Mad City Windows and Baths Review: Top-notch windows at a tippy-top price

• Mad City Windows offers high-quality, energy-efficient windows with a robust lifetime warranty.
• Mad City Windows serves the Midwest and is not available nationwide.
• The sales process involves an in-home consultation

If we had to pick one word to describe Mad City Windows, it would be high. It’s a high-quality window with a high-quality warranty at a high-dollar price tag.

Mad City Windows, a regional remodeling brand under the wider Renuity banner, provides window replacement, bathroom remodel and kitchen cabinet refacing services to the greater Midwest area.Here’s what you need to know to figure out if Mad City Windows is a good fit for your window replacement project.

About Mad City Windows

Mad City Windows & Baths opened its doors in 1998, providing remodeling services to clients in Wisconsin and Illinois. Now serving over 40 major cities across the Midwest, Mad City Windows specializes in window replacement, bathroom remodels and cabinet refacing. They offer free estimates and start-to-finish project support.

What we like about Mad City Windows

There are a few main things that we like about Mad City Windows. For one, its windows are manufactured in-house with triple-pane glass, extra-strong fusion-welded frames and insulated sashes/frames. 

Its warranty is also very robust—providing a lifetime warranty on all parts and installation that is fully transferable to a new homeowner if you sell (including glass breakage, screen repair and seal failure). And it’s fast—most installs are completed in one to two days.

Our experience getting a Mad City Windows quote

There is no substitute for firsthand experience. That’s why we decided to get a quote directly from the source for our Mad City Windows review. Here are our takeaways.

• Be prepared for the representative to ask to enter your home/business – From our experience, the Mad City Windows representative will request to enter your home and measure the windows/do their pitch indoors,
• Expect the quote/pitch to take about 1.5 hours – This includes measuring the windows (10 in our case), the sales pitch and the actual quoting of a price in real-time.
• Anticipate multiple quotes that are designed to get you to make an immediate buying decision – Mad City Windows, like many window companies, uses a sale-on-site model. The pitch is designed to encourage an immediate buying decision, so be prepared for multiple quotes and “day-only” discounts that expire when the representative leaves. For the record, our Mad City representative was respectful and not overly pushy, which we appreciated. 
• The quote process is simple – Mad City Windows makes everything pretty straightforward. The online interest form was easy to fill out and scheduling a consult was not complicated.
• There will be a pitch - You’ll get in-depth information on the window manufacturing process, installation, the reputation/history of Mad City Windows and even a heat-lamp demonstration to show how much a Mad City Window can diminish heat transfer.

Mad City Windows cost

Mad City Windows is on the higher end of the window cost spectrum in the industry. We received quotes from three different companies to replace 10 windows. Mad City Windows’ Year quote (locked-in price without monthly promo discounts) was $32,147, over $10k more than the next-highest year price quoted for the project ($21,734 by West Shore Homes).

Ultimately, how much a Mad City Windows replacement window project costs will depend significantly on the size and scope of your project and whether you have any unique window styles or windows on higher stories of a house (2^nd floor and up), which add to the cost.

How the Mad City Windows replacement process works

If you’re interested in using Mad City Windows for a replacement, here’s what the process will look like.

• Fill out basic info online or over the phone:  Input your ZIP code, name, email, phone number, etc.
• Get a confirmation call/text: Once you’ve submitted your basic info, Mad City sends you a confirmation text with a link to a more detailed questionnaire (and gives you a call).
• Give some specifics on your project: When you click the link, you’ll be directed to an online form that asks you for a few more details about your project (number of windows, level of your house the replacement is on, reason for replacement).
• Schedule your consultation: Next, you can pick a day and time for your consultation. When we went through the process, appointment slots were available same-day, which is one of Mad City’s advertised perks.
• Representative visit: A Mad City Windows salesperson comes out to measure your windows and pitch you on the company.
• Install day: Removal of old windows and installation of the new windows happen on the same day.

Mad City Windows pros and cons

Pros:

• Quick on-site consult availability (next day in our case)
• Free quote
• Robust labor warranty (lifetime and transferable to new homeowner for both windows and labor)
• 6 p.m. appointment times (for folks who work traditional 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. schedules)
• Top-tier window quality and energy rating
• Fast install (advertise one-day installation in many cases)
• In-house, factory-trained installers (as opposed to contracting out the install process to a 3^rd-party)
• Quoted price is guaranteed not to change (remediation for mold, rotted wood, lead paint, etc. is included)

Cons:

• Two window minimum order
• Some reviewers mentioned multiple cancellations,  reschedules and aggressive sale practices
• Only offer services to the greater Midwest area
• Pricey ($10k or more over the cost of other quotes we got)

Mad City Window customization options

Mad City offers a variety of vinyl window types, including:

• Double-hung
• Awning
• Bay
• Casement
• Garden
• Hopper
• Picture
• Sliding

You also have the option of customizing hardware and interior trim color. The following options are detailed on Mad City’s site:

• Hardware color options: Linen white, tan, antique brass, polished brass and satin nickel
• Interior trim color options: Linen white, tan, clay, light oak, pecan and cherry

However, these advertised colors aren’t all the available options. When the Mad City representative quoted our project, they provided dozens of color options for exterior aluminum trim, making it easy to match your windows to your siding/exterior aesthetic.

Mad City Windows quality and energy efficiency

Mad City Windows manufactures its windows in-house using what it calls its Eco Sky Window System. We got a chance to look at the windows up close when the Mad City representative gave us a quote. The windows appear to be well-made, boasting top-tier features like triple-paned glass, fusion-welded frame corners, insulated frames/sashes and ENERGY STAR’s “Most Efficient” certification (ENERGY STAR's best rating), advertising a 99.5% blockage of harmful UV rays. 

Who installs Mad City Windows?

All Mad City Windows are installed by in-house employees who have completed a Mad City Windows training program.

Mad City Windows discounts and financing options

At the time of publication, Mad City Windows is advertising a 70% discount on lab or costsand an 18-month, no-interest and no-payments deferred financing option (credit-dependent and brokered via a third-party financing company).The financing is pretty self-explanatory. But, the advertised online discounts feel like a salesy move to get you to fill out an interest form. All the actual discounting is done with the representative on-site. They’ll have several quotes they’ll give you, a 1-year price that’s locked in (and high) and a monthly promo price that is significantly discounted. In addition, the representative will offer discounts that are only valid for that day (to encourage you to make a same-day purchase).

When we chatted with Manny Kavouklis, President of Tampa-based CMK Construction, he warned us to watch out for estimates that “bundle everything together.”

Mad City Windows customer reviews

Mad City Windows reviews are a mixed bag. On Mad City’s site, which pulls and combines Google reviews for all locations in the Midwest, it claims to have a 4.9 out of 5 star rating. But when we clicked off to each location, the average star rating sat at 4.1 stars or higher. This is still a great rating.

Mad City Windows also has solid overall ratings on Angi, but with multiple listings (even for the same location), it’s hard to nail down what is actually being reviewed (local branches or business as a whole). Also, when we did a deeper dive on Reddit, Yelp and similar  sites, we ran across quite a few frustrated reviewers who mentioned high costs and aggressive sales practices.To get the best idea of what kind of service you’ll get, we recommend going to the Mad City Windows reviews page and taking a look at the star rating for the location nearest to you, as well as asking around in your area to see if anybody has used Mad City Windows and what their experience was.

Mad City Windows availability, can you get them nationwide?

Mad City Windows has 29 locations across the Midwest, serving over 40 cities and counting. Despite its rapid expansion, Mad City Windows is not available nationwide. If you are in its service area, scheduling an estimate is super convenient and can be done over the phone or using an online form.

Alternatives to Mad City Windows & Baths

Mad City Windows & Baths is limited to mostly Midwest locations, so you may need to consult a different window replacement company, like Renewal by Andersen or Champion Windows.

How USA TODAY rates Mad City Windows

The USA TODAY team reviews all top window replacement companies in the United States them and ranks them using our in-house methodology. Factors like pricing, products, installation, customer service and energy efficiency are all considered to build our list of the top window replacement companies.

Bottom line: Is Mad City Windows & Bath right for you?

If high-quality windows, a speedy install and a robust/transferable warranty are your top priorities, then Mad City Windows could be a good fit for you. Just keep in mind that you’ll be paying a premium for those things. If you have a tighter budget, another company might be a better fit.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mad City reputable?

Mad City Windows is a legitimate business that has hundreds of positive reviews on Google and other sites, including Angi. However, Mad City Windows reviewers on Reddit and other social sites like Facebook (who have had work or estimates done by Mad City Windows) cite aggressive sale practices and high costs as reasons to steer clear of Mad City Windows.

Who bought Mad City Windows?

In March of 2020, Mad City Windows was purchased by FHIA Holdings. FHIA Holdings had backing from affiliates of York Capital Management, a multi-billion-dollar global investment firm based in New York City. Since 2020, Mad City Windows and FHIA Holdings have been folded into the larger parent company, Renuity, although maintaining their distinct brand names.

What are Mad City Windows made of?

Mad City Windows are triple-paned, vinyl windows that use an in-house Sky Mirror technology system that is advertised to dramatically improve thermal insulation and block 99.5% of harmful UV rays.

How long has Mad City been in business?

Opening its doors in 1998, Mad City Windows has served customers across the greater Midwest for over 25 years.