Lowe's Is Under Fire From Shoppers for an "Enormous Amount of Damage"
The retailer is facing a number of complaints for failing to address this major problem.
Whether spring cleaning has gotten the best of you or you've been trying to freshen up your space for the summer, there's a good chance you've found yourself at your local Lowe's recently. As one of the most popular home improvement retailers in the U.S., its stores have a wide selection of products needed for any type of repair or renovation. And even if you don't want to do-it-yourself, Lowe's can send workers directly to your home for help. But as much as it sounds like the retailer has it all, some shoppers are warning that certain services may come at a price much higher than expected. Read on to find out why Lowe's is now under fire for allegedly causing an "enormous amount of damage."
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Experts have said that some things at Lowe's aren't worth buying.
While Lowe's does offer a plethora of products, Best Life talked to shopping experts in January who advised Lowe's shoppers to steer clear of at least one purchase. Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with the shopping comparison site DealNews.com, said that the cleaning supplies at the home improvement retailer are a limited selection and pricer than what customers would find at other stores.
"Lowe's is known for its extra charges on cleaning products. So much so that you could end up paying 10 percent more than the actual market rate," Alex Williams, an e-commerce business owner and the CFO of the retail shopping guide FindThisBest, added. "For example, a Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner costs around $10 on Lowe's websites, whereas it was available for less than $8.50 on Walmart."
But that's not the only Lowe's purchase you might come to regret.
Shoppers are now speaking out about something they regret buying.
On June 15, Fox-affiliate WFXT in Boston, Massachusetts, revealed that a number of customers are unhappy with the home improvement retailer. Karen Andrews told the news outlet that she paid Lowe's around $16,000 last winter for installation work in her new house. According to Andrews, workers installed her bookshelves upside down, made scratches and holes in her walls, left some cabinets unfinished or opening the wrong way, and built a glass cabinet around a sprinkler head.
"I don't think I'll ever shop in Lowe's again," Andrews said. "For the money I paid, I get very upset. I paid a lot of money and I didn't get what I paid for."
A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office told WFXT that the office has received more than 340 complaints about Lowe's since 2016. More than 50 of these complaints have been related to home improvement projects in particular. WFTV, a sister station to WFXT in Orlando, Florida, also revealed that 223 consumers have asked Florida's Attorney General to investigate issues with Lowe's since 2019.
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Customers say the home improvement retailer has failed to fix the damage it caused.
The shoddy work is not the only problem for Andrews, however. She told WFXT that the problems are still present seven months later with no indication that the issues will be fixed, as she has called and emailed the company dozens of times to no avail. "They need to be accountable and I don't feel they are," Andrews said.
Another shopper named Carmen Antley shared a similar story. In May, Antley told WFTV that two subcontractors hired by Lowe's caused "an enormous amount of damage" to her home during a recent kitchen renovation. She showed the news station where a cabinet had been installed over a vent, a microwave had been put too close to the stovetop, and an improperly installed farmhouse sink has started damaging her kitchen island.
"I thought we were signing up with Lowe's because the contract says at the very top: 'Lowe's,'" Antley said, noting that she instead was met with subcontractors. Antley said that the entire renovation has resulted in nearly $40,000 of damages—and despite initial offers to make repairs, she is still waiting six months later. "We've mentioned all of this to Lowe's, and it seems to go in one ear and out the other … You know I want them to take it seriously. They put somebody in our home that has caused an enormous amount of damage."
Lowe's says customer satisfaction is its top priority.
There are numerous people across the internet posting nearly identical complaints about installation services from Lowe's. But a spokesperson from the home improvement retailer told WFXT that customers satisfaction is a "top priority" for the company. In relation to Andrews specifically, the spokesperson said that Lowe's is working with her to correct problems.
"We apologize for the delay caused to Ms. Andrews. Our team is scheduled to meet with her … to discuss next steps to resolve the issues and ensure she is satisfied," the spokesperson told WFXT in an email. "We apologize for the communications challenges Ms. Andrews encountered. We are committed to consistent communication with customers through our Installation Support centralized contact center."
Meanwhile, Andrews said she wishes she had just gone to a different company for the work in her home. "I would use a different contractor that has a good reputation. I would not use Lowe's. I probably would have been better dealing with my own contractor and doing it myself," she told WFXT.
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