Lowe's Home Improvement - WE ORDERED THE 'TO BE INSTALLED AVANZA COUNTER' ON APRIL 10, 2004 AND THE INSTALLATION WAS COMPLETED ON AUGUST 5, 2004.

Lowe's Home Improvement - WE ORDERED THE 'TO BE INSTALLED AVANZA COUNTER' ON APRIL 10, 2004 AND THE INSTALLATION WAS COMPLETED ON AUGUST 5, 2004.

Lowe's Home Improvement

LOWE'S - HOME IMPROVEMENT I JUST GOT THEIR LATEST MAILING TELLING US TO 'LET LOWE'S ARRANGE PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION FOR ALL YOUR PROJECTS.' - Warning don't let them do it! WE DID THAT - AND WE REGRET SHOPPING AT LOWE'S FOR OUR NEW KITCHEN COUNTER. WE DID NOT HAVE A PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION EXPERIENCE - FAR FROM IT. WE ORDERED THE 'TO BE INSTALLED AVANZA COUNTER' ON APRIL 10, 2004 AND THE INSTALLATION WAS COMPLETED ON AUGUST 5, 2004. € We had the old counter demolished on April 15th and all other items completed that were on the prior to installation list & we had all the important items that we were responsible to have on site upon installation OR else there are additional charges like a minimum of $200 for any additional trips to site due to OUR lack of preparation. - plus additional labor fee of $70 an hour. (Over the course of the installation period we were told over and over that if they came when they did not have more work in this area we would be charged $240!)

€ We live in Santa Cruz, and our counter was first sent to Texas which caused a delay to July 20th. (We now know to always buy locally!!!) € July 20th was when they had more work in our area. If they came sooner they would have charged us fees to come out at our convenience.

€ So Lowe's found us a 'professional' installer that found our home location to be inconvenient for them. € The first installers who arrived in a rent a truck seemed like day workers not licensed contractors. € They did not seem to know how to level the countertop to sub plywood top. € The chalking was the wrong color and looked like dirt. The backsplash eventually had to be removed and reinstalled at a date when there was enough work in our area. ( This required new dry wall and a re-paint of the lower wall - and we had to do that for the second time.) € One corner of the counter back splash was uneven! - how level is this counter?!

There was a large gap under the backsplash due to improper leveling of the countertop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! € The countertop not squared- this would also prevent us from putting the molding we selected from fitting. € Another mistake we made was assuming the bullnose rounded edge would also be on the backsplash--no this is CUSTOM and this was an added expense in late July that cost $75 an hour - to round the edge! € We have never received a Warranty as stated. We have not signed off on the Certificate of Completion because we did not experience a professional installation.

€ WE PAID WITH A CREDIT CARD ON APRIL 10, 2004 & kept our end of the contract. The contract is all about Lowe's getting all the money up front, and leaving their customer to some so-called professional to haggle it out. We learned that the next time we do a home improvement we want a contract that says that a final payment will be made when the job is completed to customers satisfaction. THE LOWE'S CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON, Laura @ their Gilroy Store (Store # 1552), was perfection in customer service - but she had no power to get anything done. We thank her for her good listening skills. It is about LOWE's not really being responsible and bidding out to professionals who might sub contract to not so professional. The Countertop Installation team, was selected by Lowe's, and not the other way around! I only wrote this complaint because of that Lowe's mailing we received today. Yours truly, Patricia N

Craig N

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