In Nov. 2011 we had all the windows in our home replaced with Ostaco windows. We purchased them through a reputable dealer who has been in the window & door business for over 20 years. We have no complaints about them - the windows were installed by a professional team who did a great job & Tony (the owner of Home Decor Toronto Window & Door Centre) was & still is awesome to deal with. The windows are beautiful & very functional.
Here is the sad kicker about Ostaco........We have found out how unprofessional they are when it comes to customer service & warranty.
In Nov. 2012, on a gorgeous warm summer-like day I decided to clean the windows before winter set in. When I pulled out the panes of the long, narrow triple slider, I was shocked to see the glass had a fracture / crack in it. You cannot see this when the window is installed because of the privacy glass. I took pictures & e-mailed them to Tony who promptly contacted Ostaco to get this replaced. He agreed it was a warranty issue (defective glass) due to the position of the crack. Plus the window is up high on the 2nd level, sheltered under the overhang of the roof. He informed me to expect a call from Ostaco in the next 4 - 6 weeks to get the replacement pane installed.
By the middle of Jan. 2013 I still hadn't heard from anyone so I contacted Tony again. Long story short, Tony got nowhere with them in 6 weeks so I offered to contact them myself.
On Mar. 7/13 I started contact with them via e-mail......in two weeks I have gotten NOWHERE with them......Diane (warranty & customer service person) keeps telling me I need to speak to the sales rep - why the sales rep? I am not buying this pane.....She says because that's what management told her, and that's that. It is now Mar. 21/13 so 4 months after discovering my cracked defective window, 2 months Tony chasing them & now two weeks of contact with Ostaco myself - I have gotten NOWHERE. I completely believe & understand Tony's frustration with this company & understand why he is no longer carrying their product - I have experienced it myself. No one has been in touch with me other than Diane who has completely brushed me off.
I am very tempted to contact Pat Foran on CFTO's Consumer Alert because of this company's very unprofessional customer service. The product may be good, but God forbid you have an issue with it - you will get nowhere. Pretty scary since this is a major investment that should last 20+ years. If this happens after only a year & this is how they treat their customers with such a minor issue, what are you going to do when something happens in 5 years or something more major happens that is still warranty? Tony called me this week to get the latest update & when I told him of the runaround I was getting, he told me not to bother with Ostaco anymore, that he would replace the defective glass himself. As a dealer, this is not something he should have to do. I appreciate his good will & offer - this is a quality that Ostaco needs to learn.
So, would I recommend the dealer I purchased the windows from (Home Decor Windows & Doors)? Absolutely. Would I recommend Ostaco products? Definitely not, not after my experience with them.
Buyer beware!
- Approximate cost of services:
- $15,000.00