I had no idea ordering a refrigerator is so difficult
 

Ordered a refrigerator from L's. Free installation as long as you purchase new water line from them. So far, okay. After a few "ooops" (date delivery was set, no one showed up and could not leave all day as delivery window was 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. !). Eventually able to get a new date, but was stunned to find their delivery people do NOT hook up a new refrigerator (even though you have already paid for their new water line and connector kit) unless your water hook up behind the refrigerator is no more than five year's old, and they do not do ANY free hook up if the house has a "pop out" type valve. So they take the refrigerator back as long as you "refuse" it, or, they leave the refrigerator AND the one being replaced (that we plan to put in the garage) and they stay there until you can get a plumber to come and put in the new type shut off value. Other choice, you can hook it up yourself and then (somehow ??) get the new refrigerator into it's space ! ? Now, I am not saying companies can not chose to do whatever they want, what I am so frustrated about is NOT telling a customer at the time of the sale that they can not set a delivery date until a plumber changes the valve ! When I very pleasantly and calmly asked why L's doesn't tell people so they have time to line all this up, they replied "We are NOT required to discuss anything that has NOTHING to do with our company, we don't have a delivery department, we contract that out". Then they handed me the name of a local plumber and told me they "don't make recommendations" but "here is the name and number of a local company IF you want to call them about the valve. I went home, tried to call, they NO LONGER EXIST, sold out to another company. Finally reached local plumber and got date to change valve ! WHY make things so very difficult... that's a rhetorical question.....LOL.... I'm just frustrated that I was not told from the beginning. So, I want everyone to know, where ever you go for appliances, ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. Find out who delivers their appliances and call them to find out their requirements. The appliance store may not tell you !

You just got a bad delivery company. We just bought an LG from Lowe's and everything went smoothly. We did not have a shutoff valve anywhere near the fridge but they did leave all of the components for the hookup with us. Just today I put in a shutoff valve and will connect it to the fridge tomorrow morning.

They DID say that I could just do it myself, but I have no idea how to do that, thus the mess I got into. BTY, the L employee I talked to said, NO delivery company (they were very definitive on that, the employee was "nice" but he definitely raised his voice on purpose and said " Mam, I am trying to TELL YOU, NO DELIVERY people will hook up a water line where there is the old style "pop" valves". He definitely wanted me to know it makes NO DIFFERENCE what delivery company (I'd ask him if that applies to all places !)

Had similar experiences with Lowes many years ago which is why we went with a company that has it's own sales, installation and maintenance, no sub contractors. The draw of big box stores is low price and that always comes with increased risk. I also found that different outlets sell different quality levels of what seems to be the same products since they have learned that it sounds like a duck, looks like a duck then the price is the decider. What they don't see is it doesn't necessarily walk like a duck.

and you better measure the old frig and check the new to see if it will fit.

OP, sorry you had to deal with this. Thank you for sharing. You will save someone (probably me at some point) a lot of grief.

I install all my appliances, I don’t trust contractors, but that me. My refrigerator has rollers on bottom, I can pull it out and in with little effort which I do every 6 months or so to clean coils and fan. The problem some might run in to the new refrigerator larger than old one and won’t fit in hole.

"pop out" type valve
 

Says a lot about the cheap valves installed in TV homes.

Obviously contractor has had some failures they were blamed for after or during installations. Who needs the grief. A failure can do some major damage to your home.

Replaced all of mine within a month after moving here several years ago. My home is a 2006. My new neighbors told me some horror stories.
?Recently went to look at a new home south of the 44. Using the same dam cheap valves. hummmpt

Can you help me move mine? I don't know how to release the wheels to move it and desperately need to clean behind it. I'm afraid of ruining my floor which is linoleum.

Sorry to much liability, unplugging the plug, shutting water off with push pull valve, and remove one line too much can go wrong… :throwtomatoes:

Those cheap valves break easily.
They often leak when turned back on.
They sometimes pull right off the water line because they are press fit.

Should installers be expected to replace the valve if these happen? Nope. So they refuse to touch them.

Yes, 2 years ago we had same discussion with Lowe’s about water valve etc. Sales person talked down to us and was downright rude which was uncalled for. We were not argumentative or acting entitled. Because of the attitude by sales person,Lowe’s Trailwinds lost credit for the sale. We arranged for a plumber to install new valve and ordered refrigerator online from Lowe’s with no mention of a specific store. Delivery went great and on time. The guys removed old refrigerator, put doors on new one, leveled it and hooked it to new water line and installed the water filter. Oh, and I got a 10% discount for ordering online!

Anybody have an educated guess how much is saved on a new house by using these cheaper push/pull valves? This site has been talking about this for years. Has anybody had them replaced by a plumber and would care to share the ballpark average cost. I realize the cost would vary from house to house.

Same exact issue with my new stove. Resolution was me going to Ace Hardware and getting hookup fittings myself.
Terrible 3rd party delivery people at Loews and Home Depot.

Had a similar problem. The delivery people said they do not do that and did not bring the separate stuff I had to order for the install.
In my case I could see that the existing connection would work so I did it my self. This was several years ago.