Posted on 06/29/2015 3:35:15 PM PDT by Roos_Girl
So we bought a shed from Home Depot. I really despise Home Depot, but the price was right (next shed size up with a door wide enough to meet our needs is 30% more expensive at any shed supply store we looked at) and it was locally available and had a 10 year warranty. The shed we bought was advertised on the HD website as having a 64" wide door opening, which we knew would be tight, but would work for our mower. We bought the shed and material for the foundation with cash. My husband worked for 2 days preparing the foundation and putting the shed together. It is one of the resin ones that kind of snap together. It's a nice enough shed, but after spending the weekend building everything he discovered that the door opening was less than the 64" advertised and the mower won't fit. I called the store and explained everything and the assistant manager told us to take it apart and return it. Well, the snap together stuff doesn't just snap apart. My husband feels that if he tries to take it apart that many of the plastic snaps will be damaged. I could tell I was getting nowhere with the assistant manager and asked to speak to the manager. She never returned my call so I call corporate customer service.
Corporate customer service has basically been a liaison between me and the local store manager. I initially asked that the local store send someone to disassemble the shed. When it was clear I was going to get the runaround I told them I wanted someone to come out and disassemble the shed, an appropriate size shed delivered at no additional cost plus the cost of materials for a larger foundation to fit the bigger shed, figuring that we would negotiate down to some reasonable middle ground. I requested that local come out and inspect the shed, take their own measurements, etc. but they said they could not do that.
It has now been a week of back and forth with the corporate liaison and the store is still at "return the shed in the condition it was purchased". Which means, if we attempt to take it apart and it does indeed break like my husband believes it will we're out a shed and out the money the store should refund us. I spoke with corporate this afternoon and told her I wanted the district manager involved and I felt my next step was file in small claims court, that I hoped it would not have to come to that, but in light of their false advertising and putting all responsibility on us to disassemble a product that was not meant to be disassembled I felt there was not much choice left.
I then offered that we would keep the shed and put it to other use, buy another shed (not from them) and requested they cover the cost of materials for the foundation of the new shed. This is what corporate said she would discuss with the district manager.
Anyone have any good advice or input on how to fairly resolve this?
No built model at the store or we would have verified the dimensions. I don’t think they owe us a bigger shed, but when they started giving me a hassle I felt I needed some negotiating room. They are specifically telling me that the shed must be returned in condition that is sellable, and of course when taking apart an item that isn’t meant to be taken apart, you can’t guarantee that. With the statement from them that it must be in that condition upon return I am concerned that if we try to take it apart and it does break we won’t get our money back, nor will we have a shed that we could use for something else or sell to someone that could use it.
Did I read that you want to be compensated for the cement?
No way.
Don’t waste money going to court.
You should have done more homework.
The concrete was tuition costs.
Take it back, be civil, try and repair the damage you’ve done.
You may need their goodwill sometime down the road. You may not think so today, but burning bridges over this would be stupid. Put the flames on the one that is burning.
Well now THAT would have been interesting to watch.
We’ve had the same experience with the LED bulbs. Huge disappointment, especially at the price they are. We just keep replacing them with a different brand than the last ones and hope they work better.
Yeah, the opening without the doors on is about 2 inches narrower than what is advertised. I believe this is info coming from the manufacturer, so HD would be able to go back to them and recoup any loss.
We talked about selling it, but there’s still the problem of disassembly and transport.
I like Lowes better than Menards. Menards’ sales are all in the form of store rebates that can only be used at Menards and you have to send in for them. I wish they’d cut the cheesy runaround and just give the discount. It’s why I don’t go there. Personally I’d rather go there but they will not change this policy.
Did you use a credit card? Some credit cards have buyer’s protection included (even if your purchase is broken soon after you buy it).
I broke a lens filter within a couple weeks of purchase and was able to make my claim. It might at least serve as a backup plan if disassembling the shed does indeed break some connections and if the store refuses to accept the return.
I recall some milk crates sold at a storage store that were listed as 12” did not actually store objects (like records) that were 12”. I don’t think the exterior was 12” end to end either. I know about permitting some allowance of place but it was considerably shorter (as if someone rounded up).
For our kitchen recessed lights, I went on ebay and bought Feit brand LEDs.
I’ve always liked the company, and always, always, had good luck with their bulbs.
Way cheaper through ebay too.
Get a sawzall and enlarge the opening; use some pressure treated 2 x 4 or 4 x 4 lumber to reframe the inside door opening [use two galvanized or plastic post brackets to attach the posts to the concrete with concrete screws, and use roofing screws with plastic washers to reattach siding to new frame since your shed is resin. Or use liquid nails.] Get some wide trim boards to cover the cut edges on the outside to restore the door’s finished look, paint appropriately. Make some new doors, barn door style, and paint them a contrasting color.
As some one else said, consider this “tuition” for having to learn a hard lesson and woodworking “practice.”
Haven’t heard of that brand before, will have to check them out. Thanks.
I've been to the local Home Depot a couple of times. They always wanted to argue with me about giving the 10% discount like their competitor Lowe's does without a hassle. Lowe's has better selections and better customer service. I see no reason to ever go back to Home Depot.
Hubby is pretty handy with things. We talked about making the opening wider and just making it work. Pretty sure that would void the 10 year warranty. Maybe that wouldn’t matter.
Agreed about Lowe’s, it is our store of choice. When I was working full time there was never any question about buying the most appropriate tool to fit our needs from the store that demonstrated values that we agreed with. Now that I am a stay at home mom we have had to make some compromises here and there that we previously would not have.
I thank you for your service. :)
Correct.
Home Depot used to, maybe still does, carry their line of maintainer paks, big boxes of bulbs.
I used them for years, and was always pleased with the FEIT quality.
I’ve bought a number of LED bulbs, and am also pleased. I’ll know for sure in a decade!
Tried the HDs LEDs, and have a bunch of them still installed, but I know I’ll have to replace them soon.
Best price, widest selection is on ebay or amazon.
Otherwise, you might consider renting a flatbed trailer and hiring someone with a forklift to load the shed intact to return it back to Home Depot and get your money back. I live in the rural area and people haul large items and heavy equipment around here all the time. My wife's cousin just bought a prebuilt metal shed and picked it up himself with a flat-bed trailer pulled by his pick-up. The place he bought it from loaded it with a fork-lift and he unloaded it with ramps and a winch.
Good luck resolving your problem.
Go to customer service. Ask for the store manager. Use this store locator, your manager’s name is on the listing.
http://www.homedepot.com/StoreFinder/index.jsp
Then there is this worry; from their site [hope you didn’t use a credit card] :
Attention HomeDepot Visitor
We want to make you aware of a significant incident that has occurred. There was a massive system breach at Global Payments, a company that processes credit card transactions for a number of companies, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and other major credit card brands. Files containing personal credit card information were compromised.
We are urging you to check your credit profile for any activity that you did not authorize.
From their site:
Attention HomeDepot Visitor
We want to make you aware of a significant incident that has occurred. There was a massive system breach at Global Payments, a company that processes credit card transactions for a number of companies, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and other major credit card brands. Files containing personal credit card information were compromised.
We are urging you to check your credit profile for any activity that you did not authorize.
Would have taken it apart and returned it broken if need be. Would not “negotiate” and also would not shop there. Loews is the better place all the way around.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.