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Lumber Liquidators Informative - Flooring Advice from an Ex-Employee - Flooring
I worked at Lumber Liquidators for 14 months and found out several things.
1.) Do not buy Bellawood as there are many milling issues.
2.) Any Virginia Millworks flooring is actually very good quality and affordable.
3.) SCHON engineered flooring is a decent value. Decent quality, good prices.
4.) Laminates- stay away from 6mm flooring not because of LL but because it is just too thin. St. James flooring still amazes me with quality and price.
5.) NEVER buy odd-lots you will never be happy(that also goes for anywhere).
6.) CHOOSE YOURE INSTALLER WISELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 99 Percent of the issues I had at my store were installation issues and pretty much the rest were damaged from forklift or milling issues with Bellawood. Choose an installer with a warranty and check with references.
7.) The top 3 issues with a bad floor are MOISTURE(have the installer check the readings and put the proper moisture protection down- needs to be sold from LL for the warranty). Installers failing to leave an expansion gaps(the floor needs 1/4" to 3/8" gap between it and the wall, which you can cover up with baseboard or quarter round). And scratching. DO NOT BUY A SOFT WOOD IF YOU ARE ROUGH ON THE FLOOR. If you are particularly rough on flooring go with their ST. James laminate. It holds up extremely well.\
8.) They had a huge changeover in 2010 that caused thousands of customer complaints but should be over by now and safe to buy.
9.) The average customer is very unreasonable. They have an installer blame LL so they believe it when generally it is the INSTALLER.
10.) They treat their employees like TOTAL HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. I will not go into detail but it is not important for customers unless you like to buy from places that treat their employees good.
11.) All in all I will buy flooring from them when needed as I tend to not hold grudges. Hard to beat their prices and quality on most things. Again steer clear of bellawood.
1.) Do not buy Bellawood as there are many milling issues.
2.) Any Virginia Millworks flooring is actually very good quality and affordable.
3.) SCHON engineered flooring is a decent value. Decent quality, good prices.
4.) Laminates- stay away from 6mm flooring not because of LL but because it is just too thin. St. James flooring still amazes me with quality and price.
5.) NEVER buy odd-lots you will never be happy(that also goes for anywhere).
6.) CHOOSE YOURE INSTALLER WISELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 99 Percent of the issues I had at my store were installation issues and pretty much the rest were damaged from forklift or milling issues with Bellawood. Choose an installer with a warranty and check with references.
7.) The top 3 issues with a bad floor are MOISTURE(have the installer check the readings and put the proper moisture protection down- needs to be sold from LL for the warranty). Installers failing to leave an expansion gaps(the floor needs 1/4" to 3/8" gap between it and the wall, which you can cover up with baseboard or quarter round). And scratching. DO NOT BUY A SOFT WOOD IF YOU ARE ROUGH ON THE FLOOR. If you are particularly rough on flooring go with their ST. James laminate. It holds up extremely well.\
8.) They had a huge changeover in 2010 that caused thousands of customer complaints but should be over by now and safe to buy.
9.) The average customer is very unreasonable. They have an installer blame LL so they believe it when generally it is the INSTALLER.
10.) They treat their employees like TOTAL HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. I will not go into detail but it is not important for customers unless you like to buy from places that treat their employees good.
11.) All in all I will buy flooring from them when needed as I tend to not hold grudges. Hard to beat their prices and quality on most things. Again steer clear of bellawood.
Comments:
Posted by saj80 on 2011-04-06:
Very good review; thanks.
Posted by dan gordon on 2011-04-06:
I'd love it if you'd repost on the flooring forum. I worked for a hdwd mfctr and read many complaints re: prefinished flooring when normally its maintenance or installation related. Please repost here:
http://ths.gardenweb.com//forums/flooring/
http://ths.gardenweb.com//forums/flooring/
Posted by idontthinkso on 2011-04-06:
Seriously.. yer a Bellawood rep.. aintcha??
Posted by Ex Employee on 2012-02-07:
The classic thing is that much of the Bellawood is finished in the middle of thier warehouse in Toano Va 444 surrounded by dust covered boxes, forklifts driving by etc. What a joke they are!!
Posted by BEWARE on 2012-04-06:
EMPLOYEES THAT GREW THIS COMPANY BEFORE IT WENT PUBLIC ARE BEING SYSTEMATICALLY FIRED. THEY HAVED WORKED 15HR DAYS 7 DAYS A WEEK BY THEMSELVES(WHERE IS OSHA) VACATIONS CANCELLED DUE TO NO COVERAGE. THE COMPANY THEN FIGHTS YOU OVER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WITH THE HELP OF AN OUTSIDE FIRM CALLED TALX WHO IS ALLOWED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE LABOR JUDGE BUT NOT YOU.EMPLOYEES ARE HURT ON THE JOB. ONE WAS FIRED AFTER SURGERY SO DONT GET SICK. THESE EMPLOYEES WERE SELLING 300K A MONTH FOR THIS COMPANY AND IT STILL WASNT GOOD ENOUGH. WHEN THEY WENT PUBLIC (IPO) THEY HIRED SO MANY VP SUCKING MONEY OFF THE TOP WITH NO FLOORING /SALES /OR BUILDING EXPERIENCE. THERE WAS NO MONEY LEFT TO HIRE WAREHOUSE OR SALES ASSOCIATES.THESE VPs (TO JUSTIFY THEIR POSITIONS CAME UP WITH MORE AND MORE FOR THE 1 SALES PERSON TO DO THERE WAS NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETE ALL REQUIRED AND TO SATISFY THE CUSTOMERS. ORDERES WERE NEVER SENT TO STORE SO THERE WAS UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS AND THE BACKLOG INCREASES. 3 TRUCKES SHIPPED A WEEK THAT WASNT ORDERED MUST BE UNLOADED,FORFLIFTED INTO AN INCREASING STUFFED WAREHOUSE BY ONE PERSON. CUSTOMER SVC CUTIES WERE RUDE TO STORES TRYING TO EXPLAIN PROBLEMS. REGIONAL MGR THAT OPENED HALF THE EAST COAST STORES ,ON THE ROAD CONSTANTLY ( HAD HEART ATTACK) WAS FIRED AND REPLACED BY A GUY WHO WORKED AT GAME STOP. DOES THIS MAKE SENSE TO ANYONE. I HOPE GRIFITHS DIDNT GET AN EXIT BONUS LIKE NARDELLI DID AT DEPOT. NOTICE ALL THE JOB OPENINGS . WORD IS OUT YOU WONT LAST LONG.
Posted by face it on 2012-05-26:
Net sales increased $28.4 million, or 17.8%, to $188.0 million in the first quarter of 2012 from $159.7 million in the first quarter of 2011. Comparable store net sales increased 7.5% for the quarter, driven by an 8.0% increase in the number of customers invoiced at these stores. Non-comparable store net sales increased $16.4 million. The Company opened four new stores during the first quarter of 2012.
The above statement was copied from the LL web site. For all who have been poorly treated (either by working for them or spending money with them) by lumber liquidators, this is proof positive that some action needs to be taken to prevent them from further profiting in the "dirty" manner that they are so well know for. Please people do not support this company. A COMPLETE BOYCOTT is needed to force these crooks to close there doors.
The above statement was copied from the LL web site. For all who have been poorly treated (either by working for them or spending money with them) by lumber liquidators, this is proof positive that some action needs to be taken to prevent them from further profiting in the "dirty" manner that they are so well know for. Please people do not support this company. A COMPLETE BOYCOTT is needed to force these crooks to close there doors.
Posted by Stella on 2013-03-16:
I also got the name and titles of heads of this company. I plan on sending cards to them and also to ty penninton, hgtv, and bob villa.
We need a good, honest lawyer to launch a class action suit. Perhaps Erin will do this.
We need a good, honest lawyer to launch a class action suit. Perhaps Erin will do this.
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