Lowe's Kitchen Cabinets Consumer Reviews - Page 6

PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA -- I purchased Woodgate red oak cabinets from the Lowe's of Portsmouth, VA on July 6, 2009. First, we were greeted and taken care of while we were in the cabinet department. All employees were friendly; however, when my husband and I applied for a joint Project Card, the employee only put in his name. Therefore, I cannot use the card. My husband had to call after we got the one card, with his name on it, and they are sending us a form to make the account joint.

Next, when we went to pay at the front, the employee told the cashier to ring up everything (even the items I did not have), which caused a problem. If everything was rung up as if we took it with us, how would the store know what they owed us? All of the cabinets were not in stock, which was no problem for me since my contractors still had weeks before they would begin.

I was told the cabinets that they "owed" me would be in within a few weeks and they had me pay for everything and sign a "delivery/take" slip. I had to ask for a copy of this, and I am really glad I did because problems did develop. As soon as I got home, I worried that there wasn't something right. I contacted corporate Lowe's through their website. I received an immediate response, and I was told the store manager would contact me.

The next day, a store manager did contact me. He had no idea who I was and what I was talking about. I gave him item numbers (thank God I had the delivery slip), and he put in the computer what I was owed. He told me our cabinets would be in on the 10. I called on the 14 and spoke with a customer service representative at Lowe's. She insured me my cabinets were all in-stock. My husband and father-in-law drove all of the way back to Lowe's in Portsmouth. The customer service people were very nice and pulled my order sheet and gave it to a young man to go get. He came back with one cabinet.

I explained everything was supposed to come in on the 10 and they should be in the back. I stood at the front for a while, but no one said anything to me. I noticed the young man was helping someone else. So I went and asked him what was going on with my cabinets, and he told me they were not here. I went back to cabinets, where I saw no one, but two women in vacuums. I explained who I was and if anyone was working cabinets. They said they were (thanks for letting me walk around cabinets in circles!), and that my cabinets were not here and they had no idea that they owed me any.

Then I explained that I had talked to the manager and one of the women told me she was the manager. Then she said that someone was back there looking (why wasn't she?), and that she didn't think they were back there because the computer did not show they owed me anything. I (thank god) had my take slip from the original purchase, which proved they owed me cabinets. She told me a customer service representative would return the items they owed me, then re-ring them as an "owe" this way the account/corporate/district supplier would all know they owe us cabinets. I left, with one cabinet, and feeling very upset.

So I called corporate twice this time and filed a formal complaint. In my complaint, I told them about the credit disaster and the problems with the store. I also told them I was going to file with the Better Business Bureau if a REAL manager did not call me within 24 hours. Obviously I had been talking to shift or assistant or department managers. While I was on the phone with corporate, the sales person from cabinets, who sold me the cabinets, called me and told me there was a truck coming that night, the 15th, and my cabinets would be on it, but that I should call first to make sure.

To this I replied, "I already called and everyone says they either have no idea what I am talking about or my cabinets are there, so that won't work." Then I ended the call. Within 24 hours of filing 2 complaints, **, the store GM called me (while I was at another Lowe's ironically!), and told me he was tracking down my cabinets at the distribution center. I told him to call me back when he found them. He called me back a few minutes later and told me the cabinets would be on the truck scheduled for Sunday the 19th.

I asked if they could be delivered on Monday because my husband and I could not drive a third time to Portsmouth. He scheduled the delivery for me and my cabinets came today, July 20 at 12:30. The men were very nice and ** was fabulous. I am very appreciative of the delivery.

My contractors are scheduled for the 23 so there was no money or time lost, but the emotional stress was overwhelming. I'm glad that I called and emailed corporate Lowe's 4 times, and that the GM finally contacted me. Lesson is always talk to the GM, not a department manager. Also, when nothing gets done, letting them know I was already logged into the Better Business Bureau ready to file my complaint and seek legal action was effective. Also, I think being polite and not losing my cool was effective. My father worked for Lowe's and I know this is not how they want customers treated. My advice is careful ordering, and always talk to the GM.

PLAINVIEW, NEW YORK -- I purchase custom cabinets from Lowe's and my son-in-law was going to install them. ** at the Plainview or Hicksville store was excellent. If it wasn't for him I would not have purchased the cabinets since I was looking for a different cabinet. He asked me questions and made lots of suggestions and that's how I purchased the beautiful cabinets. They arrived as planned in perfect condition. The granite was installed by Lowe's and again a perfect job and the granite was beautiful.

When you have informed and dedicated people working for you it makes the customer's purchase much more pleasant and the outcome is great. I am a completely satisfied customer and will continue to do business with Lowe's for other projects and other items. Keep up the good work and ** is someone to learn from.

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA -- We spent $12K with Lowe's; we wish we'd spent $15K elsewhere. At a glance, it is white and it smells new. The whole process is very time consuming. Multiple trips to clarify design "want and needs". Appointments are a must. They're hard to schedule, with Lowe's limited sales person availability. It took 3 times of taking the sales person/designer and physically pointing out, and ensuring her hand went on the same "style" sample of exactly what we wanted to get it right.

With very minute changes costs varied widely. Every visit was a different price and different "style". Drawers, shelves & Lazy Susan were added to the original order as requested (pointed out by the Lowe's salesperson in the catalog and added on the order screen), then secretly deleted to make the sale look desirable, cost wise. Now as the project nears an end, we are hit with the added costs for all the conveniently left out "needs" that we made clear.

They give you a pretty black and white print out of what the cabinets are supposed to look like, with a list of numbers, SKU codes and abbreviations you need design/sales software to decipher.

You show Lowe's what you want. You tell Lowe's what you want. Lowe's quotes everything you ask for with the cheapest cabinet version, the one that was never a consideration. And you can't tell the difference in the B&W graphic printout. When you catch the error the price changes only slightly, because that's when Lowe's secretly delete your "needs" to close the sale. (I guess we got lucky to notice the cabinet name not ringing any bells on the order date………………… it should have been blowing whistles and sounding alarms to get the hell out of the store.)

Lowe's sends out a "professional installer" to measure to ensure layout and functionality. Lowe's measures and just nods as you try to make sure they understand the layout. From the time the cabinets were purchased, Lowe's install department calls regularly with status updates to an annoying degree.

The same Lowe's measuring guy shows up to install the new cabinets. It looks like he's making progress daily. All day Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning until 11am, when he had enough time invested and everything that was shipped was screwed down. That's when the quick clean up is done and the even quicker caulk job. He asks how it looks.

We take him to the mudroom where the cabinet door won't open all the way because it hits the door knob leading to the garage. (There is a gap of 3&3/8" between the cabinet and the dryer plenty of room to have been installed 3" to the right and filler placed on the left.) The drawers won't slide out, and the measure guy says "all you need to do is go to Lowe's buy a different style door knob". We ask him if he is sure he is done. He assures us he is. He quickly exits.

Well, Lowe's annoying status phone calls abruptly stop. No call to check on how we think the install turned out. After two messages and three calls we get the Lowe's install manager who says "no problem we'll take care of everything, just fax me a punch list". Days go by, no word.

Then the Lowe's salesperson calls Friday afternoon to place all the change orders (additional hidden charges). She says she left out the "need" items to keep it in our budget (yeah right). The one we didn't have when we started. Who sells a 7' tall stacked pantry cabinet, next to the fridge with no shelves or drawers, save the one where the top cabinet sits on the bottom cabinet? No room for a broom.

Well don't think the cabinet door hitting the garage door knob was the only install problem. His punch list was a page long. Issues ranging from pencil marks everywhere. (It just means along with going back to Lowe's, buying a new door knob, a Magic Eraser, extra wall primer and drywall mud), to unlevelled counter mounting surface (granite warranty? hmmn??), to 1/4" undercut trim pieces, cabinets screwed through the outside to the floor. Less than a quarter complete hap-hazard caulk job. The list goes on and on.

A visit is made to Lowe's to find out what the hold up is. Two weeks later the Lowe's measuring guy comes back (no punch list, and no idea what he is doing back) and proceeds to spend 3.5 hours caulking his 1/4" undercuts and screw holes through the sides of our brand new cabinets. The mudroom cabinet door still hits the garage door knob..."** I forgot. I haven't bought a new knob yet???" Well, anyway he leaves.

With the new smaller laid out cabinet scheme (why is it smaller??? Wasn't there a pre order measurement visit?) The walls, and the ceiling all along the white crown have a nice tan ring, then a caulk line (where the old cabinets used to be), then bright white ceiling. (So now the ceiling needs to be scraped and re-sprayed.... I used to wonder how people were always going over budget...now I know.) The trim...some is real wood painted white, some is synthetic particle board with just primer, then there's the trim that just missing. Fillers are tight at the top and out on the bottom a 1/4".

The Lowe's sales person added a cookie sheet cabinet to the left of the dishwasher to balance out the corner cabinet on the right of the sink (not our “want or need”, there is a cookie sheet drawer under the wall oven). The salesperson made certain, we knew we couldn't increase our stovetop dimension but…….. the one thing, the installer thought to mention, when he was done, was the surprising result: an opening for less than a 28” custom single sink.

It's been weeks now since the Lowe's installation started and we've no idea when Lowe's will be finished. Our credit card company quickly credited our account upon dispute against Lowe's. Maybe if we're lucky…. a Lowe's supervisor might come out in the next week or two. We're feeling we'll be paying someone else to finish, and settling with our credit card company.

We're just glad we didn't write a check. Lowe's wants all their money upfront. Don't forget the headaches from cabinet off-gassing. But it doesn't matter that the cabinets shipped before the paint was dry. Delivered in 2 weeks from order date. Maybe that's why the paint is missing from many doors.

I placed an order for custom kitchen cabinets with Lowe's - they made many, many, mistakes - through multiple redesigns (after initial order), delivery of wrong cabinets, etc. Delayed my new house construction which during this time the builder abandoned. I am suing Lowe's for breach of contract and fraud as I have heard this happens many many times. This is a very expensive and long-term venture. Would love to have seen a class action suit against Lowe's to stop them from selling something they clearly can't deliver.

LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA -- I purchased $11,000 worth of kitchen cabinet installation service from Lowe's on 4/5/2008. There was a rebate program that ran from 3/3/08 through 4/6/08. I mailed in the gift card request AND Lowe's receipt on 5/1/2008. The rebate form stated that I would receive my $750 gift card within 6-8 weeks. Well, I never received it. When I contacted the Lowe's rebate center and sent them a copy of my form and receipt on 7/21/2008 they said the rebate period had expired and refused to give me my gift card.

They also said that mail occasionally gets lost and they are unable to process my request. This is not the end. I will pursue other avenues to obtain my gift card. I suggest anyone purchasing anything from Lowe's that has a rebate to get the rebate at the time of the purchase. Lowe's rebate center SUCKS! They have lost another LOYAL customer.

SEDALIA, MISSOURI -- We were ready to remodel our kitchen at our lake home 2 hours away from where we live in Kansas City. Very excited we measured our existing kitchen footprint and went to our awesome Lowe's store near our city home. After much work with a very competent cabinet salesperson, we were ready to go--or not. When we went to place the order with this wonderful salesperson who had worked with us so diligently we were told Lowe's has a strict policy of store proximity to the installation, and as a result we had to work with the Lowe's store closest to our lake home.

So we took our designs to a very lucky Lowe's salesperson at the store closest to our lake home (we ordered over $10,000 of product); all she had to do was order the product and schedule our installation. It took us 3 different trips, 2 hours away, to go back so she could learn their ordering system; she continually said "can't do this, we don't do none of these here..." We should have run fast. Instead, we weighed our options and remembering our wonderful Lowe's experience in Kansas City decided to give the Sedalia store a try.

8 weeks later, I have half of a kitchen installed, a store salesperson who refuses to call us back, and no kitchen countertops (only to find out from the countertop company that the salesperson at Lowe's didn't give them the order until yesterday, when we were assured it was done weeks ago.) The salesperson will sometimes have the unfortunate luck of actually answering the phone when my husband or I call, only to turn around and literally hang up on us or say "I can't talk I have a customer."

We never get a returned phone call. I called Robert Niblock's office today (CEO of Lowe's) and actually spoke with a reasonably educated, polite, customer focused person on the phone who agreed to help us. We are waiting to hear back, meanwhile I have $10,000 invested in cabinetry that is half finished, no countertops for what appear to be weeks to come, and the Sedalia, Missouri Lowe's store refuses to deal with us in any way. RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN AWAY FROM THAT STORE AND ITS KITCHEN CABINET EXPERTISE, they have none!

If we had it to do over we would have had a custom cabinet maker do the cabinets as so many people recommended we do. We have signs all over our street at the lake house warning people against doing business with the Sedalia Lowe's store, and are actively telling our many friends who are rehabbing homes in the Lake of the Ozarks area to pursue any other alternative than the Lowe's store in Sedalia. Oh, and three of our neighbors at the lake are lawyers... who at the very least are assisting us in our complaint to the Attorney General's office, and perhaps pursue further action against the Lowe's in Sedalia, Missouri.

FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS -- My husband and I recently moved and we purchased a home that needed some updating so we decided to give Lowe's a try. (we previously had used Home Depot to do our last kitchen with ZERO problems but did not like the nearby HD store and loved the look and choices at Lowe's.) At first things went rather slow, but we felt we were partially to blame as we changed our plans a few times. It took nearly 4 weeks to get a final plan drawn. However, once we finally ordered the cabinets and they were delivered (took another 4 weeks) is when the problems started.

The cabinets were delivered and the store was informed of the delivery day. I again confirmed delivery once received. It took a week for the installers to call and schedule an appointment to inspect the order. When I threatened to go to another installer, the installer was there the next day. When all boxes were opened, one cabinet was cracked and unusable, one was the wrong cabinet completely, and one was the wrong measurement. They all had to be reordered--2-3 weeks, rush delivery. (now remember, I have NO kitchen by now as it was all removed for new install)

Next was the counter top. We wanted to go with the Zodiac Quartz. Three days after partial cabinet install a guy shows up to measure. He took measurements I could have taken and given over the phone. Two days goes by and Lowe's calls to set up the appointment for making a template--for the NEXT week. AND they tell me it will be 6 WEEKS before the counter top is back and then another week (?) before it can be installed. And only then can the rest of my cabinets be installed because some of the uppers sit on the countertop.

At this point, they have delayed my kitchen install by 6-8 weeks. And of course, I have been bumped off my painter and electrician's schedule as they have other work to do which means, I will be behind even longer once they can get me back on schedule.

I found a local store that carried the Quartz and although they were slightly higher, they could have it templated and done in 7-10 days, just about the time my cabinets come. Like I said, I have done a kitchen with HD and they were MUCH more on top of things, MUCH more professional, and MUCH more satisfactory all around. I will not buy one more thing from Lowe's. Ever.

COLUMBUS, OHIO -- I'll never buy from Lowe's again. Simple thing really. Change the Oven Cabinet, add an island in my kitchen, and replace the countertops.

Bought in December before Christmas 2005. TO DATE, the following has occurred: Wrong Cabinet was ordered and delivered. Installer found out when it was sent to the house to be installed. All the trim was wrong. All of this and the cabinet had to be reordered.

Cabinets had to be "levelled" to install countertops. Turns out the Countertop folks, who know what is needed, aren't 'authorized' to touch cabinets... didn't realize I was dealing with a "union shop" but the contracts with their installers stipulate this. Lowe's install folks take NO responsibility or oversight of the project even though I'm spending thousands of dollars with them.

We've had cut up countertops for weeks, we have had to find two additional contractors for work, including an electrician which Lowe's won't recommend (not sure I'd want them too frankly), and it's just nightmare after nightmare. We're not done with the project yet so I'm sure there will be more to come. Bypass these folks... I have no idea if Home Depot is any better. Perhaps it's really time to go back to specialists who stand behind their work rather than the "home disimprovement" stores.... I'm thinking that was my biggest mistake.

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA -- "You have a bad attitude," said the Manager of Lowe's Home Improvement of Savannah when my business partner called to complain that her cabinets had not only been ordered incorrectly, but the correct parts were not ordered for another month after they were notified.

Her story is common enough. My wife and I placed our cabinet order on July 20th of this year. Today is October 24th and we have learned this morning that the Lowe's "Specialist" (i.e., ability to read and write on a 6th grade level) ordered the wrong parts for the second time. Furthermore, we also learned that an additional order we placed over a month ago was never ordered at all.

And finally, a MD friend of ours ordered cabinets from Lowe's (Beaufort, SC) in June of 2005. When they arrived six weeks later he opened the boxes to find he had been sent some other poor victim's cabinets. His cabinets were MIA. When ** called to complain the Specialist told him the cabinets would have to be reordered from scratch - another six weeks at best. He laughed and told them to come get the wrong cabinets refund his $16,000. He is currently pursuing the matter through the BBB.

I write this review to help other people. So far I have yet to meet one person that ordered cabinets from Lowe's Home Improvement and had a positive experience. Generally, you will save a little money buying from a large chain, but in the end the service and follow up will be so poor that you would have gladly paid twice the amount just to have cabinets. Keep in mind (regardless of what the Specialists tell you), if the project goes smoothly you are looking at two to three months from start to finish. And this is for a smooth project... I read one review where the customer had no cabinets eight months after making a $13,000+ payment to Lowe's (So. Calif.).

One thing we all laugh about... you will NEVER get a call from Lowe's when your project is complete to ask if you were satisfied. You won't be and they know it already.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA -- I will try to shorten this as much as I can. My husband and I decided to redo our kitchen. We took out a home equity loan so we could pay for this. We decided on "diamond" brand. They were rated #3 on Consumer Reports and Lowe's is the only company in Sacramento that carries them. We met with the "kitchen specialist" on 4/16/05. We went over some things and paid the $70 measuring fee and made the appointment. I took half the day off from work just to get home and have a message saying ** (k/s) called in sick so we would have to reschedule.

I called and asked if anyone else could do the measurement because I took the time off work so I would be home. They told me no, so I rescheduled. I should have known then that that was a bad sign. On 5/14/05 we paid (in cash) $13,918.32 for our cabinets. ** the so called specialist (joke) told us not to tear out our kitchen until we receive a phone call about a week before the new items would be delivered.

On 6/6 I received a call from ** trucking saying my items were in and they were going to deliver them the next day. I told the women that we were told we would get about a week's notice before delivery. She said they would have a truck in my area and they would be coming and someone had to be there to receive them. We do not have a garage so they put them in the backyard. Well just my luck it rained that night and my husband and I were up at 4 am trying to get as many as we could in the house. I was so upset I couldn't go to work that day I was trying to get all the cabs. out of their boxes to make sure they were OK.

I called ** that morning to let her know. I looked over the packing slip and saw that the trucking company was located in Sacto. so they could have held on to them for a couple of days so we could be ready, also the slip said the truck was in 2 accidents. I told her all of this and she said she was sorry and gave me the contractor's phone # so that I could set an appt. with him to come and inspect them.

The contractor ** and 2 other men started on 6/21. He said he had to leave at 10:30 to pick up his kids. If we had known that they were only going to work for a few hours my husband wouldn't have taken a whole day off, also on the first day one of his workers cut the molding wrong so ** said he would let ** know so she could reorder. He said she was in computer training all week but would leave her a message. I called her on Sat. and she was at lunch. I left a message for her to call me and she didn't.

I called her Sun. and she said she was with a customer but she got **'s message and place the order first thing Mon. morning. I was off work that day so I decided to go in and talk to her in person, come to find out she didn't work again until Wed. I told ** another (k/s) all the problems that I was having with the contractor and her not returning my calls. Long story short it is now 9/30 my kitchen still is not done!

I wrote a letter to the corporate office sent e-mails talked to 4 different store (shift) managers trying to get to the head person in charge. On 9/6 ** came over with a new contractor to see if he could fix all the mistakes that the other contractor made. They talked about patching holes and covering mistakes with skins. I told her if they were not going to replace the product that I wanted part of my money back. She told me to call her the next day and let her know how much I wanted, only after that did the store manager speak to me. So now we are waiting for new cabinets to come in.

I decided to check the new contractor's license and it checked out OK. I checked on the first contractor's and found out that his license had been suspended and he received a new one under a business name that he created. The website also lets you check on their employees but he was the only person with a license. I called and spoke to the California state board and come to find out he is the ONLY person that should have been doing work in my home. He worked the first day, the rest of the time he had a couple of other guys (I did not get there names) and ** doing the work.

Well according to the state board as of 9/2004 ** does not have a license and ** has no employees listed and holds no insurance so they said that he should have no one working with him. I called ** (store manager) at Lowe's to inform him that they are having an un-licensed contractor work for them. He said he would look into it (ya right!) I also called their customer care service to let them know that they are false advertising and that I have a signed contract stating that my kitchen was supposed to be done 7/30.

I have been lied to, put of and am out over $15,000.00 (including counter tops, handles and pulls) and my kitchen is not done. I have two kids. We have no kitchen floor just the sub-floor because we cannot put that in until the rest of the work is done. My advice is to NEVER shop at Lowe's. They have the worst customer service I have ever seen!!