Universal Windows Direct Vs. Window Nation for Replacement Windows
- The Wacky Window Woman
- Aug 10
- 6 min read
Universal Windows Direct vs. Window Nation for replacement windows—compare window replacement costs, quality, and service to see which company comes out on top.
Both Window Nation and Universal Windows Direct are popular window companies offering a variety of window styles and customization options. We’ve had both of these companies into our home to quote our window project of twelve windows.
Be sure to see the Wacky Window Woman Comparison Chart to see how some of the largest, well-known Replacement Window companies stack up against each other.
How much do quality Replacement Windows Cost?
Based on the quotes my husband and I received from these two Window Replacement companies, the price of a replacement window in Columbus, Ohio is about $1608 to $2000 per window. However, you can find more affordable options and companies, be sure to see the Wacky Window Woman Price Comparison Chart.
You’ll notice on the chart, the average price for my window project ranged from $ 812 per window to $2864 per window. The most affordable option with a really great window is Virtual View Windows and the most expensive also with an awesome window was Renewal by Andersen.
Universal Direct Windows – How much do they cost?
“R” from Universal showed up on a cloudy Saturday morning. He was very polite and good with our dog. We offered him a bottle of water and games began. He immediately started asking questions to gain an understanding of why we “were in the market for new windows and were we serious.” We shared with him that we had already gotten a few quotes from his competitors. He asked us who and we told him. Being in the Biz, he already understood that Rosati, Window World and McCloud were going to be less expensive than his pricing at Universal Direct.
Emotionally, he admitted defeat and started packing up his brochures once we shared with him who we had gotten quotes from. I recognized this, as I’ve had it happen to me. When the customer wants something specific and you know your product can’t perform to their expectations or you can’t beat the competitor’s price, as a sales person, you have nothing to offer and you might as well pack up your stuff and head home.
He could have tried to one-up the others with some specification his window had that he knew the others didn’t or played up how his warranty was better by this feature or that feature, but he totally gave up. He called our 1,580 square foot home of twelve-windows a “large” project and that it would be over $20,000. As we begin to question him on items like would haul-away be an extra cost or was there an add-on if we wanted financing, he said that we could assume the price would be $2,000 per window give or take and everything were asking about was not considered an extra.
I thought to myself, so why isn’t he selling that? Rosati charges extra to haul away the old windows and also adds a flat fee to the cost if you want to finance, why wasn’t he using those facts to fight for the sale? Certainly, he knew his competition and how they compete, didn’t he?
Window Nation Replacement Windows – What’s the cost?
Window Nation has some of the corniest commercials, which also means I remember them. They are the ones with the two brothers, one’s name is Aaron, I don’t know the other. Or the one I saw just this morning is where the two newscasters are camped out in the front yard of a home which is having it’s windows replaced.
“John” was the representative that Window Nation sent to our home. “John” did exactly what I had expected all of them to do, meaning a big show. He told us that Window Nation is the 3rd largest replacement window company in the US. He shared that he had been with the company 27 years and he even boasted about being a member of their President’s Club and the lavish trips he’s been on. That was my first clue that they were not going to be the most affordable.
We got our money’s worth with his presentation. He asked me to walk him from the front of the home and work our way along each wall so he could measure every window. Ten of my twelve windows are the same size and we told him that, but he insisted on measuring them all. This took time he didn’t have as he was 15 minutes late due to traffic, which I completely understand, but we were also clear that I had a hard stop at 90 minutes and would have to excuse myself to join a work meeting online.
As it turned out, he didn’t get through his presentation as he hoped, which meant he ended with a one-legger at the end, meaning you only have of the two owners and a decision wouldn’t be made that day as they would need to “talk” before they made a decision.
I asked him if they made their own windows and he said, that the Window Nation architects design the window and they contract out to about six different window manufacturers to produce windows to their specs.
He then had us watch two videos of previous customers going on about how much they liked “John” and how happy they were with the job Window Nation had done. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, give me the price already. Then we finally got down to the numbers.
I’m glad I took notes on my phone as he didn’t leave us with any type of electronic or paper quote. He presented all the different prices at a very quick pace, but here is the jist of what I took away from the appointment.
Keep in mind, John from Window Nation had already groomed us to be prepared that a typical price for a standard window in the Columbus, Ohio area is $2100 per window.
-Window Nation’s Starting Price at full retail was $ 24,869
-The one-year guaranteed price was $ 34,859
-The price if we sign today and become a part of their “Target Home” program was $19,304 (that program said we would have to place a sign in our yard for 30 days and we weren’t allowed to share our discounted price with our neighbors)
-After I left the meeting, my husband said that he also stated, that if and when we are finally ready to make a decision, to call him and he could likely get it down to $16,000.
Are you confused? Me too!
After several presentations of being presented a very high price, then the game of all the discounts, was disappointing.
Do they honestly think we believe all these discounts are just for us on this specific day?
Replacement Windows Price List
I’ve invited many of the larger well-known Replacement Window companies to my home to get a quote for my residential window project of twelve windows. Like you, I was hoping I would be able to gather enough information online to narrow down who I wanted to invite into my home. But nope, they keep their pricing locked up under lock and key, until now.
My window project may have more or less windows that yours, but you can use the Wacky Window Woman Price Comparison Chart to help you determine who you want to invite in to your home for an exact quote. Use the quotes and prices they provided to me to estimate the cost of your window project.
Universal Windows Direct Vs. Window Nation for Replacement Windows
Based on the quotes we received, the window demos we sat through and the different experiences we had with the multiple companies we invited into our home; our opinion is that you get the most bang for your buck with Virtual View Windows.
They offer the Alside Mezzo in double pane and Alside Mezzo in triple pane for not much of a price difference. Virtual View offers virtual quotes, if you are in the market for replacement windows and you don't want to be bothered with the 3-hour in-home demo. It's simple, you fill out the request form and email/text pictures of your windows and they'll send you a quote. You can even request a virtual zoom meeting to ask questions and for Joe to give you the details on their Alside Mezzo window options.
And regardless, of who you choose to purchase from; Tell them the Wacky Window Woman sent you!
