Abc Windowguys

This company is out to rip you off! I wish I had read these reviews before signing a contract with them. I got an estimate from them for a new roof. The price was high, but seemed fair enough for all the bells & whistles they promised. After the cancellation clause expired, I received a call from someone in their own company who told me that I'd be getting a call from a supervisor stating the decking on the entire house needed to be replaced and that it was just an attempt to get more money. I received a call from a "supervisor" who seemed surprised that I would not pay anything more than the contract stated. He told me he'd call his boss.

I then received a call from Richard Gillman who needed to instill the sense of urgency of my impending roof collapse. He said the job normally costs $4500 extra, but since they did my windows (a month late & in the middle of Dec - which coincidentally was around the time of the Republic Windows strike) he'd knock that price down, wink wink. I told him no. He then had the nerve to tell me he'd get a 2nd opinion from another supervisor in his company to see exactly what the damage was and call me back. I've had 5 other estimates on this roof and they all say the same thing, "How does he know if he hasn't taken off the shingles or looked upstairs in the attic for damage?"

I've contacted an attorney to see what my options are. Please stay away from this company. Even if they were at one time reputable, they are heading down the Republic Windows path.

Posted 11/16/09 | Report Abuse

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DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!! Terrible Customer Service!!!! Installers did a half/ass job. GINA the sales manager threatened to leave an 8ft by 5ft hole in my wall in the 40 degree weather with 2 small children in the house.

They called me to confirm install on a Tuesday night, I took the next day off they show up at noon and tell me "sorry, we don't have your windows today, we'll come back on Friday." I say I can't do Friday, how about Mon, Tue or Wed. He says this is not possible, only Fri. Ok, Friday it is they leave.

My wife calls, the woman tells her not my problem. I call and speak with Gina the "Sales Manager" who tells me that she will find out what's going on and get back to me in 20 min. An hour and a half later 1 delivery shows up with 2 of my 4 windows and I have to help him unload the 8 ft by 5 ft and put them in my garage for 2 days so I have to park on the street. I call again, Gina says, let me find out what's going on I'll call you in 20 min.

One hour later I get a call from the Sales manager and GM of the Window manufacturing company who apologize for the mix up and want to know when they can pick up the windows because Gina told them I didn't want them anymore. I am in total dismay.

I call Gina at 3:30pm - voicemail I leave a message. I call at 4:05pm - voicemail I leave a message. the installers show up at 6:45am the next day. I call again for Gina and the receptionist tells me that she won't be in. I ask her to call Gina's cell.

Gina calls me back while she is eating says What do you need? I explain that she never called me back and that I was still waiting for a resolution. She follows up by dishing out a verbal beat down on me yelling and insulting me to the point that I just hang up. Next thing I know the installers phone rings and he says Excuse me sir, we cant do any more work, they say we cant put this window in. I explain to him that I have a 3 month old and a two year old and its 40 degrees out.

At this point I am ready to call an ambulance because my blood is boiling so much that my head might blow up. A different manager calls me back and offers me $400.00 off my $5000.00 headache. What choice do I have? I suggest that everyone who has posted to this site call the better business bureau and file a complaint.

Posted 10/16/09 | Report Abuse

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On March 25th I got an home in estimate for 19 windows from The windows guy, the total amount was $16,000, We told the sales person it was too expensive for us and we coudn't afford it, the price magically came up to $ 10,800 ( amaizing ah?).Ok, the price was ok for us and we had liked he product. So, we signed a contract, I gave him a check for $2,000 and the rest was going to be financed same as cash for 1 year.A week later We got a call from The Windows guy saying my loan has been denied, and the only way to keep the price and contract was paying cash in the next 6 months , told her We couldn't pay the rest of the amount in 6 months, so She said te contract was cancelled and I was going to get my check in the next 10 days.A few days later I noticed the check I gave them had been cashed ( why??), I called them and They said a check for the same amount was going to be sent to me.I waited for two weeks,and I dind't get my check. Since then I have been calling them and they always said the checks are sent on fridays, I haven't got it yet, and when I call the person on charge is always on meeting, is out of the office or she is on vacation.It's may 8th already, I havent; got my check yet ( and I don't really know when I'm going to get it). I already sent a complaint letter to the Illinois Attorney General( Lisa Madigan). I was going to save some cash to replace my windows with The windows guy, but i don't really like make business with them anymore.This is the first time happened this to us, it's been a nightmare, however I won't lose my money for sure.

Posted 05/08/09 | Report Abuse

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If you call your village see if they got a permit they get the fine not you. Also call the attorney general and have them investigated. Last to the person who said Tim is a jerk you are right on except you forgot to mention liar.When we went to court he lied his head off. I still got a discount on the windows but now I don't want them to screw any one else over.

Posted 04/20/09 | Report Abuse

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We purchased all new windows for our home.. I will make a long story short. 1. Our installation date kept getting change over 4 times..2. when we finally got our windows installed the job was rushed and sloppy! 3. I had over 16 windows installed-- all of my double hung windows weather strip was to short.. we have dirt and insects coming inside the window seals. 4. I have a clown house because my sons bedroom windows which is the front of my house is install slanted -- they're CROOKED.. Did not notice it until after the installers left.. it was dark outside! mind you 16 windows to install only 2 men working! 5. One window was broke-- because it want stay up..OUTCOME TODAY:its been over 5 months the company claim they're waiting for another window manufacturer to replace the broke window and window strips.. as for the clown windows they have fake out TWICE to fix the problem.. I have called the customer service service manager left several messages.. she has not call me back.. I wish i could somehow get my money back and they come get these windows!! I have another apt schedule next week! This has been a NIGHT MARE and I must say I went with Window Guys because it was in our budget.. I should of waited, cough up more money and did my research because this has been the worst experience ever!!

Posted 04/07/09 | Report Abuse

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Remember Republic doors and windows? The company that had it's employees camp outside during the holidays until they were paid back wages? Well, Republic is owned by Rich Gillman. The window guys is owned by Lloyd Gillman, Rich's brother. I'm almost positive that Rich is one of the silent partners of The Window Guys but cant reveal that due to conflict of interest. After the Republic meltdown, The Window Guys switched to Climate Guard. Once again, I repeat, The Window Guys sell for Climate guard!!!! Do yourself a favor and get a qualified installer and buy direct! Would you buy from a company that sells for Target, or would you just go to Target yourself? Secondly, The Window Guys will hard sell you. They cannot leave without a deal. And if you don't sign that day, a so called manager will call you to set up a "re-hash" to offer you some BS price on a so-called different model of window, but it's the same window! Don't get me wrong but Climate Guard is a good window, but Climate Guard has "nothing" to do with the Window Guys. I give The Window Guys about a year, but what do I know?

Posted 01/17/09 | Report Abuse

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I worked for this Company a while back as a sales person. I thought the product was the best around until I started to do research on windows and doors. What I found from my years in the Biz is that all vinyl windows from all manufactures are simply JUNK! Plastic Windows Please! Most people buy Vinyl windows because they have a family member or a neighbor recommend vinyl but what most do not realize is that your major window and door manufactures Andersen and Pella offer replacement windows made of much better materials and quality that will last much longer than any Vinyl window, also the look of a Vinyl window is simply ugly. My advice would be to do a bit of homework on what is out there. Vinyl is yesterday most manufactures are looking to the future for a better window material. If you like the WHITE PLASTIC look Vinyl is for you. If you love your home you will pay a bit more and have something that fits with your home not have your home fit with with the windows. Also the sales MAnager John Gillp. was a great guy but they had a scum bag Tim who thought he was big crap being groomed for Johns job so maybe he is in charge over there now and that is why they suck!

Posted 12/05/08 | Report Abuse

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We replaced a full house of windows and doors with the Window Guys. Here are some of the problems we were - and still are- dealing with:

Door installers-
Didnt use cover for floor or furniture for debris
Left a mess no cleaning up after
Asked to use the bathroom many times- left it dirty
Smoking while working in and out the house
Didnt use shoe covers to walk inside the house
Scratched the floor

Back door -
- Terrible installation
- Drafts
- Heat escapes
- cracked molding

Front door
- Door dirty and scratched
- lock installed upside down
- Didnt replaced molding
- Cracked molding caulked it trying to hide it
- Nailed a piece of white wood to the oak floor as a threshold
- Didnt bring or install storm door

Windows
- Postponed installation for more than two weeks
- Wrong grids on two windows
- Didnt left the windows clean after installation, as offered in the contract
- Overall the windows crew worked hard and did a good job.

Sales person -
- Offered to send a computerized design of windows grids for our approval prior to manufacture the windows never did it. The office later said that they are not aware of that program and never do such thing.
- Told us we would be dealing directly with him because costumer service was terrible at his office Rarely returned our calls
- After installation said he was on his way to our house to check on the problems. Left us waiting for him for 3 hours, didnt return calls, didnt call to cancel or apologize.

Costumer service
- Passed the problem from one person to another,
- Didnt returned calls or solved our situation until we told them we would hire somebody else to finish the installation properly, and deduct the cost from the final payment due,
- Still waiting to have somebody over to fix the problems.

Posted 11/12/08 | Report Abuse

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If you did use this company call your village and see if they are licensed or if they pulled a permit. They did not for us and it helped our case. They might also receive some fines that would be nice. Also call Lisa Madigan they Attorney General I want to see them shut down so they cannot do this to other people.

Posted 07/29/08 | Report Abuse

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I almost could not believe the sales tactics of this company. After what I thought was an excellent presentation on the specifics of the windows, this guy wasn't going to leave unless I placed an order and signed the paperwork! He gave a higher price than two other companies, and then magically lowered it when I told him I had lower prices. He would not leave any estimate or pricing info. He was "annoyed" that he would have to come back a 2nd time for my signature and order - - HE WON"T! So glad to have read these reviews.

Posted 07/16/08 | Report Abuse

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This is the most disorganized company I have ever worked with! We decided to use them after the "hard sell" salesman came to our house. Their price was lower then the other quotes we received. (the salesman was there for TWO hours!) I would NEVER recommend this company to anyone. The only thing they did right was install the windows. They never called us to tell us when they were coming to measure-they just showed up, the follow up is a joke, and after we had all the windows installed and paid for, they called us to see if we were going to order them?????? No one knows which end is up. We had a terrible experience and I would never recommend them to anyone. Use someone else.

Posted 07/09/08 | Report Abuse

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The experience started the day after the salesman came out to my house when the sales manager called and said "the new salesman tried to make too much money on you" (Yes, he actually said that!) and he lowered the price $900. I had two casement windows put in, and two crescent windows put in above them. The story is too long, but I'll give you the highlights:They put in two different design crescent windows,The installer lied to me and said he replaced the rotted wood before he capped the brick molding and sills (he didn't),They put the wrong color caulk around the windows,They have missed no less than three appointments,They installed a window that was warped to begin with,I went through my credit card company to have the charge reversed (they did because the work was still not done right) and have since been lied about to my credit card company, and threatened to be sued.The windows were put in December , and it is now June 24th and they are just getting around to fixing everything. After 6 months of aggravation, run-around, missed appointments, and apathy, they have not so much as even apologized one time. They tried to make me out to be the bad guy because I refused to pay the balance until the windows were done right.All that I am writing can be backed up with pictures, phone records, digital recordings, times, dates, etc.Feel free to write me if you wish to give me your experience. Bill W.

Posted 06/24/08 | Report Abuse

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Water leaking around bay window and mold growing along where wood meets the window, their solution... use bleach and water to kill the mold. We now have a 2 yr old window with mold stains on it and it still has a lot of moisture around it. They schedule apts and then cancel them that morning or just don't show up. We have had minor problems with a few of the other windows we had put in but they fixed them.

Posted 12/11/07 | Report Abuse

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I had all of the windows in my house replaced by the Window Guys in late 2005. The windows are of good quality and all in all I think the price was fair. However the delievery and installation dates were changed multiple times. Here it is two years later and I need to have a window replaced. The same slow service applies. My order was placed in late October with a scheduled install date of 11/30/07. Instead of advising me sooner, I received a call on 11/29 advising me the product was not in and a reschedule would be in order. The only revised date offered to me was December 24, CHRISTMA EVE!!!. Add to that the fact that I can not reach a manager for direct resolution of the matter. True to form with the Window Guys, my calls go unreturned. Good product but given the horrible customer service I would not recommend these folks to anyone.

Posted 11/29/07 | Report Abuse

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We replaced virtually every window in my house with ABC,I am not going to say it was cheap but I thought it was a decnet price for the windows we chose(Extra strength).Being that we have 4 children I thought the stronger the better,The installation was done well and in good time.There was no mess left behind and they seemed to be very capable.My utilities have not gone down at all in the past 3 years since they were installed but all in all and considering the nightmare that some people have with home repair, we were extremly satisfied.

Posted 11/30/05 | Report Abuse

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We decided to use this company to replace all of the windows in our house. We got a fantastic deal on the price of the windows and the installation. The windows took about a month to be prepared for installation, but the wait was worth it. The installation was quick and with hardly any mess getting inside the house. We were very happy up until the billing. We had already paid by credit card and recieved a receipt, but the incompetent billing staff kept sending us a bill even though it was paid. It took me 3 visits to get through to them to get them to actually register the payment so that we stop recieving a bill that we have already paid.

PROS: Great price and excellent installaion
CONS: Very incompetent office staff

Posted 06/06/05 | Report Abuse

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