In several threads previously, I have staunchly defended Home Depot.
I am located in the corporate headquarters' backyard so service and quality seems to be far better here than in other parts of the country. I furthermore, have a fabulous relationship with the pro desk and cashiers and they take good care of my orders/checkouts.

There are 6 HDs and 4 Lowes in my primary service area and there are some of each that I refuse to go in b/c of there crappy service. It is all based upon the manager and his/her skills as a store manager. Personnel make the difference not the store name.

 

i like lowes and menards, but like you to i enjoy the local lumbar yard

 

my local guys hook me up. But if I have to I go to lowes cuz its always empty here. Only reason.

 

lowes. Lumber yards want to bend me over for pricing.. and lowes carries better wood than HD. We don't have a menards around here.

 

I do lowes

I am kinda partial to Lowes,maybe its because i used to install flooring for them i dont know,BUT,on the other hand i almost always will find the neighborhood lumber yard for my lumber only since they are usually very much higher then lowes on everything but lumber..
I dont do home depot ever,they started laying off people and closing stores.I wont back any store that cuts and runs when the going and the economy gets tough,besides they arent cheaper than even my neighborhood lumber yard is.
I use menards when im up north doing work tho,seems like the further north you get the higher and more screwed up lowes is.

 

I've had good service from Menards, only buy light bulbs or screws from HD, never went to Lowes. I get windows from the lumberyard and have a separate vendor for millwork. I buy lumber from a real lumber yard.

 

Lumber from lumber yard but when it comes to the box stores I go to Menard's to buy direct from China. I can't stand it but I do, it's just to convenient and cheap.

 

Lowe's does a good job here. They're opening at 6 am starting next week. I wonder why ? It's not that busy at 7 am. The employees didn't seem to like the expanded hours too much.

 

I like lowes for most things. Home Depot for screws. The local lumber yard for all my lumber and metal. Home Depot is like a game of "hide and go seek" to find one of their employees. Around here that is the way it is anyway. I used to work in South Florida and there was literally a HD off of every exit of 95. They were better down there compared to up here.

 

Each has their preferred items. Like nEighter said, Lowes seems to usually have better wood that Big Orange. I can't believe we don't have a Menards here in metro Detroit. The closest ones are in Jackson or Saginaw. Menards seems to have a better offering of a lot of things than big blue or orange, but lacks in other areas. Having all three would round out the choice. I like the local lumberyears, but as other's have said, if your not on their high dollar volume "A" list it is hard to get decent pricing for most things.

 

Each has their preferred items. Like nEighter said, Lowes seems to usually have better wood that Big Orange. I can't believe we don't have a Menards here in metro Detroit. The closest ones are in Jackson or Saginaw. Menards seems to have a better offering of a lot of things than big blue or orange, but lacks in other areas. Having all three would round out the choice. I like the local lumberyears, but as other's have said, if your not on their high dollar volume "A" list it is hard to get decent pricing for most things.

I can't believe Menard's isn't in Detroit either! One thing I've heard a lot is that HD treats there people way better than Menard's. I see a new associate at Menard's every time I go.

 

Lumber mostly from lumber yards.
Menards is first choice of boxes.
They are actually my most reliable
source for fir plywood around here lately.

 

We don't have Menards in Houston. Lowe's has better pricing on doors and the service tends to be a little better than HD. The wait at box stores urks me to no end for building materials. I try to only use them when the lumber yards are closed, if I need stock doors, or a few misc items and they're close by. I prefer local lumber yards because they know who the hell you are, so I can order material over the phone without having to go in for everything. A good lumber yard is way better!
Just my .02