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Home Depot - Generator Installation

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James of Kannapolis NC (2/11/05):
I purchased a Guardian Generator for my residence because my basement had flooded during last year's ice storm. At the time of the purchase, I was told to pay a $150.00 deposit and in 24 hours, a Home Depot contractor would come to my home to do a site survey to ascertain the type and size generator I would need.

I agreed, and in 1 week, when I hadn't heard anything I called the manager and asked where my site survey person was. I was again assured that he would be by at some time in the near future to do the survey. A few days later, a person from Cemco Systems, an electrical contractor, came by and performed the site survey, stating that I needed to purchase the 15,000-watt Guardian Generator in order to run a house as large as mine. I agreed with him, and soon made my way back to Home Depot to complete my transaction.

When I went to complete the payment on the $2900.00 Guardian Generator, I was told that it would be an additional $4199.65 over the initial deposit, because of additional circuits that had to be purchased in order to get the hot water, heat, and water, which were 20-amp circuits. I made the final payment on November 5, 2004.

After multiple telephone calls asking where my generator was, it was finally installed on Friday, January 31, 2004. Unfortunately, I was at work during the installation, but my wife was at home. Cemco Systems was again the contractor who did the complete installation. At the end of the day, the lead installer knocked on the door and informed my wife that they had finished the installation of the generator, but that they did not hook up the well pump because they did not realize that we had a well and it "would be too expensive for them to do it."

Their recommendation for her was to find someone else to do it cheaper. They also informed her that they could not hook up the heat pump because we had "purchased the wrong kind of generator for the kind of heat pump that we had."

Needless to say, I was furious since they were the ones who recommended the type of generator for us to buy in the first place. I immediately called Home Depot and spoke to the manager and a few other sales associates, one in particular who stated she was a liason between the contractor and the consumer, named Ginger. All agreed with me at the time that the only reason any reasonable person would buy a generator at that expense would be to have heat, water, and be free of flood during power outages. They assured me they would be back in touch with me by Monday of the next week. It is now Friday and of course I have not heard anything.

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