# ? for all members



## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

I remember reading somewhere that some one mention that a Professional plumber shouldn't go to the big box stores. Send out a bad message. I do agree to a certian degree.

My question is to all members? What do you do for parts after hours? 

Example: It's 8 pm and Supply house is closed and possibly on the other side of town. You have a customers house water turned off due to a leak. You begin the work and notice you are one fitting short or have a faulty fitting! 

Do you:
A. go to the supply house and pay $50-$75 to have some one come and open it for a $2 part?

B. Go to the big Box store?

C. Call a friend that is a plumber that lives close by to see if he might have the part? 

I know I run short on material every once in a while. I do remember getting a bag of 1/2 copper 90's that were deformed (didn't notice it until had to open the bag up) I bought them for my supply house earlier that day for truck stock.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I have in my closet a few competitors shirts with the names on them. :laughing: Change shirts before I need to go into one of those stores.:laughing:


----------



## Wiser (Jul 25, 2008)

I wrote about work trucks / uniformed plumbers in stores. We do go there when absolutely necessary. If we need a small part and we are a mile away from Lowes, we don't drive 10 miles to the supply house.

More or less, I was referring to the plumbers who have never stepped foot in a supply house.

BTW - an employee at Lowes has referred many customers to us. Mainly tub/shower conversions.


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> I have in my closet a few competitors shirts with the names on them. :laughing: Change shirts before I need to go into one of those stores.:laughing:


:laughing:

Call a plumber I work with first. Go to Blowes only in emergency cases. Went and bought a toliet supply after hours because I broke the nut after I had to pull the toliet to unstop the HO sewer.


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Then I hand out my cards to DIY'er that pass me by, saying if you need help, don't call the one seen on this shirt, but call who is seen on the cards. :laughing:

Just kidding around I don't really do this.


----------



## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

If ya gotta have something. I guess ya gotta do whatever it takes to make the customer happy. 

I like to walk through lowes just to see the conglomerations of fittings folks are carrying around:blink:. I've even mentioned a better way to a few of em. 

For fun sometime. Weigh a bag of 3/4" 90's from lowes and one from your wholesaler. Same amount in each one obviously.


----------



## uaplumber (Jun 16, 2008)

If I am stuck I go to the local hardware store. The small guys usually have the small fitting I need. I may pay more for it there, but at least it saves me from the guy in the orange apron who wants to help.


----------



## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

I try to remember everything, but when I do need something my first choice is a supply house, then Lowe's, then if all else fails, then Home Blepo.


----------



## threaderman (Jun 17, 2008)

I never buy plumbing or gas supplies from HD,or Lo.,I don't care how far I have to drive.Everyone crying about the work shortage and then patronizing the big box stores which are trying to break the legitimate contractors back.


----------



## rex (Jun 13, 2008)

ill go there im not better than any one if i need some thing and there closer i will go.....i will even choose them over a supply house down river that has a bunch of old cranky *******s working there.....for most of my stuff i call and it gets dilevered to the job or my house


----------



## Herk (Jun 12, 2008)

I go to Lowe's and Homey for things that I can't get at the supply house. For example, when I say 'donut,' the folks at the supply house show me something not at all what I'm looking for. I get canvas tarps, bits for my Roto-Zip, hand cleaner that I can't get the supply house to carry, and when I do things like build cabinets around the house, I buy lumber that I could never get at the local lumberyard, which went out of business after the influx of box stores. 

So they're my competition: why not let my competition help my business? Truthfully, my real competition is the DIY market and it hurts me bad, but I blame the consumers for that, not the store that uses a good business model to give them what they want.


----------



## Wiser (Jul 25, 2008)

*Sorry, I disagree with you Herk*

As a business owner - I disagree with Lowes / Home Depot having no blame in the DIY dept. When you sell name brands like American Standard, Insinkerator, Delta etc. and market them to homeowners who have no idea that they are not getting the same product as the plumbers, I think that is wrong. Homeowner's don't know that the tub/shower faucets don't have integral stops. Homeowner's don't realize the Kohler toilet they buy isn't the same one in the plumbing supply showroom. Lowes / HD should be held RESPONSIBLE and inform their customers of the possible consequences of "DIY." Most times they don't. We installed on 2 different ocassions Kohler Highline All in one box, comfort height toilets (supplied by owner, purchased from Lowes). When we saw the overspray on the underside of bowl, we thought they must be the toilets that are not good enough to go to the supply houses. We got called back on both these toilets. Leak at base. Pulled and reset. Called back again. We knew it couldn't be the seal/flange etc. We waited at least 30 minutes and saw the smallest amount of water seeping from the china. Pinhole leaks! The HO wasn't happy to pay us to put their 2nd Lowes toilet in.

Also - I don't like the fact they subcontract their plumbing installs out for next to nothing!

 As a homeowner, I must admit - I love to shop there. I just don't buy any of the plumbing products. With the exception of the rare item that we don't have in our shop.


----------



## Herk (Jun 12, 2008)

Oh, there's plenty of blame. But sometimes you have to take advantage of a bad situation. If it can help my business, I need to consider how spiteful to be. They aren't going to go away any time soon.

I've had customers supply their own fixtures and then after seeing them say they'd never shop at Homey again. In one instance, it was an Americast tub that had a hole clear through it from a forklift.

I've had trouble with fixtures from home centers since long before Home Depot was a gleam in anyone's eye. Decorative fountain external flush rim toilets come to mind. :laughing:

I've had Kohler toilets 20+ years ago that were cast so badly that they wouldn't fit together - and that never happened from a supply house.


----------



## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

I'll go when i have to. the chilis we just finished was in a lowes parking lot and the supply house is a 20 min drive.


----------



## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

I have an account in Chicago that is about 5 minutes from HD, or 30 minutes from a supply house. Some stuff, I get from Homie.


----------



## super plumber (Oct 19, 2008)

i work in a rural area where it is 30 min to big box or supply house, so i get delivery from supply house 2 times a week or go to local hardware store where the owners are my customer and the employees send me a ton of work. big box only for tools or non plumbing items


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I work Saturdays so I do end up in big box a lot more than I like!


----------



## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

i've plumbed a couple lowes so im on the fence


----------



## pzmember (Sep 20, 2008)

ill use blowes and home crappo as an absolute last resort. i try to keep a decent size inventory but one of my wholesalers has a 24 hour guy and they dont mind too much getting you something in a pinch. i usually find the guy who helped me the next friday when hes off call and take him out for a beer. also the wholesaler treats it like a plumbers on call and pays his guys time and a half at no cost to us.


----------



## Proud Plumber (Sep 15, 2008)

I try to deal with wholesalers mainly. However, sometimes it cost me less to go Lowes or Home Depot and I will. Lately more and more our own suppliers are our competition. I have had two jobs in the past 6 months that Ferguson delivered my materials. More and more builders purchase their own jetted tubs to save money and our own supplier delivers the materials. At least with Lowe's or home depot you know you have the love coming, but your own suppliers!?! They always use the lame excuse that they sell direct at list. Hmmm... So my suppliers who make huge profits off of me year round takes my ability to sell and mark up fixtures and keeps it as well for themselves.... this is not adding up fellas.

Who is the lessor of 2 evils?


----------



## PipemanNYC (Nov 21, 2008)

I have to admit I do the H D thing.. If its late what else can you do if its not in your truck.. But i do get rid of the bag and put what ever I buy in my regular supply house bag... I do like H D better then Lowes if i have to pick..


----------



## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

My problem with going into those stores is that once i get to that section, I have to answer about twenty questions from HOs looking for something. You have to admit too, that when you do have to go there, it is fun to evesdrop on the employees of that section giving out the wrong parts, and some really bad instructions. have lucked up and got a few customers from that situation. So it does have its good points.


----------



## PipemanNYC (Nov 21, 2008)

thats true one time one of the "plumbing experts" gave a H O black brass and galv fittings to make something up.... i was going insane in my mind.. But i figured when it dosnt work or electrolosis sets in we can go in and enjoy hearing.. But the guy in Home Depot told me what to do...


----------



## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

3Kings Plumbing said:


> I remember reading somewhere that some one mention that a Professional plumber shouldn't go to the big box stores.


 

I'm as professional as it gets and I'm a common face in these stores, any stores that saves me time or gas or money when it comes to getting from point A to point B in fastest order.


Customers don't care one iotta whether you get your supplies from HD or a plumbing supply house.


For the record, 

I'm only loyal to one supply house, and I buy where it's cheapest, bottom line. HD/Lowe's wins that award many times over, especially when the numbers don't lie.


However, that doesn't mean I go and put in a American MFG. Ball valve in from Lowe's. I'll buy a full port Nibco from the supply house and pay a dollar more knowing it's a good product. Same as Watt's N55's I'm constantly buying or ST-5's. Some things they are price competitive with, or I just trust the product far better.

I never care what people think of me, don't care now or never in the future. I would buy my plumbing materials from McDonald's if I could; one less trip I'd have to make in my day. 


At least in the big box stores I get to look at women, something I live for and need like milk and cookies on a regular basis.


----------



## trick1 (Sep 18, 2008)

Welllllllllll, if I'm nowhere near a supplier and I'm short a small part, then I'll stop there. These stores have their place. I will go there to pick up lumber, concrete and certain types of fasteners. 

There's no way I'm going to specify or purchase plumbing fixtures, heating appliances of heating components from a big box retailer!!


----------



## Wethead (Oct 13, 2008)

rex said:


> ill go there im not better than any one if i need some thing and there closer i will go.....i will even choose them over a supply house down river that has a bunch of old cranky *******s working there.....for most of my stuff i call and it gets dilevered to the job or my house


Oh my gawd dude 

I know this thread is old but I so agree


----------



## Plasticman (Oct 14, 2008)

I never had anything stolen from my truck parked at my supply house but at Slowes someone took me for 3 rolls 3/4 and 2 rolls 1/2 soft copper. It too was on one of the days that Slowes was closest. Never again will I have stuff like that in my truck when I go to the big store unless I have a helper to sit in the parking lot till I get back.


----------



## PlumcrzyRedneck (Dec 13, 2008)

uaplumber you said "the guy in the orange apron who wants to help." HA HA HA HA HA HA I dont know about in Canada but here in Louisiana you cant find anyone in sight to even try to help and they dont know squat if you do find someone. Personally I HATE BIG BOX STORES!


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

C, B, A in that order.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Actually I go with option D. 

D. Run 16ft box trucks so you have every thing you could ever possibly need on your trucks.


----------



## Wiser (Jul 25, 2008)

We just had a guy call looking for a job. So I ask him, how many years have you been plumbing? 2 years. 
Oh, I'm really impressed now. 
Doing what type of plumbing? I worked 6 mos. for ABC Co. and 1 1/2 Lowes plumbing dept.

Biggest pet peeve - they sell their labor to cheap. Just the other week in the Sunday paper $49.00 to install toilet, faucet, vanity base.


----------



## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

hey speaking of (new) Lowe's, i had a service call a couple of weeks ago, lady bought a new fridge from lowes. They delivered it and installed and hooked up the ice maker line. BUT, there was a leak and the delivery guy told her that she would have to call a plumber. Well, i get over there, and all it was was the packing nut on the stop. 1/4 turn with the good ol' douglas channel locks and i was through. 5 min job, $65 dollar bill. So she called lowes in my presence after i told her that it was there fault the leak had occured, once you open and close an old stop, you know the damn thing is going to leak at the packing nut. Well, turns out i had to go to lowes to get my money, and the freakin guys paid me. In cash!!! I showed the manager a stop i had on the truck and told him what happens with them, he said store policy is that all they can do is attatch the line and thats it, anything else, they have to call a plumber, i couldn't help but ask myself, why were they so eager to pay the bill then?


----------



## Wiser (Jul 25, 2008)

It wasn't for your benefit that they paid the bill. Lowes is all about customer service. We had a customer buy a Kohler hi-line toilet from them and they had us install it. Week later, discovered it had a pinhole leak in the China. Lowes gave them another one and re-imbursed the customer the money they had to pay us to install the new one.


----------

