I'm in the process of buying a house and one of the first remodelling
to-do items is customozing the closets in two of the bedrooms. I'd
like to have sliding mirrored doors installed in both (currently they
have no doors at all) and have custom shelving, rods, and drawers
installed.

Out of Home Depot and Lowe's, which is better for a job like this?
Which has lower prices? Good service? Quality items? Is there another
store that I should be looking at as well (I'm in southern California)?

I guess I'm looking for a Target/Wal-Mart comparison. Target is a
little bit more expensive but the quality is better. I've never dealt
with either Home Depot or Lowe's and understand that the scope of
redoing closets can be a sizeable job if not done correctly. I visited
Lowe's and depending on the size of the closet, the mirrored doors
alone will run about $200 per room, and that's without the installation
or the cabinetry work needed inside. I haven't checked Home Depot
prices yet, but was hoping that someone could offer an informed
comparison of both stores.

Thanks in advance!

Joy

wrote:
I'm in the process of buying a house and one of the first remodelling
to-do items is customozing the closets in two of the bedrooms. I'd
like to have sliding mirrored doors installed in both (currently they
have no doors at all) and have custom shelving, rods, and drawers
installed.

Out of Home Depot and Lowe's, which is better for a job like this?
Which has lower prices? Good service? Quality items? Is there
another store that I should be looking at as well (I'm in southern
California)?

I guess I'm looking for a Target/Wal-Mart comparison. Target is a
little bit more expensive but the quality is better. I've never dealt
with either Home Depot or Lowe's and understand that the scope of
redoing closets can be a sizeable job if not done correctly. I
visited Lowe's and depending on the size of the closet, the mirrored
doors alone will run about $200 per room, and that's without the
installation or the cabinetry work needed inside. I haven't checked
Home Depot prices yet, but was hoping that someone could offer an
informed comparison of both stores.

Thanks in advance!

Joy

You got it backwards. Start by finding the carpenter who whoever, that
will put in the doors. Then work with them to pick out the doors. Let them
pick the supplier.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

wrote in message

Out of Home Depot and Lowe's, which is better for a job like this?
Which has lower prices? Good service? Quality items? Is there another
store that I should be looking at as well (I'm in southern California)?

Neither is very good IMO. Quality of the work depends on the independent
contractor they sub out to. Varies from store to store and job to job. If
you want top notch job, look for a local guy, not a chain. If you want a
low price, go with the cheapest and don't get your expectations very high.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message

Out of Home Depot and Lowe's, which is better for a job like this?
Which has lower prices? Good service? Quality items? Is there
another
store that I should be looking at as well (I'm in southern
California)?

Neither is very good IMO. Quality of the work depends on the
independent
contractor they sub out to. Varies from store to store and job to
job. If
you want top notch job, look for a local guy, not a chain. If you
want a
low price, go with the cheapest and don't get your expectations very
high.

Local meaning someone a friend can recommend, or meaning a smaller-type
store in my area? I thought another approach would be going to Home
Depot or Lowe's, picking out doors, and then having them send someone
to my house to install them. Not good?

Joy

wrote in message
Local meaning someone a friend can recommend, or meaning a smaller-type
store in my area?

Yes. Some of the local dealers will have a bunch of business card on display
of reputable tradesmen in the area.

I thought another approach would be going to Home
Depot or Lowe's, picking out doors, and then having them send someone
to my house to install them. Not good?

Comparing Home Despot and Lowes is like trying to decide between the Fiat
and the Yugo.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
. com...

wrote in message
Local meaning someone a friend can recommend, or meaning a smaller-type
store in my area?

Yes. Some of the local dealers will have a bunch of business card on display
of reputable tradesmen in the area.

I thought another approach would be going to Home
Depot or Lowe's, picking out doors, and then having them send someone
to my house to install them. Not good?

Comparing Home Despot and Lowes is like trying to decide between the Fiat and
the Yugo.

This is Turtle.

The two cars you used in your example is dragging the two car makers in the
sewer and is not a good ideal or comparison. Fiat and Yugo are both Quality when
put up against Trashy quality Home-Cheap-0 and Low's stores. Don't drag
Respectiable manufactor in the sewer with Trashy stores like Home Cheap-0 and
Low's stores.

TURTLE

You have to be kidding. Fiats were in fact the very definition of poor
quality. I know, I owned one. On the other hand, if you buy a product
like an Anderson door or a Velux skylight at HD or Lowes, are you
suggesting it is of a lesser quality or carries less of a warranty than
the same product purchased anywhere else? I've bought lots of products
from both of these stores and have, with a few exceptions, been very
pleased.

You have to be kidding. Fiats were in fact the very definition of poor
quality. I know, I owned one. On the other hand, if you buy a product
like an Anderson door or a Velux skylight at HD or Lowes, are you
suggesting it is of a lesser quality or carries less of a warranty than
the same product purchased anywhere else? I've bought lots of products
from both of these stores and have, with a few exceptions, been very
pleased.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message

Out of Home Depot and Lowe's, which is better for a job like this?
Which has lower prices? Good service? Quality items? Is there
another
store that I should be looking at as well (I'm in southern
California)?

Neither is very good IMO. Quality of the work depends on the
independent
contractor they sub out to. Varies from store to store and job to
job. If
you want top notch job, look for a local guy, not a chain. If you
want a
low price, go with the cheapest and don't get your expectations very
high.

Local meaning someone a friend can recommend, or meaning a smaller-type
store in my area? I thought another approach would be going to Home
Depot or Lowe's, picking out doors, and then having them send someone
to my house to install them. Not good?

Joy


This is Turtle.

Joy , i'm gonna told you something here. If your interested in a quality job at
all. i would not fool around with Home Cheap-0 or Low's stores. These stores
sign up the cheapest carpenters and craftman that they can find and pay them
peanuts and charge you for a quality job. You can even work for these stores and
not have contractor licences for they can work under the Store contractor
licences and insurance. If you want the cheapest contractor , Coming out of
bankruptsy , Has a second job at burger King to suppliment his income , can
never get the job done right the first time and is has the Cheapest workmanship
type company in town to come do your work and then pay top quality Dollars for
the job. Then these two stores are what your looking for.

Now you spoke of other STORES to get a contractor from. I think you have it ass
back-ards here. You don't go buy a bunch of lumber & building supplies and then
try to find a contractor to decide what you want to do with all these supplies
and lumber. The other stores or the two big store will send a contractor out
there but they will be told to use only their parts and supplies and nobody else
and don't suggest anything we don't sell. Then if the contractor knows a better
product sold at another store with better quality. He will be told to keep quiet
and use what that store sells and not say anything about something better or a
better price from them. Also if the job is on a bid basis , the store will tell
the contractor to cut the corners the best way he can and cut the material cost
down from what you were buying in the first place for you will not be counting 2
X 4 and wood material. You will be billed for plenty of lumber but any lumber
the contractor does not use will be brought back but you will still be billed
for it. You should never get a wood supplier telling the contractor how much
wood that is to be used on a job. You should have the contractor and you telling
the wood supplier what and how much you want and not have it Ass-Back-ards. Here
is a example of what i'm saying here.

Never get a gas station telling you what kind of car to drive.
Never get a Car saleman telling you when to buy a new car.
Never get a Wood producer telling a contractor where to buy their wood.
Never get a Electrical Warehouse telling a Electrician the electrical supplies
you want for a job.

You and the Contractor will sit down and decide what you want to do, Where to
buy the supplies, and the quality of the equipment or wood supplies you will be
buying. You just don't get this Ass Back-ards with a Wood supplier telling a
contractor & You what you want to buy and from who.

Now to find a good contractor, you can look in the phone book Yellow pages and
pick out a bunch of Remodeling contractor and the best contractor may not be in
the yellow pages so you will ask your friends and Co-Workers about any
contractor that they have used in the past and got good results from. Just call
all them up and ask them and you will see a bunch of names you never seen in the
phone book or seen in the phone book but get more than just one person telling
you that that contractor was good. If you could get 2 or 3 friends and
co-workers telling you about a contractor. You may have found a quality
contractor to use. Now if you can find a Electrican or a Plumber in your area to
talk to and just about every one of these fellow will know all the trashy
remodelers for they get to see them in action all the time. I'm in the HVAC
business but I can tell you ever trashy remoding contractor in town and the good
ones too. All the craftmen in the trades that has been in business for years can
tell you right off who to not use and who to use. Here in town they have only 5
remodeling contractor and I will tell you right off the 3 you don't mess with
and to use one of the other 2 of them in town.

TURTLE

wrote in message
oups.com...
You have to be kidding. Fiats were in fact the very definition of poor
quality. I know, I owned one. On the other hand, if you buy a product
like an Anderson door or a Velux skylight at HD or Lowes, are you
suggesting it is of a lesser quality or carries less of a warranty than
the same product purchased anywhere else? I've bought lots of products
from both of these stores and have, with a few exceptions, been very
pleased.


This is Turtle

You missed the point or the jest of the stores involved. We was aiming the
thoughts at the contracting ability of the Home Cheap-0 and Lowes Stores and not
their Quality of any product they may sell. The may sell some good products but
when it comes to their picking contractor and their quality. It is a different
story from the products they may sell. Now if your speaking of any contracting
job from Low's and Home Depot and you got good results, well a blind hog
everyonce in a while can find a acrne. if you don't get too involved in the job
to need any great skill in a job. You might get by with them.

TURTLE

wrote in message
oups.com...
You have to be kidding. Fiats were in fact the very definition of poor
quality. I know, I owned one.

And the choice I oferes was Fiat and Yugo. The Yugo was built from Fiat
tooling.

On the other hand, if you buy a product
like an Anderson door or a Velux skylight at HD or Lowes, are you
suggesting it is of a lesser quality or carries less of a warranty than
the same product purchased anywhere else?

If they are in fact the same models. Pella (just as a for instance) makes
models carried by HD, but the Pella dealers offer a better line of products.
Some products are identcial, youhave to watch.

I've bought lots of products
from both of these stores and have, with a few exceptions, been very
pleased.

I buy some things from them, but I also shop other stores. Why? They offer
brands and models that are often superior to the ones carried in the big box
stores. When I need a professional grade tool, I go to places like Coastal
Tools.

As always, there will be exceptions. My point also was that I'd rather
trust a local craftsman to do the work in my home as opposed to one doing
the lowest bid at the big box stores.
Ed

Yes, I agree with you and Turtle. I too would always go with a local
craftsman with references before I'd rely on the big store guys to do
work.

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 20:23:18 -0600, "TURTLE"
wrote:


wrote in message
roups.com...
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message

Out of Home Depot and Lowe's, which is better for a job like this?
Which has lower prices? Good service? Quality items? Is there
another
store that I should be looking at as well (I'm in southern
California)?

Neither is very good IMO. Quality of the work depends on the
independent
contractor they sub out to. Varies from store to store and job to
job. If
you want top notch job, look for a local guy, not a chain. If you
want a
low price, go with the cheapest and don't get your expectations very
high.

Local meaning someone a friend can recommend, or meaning a smaller-type
store in my area? I thought another approach would be going to Home
Depot or Lowe's, picking out doors, and then having them send someone
to my house to install them. Not good?

Joy


This is Turtle.

Joy , i'm gonna told you something here. If your interested in a quality job at
all. i would not fool around with Home Cheap-0 or Low's stores. These stores
sign up the cheapest carpenters and craftman that they can find and pay them
peanuts and charge you for a quality job. You can even work for these stores and
not have contractor licences for they can work under the Store contractor
licences and insurance. If you want the cheapest contractor , Coming out of
bankruptsy , Has a second job at burger King to suppliment his income , can
never get the job done right the first time and is has the Cheapest workmanship
type company in town to come do your work and then pay top quality Dollars for
the job. Then these two stores are what your looking for.

Now you spoke of other STORES to get a contractor from. I think you have it ass
back-ards here. You don't go buy a bunch of lumber & building supplies and then
try to find a contractor to decide what you want to do with all these supplies
and lumber. The other stores or the two big store will send a contractor out
there but they will be told to use only their parts and supplies and nobody else
and don't suggest anything we don't sell. Then if the contractor knows a better
product sold at another store with better quality. He will be told to keep quiet
and use what that store sells and not say anything about something better or a
better price from them. Also if the job is on a bid basis , the store will tell
the contractor to cut the corners the best way he can and cut the material cost
down from what you were buying in the first place for you will not be counting 2
X 4 and wood material. You will be billed for plenty of lumber but any lumber
the contractor does not use will be brought back but you will still be billed
for it. You should never get a wood supplier telling the contractor how much
wood that is to be used on a job. You should have the contractor and you telling
the wood supplier what and how much you want and not have it Ass-Back-ards. Here
is a example of what i'm saying here.

Never get a gas station telling you what kind of car to drive.
Never get a Car saleman telling you when to buy a new car.
Never get a Wood producer telling a contractor where to buy their wood.
Never get a Electrical Warehouse telling a Electrician the electrical supplies
you want for a job.

You and the Contractor will sit down and decide what you want to do, Where to
buy the supplies, and the quality of the equipment or wood supplies you will be
buying. You just don't get this Ass Back-ards with a Wood supplier telling a
contractor & You what you want to buy and from who.

Now to find a good contractor, you can look in the phone book Yellow pages and
pick out a bunch of Remodeling contractor and the best contractor may not be in
the yellow pages so you will ask your friends and Co-Workers about any
contractor that they have used in the past and got good results from. Just call
all them up and ask them and you will see a bunch of names you never seen in the
phone book or seen in the phone book but get more than just one person telling
you that that contractor was good. If you could get 2 or 3 friends and
co-workers telling you about a contractor. You may have found a quality
contractor to use. Now if you can find a Electrican or a Plumber in your area to
talk to and just about every one of these fellow will know all the trashy
remodelers for they get to see them in action all the time. I'm in the HVAC
business but I can tell you ever trashy remoding contractor in town and the good
ones too. All the craftmen in the trades that has been in business for years can
tell you right off who to not use and who to use. Here in town they have only 5
remodeling contractor and I will tell you right off the 3 you don't mess with
and to use one of the other 2 of them in town.

TURTLE

When I was doing contracting, before I became an inspector, I never
had an ad in the Yellow Pages. Didn't want or need one. I had more
than I could do taking care of jobs I got by word of mouth. I can't
help but believe that a good workman doesn't need more than that.
There aren't that many people around anymore that can do anything
useful.

Dan

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 01:04:13 GMT, Dan wrote:



When I was doing contracting, before I became an inspector, I never
had an ad in the Yellow Pages. Didn't want or need one. I had more
than I could do taking care of jobs I got by word of mouth. I can't
help but believe that a good workman doesn't need more than that.
There aren't that many people around anymore that can do anything
useful.

Dan

You are 100% right Dan. Around here (Florida) anyone good is always
swamped with work. I am suspicious of contractors who advertise. I
always have to wonder what is wrong with them if they have to resort
to advertising to get work.

Of course when the bubble from the cheap refi money and the hurricane
repairs is finally burst there will probably be a flip-flop in the
business and it will become a buyers market.