21 a senior FHIA representative came out and told us everything will get corrected. We decided to wait to fix the issues until the replacement glass came in and then do all the work on one day. On Dec 18 I was told that the replacement glass was in, and we scheduled the work to be done on Jan 14. On Jan 14 the installation was scheduled for 9-10 AM. No one showed up or called so I called the FHIA dispatcher. She checked and said the installer had car trouble and they would be here between 12-1 PM. They ended up coming at 1:20 PM.

This new installer crew said they were here just to replace the glass in the one picture window and replace the caulking where needed. Before they came, I decided to measure four of the windows to make sure they were OK. It turned out as I suspected that they were all tilted somewhat. This crew then measured the windows themselves and noted that they were indeed all crooked. All of them measured 3.5” on one side to the edge of the windowsill and 3” on the other side. They called their supervisor to report this. The supervisor then called me saying he instructed them to correct the windows.

The crew replaced the glass in the window, straitened 3 of the other windows and replaced some of the caulking in the other windows and sliding door. They neglected to replace the caulking in two other windows. They said it was getting late and had to quit. I asked when they will be back and they said they weren’t sure, that it depends on what crew the supervisor will send next. When I asked the supervisor about it he said that the crew told him they completed all of the work, which they didn’t.

In addition, the work on the replacement glass was terrible and sloppy. I called the supervisor, and he came out to look for himself. He agreed that the work on the replacement glass was sloppy and totally unacceptable and then ordered a whole replacement window which required another 2 months to get. On March 3, another new installer crew came out and installed the replacement window and cleaned up all the other issues with new caulking. One remaining issue is a cracked window frame on the one window that was corrected 3 times from the pounding. At this point I just don’t feel comfortable having this window replaced a 4th time.

In summary 4 of 6 windows were installed crooked, one window had to be corrected 3 times. Three different installation crews did the work. The caulking done on all windows and door was extremely sloppy and amateurish. They replaced the glass in one of the windows, which was so badly done, the whole window then had to be replaced. One window frame is still cracked from where it was pounded on to straighten it in the window frame. In addition after all of their work was done I spent 2 or 3 days scraping excess caulking from the window frames, applying a wood strip at the bottom of the sliding patio door to hide the caulking and a chip on the tile, sand areas in the window frame where they had repaired the drywall, and then tape and paint around all of the windows and door to make it all look finished.

Note that the contract I signed for this work says in the scope of work “Factory Certified Installers”. As I understand it, a factory certified installer means you would expect quality installation and for the work to be performed correctly. I very much doubt that the crews FHIA contracts for these installations are “factory certified”.

We paid $20,000 for these impact windows. I requested a significant refund from FHIA for the poor quality of installation work that was performed and the headache and frustration this all caused my wife and me for 4 ½ months. I had several phone calls with FHIA customer support, and they eventually sent me a $450 check for “customer accommodation” which frankly felt like a slap in the face. If you are planning on ordering hurricane impact windows for your house, DO NOT use FHIA Remodeling and save yourself the headaches.

Here, I am still waiting for repair for the broken window which is taking for ever. The window arrived on 10/7/24 and still here I am waiting. I am mentally drained. I took days off work due to mental health. Now, I'm back to work and they still want me to take more days from work to accommodate them instead of fixing the window on a Saturday. What happened to good customer services?

The chalking inside and out looks so unprofessional, and looks like someone just beginning to know how to do it. It looks terrible and even inside where they chalk each window. I probably could of done a better job. The reason for the sloppy work is that the FHIA send back 1 worker to chalk the inside window frames and he brought either his girlfriend or wife to help. How unprofessional is that. And if you look at the chalking job, you will agree with me. They used too much of it on the inside as well on the outside.

After the workers left, I noticed indented scratches on the inside of frame of the slider. They send the installers back and they used 2 different types of a product called Gator 180 prepare and 220 finish sanding sponge. Who allows their workers to do this kind of sloppy unprofessional work. I feel sorry for the workers, because they are getting pressures to hurry up and complete the work.

Before having the workers come back, I first talked with Paul, and at the end of the conversation, he tells me IF my workers can make it there, we can fix it because they are coming from Miami. Not my problem. You took the job knowing that I lived almost 2 hours away. I replied, IF you can make it. Let me remind you that this is costing me almost 28K and IF you can make it, that is unacceptable. So I talked with Jennifer who straightened out that particular matter. I also talked with Ralph, and during my first conversation with him, at one point he was getting all bent out of shape, to which I had to tell him that I am not raising my voice and so please calm down. And he is one of the guys that is in the top chain of command of FHIA.

When the workers finally finished everything, Ralph made me feel like, OK we are finished, and you're happy. It reminds me of, we got another one and let's move on to the next victim. I am also dissatisfied with myself for caving into the pressure that Tom the salesman put on me to get me to go with this company. He didn't have the decency to let me obtain other quotes from different companies, but used the pressure sales pitch on me, and told me that I would not get the discounts that he was offering to me. How stupid was I to fall for that kind of tactic. All companies that I have ever dealt with know the potential customers are going to get a few quotes from other companies. How unprofessional and dirty of using that tactic of potential customers.

After all of that non-sense ended, I called the company back and talked with the receptionist and Jennifer another day, and both of them told me that either Ralph (whom I do not wish to talk too) or George will call me back. As of today, it is more or less 1 week since that call and not one of them called me back. The only thing now that I have to deal with, is any repair, or malfunction that might happen in which this company (FHIA) will have to come out to repair it, based on the warranty. Anyone reading this review should stay away from this company (FHIA) and look somewhere else for hurricane impact windows. I am beginning to doubt if that is what I really received. I did call the loan company to file a formal complaint but I do not think that that is not going to matter.

The installation, I don't have major complaints about with the exception that I don't speak Spanish and the installers didn't speak English. That's a problem because I almost threw out pieces of the door without knowing the pieces needed to be installed after the county inspection. Someone on the job needs to speak the English language or ask the homeowner if they speak Spanish in advance. I shouldn't have to phone a friend!

Scheduling the inspection by the county. That was non existent! I was told a date and the inspector never showed and when I called the county they had no record of it. The same day a FHIA employee shows up to put the caps and something else on to complete the job, without the door being inspected. She proceeds to type on her phone for me to read what her questions were because she didn't speak the English language.

Here I am today 9/5/2024 and the inspector showed up to pass the job, but no FHIA person to come back and put the caps on!! I was advised by FHIA that it would all be on the same day and here I wait at 630pm being stuck at home all day waiting! I've called 3 times, left messages, chatted online which was a total joke! Nothing! Don't waste and overpay anything to FHIA!! Sam's Club should be ashamed to represent this "company"

I purchased storm windows 2 Sliding glass doors and four double windows. I was told by my sales rep a price and an interest rate. We negotiated down to 7.9 but I did not receive the 7.9 in doc sign. He kept sending me a 12.9 interest rate. Makes a very big difference on the bottom line. That was November 2022.. They presented my windows February. The sales rep measured one sliding glass door incorrectly so the permit they had would have to be changed and the that sliding glass door removed from the purchase. (7,999.00) They claimed structural issues but in fact it was because they had measured 6 in dimension when it was 4 in dimension. My neighbor had the exact same size on glass door and had storm sliding door put in her place without any issues. As a matter fact she had her entire house done which was the sliding glass door and 4 additional windows all costing around 15,000 with a very good storm window company with a very good if not better quality.

The only way I was able to get them down to the 7.9 was because they screwed up with the sliding glass door and had removed all the old ones already except the kitchen sliding door. They started to take it apart then realized the measurements were wrong. I would have been stuck if they had not made that error. They had me backed into the corner with a lien blocking my re-financing. Managed to get that resolved. Had lien lifted refinanced and paid in full without using their financing. The co Aqua Financing agreed to 7.9 only when the president of the bank approved it. The relationship this co has with the financing co with Aqua Lending is questionable.

If you don't know contracts and very little about banking I recommend a contract attorney in any big purchases especially for storm windows and roofs. The company is targeting homeowners so use caution. Now months later I am still waiting for inspection and a lien is still in place on my property. Today I called all 4 different departments. None were staking VM. I had to star 67 my call in order for them to answer. I was told they would be inspecting this morning. Now it is this afternoon. Not one call from them all day or Friday to confirm. Now they were trying to back out of the inspection today. I missed a very important appointment because of this. The lending Co is bad very bad news. Compounding Interest. The window Co knows window Co require a minimum purchase for storm windows. If they had done the kitchen sliding door I would have been forced to purchase the remaining 4 windows with them.

GET a second and third Estimate and confirm minimum order requirements so you are not stuck with one co if it doesn't work out right. Heads up since then FHIA has harassed me with their remodeling kitchen and bathroom sales department since. The co is making a profit on both sides with aqua lending. I do not recommend this Co. The only person who has taken calls and assisted me was Rafael. The installers were polite and worked hard to fix a tile they broke and do the work needed but the sales team and office personnel and the core practices in this organization are questionable. I would say a lot of underhand financing tricks going on that should be reviewed by someone in the finance industry. P.S. a $27,000 loan for storm windows would calculate out to over 74,000 in 10 years. Refinance first before going down this rabbit hole.