Lowe's accused in class action of providing 'incompetent' contractors

Lowe's retail chain is being sued over allegations that its independent contractors weren't fit to do the jobs for which they were hired.

Carmen Roberts filed the lawsuit March 12 in Madison County Circuit Court against Lowe's Home Centers, LLC, and four executives, alleging the independent contractors hired to do the work are “incompetent, substandard contractors.” On April 20, the defendant removed the case to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois under the federal Class Action Fairness Act.

The lawsuit said the repairs completed by the contractors are “deficient, defective and below standard.”

“The home-repair work provided by these independent contractors routinely does not meet a good and workman-like manner standard,” the lawsuit said.

Roberts said she paid more than $14,535 for home repairs through Lowe's and found numerous issues with the work provided, including a bathroom floor that isn't level, sub-flooring that needs to be replaced, a bullnose baseboard and porcelain flooring that weren't installed correctly and hardwood flooring that was incomplete, among other issues.

Roberts said that to fix everything that is wrong, it would cost more than $19,500. Lowe's ended up firing at least four independent contractors who worked on Roberts' home, including those who worked on countertops and flooring, the suit claims.

Roberts is seeking class status for the lawsuit and is asking for $500,000 in punitive damages and $50,000 from each of four Lowe's executives.

She is represented by David M. Duree of David M. Duree & Associates, P.C., in O'Fallon.

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:15-cv-00439