HaHa: Home Depot Antics Exposed...

Terrence

Considering the experiences some of us have had at HD (whether working with them, or just buying), I thought you guys might enjoy learning that the news is on the story, and are turning up the heat. HD is going to probably be facing all kinds of lawsuits...

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/11128952/detail.html

HUDSONVALLEYEXT

They told my mother in law $2,000 to install carpet in 3 small rooms. When they got to her home to install they changed the price to $3,000. I warned her about Home Depot

DecksEtc

I'm keeping that link to show customers just in case any of them mention getting HD to quote against me!

Second Look

What a PR fiasco. I see the makings of a class action suit.

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Magnettica

Home Depot subs-out all their work to private contractors, no? If that's the case, this makes us all look bad. Not giving the customer what they have already paid for is really bad for business.

This part about the price being too expensive is bull though. The entire industry is underpaid in my opinion. It's stories like this that makes us all look bad. Just like the stories of contractors going through customers refridgerators or whatever.

George Z

Maybe super Mike Holmes can take it up and devote a show
exposing these practices.

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thom

The market determines what we are worth, not some persons concept of what is correct. If you want a managed economy, you might find happiness in Cuba.

There are circumstances where pricing is beyond the control of the market for short periods (think the US auto industry). UAW members are paid substantially above market, and look what they have done to themselves and the US economy. In 1970 almost all cars driven in the US were American Made, today it's well under half.

dirt diggler

I hate HD

and I've said my opinions about them numerous times


but I have no sympathy or patience for any idiot that signs their contract ....

"But Home Depot - we trusted you"


Please ...

Driftwood

thank's ,you made My day!

Chris G

This will have no effect on HD's business. They are a corporate machine with many methods for dealing with something like this. It will just go away.

I agree with magnettica. This relfects poorly on all of us.

The sad story is that there are tradespeople out there who are forced to work for Home Depot for whatever reason, (lack their own marketing skills for instance). I would bet that a lot of them are actually quite skilled, or at least were at one time. But being beaten down for miniscule wages can make a man do things he would not normally do, just to get by.

Stone Mountain

George, Mike Holmes has a VERY lucrative contract WITH Home Depot. Why would he say anything bad about them?

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George Z

Did you see the Marketplace series on CBC?
Shouldn't Wendy Mesley have issued a disclaimer,
before he was presented as a consumer advocate and a super hero?

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Stone Mountain

Why? None of the 13 contractors they taped were Home Depot guys. Just typical crooks.
Mike Holmes isn't perfect. He has plenty of issues as well, but they don't get publicized; the same way as Toyota manages to hide all its recalls, which add up to as much as GM. Toyota howeever has a bulletproff reputation, whill GM doesn't.
I watched 4 shows where Mikey made glaring mistakes on a deck, a porch, a rooftop deck, and on a fence project. When I wrote to the show,offereing free technical advice, I was told "thanks, but no thanks"

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1KingOfDrywall

I hate when they tell a customer "What they should be paying" for labor affiliated with the producst theyare purchasing. I mentioned my story briefly in a prior post. I had a customer that for what ever reason decided to buy the materials and have them on the job before even taking quotes on the drywall. So obviously when I arrived he only wanted a quote to install and finish it. When I gave hime the price he laughed at me. He told me the Home Depot guy told him to"pay no more than $10 a sheet for labor"......LMAO

In the end he called back, I got what I wanted...the money and the satisfaction. I had stated to him, if he could find any legitimate contractor to do it at that price.......I'd do it for FREE !!! PERIOD.
Home Depot employees are clueless. If any HD Rep. is seeing this...BAN YOUR EMPLOYEES FROM QUOTING PRICES!!!!

Bud Cline

Holmes is a bigger idiot than Ty Pennington and discussing either on a forum such as this is a waste of time. They are in it for the bucks and fame and couldn't care less about the average consumer. The projects they portray and the methods and completion times are phony and misleading to the unknowing public. With charltans such as those guys around none of us have a chance in cleaning up our industry. Sears and Home Depot are challenged in courtrooms all across the country every day and that will never change. Nothing of any real consequence is being done about it and nothing will be. Hell Google the product "Stand and Seal" sold by Home Depot and see what you get. This product has killed people and ruined lives but there has been very little done about it. Why?
CBS ran the story nationally a few times and now they too are mum. Why? Did somebody get to them?

I have personally attempted to draw the attention of national news programs to a few of these types of incidents and I have never had as much as a canned courtesy "Thank you for your comments" from any of these people. The sponsors are too big and money is lining too many pockets.

Mike Finley

I really don't see how whatever Home Depot does unethically or stupidly has an effect on us or the industry.

Consumers are very used to big companies giving out bad service. Consumers are very aware of how smaller means more service, bigger means being lost in the shuffle as a number.

HD and any of us are not the same thing and I would wager that when push comes to shove consumers will lump HD into the big corporation label in their minds and very little if any connection will be made between them and us.

Marketing, marketing, marketing or branding, branding, branding...

If you are small you sell your smallness and all the benefits that comes with it. Eventually you did such a good job selling your smallness you are now big so you change your tact and sell all the benefits that come with being big.

It's all a game.

JMGP

No trade HAS to work for HD... you make your OWN choices... if a trade doesnt like the price that the depot gave them to perform the work... they dont have to do it...

BUT a trade that knowingly takes the low priced contract and cuts corners and hacks out a project just to make a few extra bucks... is a scumbag dirt merchant!!! There is no sympathy here....

HD doesnt reflect on how I do business... or anyone else who is honest!!!

dirt diggler

it's like decorating your house with Walmart

(well, depending on what aisle you're on i guess )

George Z

Perfectly said!

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WNYcarpenter

You make a good point...Reputation is everything. The more HD contracts with tradesmen who fail to show, over charge ext... the faster the word spreads and the less likely someone is to contract HD installs. It may even help our industry indirectly. TV shows and HD dumb down the tools and skills necessary to complete a quality remodel. DIYers only can handle so much until they're so frustrated they call us and are awed by the knowledge and efficiency, and professionalism displayed.