Why I HATE Hardware Chainstores - Page 4

oldandslow · 10:17 PM

So, my family and I put out a large garden (about 2 acres) every year. As you might guess we use a tiller quite a bit. Last fall, my old tiller, a Troy built rear tine, finally bit the big one after 12 years of use. I decided to go out and buy a new one. So I do some comparison shopping and finally decide on a Husque-Varna rear tine tiller from Bomgaars.

I buy one. I bring it home, put the proper amount of oil and gas in it, take it around the garden twice, and it starts smoking and loses all power. I freak a bit, but feel confident that Bomgaars will take care of me.

How wrong I was. I just got off the phone with the mgr and he tells me its the company's (Husque-Varna) problem, not his, and to take it to a repair shop and then bill the company. So I load the thing in my neighbor's old truck, find a repair shop, and find out engine was leaking oil into the piston and we have major damage. It's gonna take the guy quite some time to fix it and it will be costly.

So I call Husque-Varna and am told to work with the people who I bought it from...

I hate corporate America....

**DaneMcCloud** · 04-16-2008, 08:43 PM

Quote:

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.

**Bugeater** · 04-16-2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanm

That's funny I live in NE and I've never heard of them.

Neither have I.

**cdcox** · 04-16-2008, 09:20 PM

Any one who complains about home depot and lowes must not have been around back in the day. A local hardware store would be a small fraction of the size of a home depot. It would have the hardware, electrical, plumbing, paint and tool sections of home depot, but no electrical or plumbing fixtures and then reduce the size of stock by half. Lumber? go the the lumber yard. Plumbing fixture? special order or hire a contractor. Garden supplies? go to the garden store. Appliances? go to Sears or Montgomery Wards. And it was uphill both ways in the snow.

Bitch, bitch, bitch. You people don't know how good you have it.

**DaneMcCloud** · 04-16-2008, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdcox

Any one who complains about home depot and lowes must not have been around back in the day. A local hardware store would be a small fraction of the size of a home depot. It would have the hardware, electrical, plumbing, paint and tool sections of home depot, but no electrical or plumbing fixtures and then reduce the size of stock by half. Lumber? go the the lumber yard. Plumbing fixture? special order or hire a contractor. Garden supplies? go to the garden store. Appliances? go to Sears or Montgomery Wards. And it was uphill both ways in the snow.

Bitch, bitch, bitch. You people don't know how good you have it.

I think Home Depot rules. I just wouldn't have their contractors install anything in my home. At least not in SoCal.

**TinyEvel** · 04-16-2008, 10:36 PM

I pay Mexicans to do my gardening. Never had a problem.

**TinyEvel** · 04-16-2008, 10:37 PM

Quote:

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**DaneMcCloud** · 04-16-2008, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinyEvel

I pay Mexicans to do my gardening. Never had a problem.

In Pesos?

**DaneMcCloud** · 04-16-2008, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinyEvel

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

In Pesos?

04-16-2008, 08:39 AM
oldandslow Veteran Join Date: Apr 2004 Casino cash: $5343149	Why I HATE Hardware Chainstores So, my family and I put out a large garden (about 2 acres) every year. As you might guess we use a tiller quite a bit. Last fall, my old tiller, a Troy built rear tine, finally bit the big one after 12 years of use. I decided to go out and buy a new one. So I do some comparison shopping and finally decide on a Husque-Varna rear tine tiller from Bomgaars. I buy one. I bring it home, put the proper amount of oil and gas in it, take it around the garden twice, and it starts smoking and loses all power. I freak a bit, but feel confident that Bomgaars will take care of me. How wrong I was. I just got off the phone with the mgr and he tells me its the company's (Husque-Varna) problem, not his, and to take it to a repair shop and then bill the company. So I load the thing in my neighbor's old truck, find a repair shop, and find out engine was leaking oil into the piston and we have major damage. It's gonna take the guy quite some time to fix it and it will be costly. So I call Husque-Varna and am told to work with the people who I bought it from... I hate corporate America.... Last edited by DaFace; 04-16-2008 at 10:17 PM.. Reason: adding prefix
Posts: 4,567

04-16-2008, 09:20 PM	#48
cdcox www.nfl-forecast.com Join Date: Sep 2000 Casino cash: $2051769	Any one who complains about home depot and lowes must not have been around back in the day. A local hardware store would be a small fraction of the size of a home depot. It would have the hardware, electrical, plumbing, paint and tool sections of home depot, but no electrical or plumbing fixtures and then reduce the size of stock by half. Lumber? go the the lumber yard. Plumbing fixture? special order or hire a contractor. Garden supplies? go to the garden store. Appliances? go to Sears or Montgomery Wards. And it was uphill both ways in the snow. Bitch, bitch, bitch. You people don't know how good you have it.
Posts: 45,545

04-16-2008, 10:36 PM	#50
TinyEvel Just a li'l Evel Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bald. Goatee. Jorts. Casino cash: $5207131	I pay Mexicans to do my gardening. Never had a problem.
Posts: 11,821