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Erik's Home Depot Story

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Erik of Sacramento writes (2/8/01):
Back in August 2000, my fiance received a new bathroom floor as a gift from my parents. Because we were getting married soon, we had Home Depot and several other companies bid on the project for a December/January install.

Two contractors who came to bid the bathroom vinyl project told us that our old, clawfoot tub would have to be removed, the current vinyl would likely have to be removed, or new underlayment put down, and bid the job. Home Depot sent out a sub-contractor to measure for the job (THR Carpeting) and prepared the bid for us. When my fiance, Amy, questioned the measurer about the tub and the old vinyl, he assured her the the tub could stay and they could just unhook the tub from the water and roll it on its side to lay the vinyl then put it back into place ... "A simple job," he said.

In addition, when Amy suggested the measurer look at the current vinyl to determine whether we have two layers or needed new underlayment, he said that they could just lay the vinyl over the old floor ... even though he could have easily looked a the vinyl because it was curled up under the tub within reach. So, based on the comments of the measurer and the competitive bid from Home Depot, we decided to go with them, since it wouldn't require removal of the tub (note: the tub could only be removed through the window at 300+lbs) or removal of the current vinyl (asbestos). It would be a much more carefreee and simple process.

We couldn't have been more wrong.

After our wedding in November we called Home Depot to schedule our install and they told us to schedule directly with Sierra Carpet who would be handling the installation. We did so and scheduled for December 27th, so we could spend the day at home while they finished the installation (8X10 bathroom!). The installer was to show up between 9 and 11 and didn't show up until 12:30. When he arrived he immediately told us that the tub would have to go. We explained what the measurer had said and the installer told us that was wrong. In addition, the installer said that the current vinyl would need to be either removed or covered with new wood, because it was two layers thick.

I immediately called Home Depot, and told them the situation, and convinced them that they should pay for the underlayment (wood) since their installer had made the mistake on the quote. After the phone call, I told the installer about the agreement, and he told me he'd have to come back tomorrow, because he didn't have his saw or any wood. He left the house a mess with stains from his dirty boots on the new carpet, the moulding torn off and left in the bathroom. The installer left and was to be back the following day to complete the job by 9am.

By the way, the bathroom (our only bathroom) had been out of commission all day, since we had to have our plumber take out the sink and the toilet to have the vinyl installed.

The next day, the installer didn't show up until 11:30 or so to work on the project. He started working on putting the wood down and insisted that the tub had to come out. We tried, unsuccessfully to get the tub out, until I told him it HAD to go out the window and we couldn't do it ourselves. I called Home Depot and asked them to coordinate someone to move the tub. After the installer had left the SECOND time (and two days without a toilet), Home Depot called and said that someone would be coming in the morning to move the tub, and the installer would be back to finish the job ... now, this is the 29th at this time. The tub-movers showed up right on time on Friday and moved the tub outside. In addition, the installer showed up to finish up the job. He was able to get the underlayment down and started on the vinyl. Home Depot had scheduled the tub-movers to come back at 4pm that day to put the tub back in and a plumber to come hook up our toilet and sink, since our plumber had left for the long weekend.

At 4 o'clock, I returned from some errands ... and using my brother's bathroom ... to find the installer outside on my neighbors driveway with my wife, who was looking very annoyed. When I asked what was going on, my wife informed me that the installer had miscut the vinyl and was short. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

The installer had a few yards of vinyl left, but was off by about one 4" square of material. He said that the measurer had measured wrong for the pattern match. I told him I didn't care what had happened or who was to blame, but that Home Depot would deal with it. At this time the installer told me that he had lost his job, because he had talked badly about Home Depot to us. So, apparently they sent someone who had been fired because of this job to our house to finish it! I decided to call Home Depot and pull my wife inside from this angry and frustrated and frightening installer.

While I talked with Home Depot, the installer began packing up his stuff and was ready to leave when the tub-movers showed up. The tub movers also were installers and the owner of the company (THR ... the same people who measured originally) had a long, heated discussion with the installer, something about not having the sketches and/or following the proper procedure. The installer left for Home Depot to get another wax ring for us so we'd at least have the toilet.

About five minutes later the THR owner came up to tell us that he had called Home Depot, because the installer seemed drunk. I immediately called home Depot and talked with Tammy who said, "Your installer will not be coming back ... he's had too many cocktails at lunch and shouldn't be driving." Tammy and I went back and forth about what they could do to "make me happy" and we finally decided that they would put in a temporary floor while they reordered our special material, would put our bathroom back together that evening and then come back at a later time to put in the new floor. I told her that I expected a refund and she agreed.

A week later, we got a call back from Home Depot saying our special order vinyl was in and asking when we would be "picking it up." Apparently, the problems hadn't been communicated to the employee. At this time I brought the Folsom store manager into the picture and asked them to reschedule the install, coordinate the plumber/tub-mover because I didn't want to have to spend another four days of vacation time doing this. Tammy and her assistant showed up about an hour later with temporary vinyl and I suggested she call THR because they had an installer who just left our house when they couldn't put the tub back in. She called him and he agreed to put in the temporary floor that night.

Once everyone showed back up, the floor was in within 10 minutes. However, the plumber couldn't come back until after 4pm. So, we had to deal with day 3 without a bathroom, and only had a temporary floor. Home Depot scheduled an install a week later, and we were "ready to go." I had requested another install company, but they said that Sierra had to be given a chance to correct their mistake. This whole time our house looked awful with the carpets all but ruined due to traffic of workmen. Tammy at HD said they would cover the carpet-cleaning for us.

The 2nd round of the bathroom install was scheduled for January 21st. I recevied a call from Sierra at 10:30 on the 21st saying that their installer had the flu and couldn't install the vinyl, so we'd have to reschedule on Thursday or Friday, so the job would be complete by Friday at the latest. I called and talked with David U. again and told him that the free bathroom install wasn't enough compensation for living without a bathroom for four days and wasting 4 days of vacation time (note: the plumber who came on Friday night of the 29th stayed until 8:30 and left with only the toilet connected and the tub connected but leaking/inoperable. The plumber returned on Sat the 30th at 1pm and stayed until 4:30 fixing the problems) Dave Uhlenhop offered $500 cash for compensation, but I asked if they would install my kitchen for free since I had already had it bid...STUPID CHOICE! Dave said they would comp the kitchen floor, and ordered the vinyl.

Finally, Sierra resceduled the install for the 25th of January and completed the job. There were more than the normal amount of scuffs/chips out of the woodwork, but we were pleased to have the project over. About two weeks later HD called to schedule the kitchen floor install. They scheduled the install ... with a different company as requested (Coverall) ... for Monday the 5th of February.

On Monday morning I dropped by my house at 11am and noone was there or had been. I found a message on my home machine (they have my work number!) telling me that their installer had his "tools stolen" and couldn't make the job. He could either come back on Tuesday afternoon and finish up Wednesday morning or come Wednesday morning and finish in one day. I called HD and Tammy told me that they had scheduled for Wednesday, because she figured we'd rather be bothered one day vs. two. I agreed.

On 2/7, the installer was not there yet at 10am. He was there around noon when I stopped by and had one small piece of underlayment down. When I asked him how the job was going he said, "Not very well ... it's a very difficult job. Can I come back tomorrow to finish?" I told him that I really wanted the job done today, because I've had nothing with problems during these installs. He said, "I can do a sloppy job and finish it up tonight, if you'd like." I told him no way and that he should talk with HD.

I went to HD and warned Tammy and Linda that the project looked bad, and that they should get another installer. Tammy told me that the manager of Coverall was there and they would stay until the job was done. I showed up at 1:30 after lunch to check the progress and was informed that the job would take Wednesday as well. I called Tammy at HD and told her I would accept that, because I want a job well done. The installer said he'd be back early on 2/8 to finish up ... shouldn't take long at all. I dropped by at 10:30 the next morning to see the progress and no one was there. I dropped by later after lunch around 1:30 and the installer and one other guy were there, and most of the floor was done. The installer was working on a seam and there was a small section of vinyl that had yet to be set into place. I left with the assurance that they'd be done by afternoon.

When I showed up at home that afternoon, I noticed problems. The seam was not a good pattern match, one area of the floor was crooked, the edges of the vinyl near the cabinets and other edges was rough and not glued properly and the area where the vinyl meets the carpet had a pocket. In addition, I noticed that the oven knob was missing and the metal knob was bent...apparently they'd knocked the oven on something when moving it. Also there were many nicks on the walls and the fridge had obviously been shoved down the side of the wall. At this point, I haven't yet looked for damage on the fridge. At this point, I've been going back and forth with HD to try and get someone to fix the floor. The best case scenario is that someone will come fix the floor on Tuesday 2/13. I'm not sure whether there is enough of the special order vinyl available to complete the job, which may mean another delay. Do I have any other options? Small claims court? I know that HD has been fairly generous with offering to install the floors for free, but the timing and process is horrible.

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