What Lowes free delivery cost me.

[oosik]

I learned a lesson about twenty years ago. Having a ton of wood pellets loaded into the pickup. Driver kept going and crunched the tailgate. Fortunately - the insurance company for the business paid for a new tailgate.

Now if I go for a load of something with the pickup - remove the tailgate - leave it at home. The bumper will stop an aggressive forklift driver.

 

[5030]

Most box store ho-lo drivers are idiots anyway.

 

[jyoutz]

Fortunately, I'm still able to handle my own appliance pickup. Driveway's only ~100' or so no issue there, but my house is 1830s vintage, and the doorways are narrower than in modern homes. Bought a new refrigerator a couple years ago...if it had been 1/2" wider I don't think I could have gotten it in. As it was all doors (both on the house and fridge) had to be removed and still it just barely made it. Had a neighbor help me get it into the house only to discover the doorway to the kitchen was about an inch too narrow (and a very tight turn). Had to go the long way around which entailed moving the couch, several bookcases and a bunch of other furniture to get into the kitchen the back way. I can only imagine the minimum wage delivery guys dealing with that!

My experience with delivery and installation of appliances has been very positive…WHEN I buy these appliances from my local independent appliance store. Those people are professional and not minimum wage employees, and they do whatever it takes to do a proper and clean set up. I agree about the deliver experience when buying appliances from big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes. I quit buying appliances from those places. One thing I discovered about the local appliance stores is that they often carry better brands and have discounted last year’s models that cost no more than the models sold by box stores.

 

[m1garand762]

My parents just had the honey truck slide off there non snow covered gravel driveway and sink in the leech field. Honey pot company is paying for a repair to 2 lines or epa upgrade depending on what the health department says. They called the health department for guidance whereas my dad asked the guy if he was an idiot for potentially operating a can of worms

 

[ZTMAN]

I have never heard anyone say "I want to be an appliance delivery driver when I grow up."
Most of these guys are there for a pay check and move on when they can find a job that pays more.

 

[mrmikey]

I can only imagine the minimum wage delivery guys dealing with that!

They'd have no problem....they'd just push harder and something would give I'm sure

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Lowes delivered building material here last spring. They unloaded flatbed with their forklift and damaged forsythia bushes. I posted about it...some even said "they did me a favor" . I wasn't unreasonable and when I complained they sent me $200. In my case they used an independent delivery service, although wife said a Lowe's truck and delivery kid looked to be 18.
Hopefully with your driveway damage they will at least compensate for gravel!

 

[groundcover]

Fortunately, I'm still able to handle my own appliance pickup. Driveway's only ~100' or so no issue there, but my house is 1830s vintage, and the doorways are narrower than in modern homes. Bought a new refrigerator a couple years ago...if it had been 1/2" wider I don't think I could have gotten it in. As it was all doors (both on the house and fridge) had to be removed and still it just barely made it. Had a neighbor help me get it into the house only to discover the doorway to the kitchen was about an inch too narrow (and a very tight turn). Had to go the long way around which entailed moving the couch, several bookcases and a bunch of other furniture to get into the kitchen the back way. I can only imagine the minimum wage delivery guys dealing with that!

Down south they would just leave it on the porch !

 

[notaz3]

I've had a few companies state that they will not deliver to unpaved roads if the road isn't clear of all snow and/or mud. Liability issues.

 

[dj1701]

My experience with delivery and installation of appliances has been very positive…WHEN I buy these appliances from my local independent appliance store. Those people are professional and not minimum wage employees, and they do whatever it takes to do a proper and clean set up. I agree about the deliver experience when buying appliances from big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes. I quit buying appliances from those places. One thing I discovered about the local appliance stores is that they often carry better brands and have discounted last year’s models that cost no more than the models sold by box stores.

Our local appliance store does not sell anymore. They just do service calls. They can't compete with the bigger stores.

Lowes does not deliver from their local store. They subcontract to some ****ville company in Buffalo.

 

[Jstpssng]

I learned a lesson about twenty years ago. Having a ton of wood pellets loaded into the pickup. Driver kept going and crunched the tailgate. Fortunately - the insurance company for the business paid for a new tailgate.

Now if I go for a load of something with the pickup - remove the tailgate - leave it at home. The bumper will stop an aggressive forklift driver.

The landscaper I worked for years ago had a big payloader with a 1 yard bucket and absolutely no brakes. They sent me out to load somebody with mulch... it turns out they had one of those tiny kit trailers behind a mini van. I lifted the bucket and had them back the trailer underneath it... there was no way I'd try to drive up to in with no brakes.

 

[Tinhack]

Your driveway looks too narrow for a truck. If I was the driver, I would have left them curbside.

 

[oosik]

My driveway is plenty wide for any normal highway vehicle. However - it's just a whole lot easier for me and any delivery company to take delivery out where my driveway enters the county road. There is a very large pull off area and I can meet them with the tractor. I off-load - they go on their way - I toodle back home, down my driveway. This applies to any delivery when we have snow. In the summer - no problem. They come all the way - into my yard and big turn-a-round. I don't plow the turn-a-round in the winter.

 

[LHF2019]

It would be impossible to back that truck out of that driveway without getting the front tires off the sides.

Last thing you needed was a tow truck tearing up the rest of your driveway.

You'll remember this day all next Summer every time you mow.....

If that truck drove up the driveway then it can be backed down the driveway without falling off. A tow truck will not tear up a driveway if done properly and has down riggers. Had a semi stuck on my flat driveway because he melted in while unloading feed and I couldn't budge him. Ended up breaking the chain. Tow truck came and 10 minutes had him out and never left a mark on driveway.

Had a UPS driver get stuck on same flat driveway. After listening to him floor it for what seemed forever. I went out and talked him through the technique needed to get out and surprisingly he listened.

 

[ovrszd]

If that truck drove up the driveway then it can be backed down the driveway without falling off. A tow truck will not tear up a driveway if done properly and has down riggers. Had a semi stuck on my flat driveway because he melted in while unloading feed and I couldn't budge him. Ended up breaking the chain. Tow truck came and 10 minutes had him out and never left a mark on driveway.

Had a UPS driver get stuck on same flat driveway. After listening to him floor it for what seemed forever. I went out and talked him through the technique needed to get out and surprisingly he listened.

Wish you were the OP's neighbor, you could have guided him to a better solution.

 

[tradosaurus]

Big Brown got stuck in my driveway once. Slid off into the snow bank. I pulled them out with my tractor. My insurance man advised - be careful. You DO NOT have - a towing business nor insurance to cover towing accidents.

If it's on your property your homeowners better cover it. Doesn't matter what your tractor is being used for.

 

[dougtrr2]

Edit: a short account of...

The mower was in the front of the 30' box truck. I had to fork out the entire load with my 3016; the pallets were scattered x 50 linear yards along the gravel road...then I forked it all back in.

I worked receiving for a manufacturer. Had a truck come in with two pallets for us. One was in the back the other was in the nose of the truck. I would routinely move a few pallets to get at a load, but I refused this one. As I told the driver, once I start loading and unloading that freight I am liable. Deliver the rest and then come back. He got mad and said there would be a redelivery fee. I call the dispatcher and explained. No redelivery fee, since it was there problem.

I am glad it worked out for you. It is a pain to pull pallets back. I am assuming you didn't have a loading dock and had to use a chain.

Doug in SW IA

 

[Tinhack]

A few months ago, I had a flatbed 18-wheeler come up my driveway. The driver thought my dirt "road" was the way to my neighbor's turf business. I have about a 150' circular loop at the top he tried to navigate. He didn't get stuck, but he did take out some cactus and a few branches up and down the driveway. I let my neighbor know about it and he sent four of his workers over to clean up the mess. My driveway wasn't damaged, but I bet the truck cab sure was. The mesquite branches he took out were pretty high up.

 

[ovrszd]

A few months ago, I had a flatbed 18-wheeler come up my driveway. The driver thought my dirt "road" was the way to my neighbor's turf business. I have about a 150' circular loop at the top he tried to navigate. He didn't get stuck, but he did take out some cactus and a few branches up and down the driveway. I let my neighbor know about it and he sent four of his workers over to clean up the mess. My driveway wasn't damaged, but I bet the truck cab sure was. The mesquite branches he took out were pretty high up.

5 decades ago I was driving a freight company truck in KC. Had a residential delivery. Turned onto the street and stopped. Both sides lined with trees overhanging the street. Backed out and at next stop called the dispatcher and told him about it. He said "that's a first" "usually I get a driver calling me saying they've knocked down a bunch of tree limbs".

 

[woody]

we purchased new living room furniture and I told the saleslady my wife and could not move the old furniture and she said the delivery guys could move it so we made the order and then when the lady calls me to arrange delivery I told her my wife has had back surgery and I have a bad back as well she said just tell the guys in the truck. so the truck shows up and the guy informs me they can't move our old furniture and I said well take the new furniture back because we just can't do it, he said they are not supposed to but for fifty bucks in cash they would sit it the front yard so my wife convinced me to pay them and I told the guy I had a trailer hooked up to my tractor would they just sit the stuff on it so I could park it in my shop out of the weather and he said for fifty more dollars they would I said no and they sit the couch with in 1 foot of my trailer had to wait on my grandson to get off of work to help me put it on the trailer.