Window replacement is a competitive industry. Especially in tougher economic times, when business is harder to come by and smaller companies become desperate for money and clients.
But where does one draw the line? The unfortunate thing for the homeowner is that some companies simply don’t know where the line is, and resort to lying and outright slandering their competition in order to get business. And you could say “so what, business is business” but when it ultimately ends up hurting the homeowner’s options for getting the best window replacement, there is no way we can just keep quiet.
Check out these window company reviews:
Hometech vs. Sunrise Windows
Hometech vs. Canadian Choice Windows And Doors
And because people are sometimes quick to believe what they are told, we thought we would dispell any myths once and for all and answer some of these ridiculous accusations.
Find out what people are saying about us online:
Ecoline Windows on BBB
Ecoline Windows on Facebook
Ecoline Windows on Twitter
Ecoline Windows videos on YouTube
What Hometech Windows says about Ecoline:
“Ecoline Windows is a scam”
This is a common one we hear over and over again. Other companies will say we’re scammers, we will disappear with the customer’s money, we are “fly-by-night” crooks.
In reality: If our Homestars, BBB, and Google+ ratings aren’t enough to demonstrate that we are very much serious and very much for real, consider the fact that Ecoline Windows is registered with Industry Canada, has a Prepaid Contracting License in Alberta, sells ENERGY STAR rated and CSA approved windows. If we were only after the homeowner’s money, would we go to every length possible to build and maintain trust with prospective and current clients?
“Ecoline Windows is a seasonal company”
The implication here is not that we only install windows in the summer, but rather that we are only able to sustain ourselves during the peak season because we are not big enough.
In reality: While this is generally the truth about new window companies, we can proudly say that today we operate year-round in Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Regina, and Saskatoon. We have been in business in Western Canada for over ten years now, and that is not a feat a “seasonal” company can sustain.
“Their managers are in Russia”
This is another ridiculous thing companies like Hometech Windows say to undermine us to prospective clients.
In reality: While we’re not here to question people’s personal reservations against Russian people, we can say with utmost certainty that all of our managers, owners and company heads live in Canada. Furthermore, they are always and constantly in the cities that we service. While our head office is in Toronto (not Russia) to be close to the manufacturing process, our customer service staff is very much out in the field because we recognize and appreciate the importance and value in working directly with homeowners and clients.
“They don’t have a showroom or office”
Although our project consultants carry a variety of products with them to all appointments, a lot of homeowners still like the power of going to a physical location.
In reality: In the last two years we have made it a priority to acquire and open showrooms in all the cities we operate. But you will notice that they may not always be the vast, sprawling, warehouse-like places that other companies have. And the reason for that is not because we are hiding something or are trying to scam people. The reason for that is because we try to offer clients the best possible windows at a competitive price. No matter how you look at it, higher quality windows cost more that crappy ones. Because we care about the quality of our product, we prefer to let that speak for itself. Next time you go to a company’s showroom and marvel at its size, and brightness, think about how much that showroom costs a company to rent a month. Then think about who is REALLY paying for those costs on a monthly basis.
“Their installers and supervisor don’t live in Edmonton”
Sometimes, the claim against Ecoline Windows is that our workers or supervisors don’t live in the cities where we work. Or even more ludicrous, that our workers FLY IN from Toronto to do work.
In reality: Our installers, supervisors, and regional managers are all locals in the cities they work in. Most of the time they even install windows in the same neighborhoods they live in. They also often have experience previously working for other Edmonton window companies.
“They don’t manufacture their own windows”
People and companies can talk all they want about how we don’t have showrooms or question about where we are located, but saying that we don’t manufacture our own windows is an outright lie.
In reality: We have our own designated product line through one of the biggest window product manufacturers in Canada. These windows are manufactured to both, local climate needs and our own high standards of performance and aesthetic appeal.
“They install different product from what they sell”
This is a common scam with so-called fly-by-night window companies. They get windows from numerous suppliers, charge a customer for premium windows, and install subpar product instead. Because a window looks like a window looks like a window to an untrained eye, many homeowners simply don’t question whether the windows are of a high standard until problems arise.
In reality: Because we have our own designated manufacturing line, and all windows are made to an electronically-submitted order, it is very difficult if near impossible for us to install anything but the product a homeowner ordered. Furthermore, because our company is CSA accredited and our windows are rated by ENERGY STAR, all our product MUST have official labeling that provides performance information for that specific window. We have NEVER had a single complaint about our windows being worse than what the client paid for, yet this year we did an independent audit of our product to make sure that the numbers printed on the labels indeed corresponded with their supposed performance ratings. Hometech on the other hand has been known not only to install worse windows than sold, but also outright selling retrofit jobs as a full-frame replacement. When you consider a full-frame replacement generally costs 20% more than a retrofit, you can see how much money a window company can pocket on an unsuspecting client.
We’re not a bad window company. At Ecoline Windows we believe in quality and honesty. And yes, even in competition between businesses. But when another company consistently provides a subpar service and product, and then turns around and proceeds to accuse us of the things they can’t get right, we simply can’t help but feel sorry for their clients.
Check out these window replacement articles:
Find out why you can purchase with confidence when you pick Ecoline Windows
Learn about what kind of projects we specialize in
Check out how we price our windows and doors