Home Remodeling in Orono, MN

"We agreed to write about our experience with The Window Store as part of our purchase agreement - so, here it is. We were searching for a company to replace our neglected siding and soffit and fascia when, by chance, representatives from The Window Store knocked on our door. We set a time for a salesperson to come out and discuss our needs. We met with the sales representative, and frankly, it didn't go well. Personalities clashed and we felt pushed to make quick decisions - we felt that they were disrespectful. It ended poorly with them leaving our house in a bit of a huff. It was very uncomfortable - probably the worst sales experience we've had and we have experience working in 100% commission jobs. To be sure, we thought we were done with the company for good. A few days later, we received a follow-up call from someone at the home office. We explained what happened and they asked us to give them another chance with another sales representative. We reluctantly agreed though we were skeptical that we would give them our business. However, we did like what we read about the company from other reviewers and we didn't want one bad experience to prevent us from dealing with, what seemed like, a good company - everyone has bad days (sales representatives and customers). The next sales representative who came out, Sean, was great to work with. He didn't talk over us and he was clear and direct. He provided enough information for us to make an informed decision without spinning information and using gimmicky sales pitches. Sean politely listened to and answered all of our questions. We weren't thrilled with the "close" - basically that we would receive a deep discount if we signed that night. However, Sean explained this practice in a very candid way and, in part, we understand the reasoning for it. Sean was always courteous and he offered (and did) step out a few times while we deliberated. He stayed quite late into the evening. It really came down to trusting Sean, the reviews of the company, and the products that they sell. So, we signed the purchase agreement - though we still worried about what we committed to. The home office was very good about communicating our install date. Though they let us know early-on that the install date was tentative, they were more concerned than we were when it was pushed back a week or so. Our house was last sided about 30 years ago, so another week or two wasn't a big deal. The dumpster company dropped off the dumpster a week early by mistake, but The Window Store made sure it was removed immediately. The crew was awesome. They were all receptive to each and every one of our many requests. They did stellar and timely work though they wanted to be even quicker. We could tell that they enjoy their work and that they take pride in what they do. In addition to siding, fascia and soffits, they replaced two windows - everything turned out better than we hoped. They even fixed shoddy work from another window installer! They were also careful about not leaving our make-shift fence open for our dogs to get out. The company went above and beyond every time and they didn't charge one penny more than the agreed price - though they certainly did more work than is written on the purchase agreement. Anyone can put up siding, but using quality products and giving time and attention to each and every little detail is what sets you apart. We went from being embarrassed at what our house looked like to being quite happy with it. In our humble opinion, our little home turned out better than any of the nice "before and after" examples that Sean showed us. Yesterday, our neighbor came over and gave us grief - he said we didn't ask our neighbors' permission to make our home look so good. Sincerely, D&I"

- David K

"Nice looking windows, very helpful staff. Glad we decided to do the project! More details: This was perhaps the third in-home window schpeel we've had from various companies door-knocking, and windows are expensive so it's not my favorite decision to make - it's hard for us to make decisions about spending money, but saleslady Kim did give us different prices and options to best fit our goals and budget. She was quickly able to tease out which product would work best for our space, worked with us efficiently and pleasantly, and definitely has an eye for color and design. She said she has Window Store windows in her house too. I was concerned about getting vinyl windows versus other types (read: Anderson windows use some kind of composite material, not vinyl) but Anderson is definitely not in my budget. She agreed that their windows are vinyl, but said not all vinyl windows are made equal and I think that made sense. She says they have replaced vinyl windows of lesser quality, and assured us that these would last. I guess there's only one way to find out, but our windows were sooooo old and drafty that it has to be better at least in the short term. We decided to replace just three of the windows in our home, ones that we use most often, to see how it goes. And now I'm glad we did! At first we had chosen three basement windows to replace but later changed our minds just after someone came to measure. I called Kim and she was flexible with our ideas, so she shifted our window selection to the upstairs which we REALLY appreciate (and the guy came back immediately to re-measure). True to their promises, the installers were awesome: they were at our house exactly when they said they would be, they were fast, and they didn't leave a mess at all. They worked around our family. I was asked to leave a google review but definitely not pressured on how nice of a review it was supposed to be :) which I appreciate. The windows match our house really well, so it doesn't look weird at all that we just did a few, which i credit to Kim's color selection. They dampen sound way better than the old ones; they fit inside the frame perfectly, they open and close like a dream and seal up nicely. We'll see how the coming years treat us but for now i'm very happy with them. One thing i wish i had realized was because the windows fit INSIDE the existing frame (they are custom sized to do this; but it saves time and money that they can install the window inside the frame and not re-frame anything!) that the new windows create an ever-so-slightly smaller opening to look out of than the previous old drafty windows, so in the small bathroom window it looks smaller. I'm used to it now, but the first day I was disappointed that it looked smaller - which was my bad, because i didn't fully realize what it would look like. I do like it now. Our bedroom window was 4 part in the old one, and now is a 3-part window so those actually look bigger and i LOVE that one. Overall I think they are nice windows and I appreciate the company's flexibility. I would work with them again. When we get a bit more money saved up I will probably replace other windows in my home with the Window Store again. Photos shown are all the new windows - bedroom and bathroom. Bedroom is sliders and bathroom is a crank out; i like the little folding handle. Screens held in with easy little tabs."

- Jessie Koehle

"07/13/2017 Our home had hail damage from a storm that took place in June. The hail had damaged the roof, a piece of siding, fascia and downspout on one side. It was an easy choice to hire The Window Store as they have worked on our home on two previous occasions - once to replace our windows, and a second time when lightning struck a tree in front of our house and blew pieces through some siding and one of the new windows. Ron explained the process of working with our homeowner's insurance company on our claim, obtaining permits and purchasing materials. He had a book showing us where they were ranked #56 in the nation for home remodelers according to Home Builders Magazine. This put them #1 in Minnesota. He also explained the Master Elite Warranty and process with GAF materials. He gave us samples of the Timberline American Harvest Architectural shingles from which to choose. Also, he explained that part of the benefit to the GAF roofing system is a Cobra Ridge Vent style ventilation instead of original turtle vents allowing for more even ventilation. Upon installation day, we met the supervisors, Jim and George. Ron, the owner, came to check on the materials and crew right away in the morning and made sure we felt good about the construction process. Ron was on site throughout the roof tear off so that he could personally inspect the decking and work with the project supervisors regarding any alterations to the plan. Jim did the work on the fascia as well as the siding and went to get additional materials as we learned our roof had decking, not plywood and they had found several holes. (Side note, the decking was not noticeable until after the shingles were removed). Jim and George were great! They worked with the roofing crew, found damage on the roof and quickly put a plan together. Jim did a great job replacing the siding that was needed as well as forming the fascia to match perfectly. Since we had decking for the roof, they explained why it would be good to replace the lowest edges of the roof to attach the new drip edge. George led the roofing crew for majority of the day. It was easy to see that the crew worked well together and had been together for some time. The foreman of the crew did the patch work to damaged areas and tightened up other areas of the decking. It was easy to see the respect that the crew and the supervisors had for each other. There was great cohesiveness, communication and focus. From the start, they took great precaution to protect what was left of our gardens (after the hail damage). The supervisors answered all of our questions as well as gave some recommendations to paint the furnace pipe to match the roof. We bought the paint and he took care of the work. George was very proud of the work he and the crew did on the roof and for working for The Window Store. The crew worked until late into the evening and did a great job cleaning up the yard from any debris. When I went to work the next morning, it was very noticeable how well the patio and garage had been swept. Jim came back the next morning to finish a small detail and double check the cleanliness of the yard as well as to answer any questions. Again, what an experience! This was our third time using The Window Store and it was just as great as the first."

- Randal Howman