Sure you could bitch to your friends, but you're not going to pose a serious threat to their business. If you get an independent install, they have few fucks to give for you. Source:I have been a manager at Lowe's(specifically Building Materials and Millwork) for 4 years. If not, a big box store is the way to go if you are looking for peace of mind. If you know or have a trusted contractor, you should be fine. Therefore policy has shifted so that we are more focused on the happiness of the customer coming through the front door, not the ones coming to the Commercial Sales desk.
The economy isn't supporting the big sales anymore, it is supporting the small DIY'er. More people have been fired due to simple complaints in the last year than I have ever seen. We have our screwups but the fortunate thing with Lowe's or HomeDepot is that you have a billion dollar company backing the work that, at least right now, HATES customer complaints. However, if you use Lowe's or Home Depot you will be able to have faith that, in the end, everything will be done well. There are far more competent and fair contractors out there than the bad. Now, before I go any farther, it is rare to get shafted bad. However, after 6 years I have heard and seen more than one person that has been shafted by private contractors. When I first started Lowe's I was skeptical of our installers and our process. This prevents the contractor from taking the customer for a ride. One misconception is that they choose the lowest bidder, they do not. The installers must apply, be selected, and go through the same process as an employee would (drug testing, background checks, etc.).