That is my thought without ever asking them to install anything. It would be a company run by the manager’s nephew. 
This is why we had all our new floors installed by a local, family-owned and run business. Excellent price, excellent service and the cash stays in the community. I don’t think I’d ever let a big-box store work on my house in any way.
I owned a flooring company for many years and at different times did work for Lowes, Sears and a few other chains. Did they come over and estimate the job themselves including prep work? Or was the prep left open because the job had not progressed enough to estimate that? If they don’t have some clause in the contract that allows for sub floor repairs they should be responsible.
The rule seems to be “you buy carpet three times before you know what you’re doing”.
I used Carpeteria the first time. Luckily, I ended up tearing out walls and building new ones.
Second time was (old line) Macy’s SF - Union Square. Three times the money, but that stuff wil outlive me.
No one can predict what is under an opaque floor.
No competent installer will use another person’s measurements.
Nature of the beast.
No excuse for trying to bill the customer 3 times. Hang ass.
I miss real building materials.
And they still won the court case?
Exactly this.
I’ve purchased appliances, chainsaws, etc at Lowe’s, using gift cards we purchase at Giant Eagle. The gift card purchases count toward our shopper rewards gasoline discount. We buy a gift card, use it the same day, and then get a fill-up for $1.00 a gallon.
I have never had a good experience with either Home Depot or Lowe’s on any kind of installation. I’d never go to a big chain store like again.
Yes. But the relationship between the vendor and their subcontractor shouldn’t be the customer’s problem. If Lowe’s agreed to do a specific job for a specific price, then it’s up to them to pay a contractor to do that job, and the customer shouldn’t be put in the middle of it.
FWIW, I did have a positive experience the one time Lowe’s did some work for me, but this was in Bristol, VA, roughly 20 years ago. We needed a new sliding glass door, and if you bought the door at Lowe’s, they’d have it installed for an additional $100, including removal of the old door - a very, very good deal even back then and there. The contractor showed up with the door in the appointed time window, installed the door with no problems, and took away the old one.
I’m guessing this went so smoothly because it was a very small, discrete job, with little if any room for complications.
The cc company has a way to handle this. On following transactions from Lowes they will just pony up the transaction amount minus your disputed amount.
The cc company also keeps records on charge backs and disputes and can penalize or quit any merchant that abuses their terms. For that reason most merchants try to avoid (or limit) situations where they are processing disputed charges.
I’d be careful about social media, as you don’t want to venture over the line into libel country. My son got a lawyer’s cease-and-desist letter from his former company for bad-mouthing them.
This.
Plus if the cardholder prevails (usually the case) the merchant is not only out of the money disputed, but also pays a fee, $25 minimum for the merchant services Co. I worked for, probably more for a multi-thousands transaction.
Good lord, I actually had a good experience at Lowe’s today. Usually when you ask someone for help, they look around vaguely and then want you to wander for miles through the aisles with them, because they don’t have a clue as to where anything is.
But today, we went there to get some matching patio cushions. Only one left. So the wife goes and asks a guy, who checks the stock on the top shelves, then says “hold on” and goes somewhere to check. Comes back and says “Let me try one other place where we keep some of these” and off he goes, returning with the cushions we wanted. I was gobsmacked.
You aren’t supposed to be in any of their stores in the first place! (just kidding, I am glad you hit the lottery with a good experience).
I am still trying to figure out what to do as I sit here typing this right next to whole pallets of heavy product that will probably never be used. I am suffering from the delusion that Lowes corporate headquarters will call me at any minute and tell me they will do the right thing and honor their contract but that is like sitting by the phone waiting for your secret crush to ask you to the prom.
I could just cut my losses, tell them to come get everything and start over with someone else but that would make too much sense and I am running low on sense at the moment. I had to take the day off from worrying about it today but I will have to tomorrow. I have had various offers of help from other people and may need to use them. A civil suit may be in the works because Lowes caused real damage through incompetence and dishonesty.
It sounds like this deal hasn’t gotten past the stage of getting an estimate, so can’t you just cancel the sale?
It is way past the stage of just getting an estimate. I have several thousand pounds of flooring product sitting in front of me and everywhere else that no one will install unless I pony up many more thousands of dollars even though it is just a concrete slab. I think it is extortion and I don’t do that.
I think I am going to sue Lowes for breach of contract just for fun and spite and then just work with the installer directly. The installer knows what he is doing. He is just bound by bulllshit contracts and needless overhead. I talked to him a little while ago on the phone. I can get the same work done more cheaply if I just cut Lowes out completely.
I consider myself to be fairly consumer savvy but I feel like the dumbest person in the world right now. People warned me about this problem in advance and I didn’t listen because I didn’t believe it was as bad as claimed. It is.
Don’t fall for it yourself.
Wish I knew how bad your floor really was, because it sounds like a lot of pouring self-leveling compound around and then coming back a week later, and again, and again…(?) I don’t have much confidence in your installer as this is unfolding. If it were me I’d send back the lot of it and try again with someone local.
I had some issues with some made to measure blinds that cost a fortune, and started falling apart in months, and the local Lowes manager had no interest in resolving the issue, so I went higher…
I found the name of the CEO of Lowes, and emailed him a very complete explanation of what happened, and the (non) response I got from the manager… The CEO himself called me about 3 hours later, and I ended up with new blinds a few days later… He called the manufacturer and told them to FIX things… I got a call from them too afterwards to make sure I was happy.
Always go to the top.
The fact that HD and Lowe’s do installation pays my salary so I’m all for them continuing in that business. But no, I’d never personally employ them to install anything.
I still have no floors but I filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General office. They finally called me back today because they are taking my case and going to help me for no fee. That is expected because we are dealing with fraud and theft at this point.
All I want is that Lowes put my floors in per our contact but apparently that is a foreign concept to them. I also want them to pay for pay for finance fees. The good news is this is just a cosmetic upgrade and I can wait up to two years while we waste as many people’s time as possible in court. The bad news is Lowes is committing fraud and I will not give up and I will win.
My own father was once a Lowes store manager and he freely admits that that they screwed over everyone they could. Do not fall for it. Even Home Depot is better. I am going to make them follow our contact but it is probably going to take a while and a few court dates.