quick86
Well-known member
So through the entirety of March I began getting bids to have all 7 windows and the 1 patio door in my house replaced. I got bids from local contractors as well as Home Depot and Lowes.
I ended up choosing Lowes for having what (seemed to be) the most knowledgeable staff as well as best product for the dollar. They were Pella windows and a Pella patio door. Jim (the outside sales rep for Lowes) had a great idea for a large patio window I had by breaking up the 3 panes from 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 in to 1/4, 1/2, 1/4 to give it a better view and have the outter panels open.
He also assured me that the patio door would have a lock on the back of the door to secure it even further when closed fully or lock it when partially open. This is a feature I insisted upon because in the summer I enjoy leaving the door open a couple inches but locked with the screen shut to enjoy the nice cooler Michigan air.
When I placed the order he told me installation should be done April 25th and delivery would occur the day before.
I got a call from their contractor the week of April 25th who said that due to a massive amount of winter sales the earliest they could get to me was May 12th. I moved my scheduled day off from April 25th to May 12th.
May 11th came and the windows were scheduled for delivery. The windows and door arrived and the delivery drivers were courteous. They loaded them in to my garage where I had space made to keep them safe and secure. I glanced at them as they unloaded them one by one and when they got to the large picture window I noticed it was 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. I told the drivers that wasn't right and I would call the store. They didn't want to take it back without paperwork and since my invoice said it was being dropped off I'd rather it stay with me.
I called Jim and he was out on the road. He gave me the number for a Mr. Bob Hodge. I called Bob and told him the window wasn't correct and was told by Bob that he would look in to it and call me back.
He didn't call me back that night.
The next day the installers arrived and unload. They were very cool very nice and well prepared for the job. They came in and asked if the delivery crew left any trim - which they didn't. He called up and inquired as they had it on their invoice that new trim was supposed to be delivered as well. They tell him they will get it out ASAP.
I called Bob to see if there was an update on my wrong window. He said the order when it was placed in store was screwed up and someone placed it incorrectly. My order paperwork said 1/4, 1/2, 1/4. The online order when they made it was 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. They would send someone to come get the window and take it back. Not long after the delivery guys called me and said they were on the way and gave me a window of time they'd be here. I asked them if they had any trim on the truck for the installers and they had no idea about it.
Side note: Bob told me he would have to credit me for the window being returned them re-order the correct one.
The final part of the job for the installers with what is here is my patio door. The crew unwraps it and I am hanging out in my garage when they notice that the screen door has a tear in it. Greeaaattt. They tell me they'll call the store and let them know to order me a new one. They get it installed and I ask if there is a toe kick/footlock to be installed. They said there wasn't any with the door. Greaaaaaaaaaaat.
The installers get everything knocked out by 1:00pm. AWESOME guys. Cleaned up behind themselves and left no sign they were ever here. They were very thorough and detailed. I've never seen such steady hands when doing caulk installation either, the guy was skilled for sure. They had other jobs and no trim for the inside yet. And no word when it would arrive. I told them to go ahead and take off - it's not their fault the store fucked up the materials.
2:30 the truck finally arrives to pick up the bad window. Also I want to note they had the window clamped so tight in it's carrier that it was bowed.
Anyways, the guys take the window and I call Bob. I tell him he should be expecting a call from the installers about the screen door and that he can hold off on sending out the trim until the replacement window arrives as there is no point in having them come out and cut trim for 6 windows when the 7th still needs installed. I ask him if there is an ETA for the replacement and he says he is waiting for a call back from his Pella rep and that he would call me the following day. I also ask him about the footlock and tell him it was missing as well. He says he will look in to it.
My wife and I leave for dinner at 4:30. We sit down to have our sandwiches at Firehouse Subs and I get a call --- a delivery driver from Lowes. He has a bunch of trim and is at my house. I tell him to take it back and send it back out when the new window arrives. I don't want it sitting around to possibly be damaged in my possession.
Wednesday the 14th. No call from Bob. I call, he has left for the day. I leave a message to call me in the morning with an update.
Thursday the 15th (today). No call all morning. I call the store at 2:30, Bob isn't available. I ask to speak with a store manager. Store manager isn't in but the ASM is, so I speak to Mike. This is the first he has heard of this and he will look in to it.
3:30pm today. Bob finally calls ME for the first time. He says that the window is ordered and he has no ETA for it's arrival. He says the Pella rep has "flagged it" to try and push it along faster but no date is known. He tells me my replacement screen door is ordered. He then says as far as the toe kick lock - they don't offer it on that model door. Period. WHAT? He said Jim screwed up and didn't know they didn't offer it. He said he wanted to look in to it further and maybe even find something aftermarket to work. I tell him that he better figure something out and I am at the end of my rope. My blood pressure was rising fast.
I am NOT happy. They want to install some aftermarket piece of hardware to my door with a lifetime guarantee which will NOT have a lifetime guarantee? And add holes to the door which will likely VOID the warranty on the door as a fix? No. Not going to work.
So now I have to take MORE time off work to be home for the installation of my front window, spend MORE time dealing with them on the patio door which isn't what was sold to me, and deal with a hole in my screen door that shouldn't be there... And PROBABLY continue to be the one who has to make phone calls to get updates?
What. The. ****.
I just got off the phone with Lowes customer care and told them about my situation. The longer I let it brew the angrier I have been getting. They are going to put it on paper and email it to the store manager. If I do not get a response from him by end of business day tomorrow they will escalate it to district management.
Any tips, advice, suggestions, recommendations? Besides having a beer? I already started that one....
</ rant >
I ended up choosing Lowes for having what (seemed to be) the most knowledgeable staff as well as best product for the dollar. They were Pella windows and a Pella patio door. Jim (the outside sales rep for Lowes) had a great idea for a large patio window I had by breaking up the 3 panes from 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 in to 1/4, 1/2, 1/4 to give it a better view and have the outter panels open.
He also assured me that the patio door would have a lock on the back of the door to secure it even further when closed fully or lock it when partially open. This is a feature I insisted upon because in the summer I enjoy leaving the door open a couple inches but locked with the screen shut to enjoy the nice cooler Michigan air.
When I placed the order he told me installation should be done April 25th and delivery would occur the day before.
I got a call from their contractor the week of April 25th who said that due to a massive amount of winter sales the earliest they could get to me was May 12th. I moved my scheduled day off from April 25th to May 12th.
May 11th came and the windows were scheduled for delivery. The windows and door arrived and the delivery drivers were courteous. They loaded them in to my garage where I had space made to keep them safe and secure. I glanced at them as they unloaded them one by one and when they got to the large picture window I noticed it was 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. I told the drivers that wasn't right and I would call the store. They didn't want to take it back without paperwork and since my invoice said it was being dropped off I'd rather it stay with me.
I called Jim and he was out on the road. He gave me the number for a Mr. Bob Hodge. I called Bob and told him the window wasn't correct and was told by Bob that he would look in to it and call me back.
He didn't call me back that night.
The next day the installers arrived and unload. They were very cool very nice and well prepared for the job. They came in and asked if the delivery crew left any trim - which they didn't. He called up and inquired as they had it on their invoice that new trim was supposed to be delivered as well. They tell him they will get it out ASAP.
I called Bob to see if there was an update on my wrong window. He said the order when it was placed in store was screwed up and someone placed it incorrectly. My order paperwork said 1/4, 1/2, 1/4. The online order when they made it was 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. They would send someone to come get the window and take it back. Not long after the delivery guys called me and said they were on the way and gave me a window of time they'd be here. I asked them if they had any trim on the truck for the installers and they had no idea about it.
Side note: Bob told me he would have to credit me for the window being returned them re-order the correct one.
The final part of the job for the installers with what is here is my patio door. The crew unwraps it and I am hanging out in my garage when they notice that the screen door has a tear in it. Greeaaattt. They tell me they'll call the store and let them know to order me a new one. They get it installed and I ask if there is a toe kick/footlock to be installed. They said there wasn't any with the door. Greaaaaaaaaaaat.
The installers get everything knocked out by 1:00pm. AWESOME guys. Cleaned up behind themselves and left no sign they were ever here. They were very thorough and detailed. I've never seen such steady hands when doing caulk installation either, the guy was skilled for sure. They had other jobs and no trim for the inside yet. And no word when it would arrive. I told them to go ahead and take off - it's not their fault the store fucked up the materials.
2:30 the truck finally arrives to pick up the bad window. Also I want to note they had the window clamped so tight in it's carrier that it was bowed.
Anyways, the guys take the window and I call Bob. I tell him he should be expecting a call from the installers about the screen door and that he can hold off on sending out the trim until the replacement window arrives as there is no point in having them come out and cut trim for 6 windows when the 7th still needs installed. I ask him if there is an ETA for the replacement and he says he is waiting for a call back from his Pella rep and that he would call me the following day. I also ask him about the footlock and tell him it was missing as well. He says he will look in to it.
My wife and I leave for dinner at 4:30. We sit down to have our sandwiches at Firehouse Subs and I get a call --- a delivery driver from Lowes. He has a bunch of trim and is at my house. I tell him to take it back and send it back out when the new window arrives. I don't want it sitting around to possibly be damaged in my possession.
Wednesday the 14th. No call from Bob. I call, he has left for the day. I leave a message to call me in the morning with an update.
Thursday the 15th (today). No call all morning. I call the store at 2:30, Bob isn't available. I ask to speak with a store manager. Store manager isn't in but the ASM is, so I speak to Mike. This is the first he has heard of this and he will look in to it.
3:30pm today. Bob finally calls ME for the first time. He says that the window is ordered and he has no ETA for it's arrival. He says the Pella rep has "flagged it" to try and push it along faster but no date is known. He tells me my replacement screen door is ordered. He then says as far as the toe kick lock - they don't offer it on that model door. Period. WHAT? He said Jim screwed up and didn't know they didn't offer it. He said he wanted to look in to it further and maybe even find something aftermarket to work. I tell him that he better figure something out and I am at the end of my rope. My blood pressure was rising fast.
I am NOT happy. They want to install some aftermarket piece of hardware to my door with a lifetime guarantee which will NOT have a lifetime guarantee? And add holes to the door which will likely VOID the warranty on the door as a fix? No. Not going to work.
So now I have to take MORE time off work to be home for the installation of my front window, spend MORE time dealing with them on the patio door which isn't what was sold to me, and deal with a hole in my screen door that shouldn't be there... And PROBABLY continue to be the one who has to make phone calls to get updates?
What. The. ****.
I just got off the phone with Lowes customer care and told them about my situation. The longer I let it brew the angrier I have been getting. They are going to put it on paper and email it to the store manager. If I do not get a response from him by end of business day tomorrow they will escalate it to district management.
Any tips, advice, suggestions, recommendations? Besides having a beer? I already started that one....
</ rant >
He finally got it straightened out but it took quite a while. He would have been better off just picking it up.