home depot vs. lowes

[walleyejigger]

just wondering those of you with both stores at you're disposal which you prefer?

 

i have a fairly good sized project coming up (should be starting today but....), i'm a stickler for savings and do my homework before dolling out the cash, my local hardware store would cost me $912 in materials, home depot $759, i'd rather support the local but money talks, and i rather pick out my own materials (lumber)

 

we have a lowes opening here aparently this week or next, (next door to home depot) which should mean competitve prices,in you're experinces who's better to deal with,

 

cant decide if i should go ahead and buy my stuff today and get a head start or wait to see what lowes has to offer

 

thx

 

ps. got a couple inches of snow here yesterday but dont see the ice coming anytime soon

[Flappn]

I would buy your stuff from HD. I have a lowes close by and price wise HD and Lowes are very very close. Your not going to save anything significant. Get started on your project....time = money.

Edited November 30, 2009 by Flappn

[Twocoda]

Lowes all the way !!! better prices ...better service...and they are just opening and want to do biz with you ...so that puts you in the position of negotiating YOUR price...i did a project last summer in Stoney Creek and there was a HD and a Lowes readily available...Lowes beat HD on every item and the best prices i found elsewhere they beat theirs.. ( so do your homework)and then gave me an extra 10 % off of my contractor prices...Im a Lowes fan now and i HOPE they open one up here...

[bigugli]

Have supplied to both Lowes and HD for years. HD is a little cheaper in $ value. Tend to also be a little cheaper in quality value. Lowes' buyers always seemed insistent on being one up on quality over HD even if it did cost more. Service at Lowes is also better.

[lew]

I've got a Home Depot & Ronas equal distance from me and have always preferred Ronas, but now a Lowes has opened a branch right behind Ronas.

 

I just finished hanging 11 sheets of drywall and called all 3 stores the other day for a price on the drywall plus delivery and all were approximately $12 a sheet. Ronas & HD wanted $60 for delivery & Lowes wanted $75 to deliver the same load.

 

I went to the local Home Hardware lumber yard and got the sheets for only $10 and they delivered them the next day for $50

 

I saved $32 over Ronas & HD and $47 over Lowes.

 

Maybe give your local lumber yard another call

Edited November 30, 2009 by lew

[Fisherman]

For cleanliness and customer service,(actually having some staff around when you need help), Lowes by a long shot, HD is getting to be more help yourself and good luck finding it. Rona is not bad, all three are resonably close for price. I have my own truck so delivery isn't a problem.

[MCTFisher9120]

When asked by a family member working for HPaulin to carry their Canadian merchandise at their store they would not take our stuff, as said by Lowes "Thanks but no thanks, we will be taking out American merchandise with us".

 

Will not shop their due to their ignorance, but to carry a few items(nuts and bolts) from a Canadian company doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

MTBF

[misfish]

Your local Homehardware for your building needs, like Lew mentioned.

For best appliances and fixture selections,Lowes all the way.

[bassjnkie]

I have Lowes, Rona and HD a couple minutes from me. I normally go to Lowes or Rona, better layout, organized, great service and friendly staff. HD has a bunch of monkeys working there starting from management. Price wise and quality its pretty close between Rona and Lowes. HD is a little over priced.

[HTHM]

I would suggest Rona, it is a good supplier and as well, you would be putting your dollars back into a canadian corporation. Albeit a Quebec based corp, but still within our borders.

No offense meant to our friends to the south.

[Roy]

I would suggest Rona, it is a good supplier and as well, you would be putting your dollars back into a canadian corporation. Albeit a Quebec based corp, but still within our borders.

 

In '84, Rona and Home Hardware merged to form Alliance Rona Home. In 2000, the group bought Cashway's 66 Ontario stores. In 2001, they bought 51 Revy, Revelstoke and Lansing stores out west. My point is that whomever you're buying from, there's a good chance it's the same people. OHHH and let's not forget Reno Depot.

[Radnine]

I would suggest Rona, it is a good supplier and as well, you would be putting your dollars back into a canadian corporation. Albeit a Quebec based corp, but still within our borders.

No offense meant to our friends to the south.

 

What about our friends to the east? (here we go)

Jim

[fishdawg]

For best appliances and fixture selections,Lowes all the way.

 

best drivers too eh Brian?

 

 

[Matt15]

I'm not sure where your located but I'd go Canadian. Home Hardware all the way. But my opinion is biasis because I work part time at Metro Home hardware at 401/Weston.

[Matt15]

I've got a Home Depot & Ronas equal distance from me and have always preferred Ronas, but now a Lowes has opened a branch right behind Ronas.

 

I just finished hanging 11 sheets of drywall and called all 3 stores the other day for a price on the drywall plus delivery and all were approximately $12 a sheet. Ronas & HD wanted $60 for delivery & Lowes wanted $75 to deliver the same load.

 

I went to the local Home Hardware lumber yard and got the sheets for only $10 and they delivered them the next day for $50

 

I saved $32 over Ronas & HD and $47 over Lowes.

 

Maybe give your local lumber yard another call

 

Lew, did you go to the home hardware on wilson?

[moemoe]

I prefer lowes to the despot, opps I added an s....... I replaced my eaves troughes this year and lowes saved me about 50 bucks over the despot, plus if you do need help it is a heck of lot easier at lowes....

[muskymike]

For building materials, the quality of the product will be the same at any store you shop at (in the same price range). The quality will increase as the cost increases.

 

So if someone tells you they purchased a better quality product at one store or the other in the same price point, they are misleading you. Sure there are instances where this is incorrect (very few occurrences) but its usually due to poor installation, hence the "DIY" theme.

 

A professional installing a less than par product will give you a better result most of the time than a DIY'r using a more expensive product. Installation is more important that quality of product.

 

IF you are looking for who to buy from, find the cheapest place you get get it.

 

If you are going for quality products, go buy from a smaller, specialty shop where they carry product that is built 10 times better which brings the price up significantly.

 

Offshore products will only last you so long, a manufacturer with a solid reputation and decent warranty is where you want to spend your dollars.

 

for your envelope though, just go with the cheapest products you can find.

 

I have worked for HD and now work in a Contracts position for a Large Homebuilder, my job is to get the best product for the lowest price and then beat them lower. All day I deal with quality and installation.

 

sorry...i am way off topic now

[pikehunter]

Both have similar prices, some are identical. Both carry some products which are the same and some are different and can't be had at the competitor. Lowes has geared their store layouts with the female shopper in mind, HD still has the warehouse feel and atmosphere, there is nothing wrong with either concept.

 

Shop at whichever store you feel comfortable with. As for competitive pricing Lowes, HD and Rona all price match and will beat the other by 10%. HD will do it even without proof, the others a phone call or written proof may be required, but with HD it does depend on what the item is and the amount...sometimes even the model and name and manufacturer is important, the best thing to do is simply ask. HD also always offers 6 months no payment, interest or S/C with a consumer card if the total purchase is at least $299 including tax. They do bump it up to one year when Lowes does the same.

 

An example of how low the profit can be on certain items is drywall for eg., on an entire lift the net is under 2 bucks. The difference is made up for on related items.

 

I shop at all 3 stores as not one can carry everything. I do work at one of them, have now for about 2 years after I decided I needed a change from working on the road for commission only. BTW I get no employee discount from the tightwads either (but we did get a 20% off coupon last Xmas...that was our bonus but we had to fork our money back over to them to get a reward, one shot deal with a cap on it too) so I shop where I feel but do reserve the larger purchases for my employer and do have a sense of guilt if I do buy even a light bulb from the other guy.

[FLEX ROD]

As I am almost at the end of my "BIG" project, finishing a 3500sq feet basement, I have been to all 3 three just once or twice and to date Rona has been the store that I have purchased the most from.

With any large project, if you manage it corectly andd have some time you can save a lot of money when you watch for their weekly sales, I picked up my laminate flooring from Rona on a one day only 50% off sale, when it is a project of this size it make a heck of a difference.

Rona seems to be more shopper friendly and have better displays and also at times better supply as only yesterday I needed gray caulking for the wasroom Rona had it and HD does not even carry the gray.

 

I would waite to see what Lowes will have on as a grand opening sale to see if any thing would be on your list and if not then I would look at either Lowes as them beening the new kid will have much better service or the second choice would be Rona.

 

FLEX

[lew]

One thing I've found, at least in my neighborhood, is the HD has a lot of staff on duty if you need help with anything and for the most part are quite knowlegable, but the store is extremely busy, the parking lot is always full and the line ups at the checkout can be huge so it can take a long time to do any shopping.

 

On the other hand, the nearby Ronas is practically empty most times with few shoppers, hardly any cars in the lot and no line-ups at the checkout so it makes shopping a breeze and I'm in & out in minutes, but if you need help or have a question, forget about it cause they also have almost no staff working. If you know what you want and where it is, it's great. I wandered around there for 15 minutes a couple weeks ago looking for a salesman in the door section.

 

I've only been in the new Lowes a couple times (Warden & Eglinton in Scarberia) but it seems really nice and hasn't been crowded at all when I was there but maybe alot of folks haven't found it yet.

 

Nice to have all 3 to choose from though.

[Governator]

If you just want value nothing comes close to home hardware. The reason they are still in business is because of contractors who go exclusively to them. Never been to Lowes though, I'm sure they are great. I prefer Rona over Home Depot.

[Guest gbfisher]

after finally going into a Lowes. Ill be going back more often.