Austin Retrofit

Came out, took measurements, said they’d send me a quote. Never heard from them again, even after I followed up. Don’t waste your time.

So much information about windows out on the great wide web. Shopping for windows feels about like shopping for a mattress — it’s really hard to compare styles across brands. It’s really frustrating and it feels like one is just going in circles… or maybe I’m just indecisive. We were in the market to replace some 1960’s-era aluminum windows and a self-​installed wooden french door with something a little more modern and efficient.
I sent an email to Austin Retrofit based on recommendations from my neighborhood email group. Shortly thereafter I received a response from Cody, the sales representative. A time was set to meet at the house to take measurements and introduce the company and their philosophy. Fast forward a week or so and John (the owner) and Cody arrive at my house, right on time. Measurements are taken and John tells me about the company and how they operate… all installers are company employees, trained to do the install the way John likes it, and John likes it done the right way the first time. They don’t use contractors who burn through one job just to get on to the next, with no real loyalty to the homeowner.
An estimate was provided about one week later, and then we went to the showroom to see the selections available. Cody wisely guided us to a window that was just right for our modest home… there was no pressure at all to go with a higher-​end window. These guys do work on bungalows all the way up to multiple-​million-​dollar mansions, and they know which windows belong on which house, and they have no interest in putting million-​dollar windows on a modest ranch.
Fast forward a few weeks to install day; again the crew shows up right on time and get right to work, after checking in to see if there was in order in which we preferred they replaced the windows. We have dogs and kids, so it was a real help to have them begin in a certain room, and we appreciated the courtesy. As they work on a window, they create a curtain of plastic sheeting to keep the dust and debris contained in the interior. Ten windows, one sliding glass door, and about 8 hours later, and the crew is done. Y’all, we are so impressed with the quality of installation from Austin Retrofit, it is simply top-​notch. The windows and door are gorgeous, and the installation areas are cleaner than they found them!
We went with the Simonton windows and sliding door, and are really happy with our Cody’s guidance and our selections. The difference in sound and heat penetration are remarkable.
We are so glad we chose Austin Retrofit to install our windows and door. The prices are great for the really outstanding work these guys are turning out, and one couldn’t ask for better humans to do business with.

What a professional team! We had all of the windows replaced and everyone was great! They staged everything just right, we had water damage and they repaired everything just right. Thanks Cody and John for such a great job!

Non responsive company. Several calls to Cody at Retrofit no response

We had those old 1950’s aluminum frame windows and we had a lot of them. 14 total openings some of them being floor to ceiling. We had a couple of quotes from other places including HD and no-​one compared in price! Also HD told us that we couldn’t get the side sliding windows look that we loved about our old aluminum windows and had to get double hung because sliders wouldn’t pass egress code. Not true! We decided to go with vinyl windows and a large 8 foot sliding door off our kitchen.
Austin Retrofit worked with us and gave us exactly the look we wanted at a very affordable price compared to other outfits. As other posters have mentioned you do have to be patient because they get very busy in the summer. I would recommend getting the quote in the winter and scheduling right away so you’re not left waiting too long.
About the workmanship. They arrived on time and were very respectful of our home. They hung thick plastic to protect furniture and the rest of he home from dust and debris. They cleaned up after themselves impecably and I think our house was cleaner after they left than when they arrived. They even touched up the paint on our window frames and replaced some rotted out framing lumber without charging us any additional fees. Some places will make you get a different contractor all together to do any framing replacement.
Also be wary of places that aren’t willing to submit for a building permit. These days with the city of Austin becoming more and more rigid you really should go with a reputable business. They submitted our permit application (albeit a little late) and we just had our inspection today. We passed with flying colors.
We love our new windows and I would recommend these guys to anyone needing a retrofit. They can do fancy high end as well as budget options to suit your needs.

My relationship with Austin Retrofit began with a message that I sent through their website. I was looking for a licensed window installer in Austin to help replace a window that would no longer close at my rental property. A couple of places didn’t want to talk since they didn’t work on rental properties, but the day after I sent my inquiry, Cody told me that they’d be happy to discuss the job. He met with my tenants since I’m not in Texas, and within a week, he sent me a quote.
The total cost including labor, parts, and disposal was just under $ 700 for a simple 35 ¾″ x 35 ¾″ window. He indicated that I’d save a bit of money per window if I replaced 10+ at the same time, but I only had one broken window to replace. Since it was a small job, it did take several months to get onto their schedule, but my tenants were all right with it.
The contract and payment process were pretty straightforward: Cody emailed me a contract to sign and send back, and I mailed half of the total in the form of a check before they did the work, then mailed the other half after they finished. It felt pretty painless for a remote landlady to handle. :)
The verdict: If I ever need another window replaced, I’ll be contacting Austin Retrofit again. Thanks, Cody!

We had Austin Retrofit replace most of the windows on the back of our house. We had 2 issues, leaky windows and a beautiful view that was being blocked by old grated windows. They spent a great deal of time with us helping us design the type of windows and the configuration of the windows for our house. The windows we got are beautiful and energy efficient. They did an incredible job installing the windows and took the utmost care to protect the inside and outside of our home. They cleaned up after themselves so that all that was left was beautiful, new windows. They are wonderful to work with, honest and dependable. We can not recommend them more highly. Their prices were very competitive and worth every penny. We loved their work so much, that we are having them come back and do some additional windows.
The only downside is that because they do such exemplary work, you have to wait a while to get your windows. Definitely worth the wait!

I give Austin Retrofit one star for refusing to contact me after 6 months of scheduling problems to repair a window they installed in my home. In May, 2013, I tried to get my window repaired again and they refused to return my call as well as give me a bid on 5 new windows at my rental home. I apologized for any inconvenience I had in scheduling previously as I was caring for my 86 year old mom.
Austin Retrofit chose to make more $$$ with other customers than back their warranty on SHOWCASE WINDOWS. Showcase Windows Company is sending me the part and I will have Austin Pro Siding fix the problem Austin Retrofit did not.

We replaced 40 windows in our 1940’s home. Austin Retrofit just finished the job, and we could not be happier. Austin Retrofit exceeded our expectations in every way. The team are so professional, arrived on time, worked very efficiently, and got done in exactly the time they had predicted. The whole crew were clearly proud of the work they do, and it looks fantastic. We have undertaken several remodels in this home using other contractors, some didn’t go well, some went just fine. But start to finish, this was by far the best experience we have ever had! Painless, well priced, well done!

My house has a dark corner due to a tiny little octagonal portal/​window. Barely any sunlight gets through so we always have the lamp turned on in this corner. I got several quotes to have this portal replaced with a larger window. I found Austin Retrofit and here’s how it went…
Cody and John Nelson came out to do the measurements and gave me a quote. No hard sales pitch or pressure tactics from these men. They took some measurements and discussed some windows related things I don’t know much about. The quote was good, not the cheapest quote I got but I went with my gut. They seemed knowledgeable and took the time to answer all my questions. They told me they didn’t do drywall and painting, which is something I’m fine with doing myself.
Since it was a small job, I got scheduled in whenever they got a crew assembled. This happened 3 months after I signed a contract with them. If this was an urgent job, I would have knocked off a star or two but since it was winter and with the holidays coming, it worked out well for me.
As for the job itself, the crew came and left in under 2 hours. House was actually a bit cleaner after they left. They must have vacuumed for me ;-) I’m very happy with the new Simonton double-​paned window and it just looks gorgeous.

There is a lot of BS out there in the window replacement game. I found none of it with Austin Retrofit, they took measurements and quoted me their best price, and that was it. I wanted single hung windows, most companies only carry double hung retrofit windows. I have no idea why in Texas you would want them but Austin Retrofit had the windows I wanted.
I got quotes from two other local window places and Austin Retrofit had the best price. Actually I was so impressed with the company I would have used them if they weren’t the lowest bid.
I’ve gotten used to having to do some cleaning after a construction crew works on my house. Their installation crew was very professional, they took extra care to clean everything inside and out, even did some touch up painting.
Highly recommended.

I had the misfortune of having originally contracted with a well intended, but inexperienced company to install 5 exterior double doors. (Not Austin Retrofit). I won’t go into detail, but virtually every possible thing that could have been done incorrectly, was in fact done … incorrectly. It was a complete and undisputed disaster. I knew that everything would need to be torn out and redone at greater effort than the original installation. And of coarse, barely a drop of rain all year in Austin, but the same day the original installation was completed, we had torrential rains. A few of the many installation issues were underscored with water intrusion into my home. I lost several nights sleep worried about how to get things corrected and our home back on an even keel. So I started making contacts for rebidding the work.
After some very strong recommendations, I contacted Austin Retrofit in hopes they would bail me out. It was clear after my first meeting with the owner, John Nelson, that this company knew what they were doing. I had explained the entire situation to John and his team. They knew I was desperate and needed immediate help. They also knew that getting involved in cleaning up someone else’s mess was likely going to be time consuming, difficult and generally undesirable work to get involved in.
Austin Retrofit took the job. They bid a VERY reasonable price. They did NOT gouge me as many others might have done to take advantage of my desperate situation. The construction team was led by John Jr who delivered MORE than they committed, with EXCEPTIONAL quality, craftsmanship, professionalism and timeliness from start to finish. Every member of the Austin Retrofit team exhibited these qualities. They corrected issues not only from the original contractor, but with the original home construction as well as with the door manufacturer. They took ownership of the ENTIRE job, not just the piece they signed up to do, but whatever was needed to achieve customer satisfaction. The crew wouldn’t leave until they were confident I was 100% satisfied! As much as I wanted to get these 5 doors finished up, I was actually sad to see them go !
I can’t say enough to thank the Austin Retrofit team. The work they did for me and my family meant well beyond installing doors. In addition to everything else they delivered in terms of workmanship and value, Austin Retrofit delivered peace of mind and restoration of my faith in the goodwill of men. All of the recommendations I had received for Austin Retrofit were GROSSLY UNDERSTATED ! Austin Retrofit isn’t just good. They are THE BEST ! I will highly recommend Austin Retrofit to anyone and everyone who has a need for their outstanding services.

Best prices and customer service that is a dream come true! I had Austin retrofit install new double-​pane, double-​hung windows a little over 2 and a half years ago. Earlier today, the cleaning lady got one of my windows off the tracks when she was cleaning it, and they sent someone out to help me get back in tip top shape within minutes. I couldn’t believe it. They didn’t even ask me my address; they still had it from when they installed the windows over 2 years ago! I have never had a service provider remember me and help me out over 2 and a half years after using them. Best investment I could have made to my home. Thank you so much Austin Retrofit!

If you want a good/​fast window installation experience this is it. We replaced most of the windows on our second floor. These guys were really impressive — large crew came in went and got it all done in a day and a half.
Their bid wasn’t the least expensive but they were competitive and were absolutely the most qualified, most professional and frankly we felt we could trust them.
If you call I recommend talking to John Jr. He is VERY knowledgeable and was patient with helping me fully understand what they were going to do.