BUYER BEWARE. Good reviews can be ‘’purchased’’ via cash back, bad ones cannot. Check BBB.org, Homestars.ca, yelp.ca, Google reviews
We originally contacted Ecoline to have 12 windows replaced. We are on the Vancouver North Shore and we were looking at double pane windows with clear glass to keep the natural light flowing into the house. Ecoline suggested that we should go for triple pane with Low E coating, for almost the same price, and also to take advantage of the BC hydro rebate. We mentioned several times that natural light was primordial, and we wanted clear glass, rebate or not it wasn’t a deal breaker. The representant reassured us about this concern. This was a mistake. The vendor never mentioned that the windows would be darker with a grey to blue tint when the sun hits the windows. The pictures talk for themselves. When we realized that the wrong windows got installed late June 2021, we stopped the installation process and ask the representant to come to the house right away to show him. He suggested that we finish the installation and deal with this issue afterwards. We called and called, sent emails, nobody got back to us. We then decided to post a review on Google after two months. Within half an hour, someone called us! The person said we would find a solution and ask us to remove the review. Good thing, we did not agree. At no point in time we could reach out to the regional manager. All communication got filtered at customer service, and it was very difficult to get names or any real contact information.
After several emails, Ecoline ordered a ‘’clearer’’ window sample to be produced, without us asking, and schedule for installation for comparison. The Covid situation not helping, it took several weeks to hear back and have it installed. It still wasn’t clear glass! What was then the point! The customer service representative, willing to help and find a resolution, ordered a second unit that got installed November 9th. The sample window was clear glass and got installed in the living room next to a large tinted window for comparison. We immediately contacted Customer Service happily thinking we found a resolution… but this wasn’t to be the case. This time Ecoline Customer Service called us back with a man on the phone. He didn’t introduce himself and was reluctant to give his name. From our understanding, he is the regional manager. First time after 5 months management contacted us for a conversation, where we screamed at and told to ‘’shut up’’: this conversation was recorded. In conclusion the man offered to replace only 4 windows out of 12. It was a stressful phone call. Why would we go all this way to have Ecoline say that they would only replace a couple of windows, and if we wanted more changed, it would be at our cost. We were hoping to have a very different conversation. We did not agree. The manager said that was that or nothing. And since then, the conversation has stopped. We are now left with an installed sample unit that has nothing to do with the rest of the windows. This sample is clear glass, all the other windows are tinted.
Having to deal with such issues, is stressful. Going into winter months, the house is darker. We work from home and that impacts our quality of life. When the sun is out and strike the windows, we have to deal with this non natural blue tinted light (see the pictures). After all the money and effort to improve our home, we feel that Ecoline 1-) neglected to tell us that 3 pane windows come with a blue/grey tint which darken your home, 2-) shuffled us around in the hopes that we would drop our complaint, only to conclude with an unprofessional aggressive conversation with a partial proposal.
We are devastated with what we have been put through in these past months as much as we are constantly reminded of the windows everytime the sun shines in and the light comes in grey. Please be aware and ask all the obvious questions. With a company such as Ecoline, we also advice you record all conversations.
