[bergenbldr]

Recently i got a lead for a bathroom remodel. In talking to the customer he volenteered that he had remodeled two baths before as his own gc, but it took to long so this time he was going to hire one contractor to handle the job this time. So i made a few suggestions about suppliers and showrooms, and every other word out of his mouth was home depot.I explained that money saved at home depot doesn't justify the agravation of special ordering from them. He also wants job completed in record time. Just don't understand the facination with the big boxes. I think the main problem with the big box is that the salespersons are not on commision.

 

[Mike Finley]

Some homeowners fascination with Home Depot is that 1) it makes the stuff easily accessible to them, they can easily see it, touch it, smell it, lick it. 2) They are comfortable with Home Depot, they understand it, they know how it works as opposed to some supply house or a designer showroom 3) Where they are really coming from is they are budget conscious and budget focused.

When a potential customer keeps bringing up Home Depot remember the all important words - "I don't warranty anything I don't supply."

 

[bergenbldr]

Some homeowners fascination with Home Depot is that 1) it makes the stuff easily accessable to them, they can easily see it, touch it, smell it, lick it. 2) They are comfortable with Home Depot, they understand it, they know how it works as upposed to some supply house or a designer showroom 3) Where they are really coming from is they are budget concious and budget focused.

When a potential customer keeps bringing up Home Depot remember the all important words - "I don't warranty anything I don't supply."

I think my main problem with home depot is the uncertainty of delievery of the product,correctly ordered and undamaged. Almost impossible to schedule a job around the what ifs.

 

[Mike Finley]

I think my main problem with home depot is the uncertainty of delievery of the product,correctly ordered and undamaged. Almost impossible to schedule a job around the what ifs.

I have found that it didn't matter who it was ordered from there was still the same chance of damage or wrong item delivered. I have found that I have to act like I don't trust anybody when it comes to this stuff. Double checking each special order to make sure what I said is what they typed in and verifying everything s-l-o-w-l-y seems to at least give you a fighting chance.

I also like to write out on my PO exactly what I am ordering so that it is in writing so there are no issues with who said what if there is a problem.

I also tend to order stuff for a job well ahead of before the job starts and store it in my garage in an individual pile for each job so that I can go over it before the job starts and confirm everything is there.

Of course if you are ordering a full kitchen that would become pretty hard to do. For stuff like that it is super important to verbalize the "issues" that can come up to the customer, such as "we do everything to prevent it, but it has happened where a customer in the past has had a problem with one single ordered cabinet that crushed to a halt their project for over 8 weeks. I will do everything I can to prevent this, but you need to know that these things are unfortunately possible."

I had one cherry cabinet for a bathroom vanity that took almost 12 weeks to resolve. It was just a draw front, but it took ordering it 3 times before it finally arrived as it should have.

 

[Grumpy]

I have found that it didn't matter who it was ordered from there was still the same chance of damage or wrong item delivered.

I order materials all the times, 905 of the time from a supply house that specializes in the materials I require. I have found I get the best service and have the least chance of F ups occuring.

When I remodeled my kitchen I bought 99% of the material from home depot. The cabinets were what I wanted but my porcelien tile got beat to shiznit. They had to place a second order for 50% more.

Once I ordered some roofing from home depot. I said I need 35 squares of 30 lb felt. They asked me what a sqaure was. Also on that same order the driver called me to tell me he was lost. I asked where he was. He said on Euclid. I said Great your right down the street. He said, but Euclid ends at Milwaukee. I said no it changes names at milwaukee, you are on the right street just pass milwaukee and it's the same street with a different name.

"No No. I am going to take Milwaukee about 4 miles north then go about 4 miles east then come back south and go 4 miles to Lake then go 3 miles east." He said to me.

If you draw that on a sheet of graph paper, rather than go one mile east he went 15 miles out of his way. He couldn't grasp the concept that the street didn't end, it just changed names. I wonder what he thought when he got to the corner of Euclid and Milwaukee and didn't see a brick wall and flashing signs sayng dead end, but he still drove 15 miles out of his way anyways.

Go Figure.

 

[Floorwizard]

Keep in mind that one reason special order prices are low at the big box stores is because they will not send a truck unless it's packed full.
that's why they say 4 to 6 weeks. Even though just about any other store can deliver in a week.

 

[Mike Finley]

That's a good point florcraft.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Then there is the box store quality, not for most of my customers.

 

[bergenbldr]

They also try to maximise any quantity discounts, by placing one large order instead of several smaller ones.