Home Depot Windows and Doors Consumer Reviews - Page 3

NAPLES, FLORIDA -- On February 7th 2008, I signed a contract with Home Depot at Home Services to install Hurricane Windows and a Hurricane Sliding Glass Door on my mobile home. I was told it would take about 2 weeks to order and two days to install.

On Feb. 19th I got a call from Pilar, project manager who told me my installation date is March 5th. On March 5th nobody showed up. On March 13th 3 windows were put in none of them locked. On March 17th Pilar called to see if contractors were there. Told her they told us there was a job with one window left to do and then they would do ours. Per Pilar they were not there either. They didn't show up.

3/18/08 More windows that didn't lock were installed and I was told by that the company knew of this error and they would be switched next week... 3/19/08, contractor went to pick up slider that wasn't there. 3/20/08 called Pilar explained was told Den and Bathrooms are wrong sized. And no locking replacement windows. 4/2/08 One locking window installed by the others haven't come in. Per Pilar, "Be patient on slider. The slider had been put in with a defect in the glass. And a gap in the frame." 4/12/08 Received postcard from asking how I like my new windows.

4/14/08 Called and explained dinged slider not finished, windows don't lock and damaged plaster around windows also paid $85 out of my own pocket to have rug recut. Gave him job number. He said he would check and call back, which he did not. 4/24/08 Pilar on vacation next week, Tim ** is coming Tomorrow with locking windows and slider panel. Reminded her that there are six non locking windows and an $85 gift card.

4/24/08 called $100 gift card is coming from Atlanta, GA. and will fix slider and windows. 4/25/08 Had to show how to reuse locks as replacements don't come with locks. Claims wasn't told that. Checked slider and claims not right and replacement won't fit. But will have a Manufacturers Rep come and check it out. 4/25/08 called Pilar and Explained above. Per Pilar keep calling to get this Straightened out. 4/29/08 Left word to call.

4/29/08 Received bill and 1 year no interest has been shortened to six months per Adrianna will see right date on next statement. (Have I paid anything? NO! Would you?) 4/30/08 Left word to call who called back claims spoke to manufacturer's rep and someone will come out today or tomorrow MAYBE.

4/30/08 Ellie from Security Window and Doors called claims doesn't know why she had to call me. Explained Home Depot installed hurricane windows that did not lock until last Friday and the slider is stuffed with newspaper. Are you the manufacturer's rep who is going to check this out? Claims need P# will call Home Depot and call back. Explained I will have somebody from the local newspaper come and see this as it has been six weeks.

5/1/08 recalled Ellie. She called back befuddled claims. Didn't get PO#. 5/2/08 Called. He called back. Will call manufacturer's rep today and call back. 5/2/08 Explained Nobody has called with appointment. Tim called back says he was told I would get a call that morning, Told him it didn't happen. 5/5/08 Elly claims still no PO# but will schedule me for May 12th at 10:30. Called claims that is the Purchase Order Number/job number that is on my paperwork and that Security Windows has had it right along and he received a fax ten minutes ago that he is filling out for them.

So here it is 11:53 at night. All I want is what I signed up for can anyone suggest anything else I can do? On 5/15 after calling and getting recording several times called back Customer Care this time demanded supervisor. Supervisor set up conference call with Ron ** and Tim ** who promised would get back to me with someone to fix trim. 5/16 both Tims came out replaced and caulked inside trim. Now I got what I signed up for.

FLEMINGTON, NEW JERSEY -- Last spring, I wrote a review about Home Depot, in which I ordered $22,000 worth of windows and doors, had measurements taken by Home Depot's contractor, only to have the store order the wrong sizes. Home Depot said it was my fault, and refused to take the product back, even move the windows and building materials out of my garage, where they were stored. Basically, they told me to go to hell, right up to the highest corporate levels. I filed complaints with the BBB, etc., which got me exactly nowhere.

Finally, I contacted the local (NYC) TV stations, and Tappy Phillips of Channel 7 Eyewitness News interviewed me and ran my story on the 11 PM news in early August. BTW, Ms. Phillips was stonewalled by the Home Depot public relations team, just as I was.

Before the story ran, surprise! I received a call from one Steve **, who was Home Depot's head of Consumer Relations. ** agreed to refund all my money for the part of the job that was bad (about 2/3), and take out one of the windows which was much too small. (That window was replaced with a correctly sized window ordered from a local vendor, and installed by a local independent contractor -- correctly. That contractor also fixed up the installation of my front door, which was done incorrectly by Home Depot's contractor.)

Home Depot paid the difference between their installation and that by the independent contractor, which came to several hundred dollars. But Home Depot didn't refund about $4,000 for labor that wasn't done on the windows which couldn't be installed. I called **, and got no answer. After some quick checking and a few threats of a lawsuit and criminal prosecution (I had **'s promises in writing), I learned that ** had been fired. I don't know why, but I suspect my problem had something to do with it, and that's why I didn't get all my money. Perhaps ** was made the fall guy; I wasn't the proverbial fly on the wall, so I'll never know.

My situation was quickly relayed to Joe **, the "Conflict Resolution Specialist" for the NY and NJ region, and the same Joe ** who had refused to take my calls earlier did refund the rest of the money. This was done on September 18, exactly eight months after I originally ordered (and paid in full) for the windows.

I never received an apology of any kind from Home Depot. In December, shortly before Christmas, I contacted one Jerry **, who is a Home Depot PR flack, told him my story, and demanded an apology. ** said he'd look into the matter, and that was the last I heard from him. I'll get an apology around the time the Cubs defeat the Kansas City Royals in the World Series.

A couple weeks later, I heard on the news that Bob Nardelli was fired. I hope the fiasco about my windows, and Home Depot's utter arrogance, had a bit to do with Nardelli's corporate demise. You won't have to worry about him, though, the $210,000,000 he got as a severance package will pay for many, many rounds of golf. I only hope he loses his ball in a Florida water hazard, wades in to retrieve it, and is swallowed whole by an alligator. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA -- Remember "Home Base"? Well here is my3cents. My background=real customer service! The old way. An experienced and credible home improvement contractor in Fresno, Ca. specializing in retrofit windows and marketed solely by referral. I can tell you how the systems of today's home-improvement warehouse typically operate.

Maybe it was just the Home-base that I worked for, but management & all hired in the fields of specialty H.I. (home improvements), i.e., retrofit windows, kitchen upgrades, window treatments, flooring, (what they called their design specialist), were real professionals!

I was scouted by Home Depot management at my desk at Home Base to come work for them w/o substantial raise in pay. Their approach was put into motion by the loss of sales in the special order window department due to my total turn key practice of doing business while employed at Home-Base, and the $'s directly related to my performance. So I did, w/ prerequisites like bankers hours. Within a year those promises went out the window.

Well, I worked for H.D. for years before finally leaving. Back then, '80's early '90's H.D. hired real tradesmen that knew what they were talking about by years of hands on experience as journeymen in their field. And they paid us journeymen wages (or close to it). It's all different now! The improvement industry right now and the revenue involved is about the size of our national dept. We're talking big business!

The disrespect of these employees by mngt. took its toll, & almost all have left either going back to the field full time, starting their own business, or another retailer. But there are a few still putting up with it while waiting for their full vesting, (another reason why we went to work for the H.I. warehouses). This was also a time when Lowe's & Home-Depot were opening stores every 59 hours! Stocks were splitting sometimes two and three times a year! It wasn't uncommon to receive help on the sales floor by a 5-10 year employee in their twenties worth a cool one million on paper.

As an journeyman & business owner in my field of millworks, (doors/windows and all that is involved, and aware with new and old materials, products, as well as protocol/procedure of building codes of city/county not to mention the installation parameters set fourth by window manufacturers, I know what I'm talking about and what I'm doing. I'm at Lowe's and Home-Depot at least three times a week. Every visit I eye witness specialty department personnel tell an individual something relating to "how-to" and not know what they are talking about!

1) Home Base is gone and so are the hiring practices at Home Depot & Lowe's for individuals like those in these fields of specialty, (pretty much).

2) Ask the employee if the product they are selling you, advice/answers they are giving you, comes from years of professional experience, based on the P.K. (Product Knowledge) training given to them, or just what they have put together on their own.

3) The H.I. warehouses use sub-contractors. You are dealing with the warehouse, not the sub! That's their own problem to deal with. You pay them, they pay the sub.

4) Go straight to the General Mgr. first! (Unless you want a complete runaround.)

5) Until we the consumer make a real effort and hit them where it counts, by letting others know that they didn't help me like the T.V. commercial said they would! ("Home-Depot, you can do it, we can help!"), this will continue.

6) Do your homework. Need windows? Call someone, then follow one of their trucks to a job and watch them work, ask the homeowner questions, call their suppliers, etc.

7) Call the manufacturer and ask them what their installation protocol & procedure is for their product in order to uphold a lifetime guarantee that the contractor is saying you will receive. Have it faxed to you so you know through illustration the exact method of installation. Also call the city/county and do the same.

8) Make sure you get what you bought. On windows the brand is sometimes embossed on the lock. Other times only a sticker on the glass called the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council).

FLORENCE, KENTUCKY -- We ordered a (Jen-Weld) door thru Home Depot in April of this year and we keep getting emails putting us off a week at a time, saying the production date has been moved back each week. Home Depot is not doing anything about it.

YUCCA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA -- Doors installed poorly, front and back. Contractor quit Home Depot, left a tear in my floor covering. Follow up contractor ordered new door, could not get into my house a few days later, called a handyman. Worst doors, worst install, worst treatment. Even sadder, I went back for more. Sitting here with Frigidaire Gallery dishwasher that won't drain or dry, and fridge from same line that produces a noise that could have been used at Gitmo.

COLORADO -- Salesman told us we would get back 30% of our money on taxes on our windows. When asked, he told me there was no minimum, now we find out that there is a minimum of $500 and possibly $200. Want my money back since I was lied to and am told I will forfeit 1/4 of the purchase. Cannot trust Home Depot.

DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS -- Two weeks ago I placed an order for an entry door and a storm door at the Home Depot. The receipt for my order said the estimated arrival date for the entry door was 5/25/12 which was slightly sooner than the 10 day window the salesperson had given me -- so I was delighted. Well, yesterday I decided to check online to see what the order status was. It had been changed to 6/4/12 for both doors...hmmmn.

Later in the evening, I looked again and the date had changed yet again. This time it was 6/15/12. Uh-oh and not good. You see, we moved into a distressed property and the doors I ordered are replacing doors that are barely usable (not to mention very NOT secure).

So I called the store. "**"...the guy in the door department promised to look into things with Jeldwen today and said he knew they had been having some production delays. He said he would call me back today, which he did. He then proceeded to tell me that 6/15/12 was indeed when the doors were expected and that when the order was put in "they" had some incorrect SKU numbers. I don't know who "they" are...but I do know that it is ridiculous to have to wait a month for a door that really isn't very custom at all.

I'm very upset with **, Home Depot and Jeldwen and am on the verge of cancelling the order altogether and buying doors off the floor from Menards or Lowes. I asked ** why "he" told me 10 days when I was in the store and he had no reply. He also tried to blame the other guy in the door department who actually wrote the order.

I've purchased storm doors from Home Depot in the past and had pretty good luck. I guess the caveat here is... if you need something the least bit special, be prepared for Home Depot to mess up the order or fail to process it in a timely manner. You might get the right merchandise... eventually... but you'll need to be very, very patient. This is why people will go to retailers who charge 3x or even 4x Home Depot prices -- just so they don't get jerked around.

SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA -- THIS IS TO WARN ANY PROSPECTIVE SHOPPERS NOT TO USE HOME DEPOT'S "IN-HOME DESIGNER SERVICE" FOR ANY WINDOW TREATMENTS.

We called our local Home Depot to have their in-home designer help us choose new shades for windows in three different bedrooms. We ordered the custom-made Roman shades on July 20/10 and they charged our credit card that day for the entire amount (over $5500!!). They came to install the shades on August 12/10. Because our master bedroom windows are quite large, the Roman shades with so-called "easycord" manual lift system were VERY HEAVY to lift and to lower.

We asked the installer immediately about the stiffness, and he said it's "normal". But within a couple of days, my husband and I both got calluses from handling the thin, not at all "easycord" system, which also got tangled up with the bottom of the shade.

We called **, who did not take any responsibility for products sold by Home Depot. We called Home Depot and the designer, who came to inspect the shades on Aug. 21/10 and she said it's "normal". We demanded our money back, since the shades were so impractical we wanted to throw them out the window!

She said we could install a remote-controlled lift system for an additional $1600+. We felt trapped! It was the only way to deal with the daily opening and closing of the blinds in our bedroom, so we ordered the remote control system, and they charged us the same day. They came to un-install the shades on Sept. 15/10, left us with no window treatments at all, and we've been WAITING ever since for them to re-install the shades. This is over THREE MONTHS and over $6500+ later and we're still left without any window treatments in our master bedroom!!? Is this the best HD can do? Now we know why some people go to 3-day blinds stores?

We are so disgusted with Home Depot, we'll NEVER shop there again for anything! They are the worst "designers" and installers we've ever dealt with. We've moved a lot in our lives and lived in six different states, and we've NEVER had this much problem with any window treatments ever!? STAY AWAY FROM HOME DEPOT! They're irresponsible, unprofessional crooks, who take your money, but don't deliver the goods!! Should we start charging them interest on the money they took from us in July?

I highly recommend using a local contractor instead of Home Depot installation. My biggest mistake was in using the Home Depot installation because of convenience and not consulting a local contractor until after the installation problems. First - when the installers arrived they asked for an electrical outlet so they could plug in their battery for the drill and charge it, while charging they sat in their truck and waited. (this was my sign!) I was then charged custom for building up the sill, which is when they place a piece of board under the new door sill to fill in the gap between the old and new sill.

The board used is shorter than the width so I have gaps on both sides that were not filled in with insulation or anything and the board used was not covered with flashing or flashing tape so I have bare wood exposed to moisture, water, and the elements. I was also charged custom for placing 1x4, to fill gap between new door and the house. This also was left bare and is exposed to the elements. Since the installation I have learned from a local contractor that there is always a difference when installing a new door, because the chances of the new and old being the exact sizes are very slim and sill build up and trim fill in is normal in the installation process.

I think the worst part will have to be the trim and what I am left with. The installers removed the old trim and had I had paid for and they had brought the new trim to be installed inside. When it came time to install, it was easier to use the old, which was already cut to size, so they put the old trim back up. The trim has holes from the old nails, the new nail heads are sticking out and the trim has splits in the wood from removing. Nail heads were not sunk, holes were not puttied and the split looks horrible! Then on the outside trim, they removed and reused what was there. Once again I have nails sticking out, holes from the old nails, and they did not line up the trim properly.

I have shingle siding and the previous trim had shims behind so the sides would line up with the header. They removed and did not reuse the shims so the side boards twist at the top and are not level with the header. Everyone's first impression is "what happened?" All I can say is to avoid inferior work, PLEASE - use a local contractor, they guarantee to leave you with just touch up painting to do, whereas I now have to have my trim replaced. I would never recommend nor will I use the installation services of Home Depot again!

LEESBURG, VIRGINIA -- My husband and I went to Home Depot looking to purchase replacement windows and have them installed. We found what seemed to be a good window in the price range that we felt we could afford. We have 30 windows that need replacements. We spoke to the salesman about the American Craftsman 8500 double hung replacement windows, he provided us with more information and we subsequently decided to schedule an appointment to have the Home Depot rep come to our home to give us an estimate to install them in our home. The salesman said he couldn't give us any price until someone came to the home.

The "sales consultant" came to our home, we sat down and he proceeded to tell us to put all the information we obtained at the store to the side because they didn't install those windows only Simonton windows that they didn't even have on display in the store!! We questioned him about why didn't the salesman in the store tell us this and he told us he was "new". He also told us that they only sold the American Craftsman to be installed by the purchaser - didn't we ever see that big sign on the store that said "do it yourself"!!! (nice huh?)

Of course, the Simonton windows turned out to be VERY expensive, way over what we had budgeted for and we literally wanted to throw the salesman out of our home. He also stated that any other company such as "Lowe's" would come in and basically use "bait and switch" techniques. I told him if anyone was using "bait and switch" it was Home Depot and they should be ashamed of themselves.

Having been loyal Home Depot customers for many years, they are now in our opinion a sleazy operation with false advertising practices and need to re-evaluate their practices and procedures. They wasted our valuable time and we will not be going to Home Depot for any future purchases. Let others beware!!!