Wow, I've heard about this before. Sorry it happened to you.
We're in the quoting stages for our replacement windows and the Window World rep was the most recent guy out. He was about $900 less than a locally owned family company for all of our impact slide windows, so for the extra $900 we may go with the other company and hopefully avoid the problems.

I had no idea of the pay scale of window world installers. i tried to research window world out on the internet but found little bad information on them. now i search and find several negative things about them. in my previous posting i stated that window world was a no show at the better business bureau meeting. well i got a call from bbb today and window world agreed again to meet and try to settle this problem. so i go next monday afternoon for the meeting. will post the results when i find out anything.

I agree with skydawggy. Unfortunately this is just one of the many complaints that window world customers are venting. Their work is very poor. I dont know if contacting the BBB is going to do any help because the BBB has dropped them due to false advertising. I also agree with jenni and mac that there is a lot of negativity surrounding window world. Advise any potential customers to avoid dealing with them.

I had windows world windows installed on a 1962 house last year. I told the salesman and the service manager that I have great concerns about wind infiltration since I live on a bluff and we get very high winds. I was insured they would not leak or they would fix them.

When they came for the install there was 1 young guy and an older one. The older one came from up north and was supposed to be the expert with 20 years installing. As they were installing them they did not insulate between the brick and window frame and there was cold air coming between the brick and house.

I followed them around and complained about that and they assured me it wouldn't matter. I also asked about using foam spray and was told it would distort the windows and they never used it.

When finished they caulked the outside and inside one in one place was about 1/2" of nothing but caulk. I told them if they leaked they would be back out to pull them and replace they all the right way.

The day after they left we had high winds and I could hold a piece of TP at the frames and it would blow straight out. I also measured the temp difference between the center and bottom of the glass. It was 12 degrees.

I called the service manager at least 2 times and told him, he promised to check what to do and call back, he never did. I then called the salesman, he would get the service manager to call back. He didn't. Several times.
I next took pictures of the wind blowing burning TP out from the frames and chatter marks on the frames from the drill chuck and missing screws. I emailed them to the Store owner with a note that my next contact was to my CC company. I then called and asked to speak to him. His secretary at first wouldn't connect me until I mentioned the pictures. Then she said she saw them and so did he and he got on the phone. I told him everything and he said they would be back out to fix the problem no matter how long it took. He claimed they just didn't work that way and agreed it was a crap job. I also told him if they had an attitude don't bother sending them back.

When they arrived I told them that I warned them and I was very disappointed about all the lies they told and I expected NO attitude from them. They apologized and went to work, they pulled all 7 windows, they had insulation, foam and plywood and I followed them from window to window and made sure they did it to my specifications, they did. I also started talking to them and the young guy (19) he said he was making more than $120k per year for the last 5 years just installing. So they may pay a very low price but they make plenty of money.
A few weeks later there was a home show in Huntsville and I went and at their booth I saw the owner and service manager. The owner said they had been hiding these problems from him, so in front of him I chewed out the service manager about never calling back and making promises he didn't keep and said if he worked for me I would have fired him.

Its now been 1 year, 2 days ago we had 70 mph winds blowing directly at the front windows and there was no detectable air leaks. This winter was 100% better than before the new windows.

If you don't have the money and can verify that they will make it right and are willing to follow them around then you can get a good deal. If your not willing, then go someplace else.

A side note My son in Vermont needed new windows this winter and found that WW was about 1/2 everyone else. I told him about my experience and told him to tell them also. He did and was very satisfied with the job. The owner even came out to inspect and ask him if he was satisfied.

If you do Windows research you will find that WW is a mixed bag, depending on the people working at your local store.
Good luck

We recently purchased windows from Window World. We had 4 sliders, 5 double hung windows and 2 crank windows. Upon installation, I spoke with the window installation crew, of which only one spoke very limited english. When removing the windows, they broke bricks off of our house. I also had to follow them around with a level and tape measure to ensure that the windows were being installed correctly. It appeared that they were installing the windows by 'eye'.

I also questioned why foam insulation was not being used and was told that it was not necessary or needed. I spoke with the sales representative at Window World regarding how the outside of the windows would be sealed and he assured me that this would not be an issue and it was not necessary to remove any trim or casing from the interior of the house. However, when the windows were being installed, I noticed a large gap around the windows. I raised this concern to the installation crew and was assured that this was not an issue as the windows had a large foam insulation around them, which did not touch the structure of the house. At this point, I was relying on a piece of vinyl trim and 1/4 of caulk to prevent any water or wind from entering our home.

Once the installation was complete, I walked around the house with the installer and pointed out the caulk residue that was left all over the window frames and casings. The installer told me that the residue would come off once the caulk had dried. Within a week, the caulk began to crack and the residue would not come off of the windows.

At this point, I called Window World to complain and they just sent the same installation company / crew back to my home to correct the problems. When the crew arrived, they removed all the trim around the windows and cleaned the window casings with some type of chemical that they said was safe for the windows. However, this did NOT fix the problem, but only made it even worse.

Window World is now having to replace all but 2 of the windows in our house due to these problems. This will be the window installations 5th visit to our home and they still have not gotten it right!

The quality of the windows themselves is great but the service, installation and workmanship represented by Window World is very very poor. For the money that we spent on these windows, I would have expected much better overall quality of workmanship.

It is sad that Window World, the world reknowned company that they are, have not offered us any type of discount or compensation for this whole ordeal that we have had to endure. And on top of all of this, the insist on sending the SAME installation contractor back to our home again and again for no other reason than to keep from having to pay out of their own pockets to hire a new installation contractor to finish this thoroughly 'botched' job.

You really think you purchased a quality window and just got a bad install? Are you kidding?

You think you spent a lot of money for those windows?

Seriously???? You really believe that?

WOW...........

"It is sad that Window World, the world reknowned company that they are".

Unfortunately they are world reknowned for exactly this problem, not anything to do with quality!!!

Here is a little information on the window you purchased from Window World.

Window World uses the Alside Sheffield Window they do not use a true sloped sill. It is a side jamb with thick snap-ins on top.
It is much cheaper for a factory to use the same extrusion on all 4 sides. This way, all they need to cut the frame pieces is a 45 degree chop saw, and a simple straight line welder. It is a cheap way to make a window even though it doesn't make a quality well designed window, and as a factory you don't have to spend millions on robotic equipment that can cut and weld dissimilar profiles. Water and debris will sit in your sill and may create mold. There is no way to clean it.

Here is a picture of the Alside Sheffield Sill

The red in the picture is the "side jamb" piece they use as the starting point for their sill. The blue in the photo is the snap in piece that transforms the "side jamb" into a sill. Note how the screen track sticks up past the sill. This screen track sticking up has a couple holes through it to drain to the outside, but much of the water can seep through down into the extrusion....where you can't get to for cleaning and mold could form.
Many of you out there keep asking us, "what makes a good window". In my opinion, here is a real good chance to learn some basics about window construction and to know one more thing to look for in a window that has a good design.One flaw is with the handle , which is that when you lift up on the handle snap-in, it puts stress on the glass.( figure - 8 ) Many other windows have this handle extruded right into the sash rail

This is a picture of a true sloped sill.

The photo below shows a window that has a similar side jamb profile to the previous photo, but has a dedicated sill...a sill that was made as a sill.
This factory has spent the extra money on sophisticated machinery to cut and weld dissimilar extrusions to provide you with a sloped sill that provides proper drainage and keeps the glass loss to a minimum. (Look At The Picture)The sill is not being used as a multi-chambered gutter to get rid of water that leaks in through the snap-ins...because there are none. See how much glass you lose with a Sheffield. You have 4 to 5 inches of vinyl before the glass starts at the sill..

To me its a very ugly cheap.

Take a look at your windows now since you know what to look for. You will see just how much glass you lost and how cheap they are made.

Hartford...most excellent post! I'm a gonna keep that info for when I deal with them as a competitor!

Hartford,

Look like one of my older posts. I originally got those images from a buddy of mine out of Chicago (Window4U).

This is also true of franchises such as Home Depot and Lowes.
They pay the installer next to nothing per install and it's impossible to get any issues resolved once they have your money. Find a reputable contractor that installs quality windows such as Harvey or Marvin windows. Try to find complaints about their products on line. I can't find any. With replacement windows, if you don't understand the construction of the window how will you know the quality of the window or what your paying for. High price doesn't mean it's the best.

I just want everyone to know that the picture of the window that hartford has put up is not a sherfield window. while true that window world uses alside windows the sherfield is the base model window which is not pictured. what is pictured is the top of the line window which has a better u factor rating. the frame is much wider and is designed so that if the homeowner like me has shutters the 501 or 601 which is the wide window that is pictured on the right will still allow you to tilt the window out to clean it. if you get the 201 which is the medium grade window or the sherfield (which is not pictured) your windows will hit the frame of the shutter and you wont be able to clean your windows. also the 501 or 601 will allow you to upgrade to a triple pane instead of a double pane. while it is true that there is less glass to see out of, the window will save you money on energy because there is less glass. the 501 has the slope sill the 601 doesnt. what is pictured is the 601 so dont let a guy who clearly has no idea what he is talking about change your mind about window world. i do not work for window world but i had those guys show me all the windows and the salesman came to my house 3 times before i made my mind up. i got 4 quotes they were about 700 bucks less. foam does come from the factory on the ww windows however if there are big gaps between window and frame you should get your installer to you foam spray. the 201 501 and 601 model windows are fully welded together. also there are a lot of companys that use alside windows not just window world. again i do not work for window world. i am a car saleman. i took there paperwork home from a homeshow and studied on it and surfed the web before i made my choice. i am sure that ww does have its issues but i mean really who doesnt. i hope this has helped some of you out.

Adam,

You are incorrect. The Alside 0501 is the Sheffield. The 0201 is the Excalibur.

The window pictured above is the Sheffield (0501).

It has a clip in sloped sill and is an adaptation of the UltraMaxx (0601) series. It converts the pocket sill UltraMaxx to a faux sloped sill window.

Cut him some slack WoW. It's obvious he just started at WW and is still learning his products. He should do fine there with a background in car sales.

Is a pocket sill only an issue on a hung window? What is used on a picture windows or an x/o slider or a sliding glass door?

Most picture windows do not have a pocket sill but have small weep holes to drain the glazing chamber if water ever gets in.

Sliders don't have a full capture pocket sill but do have weep holes as they sit in a track by design.

I'm looking to replace 10 builder grade windows in my house. I don't intend to live here more than a few more years so I am looking at cheap. Before he retired, my father owned a windows and siding company. He has over 40yrs experience so of course I went to him before even calling anyone for a quote. He suggested Window World. He's seen windows they've put in around our area and said the installs he seen he couldn't find fault with. Our BBB has them listed with a good rating. Ok great, the franchise here seems to use fairly decent installers and the BBB only has 2 complaints in the last few years, so I call them.

Yesterday WindowWorld came out to give me a quote. The lowest price window on their price sheet is $259 and the salesman had no answer when I asked about the $189 windows they advertise. He then claimed Alside doesn't distribute windows and it was NOT the Excaliber or the Sheffield. At this point I know the guy is lying to me of course, but even if I didn't know from experience, as he's flipping through his clipboard I plainly see the Alside logo on one of his forms. He then spent the next 30 minutes bashing competitors in the area which was very unprofessional and a huge turn off to me.

Their business tactics seem shady at best. $189 window yet your pre-printed price sheet has the cheapest window at $259? I would expect no less than problems with a company like that.

They operate as franchises, so I would expect people's experiences to vary widely from location to location. The Cincinnati one has made me not want to deal with them even if they were to come back and lower the price.

Jenny,

Sorry to hear of a poor sales experience. Your father is right in that their windows are serviceable but they seem to have the corner on the price sensitive shopping market.

There are probably window professionals in your area (in addition to franchise that you mentioned) that might have a product in the price range you are looking at.

The old saying of going cheap at the start can be expensive in the long run is not made up saying based on conjecture.

$259 would be considered low for WW once the add on there add ons. I just saw one of there bids last week and they were well north of $400 without any aluminum work.

Typical Tinman or car salesman approach is the sales methods they use.

Beware - window world uses Alside Windows.
Window world caters to the home owner that can care less about quality but only care about the cheapest bid.

I bought and prepaid for windows (Included windows, labor, removal of old windows and disposal fee) to be installed in a house that my ex-wife and daughter were going to live. The house (Property) was not in my name.

I was told that i would receive a call to schedule the installation. During this time of waiting for the windows to arrive i decided that i would install the windows myself in a different house. I called both the the sales person and the office in Prestonsburg Kentucky and informed them i would be coming to pickup the windows. They said that i would have to come in person to the office, sign some papers to get a refund on the installation labor and the removal fee disposal fee.

Then i could take delivery of the windows.

So on 6/26/2025 i show up to pickup the windows and was informed that the windows had been installed.

I NEVER received a call from ANY person from Window World to schedule the install.

The person at window world yesterday said "The owner decided after receiving several pressured calls from the ex-wife to go ahead and install the windows".

The ex-wifes name was not on the order and i paid for the windows out of MY checking account. Her name was not included except for the warranty.

What are you looking for from us?

Pay for the windows and stop looking for excuses. Unless of course you paid in full. You will not win in court so dont try it.