HD making tile substitution suggestions to HO's - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

wizendwizard · 02-25-2009, 09:06 PM

I have been working with a HO for a week on planning her bathroom remodel. She agreed to search out her tile preference and get back to me today.

She emails me today that she went to HD to look at tile and began talking with the salesman there.

Her plans are for a 48" x 48" shower with bench seat, 3 hand rails, soap cubby and shampoo cubby.

Needless to say this great man at HD suggested that she use Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic as her shower base, walls and bench seat. "This will save her LOTS of money."

Anyone want a remodel lead in S.C.?

EricTheHandyman · 02-25-2009, 10:50 PM

Those SOB's at the Depot! I was working on a quote for a tile job a couple of years ago. HO went to the depot to look at tile and the bastard there tried to talk her into having them install the tile for her! Thankfully she stuck with me, but I encourage my clients to avoid that place.

Mike Finley · 02-25-2009, 11:10 PM

This is really the danger when you let your nice little customers out into the wolf den. They can be like little baby chickens, no real knowledge, looking to anybody who seems like they might know something. Sometimes the gator might snap em, other times it's some idiot filling their heads with ridiculous notions.

naptown CR · 02-26-2009, 01:14 AM

I have been in this business for over 30 years the last thing you want to do is let a client go shopping unsupervised. too many opinions will only serve to confuse and frighten the customer. Ultimately you lose control of the project.

go with them if only to keep the heathen at bay!

bwalley · 02-26-2009, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wizendwizard

I have been working with a HO for a week on planning her bathroom remodel. She agreed to search out her tile preference and get back to me today.

She emails me today that she went to HD to look at tile and began talking with the salesman there.

Her plans are for a 48" x 48" shower with bench seat, 3 hand rails, soap cubby and shampoo cubby.

Needless to say this great man at HD suggested that she use Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic as her shower base, walls and bench seat. "This will save her LOTS of money."

Anyone want a remodel lead in S.C.?

Your 1st mistake was sending your client to HD, the 2nd one was not going with her.

I have had a few clients go to a tile wharehouse, only to be either given conflicting information or to be poached by one of the installers who hang out there or one the sales peoples installer friends.

Now I go with the client or send them to a showroom like Pro Source and have an appointement with one of the sales people set up and let them know what is going on.

jarvis design · 02-26-2009, 08:17 AM

I always give my customers 2 choices for picking tile - go to Olympia and Centura (both sell only to trade/stores). I offer them my services to go and help choose if necessary or let their sales staff help. That being said, I normally will take 3-4 sample boards when I go the customers and I would say 8 out of 10 times they chose one of them.

wizendwizard · 02-26-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwalley

Your 1st mistake was sending your client to HD, the 2nd one was not going with her.

I have had a few clients go to a tile wharehouse, only to be either given conflicting information or to be poached by one of the installers who hang out there or one the sales peoples installer friends.

Now I go with the client or send them to a showroom like Pro Source and have an appointement with one of the sales people set up and let them know what is going on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by naptownCR

I have been in this business for over 30 years the last thing you want to do is let a client go shopping unsupervised. too many opinions will only serve to confuse and frighten the customer. Ultimately you lose control of the project.

go with them if only to keep the heathen at bay!

Your first mistake was assuming that "I sent one on my clients to HD."

We had discussed options for replacement shower on several occasions with samples as well as Dal website and had come to choosing what was right for her.

Your second mistake was assuming I spend every waking moment with potential clients. If a client decides to go to a big box to get a feel for the tile product they are seeing or even to pick up gardening supplies, that is out of my control.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in your client meeting where you TELL them they CAN'T go look at items without you!

Needless to say, I took the time to explain and show the customer the Manufacterers Specifications on "FRP" products and this blew the HD salesmans product pitch out of the water.

After this incident we discussed why she would want to install this type of product and I got to the bottom of the problem. She thinks that tile will be to hard for her to clean as she gets older.

We moved away from tile installation and have compromised on Aquaglass multi-piece line of inserts.

I will be taking a trip to HD today to speak with the salesman as well as the store manager about recommending substandard products to customers when they don't understand what the remodel entails.

bwalley · 02-26-2009, 10:00 AM

I am meeting with a client today to pick out flooring for the lobby of a large commercial project, I do not tell a client what they can and cannot do, I do my job and assist the client in making appropriate selections.

It sounds like your client is more concerned about getting the job done cheap, rather than done properly.

If the guys at Home Depot know so much about contracting, why are they working in retail?

If I had a client change the scope of work to where I was not comfortable with it, I would let them know I couldn't do the job for them.

The sales person at HD may not have known the client had a contractor working on the job.

Good luck on the job, I am sure this will be the 1st of many hurdles you must clear.

wizendwizard · 02-26-2009, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwalley

I am meeting with a client today to pick out flooring for the lobby of a large commercial project, I do not tell a client what they can and cannot do, I do my job and assist the client in making appropriate selections.

It sounds like your client is more concerned about getting the job done cheap, rather than done properly.

If the guys at Home Depot know so much about contracting, why are they working in retail?

If I had a client change the scope of work to where I was not comfortable with it, I would let them know I couldn't do the job for them.

The sales person at HD may not have known the client had a contractor working on the job.

Good luck on the job, I am sure this will be the 1st of many hurdles you must clear.

See now we are getting in agreement with this discussion, for the most part.

It really isn't about price I don't believe. It's more about functionallity for her. I believe she prompted herself to look at other options for her bathroom and ability to maintain it as she ages.

Yes, She did this without consulting me. Many customers do this.

You are correct about HD employees, I did mention this to her, which is what brought her back to the table.

Your theory of walking away from a client when they go on a misleading tangent can be a bad thing. Our primary job is to do what we do. Our secondary job is to educate our clients on dealing with contractors.

Just my opinion.

Mike Finley · 02-26-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wizendwizard

I will be taking a trip to HD today to speak with the salesman as well as the store manager about recommending substandard products to customers when they don't understand what the remodel entails.

Let us know how that works out!

You know the manager just means he's the one who makes $.25 more an hour and has accumilated all his apron badges.

wizendwizard · 02-26-2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Finley

Let us know how that works out!

You know the manager just means he's the one who makes $.25 more an hour and has accumilated all his apron badges.

Employee reprimand. Not the first complaint they have had on the salesman.

He sacrificed a possible $1500.00 tile sale for a possible $140.00 FRP sale. Thats not good for anyones business.

I knew nothing harsh was going to come from it, but we have to stand up somewhere.

Maybe this will teach him a lesson.

orson · 02-26-2009, 02:07 PM

Reminds me of the time I decided to try out DensShield for a tub surround.

I asked the HD tile department head if he knew where to find the mesh tape for the DensShield seams. He proceeded to tell me that they didn't carry a product like that, and what I wanted to do was staple plastic on the wall and then hang hardi backer to "do it right".

...

jarvis design · 02-26-2009, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orson

Reminds me of the time I decided to try out DensShield for a tub surround.

I asked the HD tile department head if he knew where to find the mesh tape for the DensShield seams. He proceeded to tell me that they didn't carry a product like that, and what I wanted to do was staple plastic on the wall and then hang hardi backer to "do it right".

...

That reminds me of the time I was at HD picking up some materials and listened as a customer asked the plumbing "expert" what he needed to move his toilet drain by a couple of feet - the drain being 3" copper. The salesman started gathering the necessary fittings and 3" pipe, a propane torch, solder, flux, etc.
After the salesman left I felt I had to tell this poor guy that he would be hard pressed to get the solder to flow on a cast brass 3" fitting. I helped him grab a fernco, section of ABS, the fittings, etc, and he was on his way.

It always amazes me that people believe the BS they are given at HD to be professional advice!

bwalley · 02-26-2009, 04:35 PM

I met with my client today to pick out some flooring for the commercial project, while I was there she decided she needed some paint work done at her house and picked out new carpet as well.

Sometimes it pays to go with your client when they are making product selection.

Five Star · 02-26-2009, 05:03 PM

i few months ago i had home depot beggin me to buy insulation,drywall,lumber, just to come in and see the specials at there pro desk. and i knew there prices were not the greatest,i ran into a flyer they had offering a painter for a day program that really bugged me.

WHY WOULD YOU SEND A CUSTOMER TO YOUR COMPETITOR?

now i can see them installing roofing,siding,etc bigger jobs that need financing but now they want the small stuff too the price was for 399 a day.anything over that would be 50hr. that was the last straw for me now i will only buy the smallest of the small to finish a project or caulking,all my tools i buy online(no tax and free shipping)

all real contractors should ban together and not shop there see if they can survive with just homeowners.

i already started my boycot as of 8/26/06
i used to spend 10k a month there now its down to 100-300 just emergency stop in purchases

EXPO IS ALREADY GOIN UNDER
HOME DEPOT IS NEXT

and then we can get back to work like normal people meet at the lumber yard talk shop and all benefit!

rbsremodeling · 02-26-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Five Star

i few months ago i had home depot beggin me to buy insulation,drywall,lumber, just to come in and see the specials at there pro desk. and i knew there prices were not the greatest,i ran into a flyer they had offering a painter for a day program that really bugged me.

WHY WOULD YOU SEND A CUSTOMER TO YOUR COMPETITOR?

now i can see them installing roofing,siding,etc bigger jobs that need financing but now they want the small stuff too the price was for 399 a day.anything over that would be 50hr. that was the last straw for me now i will only buy the smallest of the small to finish a project or caulking,all my tools i buy online(no tax and free shipping)

all real contractors should ban together and not shop there see if they can survive with just homeowners.

i already started my boycot as of 8/26/06
i used to spend 10k a month there now its down to 100-300 just emergency stop in purchases

EXPO IS ALREADY GOIN UNDER
HOME DEPOT IS NEXT

and then we can get back to work like normal people meet at the lumber yard talk shop and all benefit!

Home depot aint going anywhere their profits actually weren't too bad while they where shedding expo.

Five Star · 02-26-2009, 05:24 PM

they can stay,but i refuse to send a customer there for any choice selections. and i refuse to spend any large sums of money there.let them live off the home owners that return half the stuff they buy.

ANY MAJOR JOB PURCHASE FROM ME GOES TO A LUMBER YARD!

Mike Finley · 02-26-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwalley

I met with my client today to pick out some flooring for the commercial project, while I was there she decided she needed some paint work done at her house and picked out new carpet as well.

Sometimes it pays to go with your client when they are making product selection.

That's good for you, but if you are talking about taking your customer to Home Depot, I will drop freak'n flat out dead on the hard cold cement before I will ever step foot in Home Depot to go shopping with a client. No way, no how, never ever.

That's what our trade partners are for. Customer wants flooring, take them to your flooring trade partner, keep them in business and get a mark up on the product just for fun!

For that matter that exposes the other reason why the hell I would never step foot in Home Depot to shop with a client. If I send them to a trade partner I don't even have to go there with them!!!!

That's the difference between the two. Home Depot is filled with mouth breath'n idiots, your trade partners are filled with qualified professionals who care about you and care about taking care of your customer for you!

Your customer is getting screwed in the ass long term, the only thing they might be doing out of going to Home Depot is saving $300. They'll get back in return $3000 worth of grief and heart ache, usually the missed opportunity of purchasing a superior, specialized product that they would get more enjoyment out of then the 6 generic pieces of crap Home Depot carrys.

Carry on.

silvertree · 02-26-2009, 05:50 PM

I never ever let a client chose HD products. The salespeople FU everytime and I have to explain things. I had a customer bring in a kitchen door from her new kitchen to choose tile (I have tile accounts with pro tile shops) that matched her Alder cabinets, the HD salesman told my customer it wasn't Alder, he thought it was Maple, it took me an hour in her kitchen with wood samples to set this right. But the customers can and do shop HD and believe what the inexperienced help tells them? Go figure.

kevjob · 02-26-2009, 05:55 PM

If the client wants to shop at Creepo or has bought all materials already thru creepo I back out of the estimate, they are looking for someone, anyone to just put these together and why should they pay someone 75.00 per hour when Jose will do it for 12.00. I would never allow any of my clients to go to creepo for anything ever.