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Expo is Home Depot's version of an upscale home remodeling center. The huge stores indeed offer a vast assortment of everything from marble countertops to lighting fixtures. They also offer complete design and remodeling service. This sounds attractive to the homeowner who doesn't want to go to the trouble of finding an outstanding local contractor. No doubt it all works well for many homeowners ... but not for the ones we've heard from.
Pay heed to Mary, who defends the poor installer, who gets stuck with everyone else's mistakes. Even more important, check out the observations of two independent contractors.
A few of the more recent complaints ...
Kay of San Francisco, CA May 2, 2006
Total incompetence. We wanted a bar countertop installed. We asked for a re-bid for additional work plus a change in the bar-top. We rejected the additional work. The bid for both bar-top and counter-top remained in the Expo computer. After two trips to the Expo facility, we were assured the problem had been resolved. We told the Expo staff that we wanted the bar-top per the remeasure. We then received a phone call from the contractor saying that Expo had told them we wanted a remeasure. Remeasures cost 175. We did not want or need a remeasure.
I spent more than 3 hours phoning and talking to Expo personnel about this today. The last I heard from them was that because we wanted a non-standard edge, we would have to pay more than the estimated cost for the bar top. When we first requested a quote for the bar top, we specified the edge, so the original estimate included the cost of the fancy edge. Can you spell bait and switch? Expo/Home Depot is not to be trusted. It looks like an easy way out, but don't fall for it. We tried to buy a hot water heater via Home Depot, only to get a phone call from the contractor they sent the project to, which contractor did not work in our area.
Incompetence. I did a google search and found a local independent company that will install a new heater for about half the price HD would have charged us if their contractor worked in our area. Do yourself a favor and go local and independent.
Joyce P. Riggs of Dallas, TX April 17, 2006
In early October, 2005, I went to EXPO Design Center in Dallas, TX, and signed a contract with them to do some major installations at my home. I was set up with an appointment with Christine as Designer assigned to my project. I wanted to install tile in two bathrooms and new carpet in two bedrooms. I also planned to get a new convection oven for my kitchen but after two opinions concerning space I had to let this go for now and I hope to do a major re-do in kitchen later that will allow the type of oven I want. I picked out the carpet myself from samples that I found in your carpet department. Christine met me in the store at a later date and picked two tile samples for my two different bathrooms.
I took her word for the quality and type of tile as I had no knowledge about what to pick. When I got home I realized that she did not offer my samples to look at in my home so I went back to the Design Center and asked for samples to bring to my house. One of the samples was completely wrong color and so I decided to just use the other tile sample for both bathrooms. It was a Donegal Sabbia unpolished porcelain tile. Maybe the "unpolished" part of description should have warned me about future problems but I didn't even see this description until I looked at the order after it was placed.
During the time that I was dealing with EXPO Design Center in Dallas the original project manager, Wayne, was put on sick leave due to an injury to his hand on a job and he was replaced by Mike. When Mike and Christine came to my home in December to set up the installation he told me that he would not have a job after February due to a total reorganization of your company. Also, Wayne was subsequently relieved of his job after seventeen years in your employ. I felt that I was caught in the crunch of your reorganization as part of my problems.
The tile was installed the week after Christmas -- December 27-28. I had asked Christine if the tile would have to be sealed and she told me "no, just the grout." Then when tile installers came they said the tile would all need sealing. That was first discrepancy in my tile installation. The tile installers did come back after a few days and seal the tiles--in the meantime we had to be very careful not to walk on tile. After the tiles were sealed they had to come back and replace some tiles which I thought were stained from installation and they said it was colors in the tile. They replace about three tiles and repaired a place or two in the grout. Soon after, I began to notice bad shoe marks on the tiles and we discovered that they marked up badly from any leather shoe bottoms.
I started a long series of complaints with the tile installers, then the company who made the tile (DalTile) and also with Home Expo (Greg.) The tile installers referred me to your home office in Atlanta and I instead went to the local store where I had made my contract. They sent a representative from DalTile out to look and she told me that she was recommending to EXPO that the tile be replaced. Then someone came and got a tile to be analyzed. I talked with Greg Ellis who is manager of the EXPO Design Center here in Dallas several times. He finally sent an independant inspecter out for an inspection. In the meantime I had my housekeeper clean the tile except for about six squares as I couldn't tolerate all the dirt showing on the tile. He came and took pictures and then I had him take his shoe (loafer) and stand and turn with the sole on the tile.
It made black marks--which he noted in his report to EXPO in his report. However, he concluded that the tile was not defective. Since then I have had to clean the shoe marks a number of times with Magic Eraser and they keep returning. Just a simple cleaning solution will not remove the shoe marks and the tile installer warned me against using any harsh cleaning solution as it would remove the sealer. We have walked in sock feet almost constantly since the tile was put in and this is not satisfactory. Then last weekend we have several house guests. After they left the bathrooms both had bad shoe marks on the tiles. I didn't want to ask them to take their shoes off to use my bathrooms. I am extremely dissatisfied with this product and in spite of the independant inspector's assessment of the tile I feel that it is indeed defective. And I personally am not able to get on my knees and clean the whole floor with Magic Eraser. My housekeeper has told me she will not clean it again on her knees.
The physical damage has been to my back and the back of my housekeeper who has cleaned the entire floor one time. It is impossible to keep clean. I feel that you owe me some consideration as this is reputed to be the best porcelain tile that I could buy. I think the designer should have known that the tile would be impossible to keep. The reason that I chose EXPO in the first place is that my son and wife used EXPO (then in Plano, TX) to do an extensive kitchen remodel and they had excellent results and tile floors that are beautiful and easy to keep clean. I was going by their experience when I chose to use you. And I want to do a kitchen remodel also but am reluctant to use your company unless you are willing to do something about my tile problems. Louise of San Pedro, CA April 10, 2006
I paid Expo Design Center of Redondo Beach 750.00 to retain a designer to choose items from their store that where suitable for my home. Every item the designer chose had to be returned and another chosen because they where inappropriate for my home. By inappropriate I mean that the items did not fit or work with the home not that I did not like anything.
Their granite installers did a very poor job and the granite looks horrible. They damaged my kitchen cabinets and I had to pay someone to repair them and the brand new paint on my back yard fence had to be redone due to them. Worst of all Expo's paid designer Jennifer Garrido chose a type of hardwood that cannot go into my house. She told me it could-I bought it on her word- and found out from over 40 installers it cannot be installed as EXPO described and estimated. I am a senior citizen and feel they took advantage of me. Their company refuses me a refund on the hardwood that they told me to buy even though it cannot be used and it is still in boxes.
Expo design center new store manager Herb who knew nothing about the case lied in Small claims court. His paid employees lied to him and he lied to the judge on what transpired.
Earl of Washington, DC March 9, 2006
On January 1 I purchased bathroom tile and paid a deposit for installation; a vanity, vanity top, faucets, and a deposit for the installation of the vanity. Somehow the vanity order was disappered from the computer system although the deposit for the installation did not. Tile is basically complete. Becuse of the screw up in the vanity order the vanity arrived two weeks ago. I then started calling the expediter at ExpoDesign almost dailey. The expediters no longer return my phone calls and they have yet to have one of their plumbing subcontractors contact me.
Kelly of Burbank, IL April 21, 2005
I ordered new vanity cabinets and a corian sink top with double bowls from Expo on 4/3/05. I was told that it would take 14 days to have the custom order completed and they would call when was delivered to the store. On 4/4/05 I realized that I needed a couple of accessories to make the order complete and did so over the phone. The woman who took my order, Donna in K&B was very helpful. When I added pieces to my order on 4/4/05, Donna was off but McKenzie was also very helpful. Then to verify all items, Maureen, the Operations Mgr called and she too was helpful. The problems began after the ordering process was completed.
I received a phone call from Expo on 4/13 stating that my order was in and could be picked up. My contractor wasn't ready for installation & so he said he'd pick it up Monday 4/18. I phoned Expo back and advised them of such. Then then called again on 4/16 advising that my order was in and it could be picked up (again). And, again I advised them that it wouldn't be picked up until the 18th. As we all know, things happen and the contractor couldn't pick it up until Tuesday. Then Expo calls AGAIN 4/18 to tell me that my order can be picked up.
My contractor goes in on Tuesday and guess what - it's missing the Vanity Top!!! He takes what they have and calls me to tell me that the top isn't in. I call Expo and get treated like an idiot (why would you schedule your contractor to install items that aren't in?? When we install items, we make sure all the pieces are there before scheduling an installation were a few of the comments I'd received from Darlene and Carrie - two store managers. This was on Tuesday. Today is Thursday and I had to call them (and of course got voicemail every time) to see if it's in!! I will NEVER do business with them again and am in the process of writing the corporate office a letter. Not sure where it will get me but, I'm sure I feel better at the end. If any one knows what other actions can be taken, I'd gladly appreciate any suggestions!!
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