Lowe's Home Improvement

Horrible experience. Installers created dangerous electrical conditions. Failed county inspections. Lowe’s management wants to void my warranties. Refuse to talk to me. Mark Sandler

I would never again contract with Lowe’s for home improvement. We signed a contract in April 2018 for new hurricane impact windows and doors from Lowe’s for $33,000. It is now January 2019 and we are still waiting for them to complete the job. For the past 9 months we have received misinformation, poor quality products needing to be replaced and missed schedules. We have arranged our lives around these supposed installation dates only to find out the products were not ordered or were damaged and could not be installed when delivered. The initial installation was scheduled for 3 days in August 2018, 4 months after ordering. When the products were delivered for installation, a window which was ordered clear was frosted, a large 12-foot transom window was not delivered, one sliding patio door and the triple panel door frames were broken. In addition, there were three defective windows which were installed and required the manufacture, Eastern Architectural Systems (EAS), to replace. Quality control from EAS appears nonexistent. In early September I was notified the EAS maintenance team would be out to look at the defective windows on 25 September. I tried three times to get a status from Lowe’s on the remaining doors and windows prior to EAS visit, but my emails were ignored until 17 September when Lowe’s notified us our frame came in on 10 September and asked when EAS would be at our house and I reiterated 25 September. I asked about the window and was told the window was also in. On September 25th after AES was here my wife called Ms. Elizabeth Huml, Lowes Scheduler, and asked about the status of the remaining doors and windows and who would replace the 3 defective windows confirmed by EAS. My wife was told the frames had come in on 10 September and she was still waiting on the transom window and would call. My wife called Ms Huml on October 1, 2018 because Ms. Huml had not called back. At that time my wife was told all parts were in and Ms. Huml would contact Southall to schedule install. When asked about the transom window, she stated it had been in the warehouse the whole time. My wife called Ms. Huml again on October 3rd since we had not heard from Southall and at that time was told Lowes was waiting on another part due in on the 4th or 5th. On the 5th my wife called Ms. Huml and was told the part came in on the 4th and she would now call the installers. Later that day Southall called us and stated the earliest they could install was 9 January 2019. I complained directly to Lowe’s management about the misinformation and delays and they worked with Southall to split the remaining installation for November 5 and 7. Ms Huml also notified us EAS had the replacement windows and would try to have them installed the same date by EAS. On 5 November Lowe’s construction crew, Southall Construction and Remodeling, arrived and installed the one sliding door and discovered the new 3-panel door frame was scratched and the transom window frame was bowed so both could not be installed. I talked to the Lowe’s Manager, Greg, who offered me a discount of $200 if we accepted the scratched $2,000 door and I rejected the offer. The EAS team replaced the three windows but found two others where the UV film was installed wrong and needed replacement. On 7 October I got fed up and emailed Lowe’s complaining of the process, the quality of the products, and the constant misinformation. We were told the products had been ordered and would be installed as soon as Southall had time in their schedule which turned out to be 10 January 2019. On 8 January I received an email from Lisa Huml stating the “window is ready for install on 1/10” at 0800. I immediately emailed back asking about the door frame and she said she would check, but never got back to me. On 10 January I received a call from Southall at 0730 who informed me the door frame was not in so they would have to once again reschedule. I immediately drove to Lowes to discuss the situation with Lowes Management. Unfortunately, they were in a “meeting” and couldn’t take the time to talk to me so Ms. Huml was sent out and she explained Southall had ordered the frame without her knowledge so she was not responsible for it not being in. The fact that she and her boss knew of the defective frame from numerous emails and calls when this was identified in November didn’t faze her. No one at Lowes takes responsibility for any of this. Their lousy customer service should be a warning to anyone wanting to buy services from them. This is a long sad story, but the lesson learned is never, never contract with Lowes for home improvement and never buy Eastern Architecture Systems doors and windows because the quality control is terrible. The only bright light in all of this is the excellent work and ethics of Southall Construction.

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