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mark_wa

Alside/Alpine Failed Windows-Scam

Mark_WA
12 years ago

We have a whole housing development of Alside/Alpine Windows that have failed completely in less that 5 years. In some cases the frames have completely rusted through because of the poor design. Their warranty is useless. Alpine's parent company (Alside) creates dozens of shell companies that sell defective windows then file bankruptcy then reappear with the same or another name. I have a dozen pictures of horribly windows. They don't just loose their seal they fall apart. Ridiculous!

Comments (20)

  • WindowDog
    12 years ago

    Associated materials owns Alside and Alpine. I believe they are separate suppliers. Did you get Alpine windows? Or Alside windows? What were the issues, and why do you feel the warranty was worthless? Was it a different installation company for Alside/Alpine than the last replacement? What did you put in the last time?

    Just hate to see blanket accusations without some facts. It's a little suspicious. I'm glad you were ultimately satisfied by another company. Would love to know what actually happened :)

    Alside is a decent mid-grade vinyl window, and has been around forever. While I'm not a fan of vinyl, per se, Alside has always been a decent company. Don't know about Alpine.

  • HomeSealed
    12 years ago

    Alpine is just another relabeled Alside/Revere/AMI product. They have a less than stellar reputation, and my own personal experience is in line with that as well. That said, financially they are a solid company and their customer service and honoring of warranty has been acceptable from what I've seen. I'm not sure what you are talking about with "shell companies that file bankruptcy", other than the fact that they will sell their windows to anyone with a pulse, and the low price generally attracts contractors who are less concerned about quality and more likely to go out of business.... Either way, your 5 yr old windows should be covered by warranty.

  • PRO
    Windows on Washington Ltd
    12 years ago

    AMI has always honored their product in my dealings with them.

    They do put up a few road blocks to try to throw people off the scent but they have covered the warranty in every dealing I have had with them.

    I would call until you got someone on the phone prior to paying for new windows. If they are 5 years old and falling apart, that should be covered.

  • PRO
    Windows on Washington Ltd
    12 years ago

    I would be willing to bet that the customer might be referring to the spacers and some of the formation of the condensation/mineral residue in the corners.

  • HomeSealed
    12 years ago

    That was my thought as well.

  • skydawggy
    12 years ago

    Or they installed one of their lower ends that have mechanically fastened frames.

  • millworkman
    12 years ago

    Since it is a housing development or track home I would bet on skydawggy's answer,

  • PRO
    Windows on Washington Ltd
    12 years ago

    I still forget that people are still using a mechanically fastened window (in vinyl) sometimes.

  • skydawggy
    12 years ago

    Iirc that's WW's base $189 window.

  • HomeSealed
    12 years ago

    No its not. Their $189 is the welded Excalibur.

  • AM5537
    10 years ago

    Alpine/ AMI is garbage company. They make cheap crap windows and then never honor their warranties. Builds like them because they can cheap crap windows from them. Very disappointed by Centex/Pulte for using this pathetic company. All our home windows are from Alpine. Many of them collect moisture inside them, some of them have broken balances, and none are covered by supposedly lifetime warranty from AMI.

  • PRO
    Windows on Washington Ltd
    10 years ago

    How old is the home and what rationale did they give you for not covering the windows?

  • millworkman
    10 years ago

    A product warranty is null and void if the install is not up to snuff which is what wow is alluding to. As he asks, what was their reasoning for not honoring the warranty?

  • pspturtle
    10 years ago

    Hi, I'm new to the window forum!

    I just signed a contract with a local window company LEI (around Cincinnati, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky area) to purchase 6 windows. The windows are from Alside's Revelation line, the glass options says "Argon Triple Pane/TG2". Based on the representative's presentation, the windows seem to be great. Of course, I have very limited knowledge about windows, and only focus on the problems of my old windows, so their demo appears to look much nicer than my old ones. The price tag is 4.5K including installation, tax, and all the expenses associated the the new windows and installations. LEI provides 50 years warranty, labor & windows, which seem to be surreal as one can't assume the company will last that long. They told me for me to get a big discount (from $7,500 to $4,500), I need to agree to be LEI's model home, and display their company sign on my front yard. After signed the contract, I started doing more researches, and found this forum. I guess I should have done the research first. Now I am getting worried about my decision. I have 3 days to cancel the contract. I would like to ask your advise if I should consider the option of cancelling the contract?

    Thank you in advance for all the kind advise.

  • PRO
    Windows on Washington Ltd
    10 years ago

    Cancel your contract.

    Model home pitches and 40% discounts are sure fire signs of a shady approach to the business.

  • millworkman
    10 years ago

    Definitely cancel and then erase the number from your phone and quickly.

  • Audrey Falke-Arbuckle
    7 years ago

    Hey there! I'm new here too, and just signed the contract with LEI for a total of $7,312 for 11 windows. The numbers just don't add up... at first we were quoted $14,997 for 22 windows. Then he said if we paid cash we'd pay $11,798! Then it went up to $12,297 because we wanted grids. We could only afford 11 windows and had thought that we'd just get the other later. My husband and I were also impressed with the presentation and needed new windows. We weren't planning on getting them at this time but figured we'd take advantage of the "good deal". My gut feeling was telling me that I may want to dig deeper into this LEI Company, and I'm so glad I did! I quickly called and cancelled our contract. The Rep who came to the house to give us an estimate was a lovely man. And we feel bad not being able to give him business, however the company operates unethically regarding to it's business model. Not to mention, EXTREMELY unethical and misleading how they go about hiring their staff. I REFUSE to support such a company with our hard earned dollars! Also, another red flag is the lack of displaying the broken down dollar amount on the invoice. So as far as we know, the Rep. could be pulling numbers out of the air! Yeah, I am so relieved that I decided to investigate this "middle man" company before the 3days were up.

  • mufassa554
    7 years ago

    Audrey, that sounds very confusing, and I definitely understand your panic, but I can tell you that you get "discounts" for ordering things in bulk. Also, it really depends on WHICH windows of those 22 that you ordered. If they have a rounded top, or are a different shape, or are off the ground, these are all things that affect the price, ESPECIALLY if they are a different shape because they are harder to manufacture, and so the price goes up a lot. Grids are also bizarrely expensive, which is another reason a lot of replacements don't have them (looks aside), I don't know why, maybe the manufacturing? Cash is cheaper than financing because the company/you have to pay a fee to the bank, did you ask them to explain this deficit?

  • millworkman
    7 years ago

    Very interesting...............

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