Great Lakes Window & Siding Co

We had 14 windows replaced, including a variety of new and replacements, as well as fixed, casement and sliders. We spent about $ 16k total.
I’ll preface my review by saying I have no concerns about the quality of the windows or the installation. The windows seem top-​notch and the installation seems very sound. I’m satisfied with the current state of the windows, and the salesperson and installers were professional and courteous when at our home.
However, the process was unacceptable.
We signed a contract in early September, and the salesperson assured us that we’d likely have our new window project complete by Halloween, Thanksgiving at latest. Great. Measurement guy came out a week or so later, and thought windows would be about six weeks. Still ok. Halloween comes and goes, so I call the office a couple of times before I get a callback, and I finally get a response that the factory is backlogged but that we should have the windows installed by the end of November. November comes and goes. I call again – a few times – before I get a response.
Finally, mid-​December we get a call that our windows are in and ready for installation. After half of the windows are installed, we were bumped for a couple of weeks more because ‘the installers wouldn’t want to make another customer angry’ since our installation took longer than expected. So, more of the windows finally get installed just before New Year’s Eve. At that point, the installers let us know that two of the windows are the wrong size and will have to be re-​ordered.
So we wait for those to show up, and they eventually get installed weeks later… but without the required tempered glass, as they were bathroom windows. The installer waited to tell us until after he had left. So we wait another six weeks for the new sashes to show up. The installer installs the replacement sashes, asks my wife to sign off on completion of the project and our card gets charged. And then the installer calls me to tell me that the sashes he installed weren’t actually tempered glass and that he’d ordered another set of replacements. After neglecting to tell my wife so that the company could collect payment. We had the replacement sashes manufactured, delivered and installed a week later… after previously being told there was no way to rush order with the manufacturer.
My wife and I have had to arrange time away from work on five occasions to support installations, and I’ve probably made north of 20 phone calls to try to get answers over the course of the project. It took six months to complete a project that we were assured would be a 6 – 8 week project. Delays were not communicated, updates required multiple calls to the main office and errors – whether manufacturer or installer – were inadequately communicated. When I raised my concerns and shared my frustration, I was offered $ 200.
So, we have well-​installed, quality windows, but we also have a 6 – 8 week project that lasted 6 months. Communication and customer service are not a priority with this company. Steer clear.

At the home show, offered to come out to give us an estimate. Once he found out we had other bids coming in, and he wouldn’t be the last person in the house, he cancelled. No thanks!

The most regrettable experience I’ve had as a homeowner is working with Great Lakes Window and Siding. The bathroom remodel I hired them for took longer than promised (3 – 4 weeks, not 3 – 4 days), and the work performed was shoddy and lacking in professionalism (the grout work was so bad we’re already thinking of hiring someone to redo it less than 2 years later; if that’s not bad enough, the water wasn’t turned off prior to our bathtub’s removal, leading to a burst pipe and water damage to an adjacent room’s ceiling; Great Lakes’ idea of resolving that issue was painting over the water stains — but the splotches are still visible.) I hope those reading this will pause and decide to stay away. I don’t care how good their quote might be, my experience tells me the work won’t hold up.

Ill start by saying the 3 day bathroom remodel took 12 days. when they cut out my sheet rock they cut my trim around my bathroom closet, and they left my cieling from my basement sitting on the floor from when they did the plumbing. the sheetrock they put in is only ³⁄₈ in so no anchors will work on it. and the baseboard they used was just floor tiles cut in half, so there‘s a white line around the tiles. When i talked to the owner he was EXTREMELY rude and would not do anything for my damaged property saying «thats the human element in the job». this isnt even all of it but I don’t want to sound like a crazy person. I have told 3 of my friends that need work done to not even think about using them. One positive I will say is that the shower is very nice, that is the only reason they got 2 stars instead of 1 since the rest of the room is a disaster along with their customer service

Met with Alan Lundberg about a bathroom remodel. He was very courteous and thorough. If you are looking to have a bathroom redone, I recommend consulting this company. Very informative and low pressure initial engagement.

Great Lakes replaced 12 windows and two storm doors at my home. I am extremely pleased with the quality of their products and the quality of their installation work!
The windows replaced are all on my sun porch. That room has settled over time (house was built in 1912), leaving huge gaps between the old windows and the walls. Basically, that room was unusable when I moved in, the old windows did little to keep the outside weather out. On top of that, there was lead paint throughout the porch.
The installers really took the time to do a quality installation and properly address the lead paint issue. The new windows are a huge improvement, both aesthetically and functionally. It’s like I got an addition on my house — the porch is now usable space! The outside of my house looks great as well — they did a great job wrapping the windows and extended the new material all the way to the front door so that everything matched. This work was done in the dead of winter, mind you — even more reason for me to appreciate their work.
I will be using Great Lakes again in the future, and highly recommend them.