Home Depot HomeDepot custom ordered cabinets based on their incorrect measurements. Now I'm stuck with $4,000 worth of cabinets that don't fit! Augusta Georgia
The house that I purchased approximately 18 months ago was built in the 1920s and in need of a great deal of repair/remodel due to neglect. One of the main remodels has been the kitchen. All of the original cabinetry was removed prior to when I officially moved in due to irreparable damages. Since then, I've been in the process of purchasing $4,000+ in custom-made kitchen cabinets from Home Depot (store # 0119). Since I am not a skilled contractor and have no experience in kitchen remodels, I went to the Home Depot and asked for their assistance. I informed them that I would be purchasing the kitchen cabinetry over a period of time as I only have a limited income to work with. I also knew that my kitchen is rather small and would require specially ordered cabinets to accommodate the layout. The associate on-hand informed me that I would need to have one of their employees measure the dimensions of the kitchen for a fee of $60 (which would be credited towards the purchase of my cabinetry) in order for them to place the custom order. I was clear of the fact that I would be having someone else other than Home Depot performing the installation. This is clearly shown in all quotes I've obtained for cabinet designs/layout over the duration of this transaction.
When this entire ordeal began, the Home Depot staff conducted their first on-site measurements and designed a kitchen plan based on those measurements back in August 2006. However, I noticed they did not have my windows in the correct location on the design layout. Because of this, they had to come out a second time in order to re-evaluate their initial measurements, which were incorrect. I can verify these events as I had a witness at the time both measurements were taken.
The transaction was completed yesterday, on 2/27/08, when I picked up the last of my cabinetry. Today, on 2/28/08, when my contractor arrived to install them, he noticed none of the cabinets came close to fitting in my kitchen properly. The drawers on the end cabinets cannot open because it conflicts with the stove (the stove is in the same exact location as it had been in the initial layout of the kitchen which can also been clearly seen in the layout given to me by the Home Depot). The cabinets stretch out past the door frame and there is no room for a countertop to adequately fit without blocking part of the back door.
My contractor measured the kitchen and compared it to the measurements they had on file and none of them matched. Of course, their measurements are what the cabinet purchases were based upon. I've contacted the Home Depot (both locally and corporate headquarters) and they are insisting that none of their measurements are guaranteed unless Home Depot performs the installation and that I am stuck with the cabinets that they have purchased for me. No one is even willing to adjust the cabinets in order to fit my kitchen. The assistant manager I spoke with on 2/28/08 was both rude and unhelpful. He was not at all concerned with my dilemma and since the store manager is apparently out of town, corporate insists their hands are tied, as well.
No one informed me of the non-guarantee less installation. There is no paperwork that I signed which state this. In fact, I have my receipt for the $60 measurement fee I was charged and there is no disclaimer stating this anywhere to be found. I would have never paid $60 for someone to measure my kitchen for cabinets if there were no guarantees on the accuracy of their measurements. I would've been more than happy to have my contractor take the measurements (for free), but the store employee insisted I pay for the measurements in order to purchase the proper cabinets for my kitchen. However, now none of them fit because the measurements were incorrect and I feel the Home Depot is responsible and should work to remedy the situation.
Consumer 0812
Augusta, Georgia
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Home Depot
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Consumer 0812
Augusta,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Finally got the problem fixed.
#6Author of original report
Tue, June 17, 2008
First of all, thank you so very much, Jess for your helpful information. I'm glad there are people like you who are paying attention to these sights and providing the kind of information that company employees should be doing when they discover a customer is dissatisfied.
While I was trying to find an adequate resolution (and getting nowhere), I decided to contact the local BBB. I e-mailed my complaint to them on a Friday and by Monday morning a Home Depot representative was contacting me to 'resolve the issue.' In the end, I got the cabinets replaced to my liking. Although, I had to go without a functioning kitchen for almost 2 years!! But try to look at the postitive -I learned that I can take my hard earned money elsewhere and that's exactly what I plan to do.
I will never shop at Home Depot again and I tell everyone I know about the horrible customer service I recieved. Because of this, my friends and family have decided to take their business elsewhere, as well.
Consumer 0812
Augusta,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Finally got the problem fixed.
#6Author of original report
Tue, June 17, 2008
First of all, thank you so very much, Jess for your helpful information. I'm glad there are people like you who are paying attention to these sights and providing the kind of information that company employees should be doing when they discover a customer is dissatisfied.
While I was trying to find an adequate resolution (and getting nowhere), I decided to contact the local BBB. I e-mailed my complaint to them on a Friday and by Monday morning a Home Depot representative was contacting me to 'resolve the issue.' In the end, I got the cabinets replaced to my liking. Although, I had to go without a functioning kitchen for almost 2 years!! But try to look at the postitive -I learned that I can take my hard earned money elsewhere and that's exactly what I plan to do.
I will never shop at Home Depot again and I tell everyone I know about the horrible customer service I recieved. Because of this, my friends and family have decided to take their business elsewhere, as well.
Consumer 0812
Augusta,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Finally got the problem fixed.
#6Author of original report
Tue, June 17, 2008
First of all, thank you so very much, Jess for your helpful information. I'm glad there are people like you who are paying attention to these sights and providing the kind of information that company employees should be doing when they discover a customer is dissatisfied.
While I was trying to find an adequate resolution (and getting nowhere), I decided to contact the local BBB. I e-mailed my complaint to them on a Friday and by Monday morning a Home Depot representative was contacting me to 'resolve the issue.' In the end, I got the cabinets replaced to my liking. Although, I had to go without a functioning kitchen for almost 2 years!! But try to look at the postitive -I learned that I can take my hard earned money elsewhere and that's exactly what I plan to do.
I will never shop at Home Depot again and I tell everyone I know about the horrible customer service I recieved. Because of this, my friends and family have decided to take their business elsewhere, as well.
Consumer 0812
Augusta,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Finally got the problem fixed.
#6Author of original report
Tue, June 17, 2008
First of all, thank you so very much, Jess for your helpful information. I'm glad there are people like you who are paying attention to these sights and providing the kind of information that company employees should be doing when they discover a customer is dissatisfied.
While I was trying to find an adequate resolution (and getting nowhere), I decided to contact the local BBB. I e-mailed my complaint to them on a Friday and by Monday morning a Home Depot representative was contacting me to 'resolve the issue.' In the end, I got the cabinets replaced to my liking. Although, I had to go without a functioning kitchen for almost 2 years!! But try to look at the postitive -I learned that I can take my hard earned money elsewhere and that's exactly what I plan to do.
I will never shop at Home Depot again and I tell everyone I know about the horrible customer service I recieved. Because of this, my friends and family have decided to take their business elsewhere, as well.
Jess
RH,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
Information to help you!
#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, June 06, 2008
Consumer 0812,
I am an ex-employee and have worked closley with this store and all i can say is you are not alone. I will not get into all the horror stories I have heard over my five years with the company.
I have a few names of some people you REALLY need to talk to. First of all if they measured your cabinet wrong it is there fault and they HAVE to re-order your cabinets at no additional cost to you... You have to return the org. unuseable cabinets, also. That is company policy believe me I know, one of the jobs I held down was AA for The Regional Specialty Manager (this postion has been shoved out of HD completely), but cabinets were her bread and butter. As for the names I am sorry but they went through a reorganization last year and this store falls in a new region and I don't have the numbers.
You need to contact there Regional Office (I believe it is in Atlanta with the corp office) and talk to Maria Preze the Region VP or her AA Liz Cappella. Maria HATES bad customer service and if you can actually make it to her ( yes it will take alot to get to her as she is very tough on employees that do not resolve customer issues before they make it to her so you will be screened and redirected at every turn.) She will resolve and you will most likly get a FULL refund just because of the amount of time it has been. Good Luck and please let me know how it turns out.
God Bless
Jess