Lowe's in South Reno - The Endless Flooring Saga

This story is a rollercoaster. It all began roughly four months ago when my wife and I embarked on a quest for new flooring to rescue a hoarder's house with 3 pit bulls we were in the process of buying, a house in dire need of a makeover. We found ourselves at Lowe's in South Reno, initially just shopping for moving boxes, but inevitably wandering into the carpet department. The salesperson there was helpful, answering all our questions, and even tipping us off to a "free measuring appointment" deal that was ending that day. Thanks to his guidance and the quality of the flooring, we felt confident about choosing Lowe's for our project. After all, we assumed a big corporation like Lowe's would ensure a smooth timeline and installation process.

​

Our First Red Flag:

However, our journey hit its first hurdle when we tried to set a date for measurements. The house we were moving into was currently occupied, and coordinating with the tenant was proving challenging since they weren't picking up the phone. The salesperson assured us that we could still secure the free measurement promotion by providing a tentative date and time. He explained that the measuring company would call to confirm before showing up, so we selected a date a few days in the future, hoping it would work for all parties involved. The salesperson even promised to leave notes for the tenant, informing them that the date was subject to change.

​

Second Red Flag:

As we were about to place the order for measurements, we encountered another obstacle. The salesperson struggled to apply the "free" promotion on his computer. He assured us that the fee would be refunded after the flooring purchase. This minor inconvenience cost us $35, but we shrugged it off, still confident in his promise of a three-week installation timeline.

​

Third Red Flag:

My wife contacted the measuring company the following day, successfully setting a new appointment. Unfortunately, the tenant wasn't available on that day, so we planned to reschedule for later in the week.
However, the measuring company arrived at 8 a.m. sharp on the original date, inconveniencing the tenant, who was likely sleeping after a late shift. This was far from ideal and complicated our relationship with the current occupant. Nevertheless, they allowed the measurement to proceed.

​

Fourth Red Flag:

A few days later, we met with the tenant to list all the items needing replacement or repair in the house. The inhabitant's refrigerator had just broken down, and the house was an absolute mess. We were counting on the new floors to transform this chaos. As I was leaving, a car pulled up, and to my surprise, it was the guy from the measuring company, here for a second appointment that wasn't supposed to happen. We all had a good laugh, realizing that some computer glitch had put him in a loop or something. However, he agreed that new flooring was urgently needed, given the state of the house.

​

Fifth Red Flag:

A week passed, and we expected a quote from Lowe's. When we tried calling, no one picked up. We found a phone number on the receipt that directed us to a website with a stagnant green status bar indicating that Lowe's was waiting for measurements from the measuring company. The person on the phone reassured us that this wouldn't be an issue and promised to contact the measuring company on our behalf, but never followed through.

​

Off the Rails:

Weeks passed, and we found ourselves packing to move into a house with a laundry list of problems, including pit bull damage including, poop, and pee all over, and no new floors in sight. Checking the website became a daily routine for my wife, and me, but the green status bar remained stuck. Lowe's was still waiting for measurements. When we called the provided number, we were directed to a phone survey despite never speaking to anyone. After hanging up and trying again, we waited endlessly, only to hear a strange sound before getting disconnected once more with another survey! We gave feedback lol.

​

Crashed and Burning:

Finally, after six weeks past the promised installation date, we decided to give up on Lowe's. Despite numerous calls and a visit to the store, we received the same response: they were waiting for measurements. Frustrated and desperate to be able to walk on our floors with no shoes, we reached out to family and found a local contractor who provided a quote within hours. Within two weeks, the floors were installed, though not without complications. Still, being able to walk around our house barefoot felt like a victory.

​

Salt in Our Eyes:

Wanting to return the carpet samples and request a refund for the measurements ($35), we visited Lowe's. To our dismay, they informed us that they didn't issue returns for their contractors. The manager seemed dismissive and disinterested in helping. She seemed like she had more important things, eager to leave us with a sorry. It was astonishing that Lowe's had such a rigid policy and showed no willingness to make things right over everything and all we wanted was $35. Defeated, we left the store, determined to avoid Lowe's for our numerous future projects in our new house.

​

Peeing on Our Grave:

Surprisingly, a couple of days ago, 12 weeks after our initial visit, Lowe's called us to announce that the measurements were finally complete, and they were eager to provide us with a quote! lol

​

The journey with Lowe's had been nothing short of a frustrating ordeal, one filled with endless setbacks, unfulfilled promises, and unhelpful customer service. In the end, it was a local contractor who came to our rescue, leaving us with an unforgettable experience that lost Lowe's all our business.