Atrium Window Experience

4 years ago

My wife and I recently built a new home in Belews Creek, NC. Our contractor was Jeff Little Construction. We purchased the windows for the home from The Building Center in Greensboro, NC. While visiting the Building Center showroom, we were shown two brands of windows. We ultimately decided upon the Atrium windows.

Our home has a total of 37 windows and we spent $29,000.00 for the windows (not including installation).

Almost every window (~90%) have multiple construction defects. These range from mis-aligned frames, cracked sashes, broken glass, missing caulking, etc.

I contacted The Building Center in Greensboro, NC and spoke with the person who sold the windows to our contractor, Jeff Little. I suggested to him the following 3 points:

1. I don't know how these windows ever made it through a QC inspection.
2. I don't understand why there was not an "acceptance" between the manufacturer, supplier, and contractor. Any close inspection of the windows at time of exchange would have highlighted the deficiencies.
3. The builder should have noted the deficiencies at the time of installation. However, like many other defects, my wife and I have been the ones to highlight them.

When someone builds a new home they expect top quality materials and workmanship. Additionally, when spending $29,000.00 on a single item, one would expect that item to represent the best quality a company has to offer.

I would not recommend these windows for replacement or new home construction.

Stan Oakley
315 Lake Point Lane
Belews Creek, N.C. 27009

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Comments (5)

millworkman
4 years ago
"Almost every window (~90%) have multiple construction defects. These range from mis-aligned frames, cracked sashes, broken glass, missing caulking, etc."

That is bad. Atrium is very poor window to begin with and that is bad even for them.

"I don't know how these windows ever made it through a QC inspection."

Do they actually have a QC person/team?
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
4 years ago
Stan,

Appears to be a few things going on there. What I don't know if how they were installed or handled by any of the parties after being manufactured. Clear indications of some QA/QC issues as it pertains to the under and over length glazing beads. On the tilt latches, those can be from poor construction or handling.

Windows are obviously in finished walls at this point. Did you see the home as they were being set? Did the builder bring this up to you? Any feedback from them at the time of installation?
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PRO
toddinmn
4 years ago
The contractor should be handling this if they purchased the windows.

Quite often a general will sub this work out and may initially miss this . At this point they should be doing the leg work.
Stanley Oakley
Original Author
4 years ago
These type of defects wouldn’t be reflective of installation. All of these issues are manufacturing-related.

Albeit a different industry, I spent more than 35 years in Operations and Manufacturing from first level management to senior executive. i have never seen such poor quality product being shipped to a consumer. There is a definite issue associated with production and quality control within this company.
Stanley Oakley
Original Author
4 years ago
Also, confirmed today that 35 out of 37 have multiple defects as shown in the photos.