Castle Windows and Doors - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

SC sawdaddy · 09-22-2009, 11:08 PM

My dad called me tonight to ask me about a company called Castle. Apparently he's gotten a call or a flier about replacement windows and is considering putting some in his house. I looked over their web site and of course there was nothing but good reviews there

I've never installed any or even heard of them around here. Anybody had any dealings with them, good or bad?
The company is based in NJ and according to their site, service up around the northeastern part of the country. Don't know how they got contacted to the old man way down here. I told him I'd ask the window gurus.

mrhodus · 09-24-2009, 08:05 AM

Sorry, haven't heard of that replacement windows company

SC sawdaddy · 09-24-2009, 08:38 AM

Thanks for the reply mrhodus,
Guess no one else has either.

TaitINC · 09-24-2009, 09:15 AM

I've heard of them... But I don't have much to say about them. I know of one person that had them install windows and doors. Lets just say they have been back about a dozen times to "fix" problems. I'm not going to mention specifics, but if you're interest shoot me a PM

TimNJ · 09-24-2009, 12:26 PM

I get a mailer from them in the junk mail stack once a week. They seem to be heavy in the $169 installed window club. Of course that's for a 60 UI window. They seem to have popped up out of nowhere maybe 8 or 9 years ago. They have been on Remodeling's list in the $30 million range for the past few years. Funny, I have maybe seen one or two job site signs ever for them and I work in their home turf.

TRC · 11-02-2009, 09:55 AM

Maybe too late to matter but I see 2 young guys in a pickup truck with a magnetic Castle Windows sign around north jersey every once in a while. Can't say anything about their work but they always have the $169 circular in the sunday paper. Sometimes they advertise $99 window installed, but one of my customers called to check it out and told me that they said they wouldn't sell them that window.

buddy110 · 11-03-2009, 11:00 PM

I know them well. They run an old style boiler room and use high pressure sales. Their product is average at best and they charge a premium for it.

Where is your Dad located?

enforcer · 11-08-2009, 10:39 AM

they use soft lite's imperial if i'm not mistaken.

Roberts Ren · 11-08-2009, 08:43 PM

Well I went to their site to check out the windows, I thought they were a window manufacture BUT I was wrong. Then I seen this.....and all I can say is WHATEVER

Competitors

Thank you Mr. Competitor for looking through our site. If you are in fact viewing our site we figure you must be losing more and more of your customers to Castle Windows. We know that you are desperately searching our site to find out why. That being said, why not take the time to fill out the form under employment opportunities? As the old saying goes.... If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.'

buddy110 · 11-08-2009, 08:58 PM

Interesting. How would they know you're a competitor?
Regardless, Castle is a volume company not at all concerned with quality. It's all about the numbers with companies like this. They most certainly do not make their own product. Last time I checked they were selling Ideal

HomeSealed · 11-10-2009, 08:29 PM

I can't vouch for their quality or business model, but according to Replacement Contractor magazine they are one of the largest companies in the country...Guess they are doing something right.

Patrick · 11-10-2009, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeSealed

I can't vouch for their quality or business model, but according to Replacement Contractor magazine they are one of the largest companies in the country...Guess they are doing something right.

So is WindowWorld

So is Champion

BTW I got really depressed the other day we somehow actually beat a WindowWorld Quote. I have no idea how.

buddy110 · 11-10-2009, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick

So is WindowWorld

So is Champion

BTW I got really depressed the other day we somehow actually beat a WindowWorld Quote. I have no idea how.

HomeSealed · 11-11-2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick

So is WindowWorld

So is Champion

BTW I got really depressed the other day we somehow actually beat a WindowWorld Quote. I have no idea how.

I know everybody likes to beat up on those guys, but like I said, they are doing something right. I don't operate by their business model, but WW is the fastest growing specialty remodeler in the country. The real question is: are you Patrick and everyone else who wants to flame me, just a window installer or a businessman? If you are a businessman you can't help but give those companies credit for the success that they've had even if they undercut your business... and if that is the case, you need to be a better salesman.

.........The fact is there is room and demand for several different business models in this industry. What I do is learn how to sell against the other ones, but when you step back you still have to give credit where credit is due.

Patrick · 11-11-2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeSealed

I know everybody likes to beat up on those guys, but like I said, they are doing something right. I don't operate by their business model, but WW is the fastest growing specialty remodeler in the country. The real question is: are you Patrick and everyone else who wants to flame me, just a window installer or a businessman? If you are a businessman you can't help but give those companies credit for the success that they've had even if they undercut your business... and if that is the case, you need to be a better salesman.

.........The fact is there is room and demand for several different business models in this industry. What I do is learn how to sell against the other ones, but when you step back you still have to give credit where credit is due.

Im not flamming anyone, I am just saying that these companies that make it to the top ARE the same ones that everyone complains about.

WW is a franchise, so its like any other, there a good locations and bad locations. all WW does is collect the royalties.

buddy110 · 11-11-2009, 11:40 AM

These companies do make money, but as a rule they're bad for consumers. Their sub-standard windows and poor installations hurt the entire industry. You want to applaud that be my guest, but I'd rather make my customers the most important component of my business model

HomeSealed · 11-11-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddy110

These companies do make money, but as a rule they're bad for consumers. Their sub-standard windows and poor installations hurt the entire industry. You want to applaud that be my guest, but I'd rather make my customers the most important component of my business model

That is a totally uninformed and over-generalized statement. Do you know what brand windows they sell? I do, and I know they aren't that bad. In terms of installation, Some are better than others. I know excellent subs around here that do work for WW and also work for companies that get over $1000 for a regular DH. Same installation, but those other guys would never be accused of shoddy installations would they?

Patrick, I kinda seemed like a flame with the rolling eyes about my comment, but thats ok. I do recognize that WW is a franchise, however they do much more than just collect royalties. In addition, has it occurred to you that the reason the have so many complaints is because they have so much volume? Just some things to think about..... I never thought that I'd be writing a post defending WW.

....Like I said before, I'm not a big fan of how they operate, but you just can't help but give them credit on the business side of things. If you don't then you are either uninformed, or lying to yourself.

SC sawdaddy · 11-11-2009, 02:00 PM

I appreciate the comments and views about this company.
I talked him out of Castle windows and went and bought some Pella windows to install. He's happy with them and I know they are good windows.

buddy110 · 11-11-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeSealed

That is a totally uninformed and over-generalized statement. Do you know what brand windows they sell? I do, and I know they aren't that bad. In terms of installation, Some are better than others. I know excellent subs around here that do work for WW and also work for companies that get over $1000 for a regular DH. Same installation, but those other guys would never be accused of shoddy installations would they?

.

Yes, the NY affiliates use Ideal, I think others use Alside. I stand by my statement.

MJW · 11-11-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeSealed

That is a totally uninformed and over-generalized statement. Do you know what brand windows they sell? I do, and I know they aren't that bad. In terms of installation, Some are better than others. I know excellent subs around here that do work for WW and also work for companies that get over $1000 for a regular DH. Same installation, but those other guys would never be accused of shoddy installations would they?

Patrick, I kinda seemed like a flame with the rolling eyes about my comment, but thats ok. I do recognize that WW is a franchise, however they do much more than just collect royalties. In addition, has it occurred to you that the reason the have so many complaints is because they have so much volume? Just some things to think about..... I never thought that I'd be writing a post defending WW.

....Like I said before, I'm not a big fan of how they operate, but you just can't help but give them credit on the business side of things. If you don't then you are either uninformed, or lying to yourself.

Some call it business or sales......I call it lies and wannabe contractors. A company that sells cheapo inserts that are glued in and installed entirely by subs. On top of it they call it quality. I call it BS!

The customers will get what they pay for, and when the windows need to be replaced they will call a real Contractor. By then, these big pop up window companies will be out of business. It's no different than the window and aluminum siding boom was 30 years ago.

I heard the windows are mass produced by Alside. Not sure though. All I know is that it is marketing and not contracting.