Lumber Liquidators Hires Hack Installers Leaving the Customer High and Dry

Posted by At Your Service on 2013-01-22:

I guess I can understand that Lumber Liquidators is only supplying the flooring, not the installer. It stands to reason that it's better to purchase the flooring and installation all through one entity as then you don't have one point the finger at the other.

The Spanish have a saying that, when translated, states, "The cheap comes out expensive." Sounds like what you're running into here.

Best of luck.

Posted by gavin822 on 2013-01-23:

Actually we did use Lumber Liquidators hand picked installer when we signed up for their GE Credit line. Installer messes up and LL is no where to be found. They won't stand behind their customers in a pinch. The expect you to work it out with the hack installer I guess.

Posted by face it on 2013-01-24:

Lumber Liquidators has never wanted to assume liability for installation from their inception. Before HSS was brought in the picture installers would earn trust and a solid back ground of satisfied customers and they would be chosen by the staff working the store for recommendation to the customers. After the corporate re structuring of Lumber Liquidators, they brought in HSS to shield themselves from any installation liability. Hss advertises a warranty for installation and takes a large percentage of each job (15% of the job total that the installer must pay as well as tax,insurance,workmans comp, financial bond, labor wages, and all other costs associated with running a business)when the warranty is 100% the liability of the installer. With that fact and the fact that one can join the HSS installation program provided you have a decent credit score and are not a felon, outside of that you are required to have no actual product or product application knowledge. Which is a recipe for disaster for the homeowner duped into believing they will have a seasoned professional in their home. With very poor quality material and some of the most nearly unobtainable manufacturers installation requirements, it leaves the opportunity for the slightest variation from manufacturer recommendations to be deemed as "improperly installed" there for releasing all liability from Lumber Liquidators (manufacturer/distributor) and HSS (Installation coordination/payment processing) and placing 100% of the liability on the installer that would average from $10-$15 per hr after paying HSS 15% and all other associated costs. Also factor in the lack of experience you describe of the installation crew you where arranged with via HSS.

Is it possible you just got a "green" installer that had little or no installation experience/knowledge? Of course it is, but as I was an installer for approximately 24 years (12 with lumber liquidators, 4 with HSS)as well as the re assignment of various trades during the countries recession allot of competent trades men where forced to expand into areas they had little knowledge of, such as carpenters turned flooring installers. Then organizations like HSS further fueling, or rather flooding, the industry with their completely unnecessary presence and a influx of under skilled labor does nothing for the consumer.

In short form: any customer of lumber liquidators is better off hiring a local reputable installation company outside of the LLI/HSS network. Also if the number of complaints against LLI and HSS is not enough to deter the informed shopper away from LLI complaints ,such as this one, will repeatedly appear.

Contacting the BBB will do very little as LLI and HSS are both accredited business with the BBB (google accredited business BBB) they simply pay their way to a deceivingly higher score than they deserve.

I am truly sorry if this response paints a gloomy picture, but it is nothing more than the unfortunate outcome of yet another paying LLI customer left "holding the bag" and HSS and LLI free and clear with your hard earned money in hand. It is sickening really, but yet it goes on day after day and is business as usual for LLI and HSS.

Posted by gavin822 on 2013-02-18:

I appreciate your take an would agree we would have gladly used a local installer with a good track record, but was duped into using Lumber liquidators installers provided by HSS. We are coming on 3 months since the incompetant installer (who boasted of 20 years experience) and we are still wrangling with HSS to compel the installer to come back and recorrect all the errors that voide the wood warranty. We are probably headed to court at this rate. I am sadder but wiser through the whole experience and will make sure to only use reputable local installers in future.

Posted by face it on 2013-02-19:

Best of luck to you gavin822. I would like to hear what happens after the court date. I truly wish you the best in recovering your losses.

Posted by IDK on 2013-04-08:

All big box retailers use these services like HSS, you will run into the same thing over and over again. LL isn't the only one. And you see it with all typs of installation, not just flooring. Appliances, cabinets, doors, windows, etc... The pay is so cheap for the installers, they never get decently qualified or experienced installers . They can only keep second rate labor. Or worse. The products they sell are usually junk, that even a qualified installer may have trouble with, and when you have second rate labor installing a second rate product, it's a recipie for disaster. And don't expect the big box retailers to stand behind any of it! They don't. Their contracts and warranties are written to protect them 100%, they are basically worthless to the consumer. Not to mention that you usually pay much more not only for the product but, for the labor as well, using these third party installation companies like HSS and others.