Kitchen and Bath remodel

[Duke41]

Have any of you used either Home Depot or Lowes to do kitchen and bath remodeling. If so what was your experience. Also do you know of any good companies to look at that work in North Attleboro?

[mikecc]

[Johnny C]

going to the depot or lowes is the same as Buying gear at walmart rather than the local B&T. I am sure someone here know someone......I may be able to help, PM me some info about what you need to do.

[mikecc]

I went thru 5 sinks before we found one that did not leak.
Porcelain was porous and they buy the blems that have been patched.
We had them open every vanity top at 3 stores till we found the one we accepted. Never again.

[Slingah]

hire a local guy...look in local paper...check references and look at some of his work

[vineyardblues]

All I can say if you tile your bathroom go up 5 ft not 4 ... you will love it .

VB

[The Dad Fisherman]

I know a lot of guys say hire a local guy....but lots of times they're no bargain either. They don't return your calls, they show up late, if at all, they don't finish when they say they're going to, and they are usually more expensive. Don't get me wrong there are some good local contractors out there but if they are good you usually can't get them for at least a year....thats my experience any way


I think if you don't have a good friend that does it, its a crap shoot.

I have used Home Depot for 2 things...They did my carpets and they were Excellent, They did my Windows and they were a pain in the ass. I think it all depends on who they contract out to do the work for them.

[Johnny C]

Maybe this is not the right Thread, but collectivly we seem like a group concerned with supporting the small business. Discussion has always been focused on the B&T, but it seems as though a collective conciousness that seeks out small business and when possible avoids the trappings of the Walmart/depot experience would thrive here. How many guys here are plummers, roofers, or any other laborers? IT guys? Retail shop owners? Any sort of freelance job is, in my view, seriously in trouble becouse of the trend to bring big business into every aspect of everyday life.
Zoots and Kabloom are slowly taking the livlyhood of small business.
Has anyone used Geek Squad? Think about the potential for disaster there. Freelance IT guys could be forced to join up or shut down.
Maybe we could have a forum or some sort of database situation where we could showcase our collective skills so that we look internaly first.
Like an occupational classified.
Down with the DEPOT!

[Striperhound]

I for one would love to see a directory of everyone here and what they do for a living. That way we could support our friends and family with some additional business.

[Duke41]

A list is a great idea. Slipknot does kitchens and baths, I am planning on having him take a look before I make a decsion.

[MakoMike]

Home Depot and Lowes both use local contractors to do the work. They just supply the materials.

[fishaholic18]

Do not buy a HD toilet, they plug up constantly.
I was told that they do not put a smooth finish inside the trap which causes clogging issues. Believe me, I know.
I have plunger in hand almost every frickin' day...

[HighTide]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

Home Depot and Lowes both use local contractors to do the work. They just supply the materials.

But they get contractors from either end of the spectrum- it's a crapshoot.
Had my stairs and one room carpeted, neither was done right so I called HD and they kept sending (3 times) the same two boobs back to repair what they obviously couldn't get right in the first place. Then I finally called HD and told them if they send these clowns back to my house again I'm going to hang out in your flooring department and tell everybody that tries to order carpet what you did to me.

Then they sent someone else who ripped everything out and installed new carpet professionally.

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by Johnny C

Maybe we could have a forum or some sort of database situation where we could showcase our collective skills so that we look internaly first.
Like an occupational classified.
Down with the DEPOT!

Good point Johnny, I believe that is one of JohnR's many projects for the site that has yet to get off the ground. Perhaps if we start a thread, then everyone could reply if they want in on it.


Duke41, thanks for the chance

[BobT]

Slip..............wish you lived closer to me !!!!!! Wify is talking about a new kitchen. If so, I plan on getting a GC.

[NIB]

The depot types contract thier work out to basically the lowest bidder.they in turn hire lesser(if possible)skilled craftsman to do the work.its a numbers game they will give u a sub par job that takes many returns to get it right but they do enough to support this.Take ur time and hire a local guy work offa word of mouth references see several guys till u are happy with one then check some of his work.just callin refrences doesn't always do it.I hear lots of horror stories being a tileman.I ask well what did u do to prevent this.Answer is usually nothing.U gotta do some legwork to get a job done well.their are some real craftsman out there.Go to a plumbing supply an ask if they have any good plumbers that specialize in ur type of job. lots of times they work together with a good renovation type guy.When u find a good guy pay the price....Piece of mind may be worth 2 times what the de-pots charge..

[NIB]

My friend runs the carpet installation end for a company that has a big depot contract.All day long he is on the phone putting out the fire.carpet is only one trade way more simple to farm that out.in a bath u have many different trades needed.Ripout is allot more then just demolishion.then there's plumbing electrical,carpentry shetrock tile many skills are needed.of course I'm good at all of em.In 1980 i did baths for three yrs with a good guy.i just do tile work now.But i work for many private contractors. small guys do additions an baths all the time.I trained them on how to get it right.the jobs are stellar when completed.i'm sure there are guys ur way wth the same skills.A simple job should take 5 or six workin days.sometimes 2 weeks depends on what is needed.

[nightfighter]

Nib's got it right. If the walls aren't plumb and square, the floor isn't level, someone is gonna have some 'splaining to do..... cause the finish/tile guy is going to have to hide the rough work screw up.
Let's look at it from the other side. If I wasn't putting out quality work, would I be entertaining an offer to be sub-contracted out at HD's rate? When an independent is hired, his name is on it. And when you work in a local area, you are as good as your last job.
Duke, when you see a truck on a job in your area, stop and ask for the general contractor or owner. Don't overlook the foreman/supervisor on the job either. I have one guy I depend upon as he has 40 years building experience and has seen it all. Without him I'd be doing less than half of what I'm able to do now.

[Swimmer]

I wonder if HABS would do me a blurple danny swimmer motif in my bathroom inside the shower?

[Mike P]

It only took the Home Cheapo sub-sub contractor 15 months to finish my sister's deck

Part of the reason, I guess, was that he fell off her next door neighbor's roof while pounding shingles. With the $700 HD gift certificate she gave him in his pockets, which somehow got lost at the hospital. Some of the delay was the arguing over whether he'd get another $700 clams

On the plus side, it "only" took my wife 6 months to get the carpet she ordered installed

They mostly send clowns. Guys doing low bid HD work are doing it for a reason

[basswipe]

From a painters' point of view.

"Compound and putty...the 'Depot carpenter's buddy"

"Caulk and paint...make him what he ain't"