Home Page link

Experience with Home Depot or Lowe's Wood Fence Purchase/Installation?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Page 2 of 2       << first < 1 2 Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Experience with Home Depot or Lowe's Wood Fence Purchase/Installation? Wayne Boatwright 07-19-2008
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by Wayne Boatwright on July 22, 2008, 8:44 pm


On Tue 22 Jul 2008 09:25:40a, alta47 told us...

> I agree that getting estimates from local contractors would be a good
> idea. I have heard some good and some bad reports from people who used
> HD or Lowes. Most of the bad news had to do with having HD or Lowes be
> the middle person between you and whoever they get to show up at your
> house to do the work.
>
> The fence job sounds like a 1-day job. For that type of job, I never
> pay any money up front. I work it out so I will be there on the day
> they do the job and, as soon as the job is done, I pay them in full in
> person for the job. When you give someone a deposit, he/she has no real
> incentive to get to your job. Instead, you are on the hook waiting
> while they are out doing the jobs where they will get a check for the
> work at the end of the day. Once they have a deposit from you, they
> essentially already have their profit in their hands.
>
> You can get some very good contract forms from the American Institute of
> Architects. Their contract forms include important items that are
> designed to protect your interests. Here are a couple of links to their
> website regarding contract documents:
>
> http://www.aia.org/docs_purchase&defPr=1
>
>
>
> http://www.aia.org/SiteObjects/files/docs_paperdistributors.pdf
>
>
>
> I think their contract number A105-2007 is probably what you would want.
> They have an AIA office in Phoenix where you can buy the contract forms
> in person.
>
> When you do the gate(s), be sure to include a gate or other system
> where, if needed, someone with a backhoe, truck, or other heavy
> equipment can get into the fenced in area. You never know when you will
> need to have a tree cut down or other work done that requires access to
> the fenced in area. A wide gate would be good, but even a system where
> a section of the fence can easily be removed and replaced will work.
>

This is all excellent information, and much appreciated!

As far as gates are concerned, we had planned on three 4' wide gates, one
at each side of the house and one in the middle of the back span.


--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 07(VII)/22(XXII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
I'm a Parrothead and I'm OK....
-------------------------------------------





Posted by BETA-35 on July 22, 2008, 9:44 pm


>
> As far as gates are concerned, we had planned on three 4' wide gates, one
> at each side of the house and one in the middle of the back span.

I think you should seriously consider making one of the side gates much
wider -- maybe by combining two 4-foot wide gates to enable at least an
8-foot opening if needed. You never know when you will need to drive a
pickup truck into the back yard to load or unload dirt, mulch, bricks/stones
for a new patio, etc. Many lawn service companies use mowers that are more
than 4 feet wide.



Posted by Wayne Boatwright on July 22, 2008, 10:28 pm


On Tue 22 Jul 2008 06:44:58p, BETA-35 told us...

>>
>> As far as gates are concerned, we had planned on three 4' wide gates,
>> one at each side of the house and one in the middle of the back span.
>
> I think you should seriously consider making one of the side gates much
> wider -- maybe by combining two 4-foot wide gates to enable at least an
> 8-foot opening if needed. You never know when you will need to drive a
> pickup truck into the back yard to load or unload dirt, mulch,
> bricks/stones for a new patio, etc. Many lawn service companies use
> mowers that are more than 4 feet wide.

I agree with your suggestion, but it wouldn't be too practical. Those
fence portions will run from the front corner of the house on each side to
the edge of the propertly line. Total distance on each side is barely 9
feet. We have a desert yard, so no grass, just compacted granite, so no
mower. This is typical in our area, as are 4-foot gates. Most bobcats can
easily clear the opening, and can move in most materials we might need.

Our future plans include a deck or Arizona Room, but the building materials
involved should pass through a 4 ft. gate with no problem. They do it all
the time out here.

Those folks have 8 ft. gates usually have them because they park an RV in
the back yard.

Thanks for your thoughtful suggestion, however.



--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 07(VII)/22(XXII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
The vultures are circling . . . and
they have the faces of presidential
candidates and carry bowling balls in
their buttered claws. . . .
-------------------------------------------


Posted by J.H. Holliday on July 22, 2008, 12:52 pm


> We would like to fence in our back yard with 6' x 8' wood fence panels (I
> would guess using 4" x4" posts). Wood choices would be probably white
> pine, white cedar, red cedar, or redwood for the panels. The total
> perimeter is approximately 200 lineal feet. We would probably need/want
> two gates. We will probably use either Home Depot or Lowe's for both
> product and contracted installation. We live in Mesa, Arizona, so would
> only be concerned with heat issues since we get very little rain and
> (obviously) no snow or ice. Overall cost is some consideration.
>
> I would welcome opinions on choice of material as well as any
> recommendation of Home Depot vs. Lowe's. I understand that both companies
> engage or arrange for independent contractors for installation.
>
> We're not quite ready to get estimates, so thought I would ask here first.
>
> TIA
>

HD is batting one out of three with my installs.

Good: water heater--- no problems, done fast, done right.

Bad: whole-house recarpeting and partial re-reroofing. Had serious problems
with both of the contractors they subbed the jobs out to. And in both cases,
HD would not take any responsibility or even get involved to the extent of
talking to the sub. They said-- it's between you and them and walked away.

I said no, the credit card payment was to you and I disputed both charges to
the card issuer and wouldn't pay. HD eventually saw my side of it with the
roofing sub and that was resolved.

However, the carpet problem ended up in small claims court where HD sent TWO
fancy-suited lawyers. I went alone and explained my side of it-- well
documented with pictures and a "daily log" on the job's progress (or lack
thereof). The judge socked it to them, reducing my cost to what I felt was
fair-- then hit them punitive damages in the same amount of the payment
due....so I eventually got a free house full of carpet. But 5-6 years later,
the faulty installation showed itself and I have lots of ridges and pulls.

HD wouldn't send a crew back to fix the problems so last week I wrote a
letter reminding them that the same judge still is still sitting on small
claims court.

I haven't heard back from them yet---but I'll keep you posted!!



Page 2 of 2       << first < 1 2
Similar ThreadsPosted
Experience with Home Depot or Lowe's Wood Fence Purchase/Installation? July 19, 2008, 11:11 pm
Washer/Dryer -- Lowe's vs. Home Depot October 31, 2005, 12:40 pm
Pergo laminate floors: Lowe's vs. Home Depot May 24, 2008, 8:08 pm
Is Home Depot shafting shoppers? "Home Depot is a consistent abuser of its customers' time." March 9, 2007, 2:08 pm
Re: Best wood for fence April 29, 2006, 10:06 pm
6' x 60' Wood Fence May 20, 2007, 4:29 am
Wood fence August 28, 2008, 9:41 pm
home warranty experience October 6, 2008, 3:15 pm
Wood Fence Repair September 28, 2007, 7:09 am
Replacing wood fence sections August 26, 2006, 1:28 am

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap