Lowes prices out of line!

[Harley Lewis]

This probably does not belong here, but I need to vent a bit because it carries over to all the big box stores do. A couple years ago I built a log home and solid pine doors at Lowes was $100 more per door than the bid from a local lumber yard -- same door.

The real kicker was this weekend. My wife wants new counter tops and thinks we should go granite. Lowes charges $59 a sq foot for installation, and from $40 to $100 pre square foot for the product. So prices range from $100 a sq. foot to $140 a sq. foot turn key without a sink or tear out. Yesterday, I called a granite specialty shop and asked what they would charge for 80 sq ft of counter space. They said between $42 and $150 a sq foot installed. I asked what that ment -- they provide the slab granite, the fabrication, and installation for as little as $42 for a 3/4 inch thick product, up to a max of $150 installed, and they have 600 different colors and grades of granite. They charge a bit for tear out and for sink cut outs but so did Lowes. After I looked, the same product was between $80 a square foot and $100 a sq foot more at Lowes than at the granite shop.

Moral of the story is to shop around!

[Matt Meiser]

That can be true of even commodity items. My local hardware stores equal or beat Lowes on many things.

This exposes foolishness on my part, but last week I went to my local hardware store to buy a bunch of PVC parts. The bill came to $65 which I thought was high. They were out of a couple items so we went to Lowes later to get those, and I was going to buy the rest of the stuff at Lowes and return the stuff to the local store if the prices were significantly different. Turned out that $23 of my bill was a gallon of paint I didn't buy. Comparing the rest of the parts, they actually beat Lowes overall. Some things were slightly more and some slightly less.

Oh, and the $23 was refunded to us the next day, no questions asked. And if they weren't I was going to call the owner up at their original store and talk to her--she's known me since I was in high school. When she rings me out and I write a check she doesn't ask for ID--just says she'll call my mom if it doesn't clear :D

I've also bought a lot of material from the local lumber yard because they deliver for free where Lowes charges something like $50. I'd buy a lot more from them if they had consumer-friendly hours. They will take an order from me over the phone though and just bill me.

[Mike Cutler]

Shopping around is definitely to your advantage.
Big Box stores offer the convenience of "one stop shopping" for a wide array of projects around the house. If your scope is narrow though, you're better off at a place that specializes.

[Steve Milito]

The real kicker was this weekend. My wife wants new counter tops and thinks we should go granite. Lowes charges $59 a sq foot for installation, and from $40 to $100 pre square foot for the product. So prices range from $100 a sq. foot to $140 a sq. foot turn key without a sink or tear out. Yesterday, I called a granite specialty shop and asked what they would charge for 80 sq ft of counter space. They said between $42 and $150 a sq foot installed. I asked what that ment -- they provide the slab granite, the fabrication, and installation for as little as $42 for a 3/4 inch thick product, up to a max of $150 installed, and they have 600 different colors and grades of granite. They charge a bit for tear out and for sink cut outs but so did Lowes. After I looked, the same product was between $80 a square foot and $100 a sq foot more at Lowes than at the granite shop.

Moral of the story is to shop around!

Granite can be funny. It's a natural stone which is mined and shipped large distances. Some mines produce relatively small amounts of a highly desirable stone that is very expensive. Other mining regions produce huge amounts of similiar stone, it is a lot less expensive, and can compete with products like Corian. My personal bias is that you are better off going directly to the specialist who knows his product, who can show you exactly the slabs you are buying, and stands behind the workmanship.

[Bob Childress]

Well, if they're going to sell Biesemeyer Fences for $80, they have to make it up someplace! ;) :D :D :rolleyes:

[Gary Keedwell]

Well, if they're going to sell Biesemeyer Fences for $80, they have to make it up someplace! ;) :D :D :rolleyes:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/evsac/Video/DONALD3.jpgLOL:p Good one Bob.

Gary

[Dave Anderson NH]

The main thing to remember Harley is that the big box outlets and the large stores don't do the work themselves. Everything is Subbed out including the fabrication and the installation. It doesn't really matter whether it's Sears, Home Depot, or Lowes. They take the accumulated price from the materials and the labor and then add their markup to cover advertising, coordinating the job, and their profit. You will almost always get both better pricing and better quality work direct from the primary source. Also remember that if there are any problems with quality on the installation that these places never want to hear your name again. They already have your money and it becomes a game of finger pointing as to who made what mistakes and who will make them good.

[Mike Hood]

I just went through a similar thing at our local Lowes. I needed 2,000 sq/ft of Trex deck boards. I was in Lowes and noticed that said they now carry both Trex and their own "Choice Deck" material. When I asked, the sales guys boasted "And we'll meet and beat any local advertised price by 10%" I called them on it and the Manager was quick to point out that didn't cover "special order" material (they didn't have enough in stock.) When I asked about delivery, they also told me it started at $59 locally.

So... marched back into my favorite lumber yard (Martin Lumber btw) and confessed to my old timer salesman there and ordered my boards. He laughed and said "Lowes gets their Trex material from us..." and then tossed in a 10% discount to make the deal.

I HATE the big box stores. Stick with the small local yards wherever possible.

[Don Bullock]

Like anything else, if you want the best price you have to check all the sources. Sometimes it boils down to time and gasoline. At the cost of gas these days it can make a big difference.

[Phil Thien]

My father always used to say, "always shop at least three places before you buy." Obviously this is only important if you're spending decent money. But I've lived by this advice my entire adult life and have never been dissapointed.

It doesn't always save money, BTW. On occasion you find a higher quality alternative that costs more. But these days, given the relatively low quality of the goods out there, I'm frankly relieved to find quality alternatives.

[Owen Gregg]

Harley, to be honest, some of the salesmen at Lowe's and other big boxes will quote you prices at Sq. ft. when what they actually mean is lineal feet. I'm not saying that's what happened in this case, but things are far from standard in the countertop industry and it is more common than one might think to quote by lineal foot (about 2 sq/ft.). The salesmen at the BBS might just have used the wrong terminology. I would still advise going specifically to a stone shop for the best service and product.

[Vernon Taylor]

I find that my local electrical supply house is a much better source when I have an electrical project, in addition to competitve pricing all I have to do is give them a list and they pull my order. They also are a valuable resource for any questions and have saved me numerous return trips by making sure I have the componets I need.

[joe greiner]

I go to the big boxes when I need a dose of frustration. Their only advantage is being open on weekends. We have, within about a 5-mile circle, HD, Lowes, Capital City Lumber, and recently Fastenal; Ace Hardware a few miles farther. Ace is very much local option on the product line, but this one has a very complete line of weird fasteners for onesy-twosy, e.g. left-hand nuts and metrics; for bulk purchases, Fastenal is it. HD and Lowes charge more for the bag and bar code than the product is worth. Service is better almost anyplace except the big boxes. Assuming you can find a clerk, they're likely not to know the difference between square feet and lineal feet.

Joe

[Fred Craven]

Not to defend the big boxes, but...
Their subs have to be insured, bonded, drug tested, and legal residents (technically). And they back their services and products with their warrantees--which can be over generous. Ergo, you are (allegedly) paying for top service. If all contractors were required to do all those things, then pricing would be more competitive (as well as higher) across the board. If something goes wrong or you are unhappy, you can complain up the line and someone will eventually make sure you are satisfied.

There, I said something nice. :)

[Matt Meiser]

I do have to agree with Fred on that. My brother had a tile product installed by Lowes. It was a product where the tile was bonded to a backer, installed as a floating floor, and "grouted" with a flexible caulk. It looked great when it was done, but the product later turned out to be defective and was recalled by Lowes because both the grout and the tiles were cracking (I think the manufacturer may have gone out of business, but I'm not sure.) Lowes not only gave them a full refund, but also covered removal and disposal of the product. My brother did have to argue to get the latter, but not very hard, and that was before they decided on a new floor from Lowes. I don't think you could have asked for much more than that. We used them for carpet for our living room which they did an excellent job on, and completed on time. The next door neighbors' future son-in-law works for one of their roofing installers. As I understand, most of the installers are local businesses.

[Jon Lanier]

I was teaching out of Ecclesiastes' one time and we came across this verse: That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. [1:15]
I asked the question, "What is crooked and cannot be straightened?" And a contractor friend in the church said, "LOWES Lumber." Ha!:p

[Matt Meiser]

No joke on that. We were at Lowes on Sunday buying mirror glass (local glass place is open Monday-Friday, 8-5, plus I'd have to order it on one trip and pick it up later) which was in the same aisle as the hardwood lumber/pretzel collection. Some of it was more crooked than its own thickness. One thin piece (may 1/8"?) of oak was cupped by at LEAST 1/4". In the past I've had serious problems with checking in their oak as well. The local hardwood places are all cheaper, even if you have them rip/plane to S4S.

[Bill VanderLaan]

I was in a similar situation a few months ago. I went to Lowe's to get a new countertop for my house so I can sell it (apparently that white laminate with the gold fleck is no longer popular). Sadly, my run was 2" longer than their stock prefab stuff, so I would have to order it. A 10'2" section of basic laminate with a no-drip edge was going to cost over $400! I would then have to buy an installation kit on top of that. Went to Menard's and got the same thing - with the install kit - for slightly over $100.

My neighbor's went to Lowe's for coutnertops and wa shell shocked on the total cost. They went to the local guy and he gave them a price that was about 15% less, with delivery, removal/disposal and installation. He said that they make and install all of Lowe's countertops.

It defintely pays to shop around.