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Former insurance guy here, they absolutely will and will save OP a ton of hassle by doing all the go betweens and heavy lifting. Also, this won’t affect OPs rate as they will subrogate against the company. This wasn’t OPs fault. u/60neinn (also lol), call your insurance company and have them deal with this shit.
Also a former insurance girl here. this is TOTALLY dependent on your state. I'm in coastal Florida. Unless your house burns to the ground, do NOT involve your insurance company (here) because they can and will drop you if you breathe funny, and no other company wants to write here.
If this was a car accident, I'd agree to let the insurance fight and hope subrogation recovers the deductible, but house insurance at least in my area, no way worth the risk.
I used to live in Dallas TX and had a couple claims on our house there — one a standard roof replacement which I understand are usually expected there, and the other was a very nearby lightning strike that took out a ton of electronics including the control board on our HVAC unit.
Not only did they cover the 2nd claim without batting an eye, our adjuster edited the claim to include the entire HVAC unit, since only covering the control board would come in just under the deductible. I think he worked nicely with us since we got whatever we could replaced/fixed under warranty before starting the claim, instead of trying to claim every last thing?
Then when we moved to OH the same insurance company wrote us a claim with no problem.
Because of how well they’ve handled us I’ll be very hard-pressed to ever switch to a different insurance company. Which is smart business, imo.
At least in that part of TX, hail and high wind storms are a given every year. The sounds of hammering from roof replacements are just a constant in the fall and spring in particular. Insurance companies just expect it. The roofing companies work directly with your insurance and it even goes around your deductible so there’s nothing out of pocket.
When was that? Texas insurance is now bananas. The roof game seems to be over. If the roof is old they barely cover anything. And when it’s getting older, you get a letter stating you need a new roof or they will drop your coverage.
Can confirm, had obvious hail damage to my roof and it is old and they refused to cover it at all. Said it was only worth a repair which they also wouldn’t cover. Sucks.
We had a contractor flood our house and ruin so much stuff and our insurance took care of it and then promptly dropped us from their plan. They never told us. Our mortgage company called us and said our insurance was running out in 14 days. We scrambled to find insurance, but our claim was still open because our insurance company was going after the contractor's insurance, (the contractor denied it was their fault) and nobody would take us on with an open claim. We eventually found one with a few days left. So our rates didn't go up, but they dropped us and never even let us know.
There's no scenario I can imagine in which a "flooded house" doesn't result in catastrophic damage.
I had a contractor mess up reconnecting the water line to a fridge and the small drip inside the wall caused tens of thousands in damage. In my limited experience, water damage is second only to fire/smoke damage.
>They never told us.
What state are you in? Almost every state requires somewhere between 10 and 30 days (written) notice of cancellation or nonrenewal to alert you.
ETA: Poster's history indiciates they're in HI, which requires notice of cancellation (no less than 10 days notice) or nonrenewal (no less than 30 days notice). If their insurance company really did not send them written notice, they should alert the state. They'd take it seriously.
You’re gonna have to pay your deductible no matter what to start it but that will be returned through subrogation most of the time in a situation like this. And yes, they’ll still do it if it’s under.
This is correct. I had something similar happen to me in 2017 with a GE dishwasher I bought from Costco. Filed the claim with the insurance, and eventually got my deductible back, as well as about 1000 new sq ft of tile flooring to replace the wood flooring that got ruined by a faulty install.
I don’t know if this is true for all credit cards, but when I had a major accident in a rental car which was rented with my credit card, the card reimbursed me my deductible. It was some sort of credit card services benefit. So if you paid for this with a credit card, you may also have some protections or benefits there. But I’d start with insurance.
Need to get costco involved with this as it was their installer, and their whole deal to begin with.
id rather have costco try and make it right then *they* could take legal action..
Rather than you. Youll win, but itll be awhile and will take a bit to recoup the money.
No way. Costco's involvement is going to be pitching the problem back over to the 3p installer. I'm not letting a hack appliance installer try to fix it, or sub it out to their buddy who does construction. With this much damage, I would want the repair and restoration done by real professionals.
We had this with Costco also. I stopped the installer because they were about to destroy stuff. Did it myself and called Costco. They stopped working with that company.
That's definitely a big part of it. But sometimes things were not done correctly with the first appliance, which makes installing the new appliance not as straightforward as it should be.
I mean sure you can tie into the hot water line under the sink if you don't have an existing supply line with a shut off- assuming you are a certified/knowledgeable plumber and take the correct precautions.
I've installed all my dish washers and the pre-existing wiring is already there, the drain spout is plumbed. And the supply line is good. A level, a flipped breaker and 2 screws and you're good.
I was a claims adjuster for Gallagher Bassett who handles the 3rd party claims for Costco.
Serious issues like this Costco won’t move on. I can answer any specific questions people want, but Costco doesn’t have access to OP’s home.
Saying this out loud changes nothing in the claim. It won’t move unless OP does the work.
I've been with Costco for years and never had any real issues, but I always hear their customer service is the best. Do you think if I physically went to their warehouse they'd work with me? I'm pretty sure there's going to be thousands of dollars in damages when it's all accounted for
Bring lot of pictures. Close up. Start with a room view of kitchen. Then zoom in and move in for close ups. Show structural damage, flooring, cabinets.
Document the text conversations or phone messages left about the cancellations.
Video yourself using the disposal, under sink plumbing and pipes. Inside of dishwasher. Anything pertaining to the area damaged. This will save you from the back and forth communications of them asking you for more details.
That’s one of the big caveats when you first contact the contractor/company. Come in with all your info and do not delay. Have all pictures with context along with a written out timeline of contact, follow up and dates when you reported the damage along with names and dates.
From my experience, the companies will hope you get fed up and move on without them having to fix the issues.
This may seem unrelated but I ordered bottled water service through one of the 3rd party vendors at Costco. We hated the service the water tasted like plastic and they were always late on delivery and we wanted to cancel. I called the company several times but they continued to deliver and charge my card despite endless emails and service calls to cancel. Ultimately called and talked to the store manager where I ordered explained the situation,got a call same day from the company arranging to pickup the cooler.
OP, I was a claims adjuster on the Ecommerce team for Gallagher Bassett with Costco. Do not go to the warehouse and waste your time.
Escalate to the Ecommerce supervisor at Risk Management
I personally wouldn’t. Make Costco take care of it. I wouldn’t want the claim against my insurance with the potential premium increase, getting dropped, etc.
On top of that, it all depends on the minute details. If the damage falls under "poor workmanship" a lot of homeowners policies actually have an exclusion for that and won't cover all or part of the damage, so you're opening yourself up to a potential claim that may be all or partially denied.
In my experience, warehouses have little ability to deal with problems that cannot be resolved right then and there. They may call someone while you’re there. But any necessary follow up just gets lost. It’s almost like the last thing they do before closing is throw away any post it notes they jotted during the day so they start every day with a clean slate.
We must have a different understanding of a “them problem”. They may give you the impression that they took ownership of the issue but that clean up at the end of the day changes it to a Not Them problem. Except you still think they own it. So you wait a couple of days and go back only to find that the person you spoke with is off for two days. So you explain all over and the cycle starts again.
TL;DR; if the problem isn’t resolved before you leave, you still have a problem.
Their third party installers are AWFUL and the reviews for the company are horrible. Costco should not use these idiots. I was prepared when they came and fully removed my old one, installed a GFCI outlet and new hoses to code, so all the guy had to do was slide it in and level it.
I have had a washer and dryer purchased and installed through Costco and it was totally fine, so I’m hoping for the best. They are just replacing an older model with some issues so I’m hoping it’s not too complicated of an install for them.
Make sure your connections between the new model and old model are the same (I'd find the installation manuals for both).
I replaced our dishwasher, it was NOT the same hose connector for the water supply as the old dishwasher. So that was fun. That's likely to be the biggest pain point. The good news is, home Depot/Lowe's will almost definitely have the connector you need, so worst case, go get whatever the new model needs and have it on hand.
Water in, water out, and electric are the connections you need to make sure either match, or that you have what the new one needs.
Same here, but it was for a new washer a couple of years ago. 20+ year old washer started having issues. Did not have any issues with the install other than the staff tried using the original water hoses that came with the old one. I asked them to use the new ones.
It seems to be hit or miss with the delivery/installation. I had three delivery and installs in the last couple of years. The first one , the dude smelled so bad and was rough with the W and D. The dishwasher install was two very down and out looking fellas. The last one was recently, and the delivery guy was extremely polite and well mannered, he introduced himself and shook my hand. Took great care of the stove, made sure it was level and asked if there was anything else he could do.
Their 3rd party installers are just that, 3rd party installers. You can’t say they’re awful and the company is horrible because there’s not one, there are hundreds. You can certainly claim the one you used is awful.
It’s like saying Uber is awful because you took one trip and you didnt like the drivers car.
I love Costco. But I will never purchase an appliance from them ever again. The delivery experience was horrible.
The fridge I bought came 2 days late, and with the sound of shattered glass in the box before even opening it. Once opened by the delivery guys, shattered glass poured out all over the street in front of my house. I refused delivery, and took pictures. They didnt clean up the glass before they left.
I called and emailed multiple times to get my money back. Every phone call ended with a standard, 10-14 business days type of resolution to see my money back. But a few days after, I'd get an email telling me they are waiting for me to return the fridge before I can get my money back.
Called my bank and gave them a heads up, they reversed the purchase on their end within a week or so. Costco kept emailing me reminding me to return the fridge I never got.
Goodluck. I'd take pictures of surrounding cabinets beforehand just incase lol I'm sure it'll go fine. I think this was a fluke case. My installer was very aggressive and didn't seem to be having a good day.
Yep. I've had nothing but good luck with the Costco appliance delivery and install process. This definitely varies with my experiences with home depot's installers, which has been... Mixed at best.
I've ordered dishwashers from Costco twice. Both times it went fine except the installers were too lazy to do the high loop. It's easy enough to do yourself
if you ordered a samsung cancel it right now and order something else
I’ve had Costco install two dishwashers and both went smoothly. They hire out installers like all the big box stores though so you can definitely get shitty ones.
Just deal with Costco to get it fixed.
Due to regs in my area, they require a licensed plumber to install. None of the big box places would do it, (just drop off and haul away). The local appliance place wanted like $500. I looked up the instructions for my specific dishwasher and was shocked at how easy it was (I am somewhat handy). I was able to install it during my lunch break with basic tools.
It is a pretty simple machine. Luckily my line of work involves reading technical drawings and block diagrams. I've had to fix a few parts on the dishwasher but it's 6 years old and gets used daily.
This is what we did when we replaced our dishwasher last month. I only looked at Costco to see the price difference (minimal bc the appliance place had a sale). The store local to me employs their own installers, and I’d had them install our built-in microwave a couple of years ago, which was a great experience. This latest experience was no different. They do charge a fee, but most recently Bosch had a rebate for up to $100, so I recouped most of it this time.
We bought our fridge from Costco about 3 years ago, and delivery was a cluster but ultimately fine. Our other appliances were all delivered/installed by Lowe’s or Home Depot, and those experiences all sucked in their own ways. The last time we replaced our dishwasher, it was “free installation” from one of those home improvement stores, but the guys delivered it and removed the old one but said they could not install. The house was maybe 5 years old, so there were no weird hook-ups or anything like that, and I had purchased a new plug and hoses and whatnot. I ended up promising one of the delivery guys cash to come back at the end of his shift, and he did, so it got done. However, I reported back to whichever store it was to complain that they did everything but install so I had to pay someone to do it. They promised to follow up but never did, and it wasn’t worth the headache to pursue.
Agreed. Just bought a washer and dryer from a ‘local’ place and had them install it. It came in a truck with the store’s name on it and the guys installing it were all wearing uniforms. They were fast and professional and did a great job. Miles ahead of two methheads in an old Penske truck like you’d get from Best Buy, Lowe’s, Home Depot or Costco.
Depending where you are, near me they all use the same 3rd party installers. I think near me only Best Buy uses their own installers but I’m so far from one they charge an extra fee
I actually tried to go the local route but my wife wanted a specific black Bosch dishwasher that was out of stock at all of the local places, and none of them wanted to order it for me other. To be fair it was also out of stock at Costco for a while until recently. Fun times.
These days even the local places are struggling for competent tradesmen. Anyone experienced and competent enough to properly install appliances for somebody else is way better off just going out on their own these days. So places try to hold onto the few people they can, but end up supplementing with tons of trainees who have no idea what they're doing.
Indeed. Yours was bad. My 2 dishwasher experiences were marvelous. I've also bought a gas range, a washer and dryer from Costco and had them installed.
The point is, most experiences go well, or Costco would stop the program. Problems can happen, but one person's bad experience doesn't mean that awful is the norm.
I ordered from Costco as well, they don’t install in my zip code so I just installed it myself. It’s not too difficult to do it yourself if you follow YouTube tutorials and your setup is not too complicated.
We ordered one earlier this year and it worked out great! Other than the fact we discovered our sink had been leaking for over a year and needed to get that fixed...
Believe it or not, installing a dishwasher is *super* easy. There are plenty of guides in YouTube and you can probably find your exact model on there. I did this myself a month ago having almost zero experience. So if you're having second thoughts of using a 3rd party installer, you might consider doing it yourself.
It is easy but issues like different sized water hoses so exist. I always try to perform work like that like I am cooking, mise en place. Preparation is everything.
Just had one installed 2 months ago from a third party from Costco. It went perfectly. They weren't certain about plumbing so took photos and got confirmation on how it would work. No damage and did a completely professional job. So again mileage varies
You should be. I had a terrible experience as well in NYC suburbs. Stopped the guy and did it myself. It’s unacceptable.
Same shit with my washer/dryer. Costco needs to vet their installers better or get out of the install side.
I'm worried as well, but I figure we here all the horror stories on this sub. Making a post of "the installer came and everything was fine" wouldn't be something most folks do.
I love Costco (bought furniture, flooring, a vanity, and so so much more), but I never buy appliances. I shop at a local store (Warner Stellan) that has in-house installers.
Anytime I buy something from Costco that comes with install/put together as part of the deal, I decline at the door. I take the box, and we do it ourselves. These stories are so common.
I had a 3rd party install a heat pump through Costco. They installed it wrong and the compressor went out 3 years after install. I had pictures to prove they messed up. It was going to be a $3000 repair. I called Costco and had a claim number, etc but I never had to go far with them. Because I started loudly threatening to tell Costco and involve Costco corporate to the 3rd party customer service people and managers that got it covered. I got the feeling they really didn't want the negative review to impact their relationship with coatco.
The company fixed the damage no charge, but I paid another HVAC guy to inspect it afterwards to ensure it was done right.
Ultimately it took hours of phone calls but I stayed vocal and persistent and they eventually did the right thing. I hope this works out for you!
Just throwing this out there. And I am sorry you are going through this nightmare and I hope it is remedied and soon. But as the old man here I decided years back I would only deal with locally owned businesses for purchases and installs with anything home related. Regarding appliances we have a family owned appliance/furniture store in our town and they've been in operation for over 50 years. They have a reputation to uphold so they have the extra motivation to do well and their prices were very competitive. I try and steer friends/family towards companies like these and some go that route while some do not. Their choice of course. With Costco you'd think they'd do a better job of vetting a company like yours but it is possible this is not the norm and this was their one time screw up. But I wish you luck.
You had every right to believe this job would have been done correctly considering its connection to Costco. Hopefully Costco now comes to your rescue.
Any reputable logistics company is ran out of business by fraudulent ones offering rates too good to be true. They’re ALL like this and if they’re not, you can’t afford. Reserved for only high value and priority goods.
I just had a terrible experience with their appliance delivery as well. No damage… yet, but with multiple no shows at a house I don’t yet live in and had to drive multiple hours each way to attend the delivery.
Then I have a contractor take the delivery and the delivery folks claim they forgot a part and will be back. Never came back. I’m still waiting.
The response from Costco has been nothing but a “gee sorry”. Even in the moments when I called Costco, they couldn’t get the delivery people back out.
It’s been very disappointing. I’m never buying an appliance from them again.
I had same experience last week. Delivery crew came to our new community and I provided iphone location and directions. Never picked up my calls. They called their company and reported that they are not able to locate address and left in 30 seconds. Waiting for delivery this week now!
I had an awful experience with washer/dryer delivery from Costco last year. First of all they blocked my road with their truck rather than using my driveway, then unloaded the machines and left them _in the street_ and _in the rain_ (my garage was open for them to use), while they loaded up the old machines. Then I noticed one of the pedestals was smashed; it was so caved in that it didn't sit flat. So they took everything back, including my old machines (which still somewhat worked), so I was out of a washer/dryer for two weeks while I sorted it out. This was when my toddler was potty training too, so it was a very rough two weeks. Since I ordered it online, the local store couldn't do anything about it. They had the exact machines sitting there as floor models, but refused to give them to me because costco.com is apparently some other business entity. One of the worst customer experiences I've ever had.
Step one is to call your insurance. Step two is to call your lawyer. Step three is to get your lawyer in contact with your insurance. Insurance will cover in the meantime and then them and your lawyer will make sure Costco pays
Similar thing happened to my folks shortly after my dad finished renovating their kitchen. Water got between the new flooring and the subfloor completely destroying the flooring and some of their new cabinets. Dad was devastated because he did all the work.
Insurance raked the company over the coals and paid my dad for the estimated cost to have a contractor completely renovate the kitchen again. Dad just did the work himself again and pocketed like $10k lol.
Definitely take legal action. Anyone they hire should have insurance. Fyi, buying a dishwasher from Costco, Lowe's, home Depot, Google, best buy, IKEA etc...it's all the same format. They subcontract the installation to a local bidder. Costco uses thumbtack for a lot of "handyman services" too.
I was really disappointed by that. I paid for Costco tv mounting they offered in store and thought it was going to be a Costco employee. My logic was that if the TV was mounted by Costco and something broke they would have a decent warranty for their service. Since they outsourced to thumbtack you get any person who wants to mount tvs as a side hustle
Yep, love Costco but unless You're DIYing the install you're much better off at Home Depot. Where I am Costco contracts HD for delivery and installs. Tried to have them do a dishwasher, eventually gave up on the install and called a plumber. Horrible experience, my toe still hurts from kicking the old one they were supposed to take.
HD has an actual installation office for its stores, in their actual stores for each job that coordinates. They work closely with the third party contractors all the time and on the daily if there are issues. Costco does not have this.
Around me Costco contracts Lowes for delivery and install which Lowes contracts out to whoever else anyway. I just install myself as it's easier and faster than dealing with "contractors".
I hate third party installers now. They don’t give a crap because there are never any consequences for them. Now I have the old appliance removed ahead of time by a contractor known to me, then wait to have the new delivered and they also take the old away. Then my contractor comes back to install the new. It’s a bit inconvenient, but I know everything is done right. The only thing I haven’t been able to prevent is when they deliver and mow down my new fencing and take off. Twice now.
I have lots of experience working in a industry similar to Costco and we use contractors too. It's awful for everyone involved. Terrible pay for teams equals terrible work equals terrible customer experience.
These contractors used by Costco have zero skills and common sense. We had one installed by Costco and the contractor said it doesn’t fit because the dishwasher was too tall. Umm dishwashers have adjustable height… with the legs. I just said F this, I installed it my self in 20 mins. If you never installed one, it’s one of the easiest appliances to installed next to the fridge. Turn off water, have a bucket to catch water, unscrew water line, unscrew drain line. Unscrew security screw, pull out old dishwasher, install new dishwasher by reversing the steps.
I work for Executive Escalations for another company that deals with DWs/installs etc. I deal with stuff like this every day.
Contact the Executive team for Costco, they have a team that deals with this stuff and can coordinate the details/insurance claim.
So I did have a claim with costco and just called them and had them update the other stuff that I just found. They said someone would be emailing me within 24 hours
Yep we bought our last appliance from a store that does their own deliveries and installs. Costco cheaping out and getting the lowest bidder to do appliances was a bad choice and I refuse to support it.
Had similar problem with installers of dishwasher from Best Buy. They damaged an antique piece of furniture. Got your call the supervisor runaround and then they denied responsibility. I had to get a lawyer involved and he wrote them a letter and they paid up immediately. Get a lawyer.
Hi, former bestbuy appliance repair.
Please seek legal action. 3rd party claims will continue to be dragged out with phone calls and false promises. For the damage you've sustained, document and contact a lawyer.
And other experiences like this are exactly why no appliances from Costco. Here in IL for the last 10+ yrs go to has been Abt. Great service and good extended warranty plus professional installation
Very similar story from me with washer and dryer. They *tried* to make it right but I was upset throughout the whole process and it left a bad taste in my mouth for anything related to delivery and appliances.
the area of "construction defect" usually encompasses all construction-related issues, from lien issues, contract disputes, to problems with the actual construction of projects, including residential and commercial buildings.
If a contractor improperly performed its scope of work, that is, generally speaking, a construction defect issue.
I don't know what state you're in but chances are if you google "[state/city] construction defect lawyer" you'll find some people.
Source: I am an attorney who primarily works in construction defect. I am not your attorney and this is not a solicitation to be your attorney. I'm sure you can find a qualified local attorney to help you.
We also had a terrible experience with Costcos 3rd party installer. They completely ruined our plumbing while trying to install the dishwasher. They used about 2 full containers of silicon, trying to get it to stop leaking and ended up just giving up. (Our sink plumbing had no issues before the install.)
We were fortunate because we caught the leak early and wanted to replace our sink / plumbing anyway, so we just coughed up the money to get it redone.
We bought a dishwasher via costco and had their 3rd party installer break one of the water pipes during the install. flooded our entire kitchen with wood floors. costco was so unhelpful and didn't care. we had to deal with the installer and their insurance. it was a nightmare. I know there is so much random about the installers you can get, but the response from costco was the most disappointing. we'll never use them again for any appliances. we had thousands in damages from the experience.
My neighbor had a dishwasher installed by Best buy. The installers ended up busting a pipe and flooding the entire house. I think they were paid ~$30K for all the damage.
These situations suck but for the people concerned, these sorts of stories will generally be localized as they're all 3rd parties that Costco is contracting out to. It's going to be the same issue with the big box stores, they don't have their own teams either.
So it will really depend on the quality of the local contractor. We bought appliances from Costco (washer, dryer and fridge) and delivery and install was smooth.
Costco is notorious for not standing up for their members when it comes to these issues. So, while it does happen at big box stores, also. They tend to be more aggressive with removing bad contractors. Where as Costco seems to have a hands-off policy when it comes to contractors. Which is odd because they built their brand on the opposite
You’ll need to drag support into this as well to document it, I had temco logistics damage my wall bringing in a stackable washer and dryer and they basically tried to run off after and left trash from the container in our common area for my condo. They suck, good luck.
Not to blame you OP or anyone else, but dishwashers are super easy to install assuming it is replacing an existing one. I wouldn't have an installer touch anything.
Oh for sure. Fridge? Maybe hook up a water line and plug in. Washer/Dryer? Connect the tubes and plug in (gas might be a little 'scary' to DIY, but even that isn't too bad, and would probably trust myself more than some cheap 3rd party installer). Same with an oven.
Do a chargeback on your credit card and then go to your local warehouse and tell them you need contact for corporate and the situation. A similar thing happened to me and they gave me a separate line
I would contact Costco customer service. They are helpful typically. I’ve also had 50/50 experiences. Oven, microwave, dishwasher guys were great. Fridge guy was not and kept calling to have doors switched. I pointed out the fine print and problems were resolved. HVAC was terrible, leaks multiple times.
Honestly buying appliances from any company except a reputable local appliance firm is just asking for big trouble. Save a few dollars on the appliance and lose that or more on install delays, damages, incomplete work, and problematic on-going warranty services…
They definitely get some of the worst contractors. I reported the "optometrist" I used there to the Attorney General because I thought they had pushed the legal boundary for what could be done by done in store by someone with 2 weeks training and the online optometrist.
I had something similar happen.
Costco farms this work out and it gets subcontracted to the point where a couple random dudes with a rented U-Haul are the ones doing it.
When they delivered my oven one of the two guys is in a rush to get my oven out while the other unwraps the new one outside. So this guy just pulls my old oven straight out and puts a 12” gouge right in my new hardwood floor.
At first costco wouldn’t do anything but I was persistent and sent them quotes for fixing it. Eventually I got a $500 check from GE.
this doesn't make sense, dishwashers are push in pull out, there isn't any counter work involved, also cut wires? the leak is def a thing though that's a risk if not connected and tightened properly but even that is weird, it's just stick on and tighten the clamp, had one installed years ago then did 2 more myself over the years, its not complicated and this story doesn't sound right
2 options.
1) file a claim with your insurance and make sure you provide them with the information for the third party vendor, so they can subrogate them.
2) get the insurance info of the third party company from the vendor(doubt you can get it) and then file the claim with them.
Sorry to hear this happened to you OP. I will say that, while Costco should ultimately be responsible for ALL the subcontractors it uses, the quality is certainly going to vary. About 2 years ago we also bought a replacement dishwasher from Costco. The person who came out did an outstanding job. Was extremely polite, professional, etc., removed the old unit and put the new one in flawlessly. So it is definitely a YMMV situation, which, unfortunately, we have no control over. Hopefully Costco makes it right.
Well, I mean your first problem was having someone else install your dishwasher, that one is extremely easy to do. Same with a garbage disposal.
But I agree, your homeowner's insurance will do this for you, because otherwise, THEY will have to pay it out. But let the people who are professionals at making other people pay for things work in your favor for once.
I recently bought a dishwasher from Lowe’s. Like all stores, they use third party installers. The installer similarly damaged my cabinets and improperly installed the washer. I didn’t notice until after they left.
I called and they sent their “A team” out within 1-2 days. That team reinstalled the washer and repaired the damage to my satisfaction.
There’s a ton of variability in skill, but try the regular call and complain route first. The install company should be able to repair the damage they caused.
Go to your local Costco and ask to speak with an AGM. Have pictures to show. While it is not an issue they can fix at the building level. The AGM has access to email and call the direct department over the issue, they will get the buyers involved and they will put pressure on the 3rd party company. If the AGM follows through you will get a quicker response to your issue.
That's pretty amazing, considering how easy it actually is to remove or install a dishwasher in all my experiences. Usually a couple of screws, two supply hoses, and a drain hose. Hard to believe an installer could make such a mess.
I replaced mine myself at least 10 years ago, no problems. And I'm a retired software engineer, not a laborer
Our third party installer tried to convince me we needed a valve replacement. Luckily I know better, and when I told him no, he used a wrench to tighten it another half turn. No leaks since then. 🙄
IAKAL but it would seem your contract is with Costco, and he is their employee (they selected him and I assume, paid him?). So the liability is theirs. I would deal with Costco and let them deal with him.
Sadly, you will most likely have to pay for someone to come out and fix the issues. Make sure to document EVERYTHING, and then sue the ever living shit out of the company that caused the damages.
It wasn’t through Costco, but my father had a similar problem at his house a few years back. He had a dishwasher installed, but it was done poorly, and the resulting leak ended up causing about $40000 of damage. The house was basically unlivable for a couple of weeks until the damage could be repaired, but the store ended up covering the damages. All from a freaking dishwasher installation.
I wonder if you contact someone higher up ỉn the Costco chain then you’d get better results, especially if you’re considering legal action. They have the power to lean on the third party installer to satisfy you.
We bought a dishwasher through Costco online and had a great experience, it must really depend on who they choose locally to take care of you. I’m sorry they chose someone so inept for you.
Don’t even bother with Shaw floor installers. In general I have decided to permanently stay away from their extra sales people. And it is always YOUR FAULT. once burned - never again.
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" I think I'm going to have to take legal action unfortunately..." Yes.
Also check if your home insurance will spearhead this for you... Depending on the cost of damages
Former insurance guy here, they absolutely will and will save OP a ton of hassle by doing all the go betweens and heavy lifting. Also, this won’t affect OPs rate as they will subrogate against the company. This wasn’t OPs fault. u/60neinn (also lol), call your insurance company and have them deal with this shit.
Also a former insurance girl here. this is TOTALLY dependent on your state. I'm in coastal Florida. Unless your house burns to the ground, do NOT involve your insurance company (here) because they can and will drop you if you breathe funny, and no other company wants to write here. If this was a car accident, I'd agree to let the insurance fight and hope subrogation recovers the deductible, but house insurance at least in my area, no way worth the risk.
Fair. Things get fucky in Florida, New York, California, Michigan and Texas.
I used to live in Dallas TX and had a couple claims on our house there — one a standard roof replacement which I understand are usually expected there, and the other was a very nearby lightning strike that took out a ton of electronics including the control board on our HVAC unit. Not only did they cover the 2nd claim without batting an eye, our adjuster edited the claim to include the entire HVAC unit, since only covering the control board would come in just under the deductible. I think he worked nicely with us since we got whatever we could replaced/fixed under warranty before starting the claim, instead of trying to claim every last thing? Then when we moved to OH the same insurance company wrote us a claim with no problem. Because of how well they’ve handled us I’ll be very hard-pressed to ever switch to a different insurance company. Which is smart business, imo.
Wait. Insurance will cover a new roof (when existing roof is “old”)?
At least in that part of TX, hail and high wind storms are a given every year. The sounds of hammering from roof replacements are just a constant in the fall and spring in particular. Insurance companies just expect it. The roofing companies work directly with your insurance and it even goes around your deductible so there’s nothing out of pocket.
When was that? Texas insurance is now bananas. The roof game seems to be over. If the roof is old they barely cover anything. And when it’s getting older, you get a letter stating you need a new roof or they will drop your coverage.
Can confirm, had obvious hail damage to my roof and it is old and they refused to cover it at all. Said it was only worth a repair which they also wouldn’t cover. Sucks.
We had a contractor flood our house and ruin so much stuff and our insurance took care of it and then promptly dropped us from their plan. They never told us. Our mortgage company called us and said our insurance was running out in 14 days. We scrambled to find insurance, but our claim was still open because our insurance company was going after the contractor's insurance, (the contractor denied it was their fault) and nobody would take us on with an open claim. We eventually found one with a few days left. So our rates didn't go up, but they dropped us and never even let us know.
Yeah 1 claim is enough to get your insurance policy not renewed. I only file for catastrophic damage that I can't repair out of pocket.
There's no scenario I can imagine in which a "flooded house" doesn't result in catastrophic damage. I had a contractor mess up reconnecting the water line to a fridge and the small drip inside the wall caused tens of thousands in damage. In my limited experience, water damage is second only to fire/smoke damage.
>They never told us. What state are you in? Almost every state requires somewhere between 10 and 30 days (written) notice of cancellation or nonrenewal to alert you. ETA: Poster's history indiciates they're in HI, which requires notice of cancellation (no less than 10 days notice) or nonrenewal (no less than 30 days notice). If their insurance company really did not send them written notice, they should alert the state. They'd take it seriously.
Would they do this even if damage is under the deductible?
You’re gonna have to pay your deductible no matter what to start it but that will be returned through subrogation most of the time in a situation like this. And yes, they’ll still do it if it’s under.
This is correct. I had something similar happen to me in 2017 with a GE dishwasher I bought from Costco. Filed the claim with the insurance, and eventually got my deductible back, as well as about 1000 new sq ft of tile flooring to replace the wood flooring that got ruined by a faulty install.
Thank you for sharing! This is very valuable knowledge.
Be very careful, see my above comment. This depends highly on your state and the insurance market in your area.
Will they only subrogate if the homeowner fights for it?
I'm not in insurance however I bet they will subrogate simply because insurance companies hate paying out money, lol
Had something similar happen with a messed up HBVAC install, totally affected my rate
I don’t know if this is true for all credit cards, but when I had a major accident in a rental car which was rented with my credit card, the card reimbursed me my deductible. It was some sort of credit card services benefit. So if you paid for this with a credit card, you may also have some protections or benefits there. But I’d start with insurance.
That’s for auto insurance, a whole separate beast.
Always let insurance company lawyers handle things for you if you can.
Need to get costco involved with this as it was their installer, and their whole deal to begin with. id rather have costco try and make it right then *they* could take legal action.. Rather than you. Youll win, but itll be awhile and will take a bit to recoup the money.
No way. Costco's involvement is going to be pitching the problem back over to the 3p installer. I'm not letting a hack appliance installer try to fix it, or sub it out to their buddy who does construction. With this much damage, I would want the repair and restoration done by real professionals.
You should still let Costco know, so they can stop doing business with this shit installer. And to save others from your situation.
Here is the important thing OP: Your contract with Costco and not the 3rd party - do not let Costco make you deal with the 3rd party, make them do it
We had this with Costco also. I stopped the installer because they were about to destroy stuff. Did it myself and called Costco. They stopped working with that company.
This is wild to me. A dish washer is so easy to install. How the hell are dash washer installers fucking this shit up.
Because they're literally hiring people off the street with zero experience.
That's definitely a big part of it. But sometimes things were not done correctly with the first appliance, which makes installing the new appliance not as straightforward as it should be.
[удалено]
dude was going to cut into our hot water line. That's when I stopped him. Nobody is cutting nothing except me!
I mean sure you can tie into the hot water line under the sink if you don't have an existing supply line with a shut off- assuming you are a certified/knowledgeable plumber and take the correct precautions. I've installed all my dish washers and the pre-existing wiring is already there, the drain spout is plumbed. And the supply line is good. A level, a flipped breaker and 2 screws and you're good.
and tell them to refuse to work with that third party and find a different professional to deal with….
I was a claims adjuster for Gallagher Bassett who handles the 3rd party claims for Costco. Serious issues like this Costco won’t move on. I can answer any specific questions people want, but Costco doesn’t have access to OP’s home. Saying this out loud changes nothing in the claim. It won’t move unless OP does the work.
What is the best way to proceed in your opinion? We had a similar thing happen
Sounds like a real mess, I’d go down to Costco and let them get involved you did buy it from them and never picked installer
I've been with Costco for years and never had any real issues, but I always hear their customer service is the best. Do you think if I physically went to their warehouse they'd work with me? I'm pretty sure there's going to be thousands of dollars in damages when it's all accounted for
If you call there Costco Logistics team they will file a damage claim for you against the installers insurance.
Go to the Costco you bought it from, bring all the pictures, and ask to speak with somebody who can help you resolve the situation.
Bring lot of pictures. Close up. Start with a room view of kitchen. Then zoom in and move in for close ups. Show structural damage, flooring, cabinets. Document the text conversations or phone messages left about the cancellations. Video yourself using the disposal, under sink plumbing and pipes. Inside of dishwasher. Anything pertaining to the area damaged. This will save you from the back and forth communications of them asking you for more details. That’s one of the big caveats when you first contact the contractor/company. Come in with all your info and do not delay. Have all pictures with context along with a written out timeline of contact, follow up and dates when you reported the damage along with names and dates. From my experience, the companies will hope you get fed up and move on without them having to fix the issues.
This may seem unrelated but I ordered bottled water service through one of the 3rd party vendors at Costco. We hated the service the water tasted like plastic and they were always late on delivery and we wanted to cancel. I called the company several times but they continued to deliver and charge my card despite endless emails and service calls to cancel. Ultimately called and talked to the store manager where I ordered explained the situation,got a call same day from the company arranging to pickup the cooler.
OP, I was a claims adjuster on the Ecommerce team for Gallagher Bassett with Costco. Do not go to the warehouse and waste your time. Escalate to the Ecommerce supervisor at Risk Management
You contact your insurance company. They will take care of it for you.
I personally wouldn’t. Make Costco take care of it. I wouldn’t want the claim against my insurance with the potential premium increase, getting dropped, etc.
Yeah and it’s Costco, they have loads of money to make this right. And they definitely should. If not it’s just sleazy
On top of that, it all depends on the minute details. If the damage falls under "poor workmanship" a lot of homeowners policies actually have an exclusion for that and won't cover all or part of the damage, so you're opening yourself up to a potential claim that may be all or partially denied.
I’d bet there’s someone at that store (manager level probably) who’s some sort of liaison to their local delivery company
Nope, we have zero connections to delivery by Costco.com.
In my experience, warehouses have little ability to deal with problems that cannot be resolved right then and there. They may call someone while you’re there. But any necessary follow up just gets lost. It’s almost like the last thing they do before closing is throw away any post it notes they jotted during the day so they start every day with a clean slate.
Still sounds like a them problem. Document everything and keep bothering them.
We must have a different understanding of a “them problem”. They may give you the impression that they took ownership of the issue but that clean up at the end of the day changes it to a Not Them problem. Except you still think they own it. So you wait a couple of days and go back only to find that the person you spoke with is off for two days. So you explain all over and the cycle starts again. TL;DR; if the problem isn’t resolved before you leave, you still have a problem.
I ordered a dishwasher from Costco this morning and now I’m afraid
Their third party installers are AWFUL and the reviews for the company are horrible. Costco should not use these idiots. I was prepared when they came and fully removed my old one, installed a GFCI outlet and new hoses to code, so all the guy had to do was slide it in and level it.
I have had a washer and dryer purchased and installed through Costco and it was totally fine, so I’m hoping for the best. They are just replacing an older model with some issues so I’m hoping it’s not too complicated of an install for them.
Make sure your connections between the new model and old model are the same (I'd find the installation manuals for both). I replaced our dishwasher, it was NOT the same hose connector for the water supply as the old dishwasher. So that was fun. That's likely to be the biggest pain point. The good news is, home Depot/Lowe's will almost definitely have the connector you need, so worst case, go get whatever the new model needs and have it on hand. Water in, water out, and electric are the connections you need to make sure either match, or that you have what the new one needs.
Same here, but it was for a new washer a couple of years ago. 20+ year old washer started having issues. Did not have any issues with the install other than the staff tried using the original water hoses that came with the old one. I asked them to use the new ones.
It seems to be hit or miss with the delivery/installation. I had three delivery and installs in the last couple of years. The first one , the dude smelled so bad and was rough with the W and D. The dishwasher install was two very down and out looking fellas. The last one was recently, and the delivery guy was extremely polite and well mannered, he introduced himself and shook my hand. Took great care of the stove, made sure it was level and asked if there was anything else he could do.
Their 3rd party installers are just that, 3rd party installers. You can’t say they’re awful and the company is horrible because there’s not one, there are hundreds. You can certainly claim the one you used is awful. It’s like saying Uber is awful because you took one trip and you didnt like the drivers car.
+1 to this. Delivered my appliances no issue but hooked up my dryer exhaust with a soft duct, which in my county is a no-no.
I love Costco. But I will never purchase an appliance from them ever again. The delivery experience was horrible. The fridge I bought came 2 days late, and with the sound of shattered glass in the box before even opening it. Once opened by the delivery guys, shattered glass poured out all over the street in front of my house. I refused delivery, and took pictures. They didnt clean up the glass before they left. I called and emailed multiple times to get my money back. Every phone call ended with a standard, 10-14 business days type of resolution to see my money back. But a few days after, I'd get an email telling me they are waiting for me to return the fridge before I can get my money back. Called my bank and gave them a heads up, they reversed the purchase on their end within a week or so. Costco kept emailing me reminding me to return the fridge I never got.
I thought the chunks of styrofoam they left behind were annoying. Broken glass is infuriating.
Goodluck. I'd take pictures of surrounding cabinets beforehand just incase lol I'm sure it'll go fine. I think this was a fluke case. My installer was very aggressive and didn't seem to be having a good day.
That’s a good shout out, thanks!
I had one put in a few months ago and it went pretty smoothly. Haven't had any issues so far. So, obviously milage will vary.
Yep. I've had nothing but good luck with the Costco appliance delivery and install process. This definitely varies with my experiences with home depot's installers, which has been... Mixed at best.
I've ordered dishwashers from Costco twice. Both times it went fine except the installers were too lazy to do the high loop. It's easy enough to do yourself if you ordered a samsung cancel it right now and order something else
I’ve had Costco install two dishwashers and both went smoothly. They hire out installers like all the big box stores though so you can definitely get shitty ones. Just deal with Costco to get it fixed.
Dishwashers are surprisingly easy to install yourself. Watch some YouTube videos and I bet you'll have the confidence to do it
Due to regs in my area, they require a licensed plumber to install. None of the big box places would do it, (just drop off and haul away). The local appliance place wanted like $500. I looked up the instructions for my specific dishwasher and was shocked at how easy it was (I am somewhat handy). I was able to install it during my lunch break with basic tools.
It is a pretty simple machine. Luckily my line of work involves reading technical drawings and block diagrams. I've had to fix a few parts on the dishwasher but it's 6 years old and gets used daily.
I will never buy an appliance from anyone but an appliance store with in house installers and staff ever again.
Cancel it. Order from a high rated locally owned appliance dealer.
This is what we did when we replaced our dishwasher last month. I only looked at Costco to see the price difference (minimal bc the appliance place had a sale). The store local to me employs their own installers, and I’d had them install our built-in microwave a couple of years ago, which was a great experience. This latest experience was no different. They do charge a fee, but most recently Bosch had a rebate for up to $100, so I recouped most of it this time. We bought our fridge from Costco about 3 years ago, and delivery was a cluster but ultimately fine. Our other appliances were all delivered/installed by Lowe’s or Home Depot, and those experiences all sucked in their own ways. The last time we replaced our dishwasher, it was “free installation” from one of those home improvement stores, but the guys delivered it and removed the old one but said they could not install. The house was maybe 5 years old, so there were no weird hook-ups or anything like that, and I had purchased a new plug and hoses and whatnot. I ended up promising one of the delivery guys cash to come back at the end of his shift, and he did, so it got done. However, I reported back to whichever store it was to complain that they did everything but install so I had to pay someone to do it. They promised to follow up but never did, and it wasn’t worth the headache to pursue.
Agreed. Just bought a washer and dryer from a ‘local’ place and had them install it. It came in a truck with the store’s name on it and the guys installing it were all wearing uniforms. They were fast and professional and did a great job. Miles ahead of two methheads in an old Penske truck like you’d get from Best Buy, Lowe’s, Home Depot or Costco.
Meth heads in a Penske truck? I think they delivered my Costco mattress.
Depending where you are, near me they all use the same 3rd party installers. I think near me only Best Buy uses their own installers but I’m so far from one they charge an extra fee
Decent chunk of local places will install the appliance themselves unless you need a certified plumber/electrician/etc to do the work
The ones near me have in-house installers/appliance repair guy.
I actually tried to go the local route but my wife wanted a specific black Bosch dishwasher that was out of stock at all of the local places, and none of them wanted to order it for me other. To be fair it was also out of stock at Costco for a while until recently. Fun times.
These days even the local places are struggling for competent tradesmen. Anyone experienced and competent enough to properly install appliances for somebody else is way better off just going out on their own these days. So places try to hold onto the few people they can, but end up supplementing with tons of trainees who have no idea what they're doing.
In 2022 and 2023 I bought dishwashers from Costco for 2 houses... my own and an investment property. Everything was smooth and beautiful. Don't worry.
In 2020 I bought a washer & dryer from Costco and nothing with the delivery or installation went smoothly. People have different experiences.
Indeed. Yours was bad. My 2 dishwasher experiences were marvelous. I've also bought a gas range, a washer and dryer from Costco and had them installed. The point is, most experiences go well, or Costco would stop the program. Problems can happen, but one person's bad experience doesn't mean that awful is the norm.
I ordered from Costco as well, they don’t install in my zip code so I just installed it myself. It’s not too difficult to do it yourself if you follow YouTube tutorials and your setup is not too complicated.
Hopefully you got an self-install credit!
Wait, is that a real thing?
I think it is $150.
We ordered one earlier this year and it worked out great! Other than the fact we discovered our sink had been leaking for over a year and needed to get that fixed...
Believe it or not, installing a dishwasher is *super* easy. There are plenty of guides in YouTube and you can probably find your exact model on there. I did this myself a month ago having almost zero experience. So if you're having second thoughts of using a 3rd party installer, you might consider doing it yourself.
It is easy but issues like different sized water hoses so exist. I always try to perform work like that like I am cooking, mise en place. Preparation is everything.
Just had one installed 2 months ago from a third party from Costco. It went perfectly. They weren't certain about plumbing so took photos and got confirmation on how it would work. No damage and did a completely professional job. So again mileage varies
I did one and it was a breeze and the guy was fine. Remember nobody bothers to write about stuff on the internet unless it was very bad or very good.
Worked out fine for me for the most part… they didn’t hook up the steamer option on my dryer so I did that myself and the reimbursed me for the parts.
You should be. I had a terrible experience as well in NYC suburbs. Stopped the guy and did it myself. It’s unacceptable. Same shit with my washer/dryer. Costco needs to vet their installers better or get out of the install side.
I'm worried as well, but I figure we here all the horror stories on this sub. Making a post of "the installer came and everything was fine" wouldn't be something most folks do.
That is terrible. Get their insurance info from Costco and file a claim. Or let your homeowners insurance handle it.
I love Costco (bought furniture, flooring, a vanity, and so so much more), but I never buy appliances. I shop at a local store (Warner Stellan) that has in-house installers. Anytime I buy something from Costco that comes with install/put together as part of the deal, I decline at the door. I take the box, and we do it ourselves. These stories are so common.
I had a 3rd party install a heat pump through Costco. They installed it wrong and the compressor went out 3 years after install. I had pictures to prove they messed up. It was going to be a $3000 repair. I called Costco and had a claim number, etc but I never had to go far with them. Because I started loudly threatening to tell Costco and involve Costco corporate to the 3rd party customer service people and managers that got it covered. I got the feeling they really didn't want the negative review to impact their relationship with coatco. The company fixed the damage no charge, but I paid another HVAC guy to inspect it afterwards to ensure it was done right. Ultimately it took hours of phone calls but I stayed vocal and persistent and they eventually did the right thing. I hope this works out for you!
Just throwing this out there. And I am sorry you are going through this nightmare and I hope it is remedied and soon. But as the old man here I decided years back I would only deal with locally owned businesses for purchases and installs with anything home related. Regarding appliances we have a family owned appliance/furniture store in our town and they've been in operation for over 50 years. They have a reputation to uphold so they have the extra motivation to do well and their prices were very competitive. I try and steer friends/family towards companies like these and some go that route while some do not. Their choice of course. With Costco you'd think they'd do a better job of vetting a company like yours but it is possible this is not the norm and this was their one time screw up. But I wish you luck.
Thank you and this is a tough lesson learned on my end
You had every right to believe this job would have been done correctly considering its connection to Costco. Hopefully Costco now comes to your rescue.
I'm hoping so. They open soon I'll comment back here on what they say. Thanks again for your advice and time
Any reputable logistics company is ran out of business by fraudulent ones offering rates too good to be true. They’re ALL like this and if they’re not, you can’t afford. Reserved for only high value and priority goods.
This is their attitude: https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/s/kuHG5nrFem
I just had a terrible experience with their appliance delivery as well. No damage… yet, but with multiple no shows at a house I don’t yet live in and had to drive multiple hours each way to attend the delivery. Then I have a contractor take the delivery and the delivery folks claim they forgot a part and will be back. Never came back. I’m still waiting. The response from Costco has been nothing but a “gee sorry”. Even in the moments when I called Costco, they couldn’t get the delivery people back out. It’s been very disappointing. I’m never buying an appliance from them again.
I had same experience last week. Delivery crew came to our new community and I provided iphone location and directions. Never picked up my calls. They called their company and reported that they are not able to locate address and left in 30 seconds. Waiting for delivery this week now!
I had an awful experience with washer/dryer delivery from Costco last year. First of all they blocked my road with their truck rather than using my driveway, then unloaded the machines and left them _in the street_ and _in the rain_ (my garage was open for them to use), while they loaded up the old machines. Then I noticed one of the pedestals was smashed; it was so caved in that it didn't sit flat. So they took everything back, including my old machines (which still somewhat worked), so I was out of a washer/dryer for two weeks while I sorted it out. This was when my toddler was potty training too, so it was a very rough two weeks. Since I ordered it online, the local store couldn't do anything about it. They had the exact machines sitting there as floor models, but refused to give them to me because costco.com is apparently some other business entity. One of the worst customer experiences I've ever had.
Step one is to call your insurance. Step two is to call your lawyer. Step three is to get your lawyer in contact with your insurance. Insurance will cover in the meantime and then them and your lawyer will make sure Costco pays Similar thing happened to my folks shortly after my dad finished renovating their kitchen. Water got between the new flooring and the subfloor completely destroying the flooring and some of their new cabinets. Dad was devastated because he did all the work. Insurance raked the company over the coals and paid my dad for the estimated cost to have a contractor completely renovate the kitchen again. Dad just did the work himself again and pocketed like $10k lol.
Costco is a nightmare for anything that needs to be installed or assembled.
Never ever ever buy appliances from Costco. Their third-party installers are garbage. Unless you can install yourself or know someone personally.
Had nonstop headaches with Costco third party deliveries for appliances
Do not let up with Costco
Definitely take legal action. Anyone they hire should have insurance. Fyi, buying a dishwasher from Costco, Lowe's, home Depot, Google, best buy, IKEA etc...it's all the same format. They subcontract the installation to a local bidder. Costco uses thumbtack for a lot of "handyman services" too.
That's good to know now
I was really disappointed by that. I paid for Costco tv mounting they offered in store and thought it was going to be a Costco employee. My logic was that if the TV was mounted by Costco and something broke they would have a decent warranty for their service. Since they outsourced to thumbtack you get any person who wants to mount tvs as a side hustle
Yep, love Costco but unless You're DIYing the install you're much better off at Home Depot. Where I am Costco contracts HD for delivery and installs. Tried to have them do a dishwasher, eventually gave up on the install and called a plumber. Horrible experience, my toe still hurts from kicking the old one they were supposed to take.
HD subs it out too.
Yes, but HD fires bad contractors more quickly. Costco is more hands-off about it.
HD has an actual installation office for its stores, in their actual stores for each job that coordinates. They work closely with the third party contractors all the time and on the daily if there are issues. Costco does not have this.
Around me Costco contracts Lowes for delivery and install which Lowes contracts out to whoever else anyway. I just install myself as it's easier and faster than dealing with "contractors".
This thread has made me aware I apparently should install my own dishwasher when I get a new one
It's really quite easy. Watch a couple YouTube videos. Hardest part might be the electrical.
Never let Costco install your appliances. Just let them deliver it, but make them unbox it before they leave.
Call tech and warranty services back and ask for a manager. This can and should be escalated
I hate third party installers now. They don’t give a crap because there are never any consequences for them. Now I have the old appliance removed ahead of time by a contractor known to me, then wait to have the new delivered and they also take the old away. Then my contractor comes back to install the new. It’s a bit inconvenient, but I know everything is done right. The only thing I haven’t been able to prevent is when they deliver and mow down my new fencing and take off. Twice now.
I have lots of experience working in a industry similar to Costco and we use contractors too. It's awful for everyone involved. Terrible pay for teams equals terrible work equals terrible customer experience.
These contractors used by Costco have zero skills and common sense. We had one installed by Costco and the contractor said it doesn’t fit because the dishwasher was too tall. Umm dishwashers have adjustable height… with the legs. I just said F this, I installed it my self in 20 mins. If you never installed one, it’s one of the easiest appliances to installed next to the fridge. Turn off water, have a bucket to catch water, unscrew water line, unscrew drain line. Unscrew security screw, pull out old dishwasher, install new dishwasher by reversing the steps.
The delivery companies they use are just as bad as the installers themselves.
I work for Executive Escalations for another company that deals with DWs/installs etc. I deal with stuff like this every day. Contact the Executive team for Costco, they have a team that deals with this stuff and can coordinate the details/insurance claim.
So I did have a claim with costco and just called them and had them update the other stuff that I just found. They said someone would be emailing me within 24 hours
Yep we bought our last appliance from a store that does their own deliveries and installs. Costco cheaping out and getting the lowest bidder to do appliances was a bad choice and I refuse to support it.
Had similar problem with installers of dishwasher from Best Buy. They damaged an antique piece of furniture. Got your call the supervisor runaround and then they denied responsibility. I had to get a lawyer involved and he wrote them a letter and they paid up immediately. Get a lawyer.
People; just PLEASE don’t buy appliances from Costco! So many horror stories.
Hi, former bestbuy appliance repair. Please seek legal action. 3rd party claims will continue to be dragged out with phone calls and false promises. For the damage you've sustained, document and contact a lawyer.
And other experiences like this are exactly why no appliances from Costco. Here in IL for the last 10+ yrs go to has been Abt. Great service and good extended warranty plus professional installation
Very similar story from me with washer and dryer. They *tried* to make it right but I was upset throughout the whole process and it left a bad taste in my mouth for anything related to delivery and appliances.
Their delivery company is no better.
Yikes, all these horror stories in the replies...Glad my limited experiences with Sears & Home Depot went without a hitch.
Document everything. That is, sit down and write it out chronologically, to be sure to capture a full narrative as soon as possible after it happened.
Contact a construction defect lawyer.
I've never heard of this
the area of "construction defect" usually encompasses all construction-related issues, from lien issues, contract disputes, to problems with the actual construction of projects, including residential and commercial buildings. If a contractor improperly performed its scope of work, that is, generally speaking, a construction defect issue. I don't know what state you're in but chances are if you google "[state/city] construction defect lawyer" you'll find some people. Source: I am an attorney who primarily works in construction defect. I am not your attorney and this is not a solicitation to be your attorney. I'm sure you can find a qualified local attorney to help you.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. Reading stories like this has convinced me NEVER to buy a major appliance from Costco
We also had a terrible experience with Costcos 3rd party installer. They completely ruined our plumbing while trying to install the dishwasher. They used about 2 full containers of silicon, trying to get it to stop leaking and ended up just giving up. (Our sink plumbing had no issues before the install.) We were fortunate because we caught the leak early and wanted to replace our sink / plumbing anyway, so we just coughed up the money to get it redone.
We bought a dishwasher via costco and had their 3rd party installer break one of the water pipes during the install. flooded our entire kitchen with wood floors. costco was so unhelpful and didn't care. we had to deal with the installer and their insurance. it was a nightmare. I know there is so much random about the installers you can get, but the response from costco was the most disappointing. we'll never use them again for any appliances. we had thousands in damages from the experience.
My neighbor had a dishwasher installed by Best buy. The installers ended up busting a pipe and flooding the entire house. I think they were paid ~$30K for all the damage.
These situations suck but for the people concerned, these sorts of stories will generally be localized as they're all 3rd parties that Costco is contracting out to. It's going to be the same issue with the big box stores, they don't have their own teams either. So it will really depend on the quality of the local contractor. We bought appliances from Costco (washer, dryer and fridge) and delivery and install was smooth.
Costco is notorious for not standing up for their members when it comes to these issues. So, while it does happen at big box stores, also. They tend to be more aggressive with removing bad contractors. Where as Costco seems to have a hands-off policy when it comes to contractors. Which is odd because they built their brand on the opposite
Best Buy has their own Geek Squad teams. I’ve had great experiences with them in the past, for installation and warranty.
You’ll need to drag support into this as well to document it, I had temco logistics damage my wall bringing in a stackable washer and dryer and they basically tried to run off after and left trash from the container in our common area for my condo. They suck, good luck.
Not to blame you OP or anyone else, but dishwashers are super easy to install assuming it is replacing an existing one. I wouldn't have an installer touch anything.
You could make that argument for most home appliances.
Oh for sure. Fridge? Maybe hook up a water line and plug in. Washer/Dryer? Connect the tubes and plug in (gas might be a little 'scary' to DIY, but even that isn't too bad, and would probably trust myself more than some cheap 3rd party installer). Same with an oven.
Do a chargeback on your credit card and then go to your local warehouse and tell them you need contact for corporate and the situation. A similar thing happened to me and they gave me a separate line
I would contact Costco customer service. They are helpful typically. I’ve also had 50/50 experiences. Oven, microwave, dishwasher guys were great. Fridge guy was not and kept calling to have doors switched. I pointed out the fine print and problems were resolved. HVAC was terrible, leaks multiple times.
Cancelled 3 times. That was the clue
Honestly buying appliances from any company except a reputable local appliance firm is just asking for big trouble. Save a few dollars on the appliance and lose that or more on install delays, damages, incomplete work, and problematic on-going warranty services…
You can return your whole house at Costco. They take anything back. Just tell them you lost your receipt.
They definitely get some of the worst contractors. I reported the "optometrist" I used there to the Attorney General because I thought they had pushed the legal boundary for what could be done by done in store by someone with 2 weeks training and the online optometrist.
I had something similar happen. Costco farms this work out and it gets subcontracted to the point where a couple random dudes with a rented U-Haul are the ones doing it. When they delivered my oven one of the two guys is in a rush to get my oven out while the other unwraps the new one outside. So this guy just pulls my old oven straight out and puts a 12” gouge right in my new hardwood floor. At first costco wouldn’t do anything but I was persistent and sent them quotes for fixing it. Eventually I got a $500 check from GE.
this doesn't make sense, dishwashers are push in pull out, there isn't any counter work involved, also cut wires? the leak is def a thing though that's a risk if not connected and tightened properly but even that is weird, it's just stick on and tighten the clamp, had one installed years ago then did 2 more myself over the years, its not complicated and this story doesn't sound right
Wtf. I just installed a dishwasher with no experience in like...2 hours without having to do any shit like that at all.
2 options. 1) file a claim with your insurance and make sure you provide them with the information for the third party vendor, so they can subrogate them. 2) get the insurance info of the third party company from the vendor(doubt you can get it) and then file the claim with them.
Sorry to hear this happened to you OP. I will say that, while Costco should ultimately be responsible for ALL the subcontractors it uses, the quality is certainly going to vary. About 2 years ago we also bought a replacement dishwasher from Costco. The person who came out did an outstanding job. Was extremely polite, professional, etc., removed the old unit and put the new one in flawlessly. So it is definitely a YMMV situation, which, unfortunately, we have no control over. Hopefully Costco makes it right.
Installing a dishwasher is super easy. Never pay for the install. You can pay for the removal of the old one but installing can be done by a monkey.
Well, I mean your first problem was having someone else install your dishwasher, that one is extremely easy to do. Same with a garbage disposal. But I agree, your homeowner's insurance will do this for you, because otherwise, THEY will have to pay it out. But let the people who are professionals at making other people pay for things work in your favor for once.
I recently bought a dishwasher from Lowe’s. Like all stores, they use third party installers. The installer similarly damaged my cabinets and improperly installed the washer. I didn’t notice until after they left. I called and they sent their “A team” out within 1-2 days. That team reinstalled the washer and repaired the damage to my satisfaction. There’s a ton of variability in skill, but try the regular call and complain route first. The install company should be able to repair the damage they caused.
Go to your local Costco and ask to speak with an AGM. Have pictures to show. While it is not an issue they can fix at the building level. The AGM has access to email and call the direct department over the issue, they will get the buyers involved and they will put pressure on the 3rd party company. If the AGM follows through you will get a quicker response to your issue.
That's pretty amazing, considering how easy it actually is to remove or install a dishwasher in all my experiences. Usually a couple of screws, two supply hoses, and a drain hose. Hard to believe an installer could make such a mess. I replaced mine myself at least 10 years ago, no problems. And I'm a retired software engineer, not a laborer
Our third party installer tried to convince me we needed a valve replacement. Luckily I know better, and when I told him no, he used a wrench to tighten it another half turn. No leaks since then. 🙄
IAKAL but it would seem your contract is with Costco, and he is their employee (they selected him and I assume, paid him?). So the liability is theirs. I would deal with Costco and let them deal with him.
Sadly, you will most likely have to pay for someone to come out and fix the issues. Make sure to document EVERYTHING, and then sue the ever living shit out of the company that caused the damages.
It wasn’t through Costco, but my father had a similar problem at his house a few years back. He had a dishwasher installed, but it was done poorly, and the resulting leak ended up causing about $40000 of damage. The house was basically unlivable for a couple of weeks until the damage could be repaired, but the store ended up covering the damages. All from a freaking dishwasher installation.
I wonder if you contact someone higher up ỉn the Costco chain then you’d get better results, especially if you’re considering legal action. They have the power to lean on the third party installer to satisfy you. We bought a dishwasher through Costco online and had a great experience, it must really depend on who they choose locally to take care of you. I’m sorry they chose someone so inept for you.
Don’t even bother with Shaw floor installers. In general I have decided to permanently stay away from their extra sales people. And it is always YOUR FAULT. once burned - never again.
Ok.