Summary While the process of ordering Doorwin windows and doors feels scary (because you’re sending your money to a company that you likely can’t visit, unless you’re in Texas), it was the best investment we have made in our new build so far. Great customer service and amazing products.
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In-Depth Review
One of the first things we scoped out with our architect was windows. Since we live in the Pacific Northwest, we knew we wanted to have as much natural light as possible to avoid the rainy day blues.
In the design phase, it’s very easy to ask for a lot, but when it comes time to actually do it, you begin to wonder “what were we thinking!” That was how we found ourselves building a house with a ton of windows - some very, very large. Like, 8 feet wide large.
We put our plans out to several window makers and were astonished at the costs. Not to mention the cost to actually have them installed. We felt like our fate was pretty sealed and that we'd either need to re-engineer our plans or suck it up and pay the hefty amount.
Luckily, early in our home-building process, we joined a Facebook group for owner-builders. In this group, we kept hearing about Doorwin Group Windows and Doors from China and how impressed everyone was. Now, we are not the type of people to buy stuff off Facebook groups - we know too many people who have gotten scammed. So every time we saw any post about them, we really questioned what the situation was.
One night, frustrated with the build and costs, we decided to just try and reach out to see what we could find. We searched the group for a representative that had been used more than once and landed on Khloe.
Khloe was quick to respond and had us a quote in days. She asked all of the right questions and we were impressed by her knowledge. Needless to say, we were sold from our few interactions with her, but a lingering thought kept appearing in our mind around how we had no idea what these windows would look like and/or if this was too good to be true. Khloe listened to our fears and provided some references in nearby areas. Unfortunately, those references never responded to us so we scoured the internet for as many details as we could get. So many people in the Facebook group had used Doorwin Group Windows and Doors and had great success. Additionally, there were a few YouTube videos of owners who had used them and were very happy. But you know, when you’re spending thousands of dollars on something, you just kind of want to know all the details. This is why we’re writing this post - to be what we could not find online.
So, after weeks of waffling back and forth, we decided to just do it.
Detailed steps of how we ordered from Doorwin
Reach out to a representative to get started. This rep will be with you during the entire process. We cannot recommend Khloe enough (drop us an email and we’ll get you her contact info) and there are other reps out there that we’ve heard are great.
The rep will help you through the ordering process. For us, since it's pretty much a new build, we sent over our plans and she responded with some drawings from their team.
REVIEW THESE DRAWINGS CAREFULLY. We put this in all caps and red as there are nuances with working across languages and oceans. For example, they had all of the doors opening on the opposite side that our plans had laid out. We were lucky to catch it on one door but not the other (which is unfortunate, but we were able to make it work). You will want to review these drawings to ensure they are exactly what you were expecting.
Once the drawings are signed off, they go to work! You will need to provide a wire transfer for the deposit. This is where we started sweating, as you just never know where your money is going and they only take wire transfer - no credit cards. We worked directly with our bank to send the wire and even they had questions about where the money was going. But we took the leap.
It took a few weeks before we heard anything else, so of course we were panicked about where our money went. But, sure enough, as promised on schedule, Khloe responded with videos and photos of all of our windows! It was the most exciting thing to see them in video - especially the bi-folding door! You then send the final payment for shipping and duties (yes, this is via the same wire transfer).
At this point, we were pretty nervous. It was also not super clear to us how they were going to get to our home from the ship. We reiterated with Khloe several times that the shipping fees were included and she said they were.
Once the crate was loaded on a ship in China, Khloe sent us the tracking details and we watched the shipment sail across the ocean. It's important to note that this wasn’t a fast process. It took about 2 months for the windows to arrive. So we suggest ordering at least 5 months in advance to account for manufacturing and shipment.
Once they docked at the port, someone from a logistics company called us and told us that they had made it to shore and that they would schedule delivery soon. They also sent us an invoice for the duty fees. After a few days, they called again with the delivery date. They also gave us the option of having the windows delivered on a box truck (like a moving truck) or a flatbed truck. After some back and forth with questions about the size of the crates and the feasibility of unloading them from a box truck, we chose to have them delivered on a flatbed truck. From our conversations with Khloe, we also knew that we’d be responsible for uploading the crates from the truck. We called many different rental places and everyone said it would be very easy to rent a forklift, unload them ourselves, and that that would be the most cost-effective. So that’s what we did. We rented a 5,000lb forklift from a local rental company and scheduled it for delivery.
The truck arrived as scheduled and Peter went to work unloading the crates from the truck bed. We were so nervous to have thousands of dollars in windows in our hands, driving a forklift that we’ve never driven before. But it all worked out and the process took about an hour to unload all four crates. Quick tip, make sure you have ample space to move the forklift around and place the crates somewhere safe on the property. Having a helper on-hand who can help guide the forklift was a lifesaver, too.
For us, we weren’t ready to install windows yet, so the crates sat out in the driveway for several months. Because we live in the Pacific Northwest, we did cover them with tarps, so that the crates didn’t get too wet.
We had originally planned to install all ground-level windows and the patio doors ourselves, despite reading reviews in the Facebook group that the windows are HEAVY (spoiler alert - they were right). These windows are big and even with 4-5 very strong people, they are tough to install yourself without the proper equipment. We were able to install 4 windows and the massive slider, but gave up after that and hired a professional crew to do it.
And that’s it! We now have them all installed and are very happy with them.
Quick Tips and Tricks for Doorwin Group Windows and Doors
Make sure you triple-measure all framing. For whatever reason, some of our window openings were cut to the size of the windows themselves and not the rough opening size. The rough opening size is usually an inch bigger than the windows themselves, which gives you enough room to adjust and set them level.
Note that some Doorwin windows (including the ones we got) are European style, meaning they open to the inside. This doesn’t work for everyone and it's something you really need to design for.
We went with triple-pane aluminum windows, which are great for insulation. This also means they were super heavy - our smallest windows were 2’ by 3’ and they weighed upwards of 60 pounds. Our largest windows were 6’ by 8’ and weighed around 400 pounds. If you’re installing them yourself, make sure you have plenty of help.
Pros
Quality, price, and value: All of the windows and doors we got are triple-pane and very hefty. When you see them in-person, you can just feel the quality of the windows. That coupled with the price made these an unbeatable value.
Customer Service: So far, the service has been amazing. Khloe answered all of our questions even after they arrived when we needed tips to install.
We would be remiss if we didn't once again say how beautiful they are. The black really pops and we've gotten so many compliments on how sleek they look.
Cons
Longer lead times: For us, not an issue as we ordered well in advance. But if you’re in a hurry, you may not want to pick these.
Instructions: If you're doing it yourself and acting as the owner-builder, you need to know what you're doing. These windows and doors come with very little instructions, so you'll have to have a general knowledge of installation.
Time zones: While Khloe was amazing at responding to us, don’t expect them to respond right away. There is a time zone difference and if you order around the Lunar New Year, prepare for shut-down time. If we had needed something urgent, there’s no one really to call to get an answer right away. So prepare everything you need in advance
Final Thoughts
Now that we have all the windows installed, we can confidently say that choosing Doorwin Group Windows and Doors was one of the best choices we've made in our remodel. We’ve gotten lots of compliments at how luxe the windows look and while they were tough to install ourselves, they look beautiful.
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