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I've been shopping small stores rather than the big boxes for this bathroom remodel project that I'm working on. Some places were great, but others I'm not sure how they are still open. Here's a little advice for the store owner and the home owner.
- To all stores - If you have a website, make sure the hours of operation are current. If you don't have a website, tell Google Maps when you're open. There isn't a whole lot more frustrating than driving out somewhere to find that the place advertised that they would be open... but aren't.
- Once again to all stores, and I ran into this one 2 out or 3 times for cabinet places - if your sales people only work on appointment, say so on the website. How do you expect someone to pick you over a big box (even with these big green savings) if it's not advertised that an appointment is needed, and then you have to set one up just to get an SWAG for what things cost? Very frustrating, especially when the competition in the giant orange or blue store accepts walk-ins all hours of the day. Only one out of the three cabinet places I visited could deal with people walking in for an estimate with some basic measurements taken at home, and I'm PMing you know who to see if it's worth it to run through the process with the other two to get their numbers...
- Put prices on things. I understand for cabinets that doesn't make a lot of sense because the possibilities are endless so they're exempt here. If I go somewhere and like a sink, faucet or some hardware it's nice when I can look somewhere to see how much it costs. It may actually be the deciding factor with who I call for granite because they're the *one* company that bothered to include a range for how much per square foot the stuff costs and how much various things like cutting a hole for a sink or range runs. I saw generic contact info for numerous other companies out there, but I would have to spend a ton of time calling around getting basic details for each. With this one I liked what I saw and it fit my price range. Done and done.
- Service is king. I think DS said it somewhere, but some of these places are more than capable of helping you figure out how much to order. Others, not so much. In general if it's clear you're coming in to place an order *today* to whoever will go the extra mile to figure out how many square feet of whatever product to buy because you have your layout measured but don't know the extra fudge factor you'll get very good service.
For the store owner: I realize that I am one house compared to a builder, but if I like you there will be more business coming. After this bathroom is over I'm doing a kitchen, and I've already referred others to the place I bought the stone and tile from. There are a whole lot of us out there - there's probably a reason big boxes you compete with manage to do so much business while continuing to charge prices that are generally much higher.
For the homeowner: From what I've experienced you can take a huge cut from your budget by shopping local. There is absolutely nothing so far that has come in close to hitting my original budget; it's that far under. I'm not even talking about doing the work yourself - this is just in terms of materials and what you get for your $ spent. But you have to find the good places on your own so ask around or check Google Maps because people can rate their experiences there along with the BBB. That's how you'll earn your savings here.
Wow. Where do I start? Rather then touch on each item I would rather just mostly agree with everything you said. You obviously got screwed by one or more of these idiots you speak of. You are so right that the big orange who only wants your little green are rip offs with their rocket high prices but their long hours open is a huge advantage.
Me? I advertise hours 9-4 with nights and weekends by appt. In these depression times it doesn't even pay to turn the lights on weekends. I'm fortunate that my parent companies own several thousand apartments and I supply them as they remodel one by one so I keep busy. I find myself going out nights and weekends for appts when people are actually home. No one walks in during business hours. So hours open is a tough call.
Don't let it all bother you so much. If you don't like one place then go to another. There are lots of hungry sellers of all kinds of merchandise out there who will bend over backwards for the consumer. "you know who" is always available with free and helpful advice even if it is some one who badmouthed him in the past. I'm on your side, I really am.
Your policy sounds great - I would've just come in sometime between 9 and 4 as advertised. I guess San Antonio is different because out of everywhere I went recently, half were really busy but the other half were empty. As far as appointments go, one of the them had a good reason. Their salesperson is split between covering both San Antonio and Austin and that's a pretty big region.
The only place I've really told a couple to avoid was the one that seemed too busy to deal with anyone that came in. That's fine - their competition who I've referred people to had better prices for identical material anyway, and the owner is helpful beyond words.
I guess the first post came out more about things I didn't like than things that came out well. Managing the project and the material sourcing experience has been an overwhelmingly positive experience so far. By doing this it really forces you to learn about all the different things needed to rebuild a room and in the end you're a much more informed consumer. You also get to see a MUCH wider selection of options available.
For anyone planning a remodel - about prices. From playing around with online calculator on the HD site the price for only the 4 boxes I need in the bathroom project came out close to the quote I got today for 4 boxes, plus the med cabinet and the new (huge) custom surround and doors I'll need for the hamper and the panel between the tub and floor. So all things equal, I'm getting all this custom stuff for free by shopping locally. Anybody out there getting ready to undertake a project like this should think long and hard about something like that. desertsun41 isn't making up the numbers and really it's been an eye-opening experience. When the physical work begins in June there will be plenty of details about that and more... there have been some remodel threads here in the past and it'll be like those.
Your policy sounds great - I would've just come in sometime between 9 and 4 as advertised. I guess San Antonio is different because out of everywhere I went recently, half were really busy but the other half were empty. As far as appointments go, one of the them had a good reason. Their salesperson is split between covering both San Antonio and Austin and that's a pretty big region.
The only place I've really told a couple to avoid was the one that seemed too busy to deal with anyone that came in. That's fine - their competition who I've referred people to had better prices for identical material anyway, and the owner is helpful beyond words.
I guess the first post came out more about things I didn't like than things that came out well. Managing the project and the material sourcing experience has been an overwhelmingly positive experience so far. By doing this it really forces you to learn about all the different things needed to rebuild a room and in the end you're a much more informed consumer. You also get to see a MUCH wider selection of options available.
For anyone planning a remodel - about prices. From playing around with online calculator on the HD site the price for only the 4 boxes I need in the bathroom project came out close to the quote I got today for 4 boxes, plus the med cabinet and the new (huge) custom surround and doors I'll need for the hamper and the panel between the tub and floor. So all things equal, I'm getting all this custom stuff for free by shopping locally. Anybody out there getting ready to undertake a project like this should think long and hard about something like that. desertsun41 isn't making up the numbers and really it's been an eye-opening experience. When the physical work begins in June there will be plenty of details about that and more... there have been some remodel threads here in the past and it'll be like those.
As you are suggesting, an educated consumer is a consumer that does not get ripped off. Your other issue is finding stores that have adequate staff to help the customer. You do have to give some slack on this issue during these economic times. There is not enough business for most stores of any kind to pay staff. In my type of biz many are commissioned sales people. If nothing is selling then no commissions. Only those big box stores can afford to keep staff ready and at the beckon call 18 hours a day for whenever a customer decides to walk in.
Lastly...you mention on-line price shopping. You will find the price for every single item in the big orange store right on their web page. Go ahead and search anything, the price is listed right there. EXCEPT for one item. Neither big box store will show the prices for cabinets. They do not want the consumer to know just how much they charge for cabinets which as I said once or twice before is FULL LIST PRICE!!!!! They will however publish the price of those unfinished no name brand raw birch cabinets but that don't count. Doesn't anyone get suspicious of this practice?
Go check out that place I told you about, it may be worth the drive.
They do have finished cabinet prices there, but online buying only. That's a pretty big leap of faith to buy online IMO... better make sure your measurements are good! Hampton Bay Cabinetry - Shop Now! But I like what I saw locally in person better, and there are no surprises like an extra ambiguous charge for soft close doors. What I saw from Cardell (Odyssey Collection) beats this hands down.
When I get back to TX I may be able to drive up to D/FW (think it's about 6 hours from San Antonio?). For now I'm back in Seattle so it'd be closer to a 3 day drive
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