On September 22 we made an appointment with one of the store's kitchen and bath designers. After four grueling hours of working with the designer, we came up with a new full kitchen design and ordered the materials.
We gave the store rough measurements but paid an extra $100.00 for a Home Depot "expert" to come out and verify measurements. We received the new cabinets on October 4. We had arranged for the cabinets and kitchen appliances to be installed by a contractor. We found out that six of the cabinets had been ordered incorrectly, based on the original floor plan and not the floor plan where the "professional" came out to measure. We also chose a style of cabinets that we liked, but only because we were told by the designer that the "clear" glass in them could be changed. We received the cabinets with clear glass.
At first Home Depot was not going to do anything. They said we signed the order documents so it was our fault. When I asked why the glass in the cabinets was "clear," I was told that it was an oversight by the designer and it would be an additional $700.00 for the glass to be changed. We would never have selected that cabinet design if we had known the glass would not be changed or it would cost an additional $700.00 to do it. I explained that I had signed whatever the designer had put in front of me after four hours and that I was not a designer, a contractor, or a cabinet maker. That is why we used their "design professionals."
After fighting for it, the store agreed to order the correct cabinets, but it would take additional time, so we had to put our contractor on hold. On November 19 the new cabinets finally arrived, and thus our Thanksgiving was ruined.
In the meantime our appliances also arrived, and we had to return the fridge because it had an electrical short. Our kitchen finally got installed December 14, but not completely, because the designer forgot to order some finishing pieces, which we are still waiting on to be delivered. I will have to say they did add these at no extra charge, but the glass issue is still unresolved, and Home Depot says that they will pay for half of the glass to be replaced if I take the doors to someone they suggest. I talked with my contractor, and he says they are still ripping me off because he could get the glass much cheaper.
Now for the granite that we paid Home Depot to install. They did not install a sub top under the granite, so there is nothing but the granite to secure the dishwasher to. The company that Home Depot uses changed the thickness of the granite, so they say that is why there was no sub top put down. My contractor does not want to accept responsibility in order to drill holes in the granite, and neither the granite company nor Home Depot wants to do anything, so there is still no resolution.
So here it is January 7 and I still have a kitchen that is not finished. I went as far as to write a letter to the President and CEO of Home Depot to let him know about the problems and how unhappy I was as a customer, but I have never received any response.
At first I did not want any compensation for being so inconvenienced. I just wanted my kitchen to be what I ordered and complete. But now, four months later, I believe I should see some type of compensation.
In short, my advice if you are planning a remodel is to go to Lowe's!
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