Why I HATE Hardware Chainstores

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Maybe it's because you went to a small store without much volume power.
Home Depot or Loews would have hooked you up with a new one.

Lowes yes, but I wouldn't bet on it with Home Depot. The service level at Lowes is much better in my experience. I will only buy from Home Depot as a last resort.

If it were me, I would go directly to the store, find the manager and have a chat man to man. I bet his nards shrink when you are there in person and you should get it taken care of. If he still tries to play hardball, call their headquarters directly and start raising hell. If nothing else, they take care of it to make you go away.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Lowes yes, but I wouldn't bet on it with Home Depot. The service level at Lowes is much better in my experience. I will only buy from Home Depot as a last resort.

If it were me, I would go directly to the sore in find the manager and have a chat man to man. I bet his nards shrink when you are there in person and you get it taken care of. If he still tries to play hardball, call their headquarters directly and start raising hell. If nothing else, they take care of it to make you go away.

Agree with everything you said. Home Depot is okay, but I have always gotten better service and items from Lowe's.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Agree with everything you said. Home Depot is okay, but I have always gotten better service and items from Lowe's.

I think there is a regional difference between Lowe's and HD. It seems in the South and Midwest that Lowe's is much more popular, and they seem to have better stores in general. However, if you follow remodeling and such online, people on the East Coast seems to be absolutely bonkers for Home Depot. I don't know if they don't have Lowe's there, or if their stores just aren't as good of quality there as they are here.

In my mind, there's no comparison. Our HD is completely unorganized, and you can never find anyone on the floor to help you out.

[kpic]

Originally Posted by NewPhin

people on the East Coast seems to be absolutely bonkers for Home Depot. I don't know if they don't have Lowe's there, or if their stores just aren't as good of quality there as they are here.

We have both here (NJ). Both are within a couple of miles from me, they are exactly the same although the Lowes is a bit more for the "consumer" and the HD leans a bit to the contractors.

Both are fine though (our HD is very well organized). I usually go by price and availability on which one I go to.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by kpic

We have both here (NJ). Both are within a couple of miles from me, they are exactly the same although the Lowes is a bit more for the "consumer" and the HD leans a bit to the contractors.

Both are fine though (our HD is very well organized). I usually go by price and availability on which one I go to.

Pretty much how it is in FL. All HD's and Lowes are the same everywhere here. Usually go to whichever one is "on the way" to wherever else I'm going.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by NewPhin

I think there is a regional difference between Lowe's and HD. It seems in the South and Midwest that Lowe's is much more popular, and they seem to have better stores in general. However, if you follow remodeling and such online, people on the East Coast seems to be absolutely bonkers for Home Depot. I don't know if they don't have Lowe's there, or if their stores just aren't as good of quality there as they are here.

In my mind, there's no comparison. Our HD is completely unorganized, and you can never find anyone on the floor to help you out.

There are Home Depot's all over SoCal but there's only one Lowes that I know of in Los Angeles.

The Home Depot Hollywood is open 24 hours. It's jam packed any time of the day or night (and I've been there 2am and couldn't believe how long the lines were that night). It's reasonably clean and organized (considering the amount of traffic) but parking's always a PITA, even with two levels but the good thing is that they usually have everything I've ever needed.

Lowes, OTOH, is more of a glorified Great Indoors or Sears. They don't have much in the way of tools, hardware (nuts & bolts) and seem to be more geared towards kitchen and bathroom installations and renovations than a true hardware store. That could just be in SoCal though, as almost every home is renovated out here at one point or another.

I purchased my kitchen cabinets at Lowes and had them do the install. It was a complete and utter nightmare. One of the installers was clearly drunk. After the cabinets were installed, they mounted all of the handles incorrectly. Every single handle was crooked and not level. So Lowes had to replace every door and drawer face (as well as order more materials because their "design" program was inaccurate). It took 5 full months and a visit from the store manager to my home to finally complete my kitchen.

Fortunately, the $3,000.00 install fee was refunded. It was a true nightmare.

[88TG88]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

There are Home Depot's all over SoCal but there's only one Lowes that I know of in Los Angeles.

.

? Theres a bunch in my part of town.

The one I frequent is on 120th and Crenshaw. Might be a little far from you though.

[Chiefmanwillcatch]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

There are Home Depot's all over SoCal but there's only one Lowes that I know of in Los Angeles.

The Home Depot Hollywood is open 24 hours. It's jam packed any time of the day or night (and I've been there 2am and couldn't believe how long the lines were that night). It's reasonably clean and organized (considering the amount of traffic) but parking's always a PITA, even with two levels but the good thing is that they usually have everything I've ever needed.

Lowes, OTOH, is more of a glorified Great Indoors or Sears. They don't have much in the way of tools, hardware (nuts & bolts) and seem to be more geared towards kitchen and bathroom installations and renovations than a true hardware store. That could just be in SoCal though, as almost every home is renovated out here at one point or another.

I purchased my kitchen cabinets at Lowes and had them do the install. It was a complete and utter nightmare. One of the installers was clearly drunk. After the cabinets were installed, they mounted all of the handles incorrectly. Every single handle was crooked and not level. So Lowes had to replace every door and drawer face (as well as order more materials because their "design" program was inaccurate). It took 5 full months and a visit from the store manager to my home to finally complete my kitchen.

Fortunately, the $3,000.00 install fee was refunded. It was a true nightmare.

Why you stealing a cart mother****er?

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

There are Home Depot's all over SoCal but there's only one Lowes that I know of in Los Angeles.

The Home Depot Hollywood is open 24 hours. It's jam packed any time of the day or night (and I've been there 2am and couldn't believe how long the lines were that night). It's reasonably clean and organized (considering the amount of traffic) but parking's always a PITA, even with two levels but the good thing is that they usually have everything I've ever needed.

Lowes, OTOH, is more of a glorified Great Indoors or Sears. They don't have much in the way of tools, hardware (nuts & bolts) and seem to be more geared towards kitchen and bathroom installations and renovations than a true hardware store. That could just be in SoCal though, as almost every home is renovated out here at one point or another.

I purchased my kitchen cabinets at Lowes and had them do the install. It was a complete and utter nightmare. One of the installers was clearly drunk. After the cabinets were installed, they mounted all of the handles incorrectly. Every single handle was crooked and not level. So Lowes had to replace every door and drawer face (as well as order more materials because their "design" program was inaccurate). It took 5 full months and a visit from the store manager to my home to finally complete my kitchen.

Fortunately, the $3,000.00 install fee was refunded. It was a true nightmare.

I don't recommend Lowes or Home Depot install services at all. They choose the guys who can't get work elsewhere - who are willing to work for peanuts. I've seen the results of their jobs plenty. In fact, my bids frequently get beat out by Home Depot or Lowes on the low end. The high end stuff is padded sufficiently that I can compete there. But if you can imagine Home Depot taking about 60% of the profits on that job - what's left if for the contractor. There's not too many skilled guys who are gonna work for that, which is why you had that experience.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I don't recommend Lowes or Home Depot install services at all. They choose the guys who can't get work elsewhere - who are willing to work for peanuts. I've seen the results of their jobs plenty. In fact, my bids frequently get beat out by Home Depot or Lowes on the low end. The high end stuff is padded sufficiently that I can compete there. But if you can imagine Home Depot taking about 60% of the profits on that job - what's left if for the contractor. There's not too many skilled guys who are gonna work for that, which is why you had that experience.

Totally. But it was my first kitchen remodel and I didn't know any better. I've recommended to friends that anyone looking to remodel their kitchen avoid Lowes & Home Depot's installers.

But as we've discussed in the past, finding a good, reliable and affordable contractor in SoCal is next to impossible. EVERYONE has a pickup truck and a contractor's license. There's such an enormous amount of money to be made in that business out here because there really isn't much new building going on. It's all retrofitting of old buildings or homes. And many of them need new plumbing and electrical before anything else.

It's a goldmine if you're a good, reliable, hard-working contractor. Too bad they're so hard to find.

[TinyEvel]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Totally. But it was my first kitchen remodel and I didn't know any better. I've recommended to friends that anyone looking to remodel their kitchen avoid Lowes & Home Depot's installers.

But as we've discussed in the past, finding a good, reliable and affordable contractor in SoCal is next to impossible. EVERYONE has a pickup truck and a contractor's license. There's such an enormous amount of money to be made in that business out here because there really isn't much new building going on. It's all retrofitting of old buildings or homes. And many of them need new plumbing and electrical before anything else.

It's a goldmine if you're a good, reliable, hard-working contractor. Too bad they're so hard to find.

fuck you! California sux! I can buy you out in a heartbeat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!