09-13-2009, 12:38 PM
I am hardly a builder, but we did an addition last year where I had to shop around.
I could not find any local vendor willing to match Home Depot or Lowe's, and while I didn't try them all by any means, I struck out with all the lumber companies, doors, windows, and flooring. They just say that their quality is better.
Maybe it is, and maybe it matters, maybe it doesn't.
Home Depot can afford to do something like they did with my sliding doors. Because they screwed up and didn't put the doors I bought on hold, and someone bought the last, HD gave me substantially better sliders for no extra charge. They weren't happy about giving away $400, but they did it. A local vendor doesn't have the margin.
RE the back problems, Home Depot will pull lumber for you. That can happen two ways. One you up to Special Services and buy it by SKU number on a special order, and they send it to will call, you let will call pull it, and then you come in with your order and they load it on the truck (but you have to unload at your end).
Or you can pick out your pieces and get a sales guy to help you, just tell them about your back. You do not need to schlep it yourself. What you do need is patience dealing with their will call system, and that will not be right now and without a wait.
For sparing backs more, you can do either of the above methods and pay $100 and they deliver it to your site with forklift, which is not so bad if you can combine all your heavy stuff. I had no choice but to have my French doors, sliders, windows, sheetrock, and floor tile delivered, and I added on all the heavy cement. (That was two deliveries, as the sheetrock came much later. It was worth it to me. HPM also delivers, and it might be free, can't remember. Still cost less at Home Depot.
I agree that shopping at any of the big box stores supports plenty of local jobs. It doesn't support the businessman, which is unfortunate, if you like the local business. Some of them have been extorting money from us for decades, so my sympathy is tempered.
I don't believe HD could jack its prices if local vendors weren't around, because as was said, their pricing has to be consistent with mainland stores. Their stock inventory items are a certain price in their database. If in doubt, check prices at homedepot.com . They save money by buying in huge quantity. Do I want to pay more money for a board because I'm buying from someone who sells fewer boards than the competitor? Not particularly.
I could not find any local vendor willing to match Home Depot or Lowe's, and while I didn't try them all by any means, I struck out with all the lumber companies, doors, windows, and flooring. They just say that their quality is better.
Maybe it is, and maybe it matters, maybe it doesn't.
Home Depot can afford to do something like they did with my sliding doors. Because they screwed up and didn't put the doors I bought on hold, and someone bought the last, HD gave me substantially better sliders for no extra charge. They weren't happy about giving away $400, but they did it. A local vendor doesn't have the margin.
RE the back problems, Home Depot will pull lumber for you. That can happen two ways. One you up to Special Services and buy it by SKU number on a special order, and they send it to will call, you let will call pull it, and then you come in with your order and they load it on the truck (but you have to unload at your end).
Or you can pick out your pieces and get a sales guy to help you, just tell them about your back. You do not need to schlep it yourself. What you do need is patience dealing with their will call system, and that will not be right now and without a wait.
For sparing backs more, you can do either of the above methods and pay $100 and they deliver it to your site with forklift, which is not so bad if you can combine all your heavy stuff. I had no choice but to have my French doors, sliders, windows, sheetrock, and floor tile delivered, and I added on all the heavy cement. (That was two deliveries, as the sheetrock came much later. It was worth it to me. HPM also delivers, and it might be free, can't remember. Still cost less at Home Depot.
I agree that shopping at any of the big box stores supports plenty of local jobs. It doesn't support the businessman, which is unfortunate, if you like the local business. Some of them have been extorting money from us for decades, so my sympathy is tempered.
I don't believe HD could jack its prices if local vendors weren't around, because as was said, their pricing has to be consistent with mainland stores. Their stock inventory items are a certain price in their database. If in doubt, check prices at homedepot.com . They save money by buying in huge quantity. Do I want to pay more money for a board because I'm buying from someone who sells fewer boards than the competitor? Not particularly.