Lowe's treated me well imo.....way better than HD ever did!

[Cranky]

A little over 20 years ago I let HD do some contract work here at my place and the contractor was a total ***. Moron from the start but HD 'protected' their contractor and pushed me aside as a 'chronic' complainer. I've been in that store very few times since and only when I couldn't find what I was looking for anywhere else and that brings me to dealing with Lowe's.

Recently I ordered a 7' Warner fiberglass step ladder....something that I should have bought many years ago instead of putting it off. 7' steps are a special order since not many people want one so no one stocks them but after using an 8 footer and seeing it was too big in my shop and a 6 footer wasn't tall enough, I finally pulled the trigger on a 7 footer and can't believe I didn't do it years ago. Anyways when I picked it up the other day I found a bit of damage and pointed it out to them. They were willing to order me another but I was ready to have it now and needed it now so asked them if they could make an adjustment on the price and I could make a repair to the damage and even told them I'd use it as is for today as the damage isn't bad looking and they did....to the tune of 50 bucks!

At first the manager asked me what I thought was fair and I just shrugged my shoulders and asked him how fair could he get and it surprised me when he said 50. I was expecting 10% and told him I thought the 50 off was fair enough and I was happy with that. And looks like the damaged area is minor to the point that it's not affecting the performance of the ladder.....at least so far. I will most likely repair it to make sure things don't get worse. So, a 167 buck ladder cost me 117 and maybe a bit of time. Man, been looking on the net for good used one for 2 years and nothing showed up.

 

[cr8crshr]

A little over 20 years ago I let HD do some contract work here at my place and the contractor was a total ***. Moron from the start but HD 'protected' their contractor and pushed me aside as a 'chronic' complainer. I've been in that store very few times since and only when I couldn't find what I was looking for anywhere else and that brings me to dealing with Lowe's.

Recently I ordered a 7' Warner fiberglass step ladder....something that I should have bought many years ago instead of putting it off. 7' steps are a special order since not many people want one so no one stocks them but after using an 8 footer and seeing it was too big in my shop and a 6 footer wasn't tall enough, I finally pulled the trigger on a 7 footer and can't believe I didn't do it years ago. Anyways when I picked it up the other day I found a bit of damage and pointed it out to them. They were willing to order me another but I was ready to have it now and needed it now so asked them if they could make an adjustment on the price and I could make a repair to the damage and even told them I'd use is as is for today as the damage isn't bad looking and they did....to the tune of 50 bucks!

At first the manager asked me what I thought was fair and I just shrugged my shoulders and asked him how fair could he get and it surprised me when he said 50. I was expecting 10% and told him I thought the 50 off was fair enough and I was happy with that. And looks like the damaged area is minor to the point that it's not affecting the performance of the ladder.....at least so far. I will most likely repair it to make sure things don't get worse. So, a 167 buck ladder cost me 117 and maybe a bit of time. Man, been looking on the net for good used one for 2 years and nothing showed up.

Nice result Cranky!!! I because of proximity, use HD for a lot of my purchases as the convenience outweighs the distance I have to travel to shop at Lowes. Both do give me a Military Discount which I enjoy without asking unless I shop in person at them both or online which both do as I have registered my status with both. And at times, I find a better deal at Lowes vs HD so that is a no-brainer. I have attempted to utilize the contractor service through HD...haven't done so at Lowes...and found the ones recommended by them to be less than acceptable, so I shop for needed help through other sources and have had excellent results. For me, it is just a matter of convenience as opposed to using HD...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[moparedtn]

I prefer Lowes to HD as well, with the only exception being tools sometimes.
Side note: I've never heard of a 7' step ladder before, leave alone seen one.
Side note #2: Years of toting anything from a 6' step ladder to a 14' jack ladder has
rendered one of my shoulders permanently pissed off - and the other shoulder is
equally stooped from lugging pipe, so they even out.

 

[Cranky]

Nice result Cranky!!! I because of proximity, use HD for a lot of my purchases as the convenience outweighs the distance I have to travel to shop at Lowes. Both do give me a Military Discount which I enjoy without asking unless I shop in person at them both or online which both do as I have registered my status with both. And at times, I find a better deal at Lowes vs HD so that is a no-brainer. I have attempted to utilize the contractor service through HD...haven't done so at Lowes...and found the ones recommended by them to be less than acceptable, so I shop for needed help through other sources and have had excellent results. For me, it is just a matter of convenience as opposed to using HD...cr8crshr/Bill

Lowe's and HD are literally across the street from each other with Lowe's being bit easier to get out of. HD can be a rpita to get out out of their parking lot. And yeah, 30% off ain't bad. I wonder what their markup is.....eh, I'm betting they still got 10% at least...?

I prefer Lowes to HD as well, with the only exception being tools sometimes.
Side note: I've never heard of a 7' step ladder before, leave alone seen one.
Side note #2: Years of toting anything from a 6' step ladder to a 14' jack ladder has
rendered one of my shoulders permanently pissed off - and the other shoulder is
equally stooped from lugging pipe, so they even out.

When I first started thinking about a 7 footer, I researched on line and found that they are made. I can actually carry it straight up (barely) without knocking down any of the many 4' lights I have hanging. With an 8 footer, I was hitting the joists and well, never mind the lights lol

 

[moparedtn]

I reckon it's like any other franchise in the country - peoples' experiences with them boil down to how
well (or badly) the local version is managed and operated.
A 7 footer sounds like a good idea to me also actually - for the same reasons you specify.

 

[thehemikid]

 

[1967coronet]

I prefer Lowes to HD as well, with the only exception being tools sometimes.
Side note: I've never heard of a 7' step ladder before, leave alone seen one.
Side note #2: Years of toting anything from a 6' step ladder to a 14' jack ladder has
rendered one of my shoulders permanently pissed off - and the other shoulder is
equally stooped from lugging pipe, so they even out.

0

 

[Mopar Hunter]

 

[kiwigtx]

Recently I ordered a 7' Warner fiberglass step ladder.

A word of advice/warning - do not leave fibreglass ladders or step-ladders outside.

They will go bad on you in no time at all.....and fibres will get into your skin. I see guys over here every day with them on the roof of their vehicles.....the sun loves stuff like that here.
I keep mine inside and only take it to jobs when required. All my other ladders are aluminium.....the worst they get is a powdery film on them....and recently I discovered the ropes will fray to nothing and break.

Rope is cheap....ladders not so much.

I don't know about you other Tradies ....but I like to keep my tools clean and lubed where necessary. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a Tradie with rusty tools, and rotting ladders.

 

[Geetex]

I like to keep my tool clean and lubed

This is sage advice to the guy with a new girlfriend. You're a good man Roger.

 

[kiwigtx]

This is sage advice to the guy with a new girlfriend. You're a good man Roger.

I try to help members where I can.

 

[AR67GTX]

HD and Lowe’s are across the street from each other here too. I find I go to Lowe’s probably at least 10 times for every time I go to HD. Lowe’s just seems better organized and easier to find what I’m looking for. If I can’t find it at Lowe’s then I’ll venture over to HD second.

 

[YY1]

Lowes is MUCH closer to our house.
We have a Lowes card that gets 5% off- almost pays the tax.

...but HD sometimes has stuff that Lowes doesn't.
HD lumber is generally much better quality than Lowes.
...and sometimes hardware had radically different prices for the same item.
The last big issue was a large capacity mailbox- $129 at Lowes, $79 at HD!
Same item, same brand.

However, on thrid party service, like installation Lowes wins hands down.
We've had Lowes contract installers put in carpet and other flooring we didn't have time to do ourselves and have been very pleased with the outcome and the contractors.
We had the first experience with an HD third party to install a garage door opener and it was a borderline scam.
The up front price was $150.
We knew there was a broken spot weld on the door, where the opener attaches.
It could have been repaired with a simple sheet metal screw. I almost did it myself.
Instead the installer called and said it needed a "heavy duty attachment kit" and he could install it for $250.
We really had no choice at the time.
It's a $25 part that took about 15 minutes to screw over top of the place where the small weld had come loose.

I'll think twice about ever using HD's installation service again.

 

[Hey-O]

I've bought at least a half dozen 7 foot ladders in my time, good choice. I had 4', 6', 7', 8', 10', 12' and 16'. I bought for the plant, sometimes I'd go on the job and leave it for someone else that needed it, now and reorder another for me.

When I had my own business, I stopped buying from HD and spent a ton of money at Lowes. There are many reasons for leaving, but the last straw was me standing in line with about 7 or 8 people at a check out. The pro area had two checkouts and they were playing on their phones. I asked if they could check us out, he said it was the pro area. I thought I was going to have a heart attack, right there. I walked over to him and ripped his *** up. I am a pro. I don't have a chicken **** pro account with HD and a monkey with an account is a pro at HD. I told them that all of the people standing in line while you two play with your phones have pro money they'd like to spend. The people in line started to speak up and the manager showed up and that was that. I now go back, ONLY IF NEED BE. Menards, Lowes and HD are all within 3 miles of my house and HD is the closest. I get it!!

 

[padam]

A word of advice/warning - do not leave fibreglass ladders or step-ladders outside.

They will go bad on you in no time at all.....and fibres will get into your skin. I see guys over here every day with them on the roof of their vehicles.....the sun loves stuff like that here.
I keep mine inside and only take it to jobs when required. All my other ladders are aluminium.....the worst they get is a powdery film on them....and recently I discovered the ropes will fray to nothing and break.

Rope is cheap....ladders not so much.

I don't know about you other Tradies ....but I like to keep my tools clean and lubed where necessary. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a Tradies with rusty tools, and rotting ladders.

I recently gave away my fiberglass extension ladder. I did exactly what you described, left it strapped to the top of my van. Last time I used it I had so much fiberglass in my arms it drove me nuts.

 

[Budnicks]

I have stock in both, Home Depot is 10-12 times of what I bought it at
thanks for your patronage
Lowes is probably 8-9 times value as I org. bought...

Up here we don't have a local Home Depot, closest one is 50 or so miles away
we do have a newish Lowes, it's about 12 years old now...

Home Depot lumber/plywood or trim/shoes crown base etc.,
mass produced & sucks
Lowes lumber seems or was, is only marginally just a slight bit better,
still too twisted & too many knots at both
even Hearth grade redwood, Con-Hearth is junk & it's no bargain anymore...

Might as well go to a local Lumber specialist company & pay the price for quality...

At 1 time I was the biggest single buyer/contractor in the
Concord Ca. Home Depot store, mostly stuff for the local dealerships
I was treated very well... & they'd deliver for free...
Stuff I couldn't get a Grainger's or Amfac etc.
No Complaints in that department...

I had every size/style Werner (& another brand) contractors grade fiberglass ladders
(a few HD aluminum ones too, I preferred the fiberglass, hands down)
you can think of from 4' - 12' (A frame) & then specialty ladders
& extension ladders to 24'
(used an electric/battery over hydraulic powered Sizer-lift, if higher or doing lighting maintenance)
They all stored in my warehouse unless being used out on the job...
I or my guys, all kept a 8' or 6' & a 4' ladder on all my (14) truck/s...
So you don't go running back & forth to the shop/warehouse for tools/or a ladder...
We rotated the ladders regularly, truck/s was stored inside the warehouse at night...

a $150 ladder is cheap

A mans tools show how the man's ethics & attention to detail is...
If they look like ****, then well

It was an expense I had to deal with, we needed the ladders, constantly
so they were in the truck/s all the time, some under covers some on lumber racks
or inside steel or alum. containers on the racks designed to hold ladders
when not inside, in use...

I think as a whole they both Lowes or HD suck equally, as far as supplies
unfortunately when they come in, the small mom & pop shops are driven out
But we still have a few here...
The reg. stuff I think Home Depot is a less expensive endeavor
lumber, paint, nails, Simpson brackets, electric supplies etc.
Lowes seems to have a better selection of tools,
many are Chinese/Tiawan too
both sell a shitload of Chinese crap, them buying it by the train/freight containers, car/ship loads

Appliances I'd go to Lowes 1st, of the 2, big box style stores...

As for their inhouse contractors services, I'd suggest stay clear of both
find a specialist from word of mouth, someone has a good recommendation/s
or maybe on Angies or the Yellow Pages etc., I'd find a real licensed contractor
there's usually a damn good reason why, they contract/sub out for Lowes & Home Depot
& not out on their own...

 

[Pops1967GTX]

Went to Lowes the other day to purchase a Weber Gas Grill. The two associates were very helpful. I placed my purchase on a Lower credit card from Synchrony Bank to get a $100.00 off interest free 6months. You must read the fine print. As of 3/7/24, Purchases APR is 31.99% and Penalty APR is 36.99%. That is theft, outrageous ..... I paid it off immediately .....


Lowe’s Jacked up their Credit Card Interest Rate

 

[YY1]

My wife was just talking about that.

Until very recently, the highest interest rate that could be charged in FL was 29.99%

I think that got repealed last year.

 

[XS22J8R]

It's interesting how a good or bad experience with a business can influence a person for the rest of their lives.
Over 20 years ago, I was remodeling a bathroom at my house and bought a ceramic pedestal sink at Menards. A few days after I brought it home, I got around to opening the boxes and found the pedestal part broken. I took it back to Menards expecting them to tell me I must have broke it and I should have inspected it when I picked it up from them. Instead the clerk there was very helpful and gave me a new one no problem.
To this day Menards is always my first pick for home improvement items. Though I also shop HD and Lowes stores from time to time. I'd rate Lowes second as the stores seem brighter and better organized than HD but Menards is my first choice.

 

[Speedbird]

I only go to Home Deplore if Lowes doesn't have it.
HD is where the morons and the ....um er..... "contractors" seem to shop.
And notoriously hang out in some places.
I've almost had my door taken off in the parking lot.
And I've seen a pick up truck parked in a space close to the store with small metal conduit sticking out of the bed in the drive isle.
Just about where someone's windshield would be driving past it.
HD was the first to lock up all the copper wire near me.
Then Lowe's started
Theft is not isolated but that sort of says something.

And for past service?
Lowes.