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D107
D107 Member Posts: 1,852
in THE MAIN WALL
Since as a homeowner I don't want have do-it-yourelf boiler installers for neighbors, I looked on the HD site and think this is the best email route to go to place your expert complaints:

http://ir.homedepot.com/comment.cfm then click on the window to select 'investor relations' (not the default customer care)
Couldn't find direct email for corporate headquarters.

This is definitely a lawsuit waiting to happen.

David

Comments

  • scott337
    scott337 Member Posts: 38
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    Hey, look what I found....at the Home Depot

    Slant Fin has been in Home Depot for years and has been a hot topic for contractors the world over. I found this in my local Depot along with a LOT of other "Professional" products that do not receive the same negative press including but not limited to:
    Taco
    Watts
    Rigid

    Now you can get Weil McLain, Buderus, Burnham, et. al. there too......
    Imagine not using these products because they are sold there.......hmmmm.
  • Brad White_183
    Brad White_183 Member Posts: 2
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    Cyriously, now

    I would love to be a fly on the wall listening to the sought-after "associate" give advice on what size boiler, materials to use and accessories, etc.

    Come to think of it, I have and had to chase down the customers to undo the damage.

    *The associate recommending a 150 PSI/210F T&P valve for a boiler relief that was dripping.

    *Arguing with an associate who described himself as a "Facilities Engineer", about whether or not I needed 1-1/4" copper pipe.."You DON'T need it!" he said, without knowing my application nor flow rate. All I wanted to do was buy it and he was arguing with me at 8 AM on a Sunday.

    The stories are legion...
  • Tim_41
    Tim_41 Member Posts: 153
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    The professional associate

    I heard one of the associates tell a customer that vinyl tubing was o.k. to use for an oil line from a barrel. I told the guy not to use it. I think he was a bit shocked.
  • scott337
    scott337 Member Posts: 38
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    Associates aside, it is the product offering to be aware of...

    Let's not lose sight of the real issue here. You can buy whatever you choose to install at the Depot. Sure the advice may be a bit scary in everything from heating install to turf management.
  • Boilergeek
    Boilergeek Member Posts: 42
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    Home Depot, You can blow up your house, we can help.
  • Paul Fredricks_3
    Paul Fredricks_3 Member Posts: 1,557
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    They do need to draw a line what they let their people say. Turf management errors may not kill people. Same for paint choice and curtain rods. Boilers are different.
  • heatboy
    heatboy Member Posts: 1,468
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    Yo!, Louie.......

    ....can you order dis guy a Butterus or Vicemen boila?"

    I would like to be the other fly sitting next to Brad.

    hb

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    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Paul Fredricks_3
    Paul Fredricks_3 Member Posts: 1,557
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    Shaaawww. And yous don't even need an oil line. I saw one guy just put a funnel on topa dah pump. I tink he ran it on gasoline!
  • Al Letellier_9
    Al Letellier_9 Member Posts: 929
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    boilers at HD

    So what.....I'm getting a little tired of the argument....who cares what they sell? This is America. The land of opportunity and free enterprise. I haven't lost a customer yet because of them. I have all the work I need and want. There is little or nothing I can do to change things with their marketing power, so all I do is offer superior service, superior installations, superior followup and superior warranties. I don't intend to make HD or LOWES or anybody else my competitor. I think we professionals are in a class by ourselves and we don't have to worry about losing good customers to HD. They can have the " I want to go cheaps" and the DIY's. I don't need them nor do I want them. I get calls a lot from those folks who can't get them running or don't know which part goes where or the famous "I need a plumber to sign off on the gas piping". Makes my days to politely and professionally say NO WAY !!!
  • Joe Brix
    Joe Brix Member Posts: 626
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    Amen, Al!!!!!

    I second that emotion!!!!!!!!!!!


    Starch
  • Boilergeek
    Boilergeek Member Posts: 42
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    The point is free country or not, sometimes people need to be protected from themselvs. America has rules and regulations when it comes to the public's safety. The retard that attempts to put that in their own house probably has children that he is indangering in the name of saving a buck. I have to wear my seatbelt when opperating a car. I have to have a special licence to drive my motorcycle. This is just WRONG! that is the point.
  • Jim Pompetti
    Jim Pompetti Member Posts: 552
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    Spending our money

    Home Depot like Sears is our competitor . We need to stop spend our money with them . No matter , how good the sales is or how much money we think were saving . They both want to put us out of business , so we have to stop helping them do it .
  • Supply House Rick
    Supply House Rick Member Posts: 1,404
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    Hey Did You See If

    Mulch was on sale?

    Rick
  • J.C.A._3
    J.C.A._3 Member Posts: 2,981
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    Not to take away from the hillarity...

    But did ANYONE read this yesterday?http://custom.marketwatch.com/custom/excite-com/news-story.asp?guid={416F165F-73A2-4413-8412-D57935F389F0}

    Did ANYONE realize that they WERE in the wholesale supply side?(Now you know where Any boiler you want...comes from!)

    Apparently the old CEO decided that hurricane and storm victims in the south were good business, and the stickholder want to shoot off their feet to save the "homeowner side " of things! GOD bless them shareholders! Chris
  • Jeff Lawrence_25
    Jeff Lawrence_25 Member Posts: 746
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    Thank Heavens!

    The only electrical supply house near me that has counter help worth a salt is a HDSupply. I hate going in there because of HD. I guess I can start going back to my old suppliers now.

    Thanks Chris.
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
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    i would like that item would you please get one down for me?

    "What are you doing ?"

    'i am leaving, if you don't get it down here . that's what i am doing'


    that building is a serious urination off to me.

  • mtfallsmikey
    mtfallsmikey Member Posts: 765
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    Sold!

    HD has found a buyer for the 'ole Hughes Supply / HD Supply biz..will use proceeds to buy back stock. AND....did we not mention that Sears is selling Carrier equipment now?
  • Ken_40
    Ken_40 Member Posts: 1,320
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    We still have the right to kill ourselves!

    Having a license to ride a bike does not make me a good biker.

    Getting a permit to install a bay window, then using a 2X4 as the header, is allowed as well.

    Garden hoses used to spray insecticides and wed killers without a BFP is commonplace.

    The question? Where do we cross the line?

    I happen to agree with your observations. I'm just unwilling to ivite even more government intervention in my life. We cannot control the idiots in life. Nor can the government.

    The Darwin Awards come to mind...

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  • andy_21
    andy_21 Member Posts: 42
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    Who cares

    Always found great advice from true pro's who know their stuff on this site. But I can't see everyone getting riled up over Home depot. The type of customer who is going to buy a boiler from them is not the type you really want to have as a customer anyway. most are looking for the only driven by lowest price, not really concerned w/ quality. I'm a GC & can truly say be glad their shopping @ depot otherwise they would be wasting you time getting estimates & comparing them w/ 10 other guy.
    I was concerned when they came to town & started offering install services, but after hearing complaints & seeing some of their work, you can be sure anyone who is concerned w/ the quality of the work that goes into their home won't be doing business w/ them at least not for long. If I have a customer mention getting materials or prices from them ,I just smile & tell to go ahead.
  • tim smith
    tim smith Member Posts: 2,752
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    Home depot, cometitor, not!!!!

    I totally agree, they have never taken one of my customers that I know of and we have all the work + we can handle. Tim
  • Wayco Wayne_2
    Wayco Wayne_2 Member Posts: 2,479
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    Target customers

    The folks who wish to pinch a penny and take a chance by doing it themselves, are not my target customers. I like folks who like things done well and can afford to have it done by the likes of me. WW

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  • Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_2
    Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_2 Member Posts: 377
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    Advice to all

    please take the time to call up HD and/or L to inquire about doing their work. I have over the years because I wanted to know how they work the deal and it was a real eye-opener. Funny how when you don't need to work for them, your sight remains fully 20/20. Crunch their numbers they 'give' their installers, ask about speedy pick up times, seek out hidden costs you'll incur.

    Highly recommended for educational purposes! Once you know how they work, you can typically sway business your way.
  • Ken D._3
    Ken D._3 Member Posts: 18
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    HD

    It is annoying to say the least when you bid on a boiler, baseboard or replace a part, and the customer looks at the bill and says I can get the hardware at HD for X amount. Your labor can't be that much!! It amazes me that Home Depot, Doctors, Lawyers and everyone else can make a good profit and we can't. In fact we can't make any profit at all.
  • ScottMP
    ScottMP Member Posts: 5,884
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    Ken

    tell them your labor IS that Much !!

    Your a Professional and not a stock boy !

    Those who can DO, those who can't ..work at Home Depot.

    Scott

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  • Jeff Lawrence_25
    Jeff Lawrence_25 Member Posts: 746
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    My response has been

    To ask them if they want me to still be in business to do the warranty work.

    I have to make a living too.
  • Lyle C
    Lyle C Member Posts: 96
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    Home Depot

    I've never had to compete againest a HD or L boiler . But water heaters no problem .Once I tell people they are not Mass Code they lose intrest real quick.
  • Ken_40
    Ken_40 Member Posts: 1,320
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    Ask them if they really think...

    Half a banana, two scoops of ice cream and some jimmies with canned strawberries on top - we can buy at the food store for under 2-dollars (and make at home ourselves) - is really worth the 7-dollars Baskin Robin, Friendly's or Dairy Queen charges.


    This is mindless banter. As many have already posted, I have never lost a boiler job to HD, unlike some of my serious and legitimate competition - that from time to time have been successful...

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  • Home Depot Employee
    Home Depot Employee Member Posts: 329
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    Cleared profit?

    Dont knock HD till you try it
    With a salary of $30.00 an hour and a 45 hour work week, I enjoy giving good information to customers and then when I punch out I go home and relax with no paperwork, phone calls or night service.
  • ScottMP
    ScottMP Member Posts: 5,884
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    That would be interesting

    if it where true ...

    Nice try ...

    Scott

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  • Home Depot Employee
    Home Depot Employee Member Posts: 329
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    Oh yea? Don't bet on it

    Home Depot has announced additional retail plans, including paying trade professionals $30 an hour to staff stores as well as building bigger and smaller stores.

    “We have not decided one way or another what to do with the supply business,” said Frank Blake, chief executive, at a Merrill Lynch retailing conference in New York yesterday.

    The company has not said whether it has received any offers for HD Supply, although most speculation says the first round of bids may already be on Blake’s desk.

    Since announcing the possibility of selling HD Supply, however, the company has continued to make moves toward the professional trades — even buying a chain of construction supply centers earlier this month to add to territory not well covered by HD Supply before.

    The company has also said it plans to spend $415 million on “Own the Pro” professional customer marketing this year, including credit, direct ship and loyalty programs.

    In other news at the retail conference, Home Depot outlined plans to invest in its 2,000-plus retail outlets and build additional stores:

    The company will offer as much as $30 an hour to hire trade specialists for some of its retail stores.

    Although the company won’t say exactly how many professionals it may hire, Home Depot does intend to add 83,000 new employees by mid-year to staff its stores. The company interviews 350,000 people each year for store jobs.

    The company will try out even bigger stores as well as much smaller stores.
  • ScottMP
    ScottMP Member Posts: 5,884
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    SO this is

    something that might happen and has'nt happened yet like you wanted us to belive. You probable don't even work there, as you wanted us to belive.

    Alot of companys try this route, Sears did years ago. Its not as easy as they think. AS I have said before ... as the Babyboom generation ages they will do less home repairs and D.I.Y. stores will see a drop in sales. Its only natural they should try to get legitimate contractors to buy from them. Some will ....

    My bet is that they wil become more of a Jackleg supply house.

    Scott

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  • Ken_40
    Ken_40 Member Posts: 1,320
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    HD ratings dropped...

    Home Depot cut to market perform at Piper Jaffray
    6:05a ET June 21, 2007 (MarketWatch)
    LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Piper Jaffray downgraded Home Depot Inc. to market perform from outperform, citing valuation following the retailer's deal to sell its contractor-supplies business. "With Home Depot Supply out of the picture, the focus turns to the company's ability to grow in the challenging -- and increasingly saturated -- DIY retail market," the broker said. "We have long thought that the HD Supply segment provided the combined company with a stronger growth profile as store growth in the retail market has slowed to a mid-single-digit rate," it added.


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  • Home Depot Employee
    Home Depot Employee Member Posts: 329
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    Just a start?

    I maybe in a test market but who cares, works for me in Houston
  • Mitch_5
    Mitch_5 Member Posts: 102
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    Have had HD do several installs

    of kitchens for my customers. No permits and crap work.

    One thing they did is after my customer contacted me that they did the work and got busted. I went in got the permit corrected the problem and got paid for it by HD.

    Never want to work for them but getting paid unquestioned to fix there screw up is not bad.

    One thing my Dad taught me well (he was an engineer not in the trade).

    ONLY A RICH MAN CAN BUY JUNK BECOUSE YOU HAVE TO BUY IT TWICE!..

    Mitch S.

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This discussion has been closed.

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