Champion Windows Vs. Universal Windows Direct
- The Wacky Window Woman
- Jul 11
- 5 min read
In this side-by-side match up, I’ll be comparing Champion WIndows Vs. Universal Windows Direct. From my initial impression, to their Sales Pitch. Who had the best price and which one is the better value?
I’ve had both Champion Windows and Universal Windows Direct into my home to give me a quote. My three-bedroom home in Columbus, Ohio has twelve windows. Champion is known for selling only triple pane windows. Universal Windows Direct is known for their wide-range of exterior products and services.
Be sure to see the Wacky WIndow Woman Price Comparison Chart. You’ll see how many of the well known replacement companies stack up when they quote my 1600 square foot home. It’s an apple-to-apples comparison, each of them giving me a quote for the exact same window project of twelve windows.
How much does it cost to replace windows?
My initial impression of Champion was that “Charlie” was passionate about his product. He seemed to take his job as a replacement window sales representative very serious. On the other hand, “R” from Universal Windows Direct seemed to be transitioning out of his career of selling windows. He had his sights on other aspirations.
“Charlie” from Champion was determined to attempt to the close the sale that day, as I would expect any decent sales guy to do. He arrived with clipboard in hand ready to give us his best pitch on why Champion Windows would be the best decision for our window project. About half-way through his presentation he broke out his “kit.” The Kit contained his sample of the window frame, his heat lamp and various samples of window glass options. He used the heat lamp to show how little or how much heat is transferred with the different glass samples.
“R” from Universal brought one brochure into our home. No window sample, no heat lamp and no glass samples. He immediately asked us why we were in the market for new windows. He referred to our home of 1,580 square feet with twelve-windows as a large project. “R” began to ‘groom’ us on the generalities of the price per window early in the process.
What is the average cost of a good replacement window?
“R” from Universal stood at our kitchen island, repeatedly asking what felt like the same question. Our home, built in 2016, still has the original builder-grade windows, yet he seemed unconvinced that replacement windows were necessary. It wasn’t clear whether he doubted our genuine interest or simply didn’t understand why we’d want to invest in upgrading our windows. He made no effort to retrieve a sample from his vehicle or provide a demo. He was in and out in less than forty minutes.
Charlie from Champion Windows was in our home for over an hour. He had clearly learned and believed in the value of ‘slowing the customer down’ and making time for the window demonstration.
First, he showcased the window frame and it’s profile. Then “Charlie” broke out the heat lamp and the many different samples of insulated glass units to help us see the benefit of triple pane versus double pane. He also went into detail of what Low E glass and Argon gas were. “Charlie” indicated that both were an absolute necessity when replacing windows in the Columbus area.
He went on to share that when you are ready to make a decision you need to take into consideration the change in seasons. According to Charlie, the heat of the summer sun and the brutality of the winter winds would make triple pane windows the only viable option. All along he had been preparing us to know that when he did finally get around to presenting price, he wasn’t going to be the most affordable. Specifically because he only offers triple pane, whereas many of the others quote double pane and then offer an upgraded cost to step up to Triple-pane windows.
I think Universal Windows Direct offers triple pane as an upgrade. But, I’ not certain of this as “R” didn’t really get into many details of his windows or upgrade options.
Energy Star Vs. Energy Star 7.0 for Replacement Windows
Back in late 2022 and early 2023, the association that manages certifications for Energy Star upgraded the ratings for replacement windows. The new version, 7.0 which is more restrictive and requires a lower U Factor than a traditional replacement window means you are getting a better performing window.
Champion Windows do meet the 7.0 certification requirements. Universal Windows Direct offers some windows models and versions that meet the 7.0 requirements. Many of their window models don’t meet the 7.0 Energy Star requirements, be sure to ask which window model you are being quoted.
Best Replacement Window Companies
“R” from Universal Windows Direct indicated that his window would be $2,000 per window give or take. Financing and haul away were included as well as a lifetime warranty. He also detailed that his warranty is a double lifetime warranty and can be transferred to the next homeowner up to three times.
Our home has twelve windows and “R” told us we could assume the price would be $24,000. He admitted and understood that he’d likely be one of the most expensive quotes we would receive. He was right.
“Charlie” from Champion had full belief in his triple pane window. He really played into our concerns of the noise from the road on the back side of our home, the west sun we get in the summer and howling west winds in the winter. He made it seem that triple pane would be the best option for us and with his window we could expect significant savings on our utility bills.
Champion Windows quote came in at $17,950, which was right in the middle of the pack. Their warranty covered trip charges for two years, then after than you’d be expected to pay $119 for them to come review any warranty work you might request.
Champion Windows Vs. Universal Windows Direct
Triple pane seemed like a viable option based on where our home sits and the fact that six of our twelve windows are on a west wall. However, if you take the quote from the #1 company on the list, Virtual View and add in the cost for triple pane, it's clearly a better value and a comparable window to what Champion sells.
When you bake in the performance ratings of the Alside Mezzo Window Virtual View offers and then if you upgrade to triple pane, you are getting a Higher-Performance Window for less than you are with Champion Windows.
For this match-up, between Champion and Universal Windows Direct, the clear winner is Champion Windows. “Charlie” was a more thorough and came in with a better, more competitive price than Universal Direct for a triple-pane window compared to Universal Windows Direct double-pane window.
How to Shop for New Replacement Windows
Be sure to refer to the Wacky Window Woman Price Comparison Chart. Thus far, I’ve had nine window companies in. I will continue to invite more of the well-known companies into my home. My goal is to ensure the chart includes all the bigger players throughout the US.
