What happens when one of those 2% corporations (LOWE’s) bullies you?
I’m not sure what happens but I AM sure of what I will do. I might continue to be bullied but I’m going to start screaming! I have over 300 photos of more than 300 defects, damages to my 20 new custom kitchen cabinets & wall units and I have tried repeatedly to get LOWE’S to hear me but they keep bullying me to “Complete the Installation!”
I may be only .005% of the 98% but I still have a voice!
…so, after weeks of being tossed around, here’s my letter to customercare@lowes.com
Listen!!!
to customercare
Hello,
My name is Phyllis Meiring. My husband and I bought a new for us home in Enon, Ohio (we closed on 11/5/22). There was a lot of work to do to make it ours. We have been a Lowe’s customer for years and have always been satisfied with our transactions, including a 4k sq historical home we owned in Troy and had the house and a 4.5 car garage re-roofed. There were some problems in the install process but Lowe’s always solved the problem. That’s why we chose to go back to Troy for our remodeling needs. We bought all new Samsung Bespoke appliances, our SmartCore flooring, our shiplap ceiling and EVERYTHING we needed for not only the kitchen but the whole house remodeling dream. We partnered with Lowe’s to make the home we bought our Dream Home.
On November 13, 2022 we picked out Kraftmaid custom cabinetry and was looking forward to a beautiful new kitchen. Dave Mayse worked with me to create a great layout. Ron Winn is our installer and the install work order is still open. Dave had to have surgery and was out for medical leave when it became apparent that there was a big problem so Karmon Kerr filled in for Dave. One of the issues Karmon inherited was the damage done by the installer to the outside of the cabinet by the window. He and Dave together talked and decided a solution was to put a “skin” on it. When I mentioned this to Van and he said that is NOT a suitable option because that would not work (something about the cabinet facing could not be covered). (Visit by Karmon and Van in the next paragraph.)
I have 20 cabinets & two wall units that go on either side of the new refrigerator and EVERY one of them has multiple damages or defects. It’s as if they picked my order from the cabinets in Kraftmaid’s backroom/outlet store! Both Karmon and Van, the local Kraftmaid rep came out to look at them and were overwhelmed by the issues. Everyone I have talked to from Karmon to Van to the Installation Services people and yesterday, the Troy store manager, Scott, ALL say they don’t have the authority to issue a refund or order an uninstall. I didn’t ask for bad cabinets; I expected custom quality cabinets. When Van and Karmon came, Van asked me what they could do. I told them that this is not what I wanted, that I didn’t have any faith in Kraftmaid’s ability to send suitable replacements because the three doors they sent to replace the ones on the wall already were WORSE than the ones already up. They had bubbles and chips in the paint. I said I felt a suitable solution, since the countertop is already installed and looks great and I’m thrilled with it (btw) — I said a felt a suitable solution was 1. Paint to match the cabinets from Kraftmaid and I would do the repairs, 2. a 50% discount, no uninstalls (but that wasn’t even on the table at that time for me), 3. I would finish the installation and sign a waiver of any warranty of the cabinets. Van said if it were up to him, he would replace them but it’s not. And he’s right. I am NOT Kraftmaids customer, I am a Lowe’s customer. It’s not my responsibility to help Lowe’s work out their installation issues or relationship with Kraftmaid or how they might split a 50% discount (25/25) with Kraftmaid or how/when the installer would get paid or if he would get paid. These are NOT my problems. My problem is $30K+ custom cabinets that are ALL poor quality and poorly installed. I have over 300 photos of the issues and sent them to Karmon but that’s as far as it got. Installation Services claims no photos have been sent to them and they have no authority for compensations or refunds or uninstall. That their process is to complete the installation. This is NOT a casual mistake because I fully understand and accept there are human errors and I could accept a patch paint on a corner of a door but THERE ARE 20 CABINETS AND 2 WALL UNITS THAT ARE ALL DEFECTIVE!!!! They look great from a distance and I look 35 with 25 watt bulbs in my vanity but that’s not true and neither are my cabinets beautiful. My appliances are great! My countertops beautiful! I’ve been postponing the tiling and flooring for some resolution on my cabinets so that if they do come out, it would eliminate the risk of damage in the process (my ceiling already has a knick in it from a cabinet and the installer).
-Did I mention I have been tolerant of the delays from the installer? I know he’s a very busy man with a busy business. It’s great to be so. My husband and I were willing to work with him as he told us he just lives 5 miles down the road from us.
-Did I mention I have been tolerant of Dave’s lack of communication in this process? I’ve had to call him regarding my appliances arrival. He is busy too between his work and prep for his upcoming surgery.
-Did I mention I’ve been more than willing to step up and be the project manager because until last week, I rarely heard from Installation Services. I coordinated and contacted the appropriate people while Installation Service remained silent. I didn’t even know they were the project managers because the first time they called to coordinate the Installer, I had already called him and had scheduled the first visit (and every one after that). However, one time Installation Services left a congratulations on the completion of your Installation message — what? At that time, NOTHING had been completed; not the countertops, the appliances and surely not the cabinets but I’m sure I didn’t have to make that reference.
-Could I tell you how patient I’ve been about a garage full of product (still)? You remember, the damaged replacement doors, still out there?
-I didn’t understand the ordering issue Dave had with the ordering department with Lowe’s and an issue with the mismatch of product numbers, the need for reordering, refund and repayment with gift cards nor not getting Pro points for my order. ahum…
- I tried to get the delivery people of my appliances to come back out and put them in my kitchen since they just dropped them in my garage. Nope, wouldn’t happen; SO my 65 year old husband and I (62 yrs old) brought them in ourselves. Credit to Ron for bringing the microwave 3 weeks ago to install it and the side wall after I texted him this message: “Ron, I feel like I’ve been abandoned. There’s more than a days job here before it’s finished. You rarely respond to my texts. I’ve gotten no updates about when you might be coming back to do any work, let alone complete this job. I’m feeling like I got the wrong impression about the kind of business man you assured me you were. I have a cabinet over the frig, a microwave and a wall unit that goes next to the frig that could be done as a short job towards the completion. Is there anything you can tell me about if you’re ever coming back and when that might be, if so? Is there any reason why you can’t respond? Appreciatively, Phyllis Meiring.”
-When Ron called me to install the microwave, the wall unit, and the cabinet over the frig, he told me that “they” had decided to put a skin on my window cabinet. I asked who’s “they”; he told me he and Dave. Why was I NOT consulted? What was he hiding — turns out a lot.
I have reviewed my contract. “CUSTOMER’S RESPONSIBILITIES:……’’Customer agrees that any claim against Lowe’s or the Installer under this Contract should be made to Lowe’s or the Installer within thirty (30) days of the date Customer first becomes aware of a problem. ) Lowe’s will attempt resolutions of any claim(s) within (60) calendar days of receiving Customer’s notice.) I have been trying to tell people about this but Lowe’s Installation Services keeps pushing for the Completion of the Installation. The email addresses I’m given to submit any pics I have are returned. I get this:
“Your message to installsupport@lowes.com could not be received. This is not a monitored mailbox and does not accept inbound emails.
For assistance with your installation, contact the Lowe’s Installation Support Team at 877–505–4923.
Thank you for choosing Lowe’s and we look forward to serving you!”
The doors sent to replace the issues the Installer found are worse than those on the cabinets!
When the installer came in to install the microwave, the cabinet over the frig and the wall unit, I asked him about the issues with the pantry. (pics attached) He said he didn’t do that and it was damaged and to order a new pantry cabinet. How & why did this suddenly become my responsibility? He had been the one to unpack the cabinet boxes in our garage. He was the one who brought each one into our kitchen. He was the one who was supposed to be inspecting them. He had been the one along with Dave to order replacement doors and a replacement cabinet for over the frig because Dave had ordered the wrong size. Why hadn’t he ordered the replacement pantry cabinet when he found that problem?
There’s SO much more to this story and this process but I’m done. I’m not pretending these cabinets are beautiful or without major damages. NONE of these issues are MY responsibility! What IS my responsibility is to inform you of the issues (again and again and again until someone listens — and why do I have to do that?) You’re not 5 years old, this isn’t a Crayola coloring contest and I’m not your mom!
I’m NOT settling for a tube of glue to dab here or there or pretending it’s all beautiful and that LOWE’S will make you a satisfied customer one way or another including bullying you into submission.
I was NOT out of line for expecting CUSTOM QUALITY CABINETS AT A CUSTOM QUALITY PRICE. It IS out of LINE to accept a CUSTOM QUALITY PRICE for POOR QUALITY AND DAMAGED GOODS & SERVICES.
Van (remember Kraftmaid’s territory rep?) asked me what they could do to solve this and I was being very tolerant and amicable with my solution. It would have been a fair solution for everyone but you said no.
I’m done. I have been MORE than patient, MORE than reasonable; I AM DONE!
You leave me with no other option:
I WANT THESE CABINETS REMOVED WITH A FULL REFUND WITHOUT DAMAGING MY COUNTERTOPS, APPLIANCES OR ANYTHING ELSE IN MY HOME.
I DON”T WANT REPLACEMENTS NOR ANY MORE EXPLANATIONS! My contract says that you will work to resolve the issues; all you want to do is COMPLETE THE INSTALLATION and ASSURE me that at that point in time, YOU WILL CONSIDER A DISCUSSION FOR COMPENSATION — you demonstrate a repeated lack of respect or responsibility or accountability — WHY WOULD I TRUST YOU WITH ANYTHING GOING FORWARD IN THIS PROJECT (that’s a rhetorical question, btw). You CONTINUE to BULLY me into submission and have repeatedly demonstrated that you are UNWILLING to listen, much less, resolve anything.
According to my contract, you have 60 days but some of that time has already passed.
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, TRUTH & SINCERITY,
Phyllis Meiring
