CWS

WARNING: Please read this advisory & avoid CWS. If the product is offered by your installer, challenge them & firmly request they provide you with an alternate product. DO NOT get lured by a sales pitch using terms such as; "Low Cost" , Value" or "Locally Manufactured". This product is of no value if it takes months past the commitment date to deliver & then it doesn't operate properly when installed. Even more important, CWS' Customer Service, in my region, is non- existent, unresponsive and acutely inadequate. Lastly, in plain words, CWS Customer Service is a complete disappointment. In an attempt to resolve what CWS themselves identified as a Product Defect, (One of five purchased & installed windows found to be defective post install) not only was my local installation/ distributor firm ignored by CWS (thus clearly demonstrating a very weak & unsupportive relationship) I, as the end customer reached out directly to CWS Management and received no response. Not even a simple acknowledgement. My attempts to address the issue were in the form of emails, phone calls & voice messages. As of this review, the product issue and defect still remain unresolved since late 2025 and CWS is still avoiding all contact. In closing, I very much regret purchasing this product, dealing with this overwhelming disrespectful manufacturer and trusting CWS, and you will too. I urge ANY potential consumer reading this review to Stay FAR AWAY from this company & all the products they offer. They are a disgrace.

I purchased 3 CWS windows in 2018 through Lowe's & have been very pleased with them. There have never been any leaks, they operate perfectly, & look great. They've protected my home through several hurricanes & tropical storms.

I invested over $60,000 into CWS windows for my home, expecting high-quality, long-lasting products. Sadly, just 2.5 years later, I’ve been left with frustration and disappointment:

More than half the windows are fogging from the inside—a clear sign of seal failure

Glazing beads are falling off prematurely

Silicone meant to hold the glass to the frame is failing

One window is visibly cracked

To make matters worse, the companies CWS allows to install and service these products need a serious review. These aren't just cosmetic upgrades—they’re crucial components of people’s homes. Handing over installation to anyone with a toolbelt, without ensuring proper training or standards, is unacceptable. Even a quality product will fail under poor installation practices.

And I don’t say this as just any homeowner. I’ve worked for three Fortune 500 window manufacturers, and from that experience, I know what quality control, craftsmanship, and service are supposed to look like. What I’ve encountered with CWS is one of the worst experiences I’ve seen—as both a professional and a customer.

I reached out to the warranty department hoping for help, but didn’t feel truly understood. Their response lacked empathy and urgency despite the scale of the issue. If it were one window out of ten, I’d chalk it up to bad luck. But this is half the porch—an enormous portion of my installation failing within just a couple of years.

This isn’t what anyone expects from such an expensive investment. I’m sharing my experience to help others make informed decisions, and to urge CWS to revisit both their product quality and their service partnerships. Homeowners deserve better.

We had windows installed 2 years ago and have been waiting for repairs to be done for over a year now to our faulty windows. CWS has been out 4 times now and every time they have shown up with the wrong materials to repair the issues. Each tech showed up stating the wrong parts were ordered and guaranteed the right parts would be ordered and repairs made for the next time. Each waiting period for the so called right parts to be ordered was 3-4 months. 4 times!! they have shown up and parts for repair were not ordered correctly. It’s usually 3 strikes your out. The trim around my windows almost immediately started to warp and bend. One tech tried to repair in what my 12 year old son could have done better. I need this fixed once and for all. For the amount of money these custom windows costs you should be jumping to get this right. FYI- repairs and correct parts have still not been ordered. Rating you 2 stars on this issue is being very generous. Concerned Customer

** Buyer Beware**
CWS was referred to me by several window and door installers. After interviewing 6-7 installers, three of them had favorable reviews of CWS and others had no experience or poor experiences with their customer service.

I reached out to CWS three times before purchasing these doors and spoke to customer service regarding their warranty, product details and time to delivery. Each time I spoke to them prior to purchase the customer service was pleasant and responsive.

I purchased two 8800 doors from a CWS dealer (6x8 and 8x8). The purchase and delivery went smooth, the installation also was straightforward although the instructions were lacking. During the completion of the install I noticed that a few minor hardware pieces were missing. See list below:

Handle Screw
Handle Grommet
Dust plug
Weep Baffle

Since none of these were core components, I contacted CWS and this is when I received the run around. First, I emailed the list of missing parts plus my invoice. After a day or two, I was told that I needed to go through the dealer that I purchased the doors from (I will leave them nameless at this point as I don’t feel that they are liable). After reaching out to the CWS dealer, I was told that these parts will costs me an additional $46! The reason that I was given is that it had been over 30 days since my order.

What a rip!
Terrible customer service!

I also called the local CWS rep and spoke to him (Rich Finlock). He was incredibly rude and would not assist me in locating these parts unless there was a fee. I mentioned to him and the CWS dealer that I would be posting a negative review. I plan to also warn anyone else through other online media and in person of my experience. BUYER BEWARE!! I am now concerned over the need of ordering any replacement parts in the future since a few screws, grommets and dust plus costs $46!!
** Buyer Beware**