Investor - buy and hold. · Cedar Park, TEXAS (TX) · Member since 2015 · 95 posts · 7 votes
Hi wanted to ask if there is any preference for major rehab - which one is better Lowes or Home depot. Spending about $10k for small rehab. Or, is there any other place where we can get cost effective materials.
Investor · Beverly, WV · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 10 votes
9y
Lowes will give you a QSP (Quote Support Program). If your list of materials is over $2500, your contractor specialist will send the list to corporate for a discount. Be advised, the savings will be more if your list includes in stock items. Usually saves me 15-25% off the in store prices.
Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2015 · 139 posts · 43 votes
9y
I use HD for the bulk of my purchases. They are generally cheaper than Lowes, but not for everything.
I also tend to buy more and more on Amazon where possible. Typically amazon has the best prices and free shipping. I've bought numerous tools, bath and kitchen fixtures, nails, etc.
Also as mention above, Floor and Decor is great for flooring and tile. Home Depot wouldn't provide me any discount on a large hardwood order ($5k+) so I went to floor and decor and purchased there.
I also found Best Buy is great for appliances. They had best price and great service and delivery. Again I first tried to get a discount at Home Depot for same items but they said they couldn't on appliances.
Go to eBay and type in Home Depot 15%, and you can buy them for around $30-40. I get that spending money on a coupon stinks but spending $30-40 to save $160 on a $1300 order is well worth it.
How is it that HD (or LOWES if they have them too) let this happen if it is not sanctioned by them? Seems like 'scalping' coupons? My handyman told me of this long ago, but for some reason, i never tried it, it seemed like there had to be some legal issues that could come up around them (or maybe it's just me feeling guilty cause it seems like fraud? are these copies?). Does anyone know the story on these? Where do the 'scalpers' get the coupons?
Investor · Monroe, WI · Member since 2015 · 691 posts · 610 votes
9y
I'm not sure but they do work at Home Depot and are specifically for there so if the opportunity is there, and it's obviously not illegal, there is no reason not to save money.
Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2017 · 2 posts · 0 votes
9y
Home Depot offers an 11% rebate to match Menards. They also do a price match but often it's better to go this other route... They offer bulk discounts on just about everything. Another trick if you're a pro member is asking the Pro Desk to put your order into what's called the "Bid Room" and attempt to get an even better discount. I saved over $800 (Bulk discount was only $580) on my last shingle order by doing this, and I got my 11% rebate in the form of a gift card. Total savings with "Bid Room" discount and gift card was over $2,000
You can obtain the 11% rebate slip from the Pro Desk after check out.
Home Depot owns a variety of other companies, Glacier Bay and Dewalt are a couple you all know. Their prices on Glacier Bay products are 1/4 the cost of Delta and others and come with the same warranty.
San Antonio, TX · Member since 2013 · 87 posts · 42 votes
8y
Home Depots typically have more building material items, lowes is indeed more of a decor store than HD.
The biggest determining factor for me is if you get a Home Depot Credit card, they offer continual 6 months interest free financing on everything in store. Lowes offers a 5% discount. Personally, I'll take the 6 months interest free and more times than not, should have the project completed and house sold before I'll have to pay. (For those materials at least), cash flow is king!
I second @Carrie Utt 's advice on Lowes QSP. Huge savings to be had there. The threshold for which you qualify for QSP review varies. Looks like she needs to be at a $2500 minimum order. Until recently I was at a $1500 minimum and that was just recently reduced to $1000 minimum. Either way, go introduce yourself at the Pro Desk and see what they can do for you.
And beware, not all Pro Desk employees are created equally. Find the one who can actually make decisions. Sometimes that means catching the regional commercial rep in the store on one of his/her periodic visits. The regional rep often works magic for me that in-store employees can't seem to pull off.
I'm not sure if HD has a similar program - they probably do.
Yes. Home Depot has the "Bid Room". If you are spending at least $1,500, go to the pro desk and ask to set up a bid room proposal. You have to know all of the items you want by providing the UPC #s for items in the aisles, and create purchase orders for major departments (go to appliances and have them work up an order, go to flooring for that order, and so forth).
Just a little tip....go to the SAME Home Depot each time. Your bid room deals build on each other. The more deals you do, the more involved the manager onsite will get involved in discounting your bid room bid even farther than the bid room automated system will. You would think that the stores are all inter linked, but they aren't. They work more like franchises. So, if you are bringing the same store your deal, they will respond in kind.
Rental Property Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2015 · 454 posts · 273 votes
8y
HD is convenient and cheaper, but I like Lowe's too. They are just out of the way at times. Sometime online retailers on eBay or Staples will have specials on Lowe's electronic gift cards for 10% off face value.
Springfield, MO · Member since 2017 · 3 posts · 0 votes
8y
They are usually priced close to each other, but we have preferred HD for the most part. If you have a Menards in your area, they have more product and better prices.
Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
8y
One thing I love about Home Depot is I can buy wood/trim by the foot. This is nice as at Lowe's I have to buy a long piece of whatever, even if I only need a foot or two.
What I like about Lowe's is I can always use the 10% off codes (I get them on eBay - someone told me about this on BP and I wish I had done it sooner).
I don't know if one is clearly better than the other as each has its advantages and limitations.
Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
8y
LOL. I sometimes think the process of getting the materials on site is half the battle. And even then, I fully expect to make subsequent trips to the store.
We have Home Depot, Menards and then just a few Lowes. I know them all intimately. You too, will likely know all the stores in your area all too well.
I shop different stores for different stuff. Price differences, product quality, product availability, etc.
I go to Raise.Com and purchase discounted gift cards from Lowes and/or HD. The Gift Card will be mailed snail mail or electronically (my favorite). Savings add up quickly.