Dimensional lumber at HD

Ya pays your money and ya takes your pick.

Reply to
Stubby
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last time I went to HD the contractors were lined up at the register 15 people deep. They must not be "professional contractors" right? you are a shmuck!

a deal is a deal no matter where it comes from. do what I do when I need lumber at HD. make them pull a new lift for you to pick through...........they will and they do.

"George" spewed without any consideration in message news:5O-dnc2VCduurAHYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@adelphia.com...

| Naw, customers *should* expect to find the same quality lumber that can | buy at the local real lumber yard (where the professional framer would | get his supplies). What they find is a different story.

Reply to
wildo

I haven't noticed any quality differences between our local lumber yards, Lowes, or Home Depot. It's mostly a matter of first come, first serve. If you're first to get to the pile, you can find lots of nice straight lumber. If you get there after it has been picked over, all that will be left is the warped and twisted firewood. :)

The lumber yards work better for large orders like framing a garage or something, but they're not very convenient to go in and hand pick a few

2x4's for a workbench or something. Especially if I need to pick up a few boards late in the evening, along with a faucet, a rake, a plant, and a book. :)

Anthony

Reply to
HerHusband

If you can't refute an argument you only make yourself look silly with childish name calling. Google "ad hominem" for more information.

Reply to
George

Reply to
r.notaro

Reply to
r.notaro

For a rank amateur, HD and Lowes can be more face-saving than a real lumber yard with a real clerk who knows something about wood.

At the first two, you take your chances but the check out clerk isn't qualified to tell you you bought junk, and if you use self-checkout, there is no one at all who can second guess you. Sure they might not be straight, but for many people it's worth it.

At a real lumber yard, he'll say, What can I do for you? or Which grade do you want, and if you don't know you look stupid. (at least a lot of people feel that way.)

The same thing for electrical supplies, probably even more so. You have to tell the guy at the electrical supply house what you want. At self service, you can spend hours staring and pondering until you finally decide what you think maybe you should buy. Or you can buy something and easily return it if you buy the wrong thing. I don't know for sure, but I don't think professional supply houses that sell to the trade like doing returns. Maybe 50 dollars if someone bought

1000 dollars worth in the last few months, but not 4 dollars for someone who spent 4 dollars.

Concommitantly, I've noticed that clerks in wholesale places are a lot friendlier and more helpful, becuase they deal with professionals and arent' stuck answering hundreds of stupid questions all day long.

Reply to
mm

Speaking of that, where can one buy cedar shingles? I only need one or two to repair a bird feeder. :)

Reply to
mm

- At a real lumber yard, he'll say, What can I do for you? or Which

- grade do you want, and if you don't know you look stupid. (at least a

- lot of people feel that way.)

Sounds like a lack of confidence to me. If I don't know what I want or need, I ask an expert. I don't feel stupid for not knowing everything about everything. If the person behind the counter treats me like I'm "stupid", I simply take my business elsewhere.

- The same thing for electrical supplies, probably even more so. You

- have to tell the guy at the electrical supply house what you want.

No, you don't have to tell the guy what you want, you only have to tell them what you want to do. Any electrical supply house that won't help you isn't worthy of your business. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten help from both sides of the counter - from the employee as well as customers (read: contractors) - at supplies house for all types of materials just by explaining to them what I am trying to do. Most people really enjoy teaching others. Just look at this newsgroup.

- At self service, you can spend hours staring and pondering until you

- finally decide what you think maybe you should buy. Or you can buy

- something and easily return it if you buy the wrong thing. I don't

- know for sure, but I don't think professional supply houses that sell

- to the trade like doing returns. Maybe 50 dollars if someone bought

- 1000 dollars worth in the last few months, but not 4 dollars for

- someone who spent 4 dollars.

The chances of having to return items to a professional supply house is reduced because you received professional help in choosing your items. Besides, just about every store will take back what you purchased from them. That's just about the standard everywhere these days. Even the supply houses have to compete on a certain level with the self service stores. Accepting returns simply makes sense from that perspective.

- Concommitantly, I've noticed that clerks in wholesale places are a lot

- friendlier and more helpful, becuase they deal with professionals and

- arent' stuck answering hundreds of stupid questions all day long.

Very true, and > >

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I agree with this assessment. The guys/girls at the local lumber yard are always very helpful. Same thing with the electrical/plumbing supply houses. I find asking for help instead of trying to be a know-it-all homemoaner helps too.

Also, there typically isn't anybody around on the floor at the local HD, but Lowes is always loaded with staff.

Reply to
Jack

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