# Lesser of 2 evil home cheapo vs blowes



## Toolsmith (Apr 1, 2015)

Lets have a vote and explain why you hate one less than the other, I kinda like home depot more since my local store has a lot more to offer and asking for advice in the plumbing department is good for a laugh or 2( so what kind of glue do I need for copper pipe sir?) XD


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Toolsmith said:


> Lets have a vote and explain why you hate one less than the other, I kinda like home depot more since my local store has a lot more to offer and asking for advice in the plumbing department is good for a laugh or 2( so what kind of glue do I need for copper pipe sir?) XD


I thought you are a licensed plumber??


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

That's a tough decision, hate both of them ... kind of like asking which feels better, a kick or a punch to the twig and berries. 

I do like our local Lowe's better because there is an older big burly lady in the plumbing section that is pretty good. 

I had to go there one time looking for dam corners and they had the crappy wavy circular ones that don't work. I told her they sucked and they shouldn't even carry them, i showed her what I was talking about on the corner of the shelf and she agreed. Somehow she got them to change what they carry. Too bad for them we don't get them there, but I was surprised to see a change happen.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Menards are way better than both of them...


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

HD is usually priced higher on installs than Lowes. 

Lowes uses the bottom feeding no name plumbers and they rely on add ons to make their money. Very deceptive approach IMO.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

plumberkc said:


> HD is usually priced higher on installs than Lowes.
> 
> Lowes uses the bottom feeding no name plumbers and they rely on add ons to make their money. Very deceptive approach IMO.


Menards just ask u to leave ur business cards for on files.. no contracts or bs.. up to customers to call from the card file book..


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

rjbphd said:


> Menards are way better than both of them...


Mendards get's my vote too. I'm a wh0re for the "Free after rebate" sales! Plumbing department is generally OK, prices are fair... Tuscany sucks! I've walked away from a job when the HO insisted I install it.

HD you have to be careful. When you run out of that last 3/4" MIP, and it's the closest place, you really need to look at all their fittings. My local one has one 3/4" CU MIP for $1.29 and another for $5.29... and not the self soldering ones either....

Lowes is alright, I do like some of their Kobalt tools.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

I get pipe/fittings during the 11% rebates week.. never plumbing fixtures there.. hell, I can grab some DiGaurio pizzas.. home depot.. some Milwaukee tools.. don't want to risk not having common fittings in stock and listens to their ," if you don't see them on shelf, they don't make them" bs... come on, 3" 45 pvc street el and the bin is empty.. Lowes for lighted cap


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

rjbphd said:


> I get pipe/fittings during the 11% rebates week.. never plumbing fixtures there.. hell, I can grab some DiGaurio pizzas.. home depot.. some Milwaukee tools.. don't want to risk not having common fittings in stock and listens to their ," if you don't see them on shelf, they don't make them" bs... come on, 3" 45 pvc street el and the bin is empty.. Lowes for lighted cap


I came this close (-) to buying some frozen shrimp there two or three weeks ago when they were on sale... every job I had was either in the wrong direction, or when I passed one I had a job and the next one took me out of the way to make it worthwhile.

Yeah, the 11% off is great for fittings! Concrete was at a good price last week/week before? $1.67 or something for 60#'s of All Star? HD is $1.98 for quickcrete.


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## Toolsmith (Apr 1, 2015)

Im an apprentice but its both funny and scary how ill prepared or knowledgble the folks in there are, the glue copper thing is what I ask them just to see what they say XD i buy most of my tools there since supply house is expensive as shiot and figured id ask if i could buy there for family job


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

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## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

Toolsmith said:


> Im an apprentice but its both funny and scary how ill prepared or knowledgble the folks in there are, the glue copper thing is what I ask them just to see what they say XD i buy most of my tools there since supply house is expensive as shiot and figured id ask if i could buy there for family job


Supply house is only more expensive if you don't ask for a better price...


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

plumberkc said:


> HD is usually priced higher on installs than Lowes.
> 
> Lowes uses the bottom feeding no name plumbers and they rely on add ons to make their money. Very deceptive approach IMO.


Thanks for the reality check! I never realized I was a bottom feeding no-name. I can only aspire to become as great & wonderful as yourself!!!!!! Said with to tongue planted firmly in cheek! That said, allow me to share some information from the "contractor" side of the scenario you so elequently stated as being "add-ons". If, and I can only speak for the region I work in, the Blowe's install reps did their job, us bottom-feeding no-names wouldn't have to add-on when we did an install!!!!! If, as an install rep, I am selling you a water heater replacement, I should ask the pertinent questions concerning size of wager line, short or tall tank, size of flu. The reps do NOT do that for the most part. They also don't schedule us contractors to do a site visit, which is billable to ho. Then we arrive with whatever pos the rep sold, sans fittings & tubing sometimes, and have to be the bearer of bad news to the ho. So do me a favor & don't cast such a broad blanket over the installers who take pride in their work & use the installs as a revenue stream, or loss leader, to get our foot in the door of potential long-term clients. And BTW, I prefer Home Cheapo over Blowe's due to display & ease of finding plumbing material.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

mccmech said:


> use the installs as a revenue stream, or loss leader, to get our foot in the door of potential long-term clients.



I make no apologies, using water heaters as a loss leader is absurd.

If giving your services away for next to nothing isn't bottom feeding, I don't know what is.


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## mytxplumber (Jul 28, 2013)

What is that standard price for install of a water heater? It really sounds like a bait and switch deal to me. I would not leave my drive for their prices..


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

mytxplumber said:


> What is that standard price for install of a water heater? It really sounds like a bait and switch deal to me. I would not leave my drive for their prices..


First off, this is not about water heaters, per se. My comment was concerning the install process. Th water heater was used as an example. Secondly, tell me how you arrive at a bait & switch. The ho gets the product they purchased installed for the price they were quoted, with the exception of any and all material and time needed to make to install code compliant. Concerning your last statement, I'll leave my drive for the opportunity to get in your house and look at your plumbing system and up-sell any necessary repairs or improvements I observe. That's no different than all the menu driven outfits that will give a ho a free inspection while they're at the house charging $500 to install a homeowner provided garbage disposal.


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

plumberkc said:


> I make no apologies, using water heaters as a loss leader is absurd.
> 
> If giving your services away for next to nothing isn't bottom feeding, I don't know what is.


You've obviously got it all figured out Cuz! Like I said, I can only aspire to be as wonderful as you.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

mccmech said:


> Like I said, I can only aspire to be as wonderful as you.




I realize I am probably coming across like an assh0le. I know we are all just trying to earn a living. 

I just look at it like this... There are only a certain amount of licensed plumbers. Good employees are even more scarce. 

As professionals we set the prices for our individual markets. I'm blown away by how much (or little) the lowes sales associate quotes. It's less than I can afford as a OMS. 

It's all about supply and demand. As long as they have guys like yourself that are willing to set such a low base price there is no reason for them to charge more.


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## Toolsmith (Apr 1, 2015)

Idk how to reply to specific comments yet but fly95 I tried and they said its the price everybody pays, only to the see the "contractor" price when picking up an order for the company, i dont buy enough from them or run a business for them to justify giving me the lower cost and im not gonna pay $40 for teflon, smallest available pipe dope and a 5 dollar level, at company set apprentice pay that is too much, i dont like that the box stores can undercut us in service price so much where we either have to close shop or take and give pay cuts but when push comes to shove and the homeowner dosent know or truly care about the difference between a plumbing company and the box store installer who quotes $300 less for the same job we have to have something to compete with that, if i ever work in a box store ill be wearing the apron and giving genuine plumbing advice out not giving master level installations at helper pay...no diy or handyman nor a boxstore installer can truly do what I do, even at the bottom of the totem pole I take pride in what I do and how I treat customers and If you truly sell yourself as much as your skills and products no jackass of all trades can replace you, sorry for the long winded response everybody!!


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## mytxplumber (Jul 28, 2013)

I am not interested in a race to the bottom, with the lowest price. I do know a little about Lowes installers. I had a friend that was installing 2.2 million dollars a years for Lowes. He eventually went under. Lowes get you to sign a Power of Attorney which gives them the right to file a claim with your insurance on your behalf. He could not make a profit unless his guys were up selling. Customers were not happy being charged for every little thing out there. 
I get calls from customers that called Homer and Blowes that are pissed because of the price change. I have been told that they feel like they were lead to believe that the price would be X and it quadrupled in price for add on after add on. There words to me have been bait and switch. I get these calls about once every 2 months. Another friend of mine asked the local Rep when he came out to speak to them, have they ever denied a customer a claim filed against their contractor he would not answer the question.
I have been in this business for a long time now and I am looking to retire. This business has been very good to me. I just hate to see guys come in and offer a cheap price hoping to rule the plumbing world and get all the business. I would rather do a good job at a fair price or keep my guys on work that pays well so I can pay them well to. This is still a skill and a craft worth learning. Like I said before I will not race to the bottom. That being said to each his own.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

anyone who works for them will eventually burn out from the whole experience ..... the turnover rate is high because you are basically a slave thinking crumbs will eventually fall on to your plate...

they never do and what work you get from that work is the lowest bottom feeders that you dont want to work for:no::no:


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## Plumberdood1 (Apr 23, 2014)

This is why I support my local suppliers. Yes maybe I spend a little more for tools and supplies but I'm not giving it to Home Depot or Lowes. Makes no sense to complain about them and then go buy parts and tools and support the box stores.

If my company doesn't supply the product we don't install it.


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## Greenguy (Jan 22, 2011)

I kinda miss home D, the closest big box home improvement store is 2 hours drive each way. We do have the smaller Ace hardware stores, if I want an exotic fitting I head for the Big R ranch store they have a better selection of PVC and such then the local ferguson or Western Nevada Supply wholesaler. For power tools I miss the big box stores, it's hard to beat there sale prices.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Lowe's or HD for a random pvc or BI fitting or utility knife blades but no fixtures or battery powered tools ever.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

I don't like the color orange, so I will have to say Lowes is the lesser of two evils.

Actually Lowes because every once in a while they send us a $20.00 off coupon when you spend $100.00 or $150.00. We try to use the coupon on their loss leader items. :yes:


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Phat Cat said:


> I don't like the color orange, so I will have to say Lowes is the lesser of two evils.
> 
> Actually Lowes because every once in a while they send us a $20.00 off coupon when you spend $100.00 or $150.00. We try to use the coupon on their loss leader items. :yes:


Once u go to Menards.. you will never go back to Hd or L again


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

No Menards.

We only use the Big Box when we must.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

:blush:I cheated on Menards today and bought a Troy Built pressure washer from Lowes. I'm not a fanboy of Troy Built buy any means.. but when I got home, I looked in the garage and saw a TB mower, a TB snowblower and a TB rototiller.:laughing: I do like the mindset their Flex model though.


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