Home Depot Hires Scaredy Cat Contractors

I went down Saturday to pay the measurement fee and today the contractor arrived to take the "official" measurements for the carpeting.

He looked in the back room saw "bookcases" and asked what was in them. When I told him, he said either they are not here when he comes back with his guys to install the carpet or he won't come back at all.

I was FURIOUS. I went down to HD in person and must've sounded like a raving lunatic becuase they finally agreed to waive the measurement fee, get a new contractor, and gave me a $100 gift card for my troubles.

On a side note, my backyard now looks like Sanford and Son. I have the old carpet, loveseat, recliner, coffee tables, and end table stored out there until Saturday when it gets hauled to the dump (I'm leaving the sofa in there for now so there is something to sit on). My neighbors must not be too thrilled because they watched me moving stuff out with this confused look on their faces but they haven't said anything yet. It's only temporary until the room gets finished. It needs to be empty for the carpet and the new furniture is downstairs until the room is ready.

Steve. You have some of the worst luck I've ever seen. I really hope everything turns out well for you after all this trouble.

Lol, you should have seen first the furnace guy, and then AC guy when they walked into my basement (AC) and there was 1000+ rats, and then when they walked into my garage, same guy came and I had moved them out there, heh.

I'm sorry you're having problems with the HD contractors, but try not to get too upset. Being in this hobby you are bound to come across a LOT of people with ophidiophobia... it's actually considered the most common fear by some experts. It might be a good idea to be more accomodating with these people and eventually some of them will come around to learning and understanding more about these creatures.

Another option you might have tried was to inform HD that you needed a contractor that wasn't afraid of snakes because you keep several non-venomous pet snakes. Quite often people will come around if they're informed of them beforehand instead of being confronted by them all of a sudden.

Good luck! Besides, just think about all the melamine you can buy with your gift card. ;)

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Originally Posted by xdeus

I'm sorry you're having problems with the HD contractors, but try not to get too upset. Being in this hobby you are bound to come across a LOT of people with ophidiophobia... it's actually considered the most common fear by some experts. It might be a good idea to be more accomodating with these people and eventually some of them will come around to learning and understanding more about these creatures.

Another option you might have tried was to inform HD that you needed a contractor that wasn't afraid of snakes because you keep several non-venomous pet snakes. Quite often people will come around if they're informed of them beforehand instead of being confronted by them all of a sudden.

Good luck! Besides, just think about all the melamine you can buy with your gift card. ;)

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On the checklist for the contractor I went thru with HD, it asked if there were animals in the house. I said yes. It said will they be contained. I said yes again. I asked if they needed to know what I had and the lady helping me said no, as long as any animal on the property is secured when the workers arrive.


Bad luck always seems to come in 3's. So far it's been the bathroom, living room, roof and chimney needing work. I think I'm overdue for some good news.

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Originally Posted by SPJ

On the checklist for the contractor I went thru with HD, it asked if there were animals in the house. I said yes. It said will they be contained. I said yes again. I asked if they needed to know what I had and the lady helping me said no, as long as any animal on the property is secured when the workers arrive.


Bad luck always seems to come in 3's. So far it's been the bathroom, living room, roof and chimney needing work. I think I'm overdue for some good news.

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Steve,i have good news.I saved alot of money by switching to GEICO :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'm a contractor and one of your first problems is getting a home depot sub contractor. They are generally the lowest bid so home depot can mark up the cost for profit. Usually not very good. I've heard and seen a million horror stories. Hope it works out but you are always better off finding someone that is referred by a happy client. Guys that don't have a good rep and can't build up referrals work for Home Depot where referrals aren't needed.

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Originally Posted by SPJ

On the checklist for the contractor I went thru with HD, it asked if there were animals in the house. I said yes. It said will they be contained. I said yes again. I asked if they needed to know what I had and the lady helping me said no, as long as any animal on the property is secured when the workers arrive.


Bad luck always seems to come in 3's. So far it's been the bathroom, living room, roof and chimney needing work. I think I'm overdue for some good news.

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Well, it looks like you did everything you could. I guess I would have been furious as well given the circumstances... but I take it as a given that I'll become furious every time I step into HD. :taz: Good luck with all those projects. We're redoing our bathrooms right now, and what was supposed to be a 3 day job turned into a 3 month job on the first bathroom.

In my opinion, he should NOT EVER have said "They have to be gone". He should have said "I can't do the job, I'm scared of snakes." Or "You'll have to get a different contractor." THAT would have been acceptable, although a pain in the booty. To declare that someone has to remove THEIR pets from THEIR house so he can do a job he is contracted to do.. TOTALLY unacceptable. I'd have gone done and went off on them too. Good for you.
Sorry to hear its a pain, all my projects always have gone just like that. Things happen like.. "Oh, hey, let's paint the bathroom." That ends up with reflooringit somehow, since taking off the baseboards revealed a huge crack in the wallboard, which needed to be replaced, but while replacing the wall board I accidently ripped a gash across the floor, so that had to be fixed first, then it was replacing that wallboard, in the meantime the garbage colelctors decided to take the baseboards even though they were beside my steps, not anywhere near the road.. ad nauseum.
Haha. Sigh. Life is always interesting.
Wolfy

Some one else had this problem.... Oh yea I almost got kicked out of my first apartment for having reptiles.. LOL I told them it was my little Brother who is a marine it Iraq. And they let me keep it and stay.. LOL I was all true except for the snake being his.. LOL

Glad it all worked out for you Steve.

Oh man I hope I don't have the same problem. I have HD contractors coming in soon to replace the upstairs windows in my house. They'll have to go in my reptile room to change that window obviously. Hope they aren't scaredy cats as well.

I've never had a problem before with someone not wanting my herps around but I have had people get really uptight about my german shepard. Even though as shepards go he's tiny. everyone always thinks he's a pup 1 - 2 years old but he's 8. Never hurt anyone but I've had a plumber yell at me to restrain my dog when he came in the house and Mojave wasn't doing anything. So I just rolled my eyes and put him outside. The guy was quite terrified must of had a bad experience.

I can understand I've been bitten twice by random dogs both times requiring hospital visits. So around big dogs I don't know I am a little wary. But reptiles in a closed tank/tub or whatever come on. Its not like you got a burmese roaming the house. LOL

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Originally Posted by kplunk

I have had people get really uptight about my german shepard. Even though as shepards go he's tiny. everyone always thinks he's a pup 1 - 2 years old but he's 8. Never hurt anyone but I've had a plumber yell at me to restrain my dog when he came in the house and Mojave wasn't doing anything. So I just rolled my eyes and put him outside. The guy was quite terrified must of had a bad experience.

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Check the paperwork HD gives you. All dogs must be crated while the contractor is on the property.

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Originally Posted by SPJ

Check the paperwork HD gives you. All dogs must be crated while the contractor is on the property.

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Sorry wasn't talking about HD for the time the plumber yelled at me didn't mean to step on any HD toes. Seperate contractor and at the moment had no contract or paperwork with the plumber. My basement backed up again and he was coming to assess the job.

All I was getting at is people could be a little more laid back. When the plumber came in the house my girlfriend was holding him by his collar he was barking but he barks at everyone except Lorenne and I. I was in the process of telling him to not worry he's just a barker and we'll put him outside in the backyard as soon as he leaves the backdoor and he can go through it. But no fear was in his eyes like a deer caught in the head lights.

So he figured I better yell at my customers so they understand I'm in charge. I let him unclog my basement but never called them again.

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Originally Posted by westcoastjungle

I'm a contractor and one of your first problems is getting a home depot sub contractor. They are generally the lowest bid so home depot can mark up the cost for profit. Usually not very good. I've heard and seen a million horror stories. Hope it works out but you are always better off finding someone that is referred by a happy client. Guys that don't have a good rep and can't build up referrals work for Home Depot where referrals aren't needed.

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You got that right. The new contractor called today to set up a time. I called back and when he answered, he sounded stoned. Had no idea who I was or what I was returning his call about. :mad:

Well, after all of this, I am not going with Home Depot. I finally got someone else out to measure and got the full price. Not that expensive but I have decided not to deal with them.

I have to PAY IN FULL for them to order the carpet. It will take 3 to 4 weeks after payment for the carpet to come in. Then it will take anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks for the installation (which should take 1 day) to happen. WHAT! This would have been nice to know BEFORE I paid the measuring fees. I was told when I first went down that it would be 1 to 2 weeks to get someone out to do the installation. They NEVER said anything about a month to get the order in on top of that wait!

It would be nice if they let people know UPFRONT it takes about 2 months to get friggin carpet installed by these idiots so you don't waste time dealing with them.

I told them I did not want to pay in full prior to any work being done. I will pay half down and half at completion. They won't do the job unless I pay in full upfront. No way! I am not paying them in full almost 2 months in advance. What happens if these screw up? They already got paid so where would be the motivation to not screw up or fix any mistakes especially when they were concerned about cracking the ceramic tiles when they lay and kick the carpet up against it and wanted to know if I had extras "just in case"?

Waste of my :cens0r: time!

question? where do you find these people at? just from the reading i've been doing your luck does suck...did you ask "how long will it take for the order to come in, if i order it"? start asking these questions up front. i'm in the process of buying wood laminate flooring(pergo) .89cents a sqf. i asked TONS of questions.

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Originally Posted by SPJ

Well, after all of this, I am not going with Home Depot. I finally got someone else out to measure and got the full price. Not that expensive but I have decided not to deal with them.

I have to PAY IN FULL for them to order the carpet. It will take 3 to 4 weeks after payment for the carpet to come in. Then it will take anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks for the installation (which should take 1 day) to happen. WHAT! This would have been nice to know BEFORE I paid the measuring fees. I was told when I first went down that it would be 1 to 2 weeks to get someone out to do the installation. They NEVER said anything about a month to get the order in on top of that wait!

It would be nice if they let people know UPFRONT it takes about 2 months to get friggin carpet installed by these idiots so you don't waste time dealing with them.

I told them I did not want to pay in full prior to any work being done. I will pay half down and half at completion. They won't do the job unless I pay in full upfront. No way! I am not paying them in full almost 2 months in advance. What happens if these screw up? They already got paid so where would be the motivation to not screw up or fix any mistakes especially when they were concerned about cracking the ceramic tiles when they lay and kick the carpet up against it and wanted to know if I had extras "just in case"?

Waste of my :cens0r: time!

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Too bad you're not in our area; I'd have Mark and his cousin come down and do it! He would probably spend more time looking at the snakes than working though :) I think he should advertise himself as a "herp friendly" contractor..