DIYbanter - View Single Post

-MIKE-

On 1/24/18 11:33 AM, wrote:
On Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 9:43:06 AM UTC-6, -MIKE- wrote:

See Leon's Stallion quip! :-p

I just want to remind you and Leon that this is the 21st century. We
get pick these days! And you can't judge, either. I will turn you
both into the PC police.

I always enjoy your posts and this one was entertaining.

I don't know how Lowes gets away with their "free installation,"
other than taking a big hit on the sale to keep the customers
coming to their stores.

I don't know either. HD has it from time to time, but I like the
appliance lines better (and the pricing) at Lowe's, so I usually go
there. Plus, Lowe's is more of a general public remodeling/repair
store than HD, so they have more appliances on hand. The last to
times I have been emailed a generic 20% off "Pro Advantage Coupon" it
has worked with their current sale. So the last time I bought a
kitchen full, I got 60% off with $65 haul off and delivery for a
dishwasher, microwave, standard oven, and disposal. Free install on
the dishwasher (plus parts) and oven (gas, so plus parts there,
too).

This job is actually through Home Depot's Pro Referral, which was a
web site called Red Beacon (terrible name) that Home Depot bought
when they got sick of dealing with installers, directly. Lowes
bought a similar site called "Porch" that they now use for most of
their installation services. I'm on that site, too, but rarely
respond since they charge too much for for referrals for my taste.
Pro Referral is free so long as you're buying stuff from HD.

Part of what makes my little company run smoothly is that I manage my
customer's expectations and concerns. I write a notoriously,
laboriously detailed contract that leaves nothing to chance or
imagination. I was slow a few years back and thought I would give
both HD and Lowe's a try on their installation of cabinets. The pay
wasn't good, and the customers were full of the baloney the
salesperson had fed them. "The installer will go over that with you,
sir". "The installer will work that out in the field, sir". "The
installer can fix that with the materials he carries on his truck,
sir. They do it all the time".

I did one job for each, and nothing else. My intent was to do a job
like that, put a little money in my pocket, but offer all the rest of
my services to the client to promote my business. As it was, it the
coordination was so poor, it was not a good fit. Lowe's wanted me to
go back out and put in a filler piece a month after it came in (wrong
size piece delivered to the job) on a lower kitchen after the tops
were in. They held my money until I did, then submitted the bill,
and I waited ANOTHER month to get paid. No, thanks.

These new systems are just referral services.
I would never work directly for either for the reasons you described.

--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
www.mikedrums.com