# Home Depot Rip-Off?



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Does not seem bad to me. For the time I spent replacing my back door, if I had to pay someone locally to do it, it could have cost me around $600-800, because of the work & time that was involved.

Reminds me to bill my wife for $936 for doing the work, and fixing her mistakes while she helped me.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Make some calls to some local contractors or handy man to find out.
I could see the lead thing if there were going to be sanding or scrapping the paint off, but to just change a door

There is a new law that makes no since to me at all, a contractor has to have a special licence and take a class to work on any home with lead paint.
But the home owner can do anything they want to.

Without a picture of the door it's hard to even guess what he means by outside sealing that would cost extra. I always include that in the price, unless it involves having to wrap the jambs or brick moulding with coil stock.


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

Their "guy" is just an independent subcontractor and Home Depot has no idea of the conditions when he gets there. Once he is there, it is up to you to decide.

I assume he picks up the door and removes the old door and debris.

I only buy a complete package installed. I just ordered another over-size/custom slider from a previous supplier to be installed and my requirement was the same installer as previous ones. - 2 1/2 hours from arrival to leaving after vacuuming up and loading all scrap. He previously installed for HD, but did not like it and chose to get his own trailer with compressors, saws, temperature controlled caulking storage, vacuums, miles of extension cords and become an installer with a contract for a single company. - He does 700-800 sliding doors per year, but no windows or entry doors. Between the detailed advanced measuring and manufacturing, it is an 6-8 week process, but well worth it. - Also includes permits and locally required CO/smoke alarms where and if needed. He even scheduled the inspection for 30 minutes after he left a week inadvance of the installation.

Dick


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## HomeSealed (Jan 3, 2008)

$350 for a full frame entry door installation with RRP (lead-safe procedures enacted in April 2010) is not out of line at all. In addition to the extra labor and material spent on the jobsite, there are record-keeping requirements and liability considerations up the wa-zoo.
That said, I'd recommend contacting a local contractor or two for quotes. The box stores are a revolving door of subcontractors as they pay lower than the "going rate". You can draw your own conclusions as to how that will affect install quality.
$100 is really not a reasonable price to expect a door installation from a professional company. You MIGHT be able to find that from a "one man band" doing side jobs or something along those lines, but that is about it.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

The guy that told you 100 bucks. Probably has been working outside of HD for the last 20 years. And doesn't know what any current cost are.


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## digitalplumber (Jul 8, 2011)

Had a huge window company come out to sons house. They said 150 extra per window if lead tests were positive!


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

i say the guy that is being paid so little from home depot could be trying 

to make enough money on the job. not saying he is but its possible. 

have the paint tested yourself then you will know. a lot of places will 

give you a low price and then make it up on extras. is he changing just the door or the frame too?


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## ally82 (Oct 9, 2012)

*thanks!*

Thank you so much for the replies. I checked with a contractor friend and he says that anything under $500 is good for my area. The breakdown for the "lead" portion of it is high, but it's still under what he says would be too much. So I guess I'm in good shape with this.


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## HomeSealed (Jan 3, 2008)

Sounds like good advice ally, although I still think that you would be well-served to contact a local company or two for quotes.


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## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

My local HD charges 400 for an entry door install.
Keep in mind that HD is subing the work out so the 100 was probably their markup on it not counting subs cost.


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## jjrbus (Aug 28, 2009)

Would be interesting to know how much the sub gets?


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Ally.....save some $ and install it yourself.....embrace the DIY spirit.....


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## digitalplumber (Jul 8, 2011)

jjrbus said:


> Would be interesting to know how much the sub gets?


 
If I recall correctly, they HD get the initial fee for scheduling. Of course they are also making all of the profit off of what was sold and then added on needed items.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

jjrbus said:


> Would be interesting to know how much the sub gets?


I couldn't tell you today but i'm sure it's not much…

Back when I first got licensed I did a few jobs for Home Base (remember them) and it was a flat rate for everything, a window, door, etc. 

It didn't matter how many “little issues” that today I’d bill as extras there where you got a flat rate per hole and that's it. 

It wasn't much either, the only way to make money was to “go fast” and "not complain", which usually isn't in the best interest of the customer.


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

why didn't you have your contractor friend do the job???


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

that price sounds reasonable to me. its within the going rate. you will get different prices through different people mind you

i typically charge $250 to install a exterior door .. this includes a blueskin or vycor drip pan installed on the sil to stop water damage to the floor. along with the door hardware and spray foam seal.. interior trim is extra


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## ally82 (Oct 9, 2012)

DannyT said:


> why didn't you have your contractor friend do the job???


 He lives in another city. After they piled on things + $225 for the alarm, it wound up costing almost $1k.


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## mknasa dad (Dec 1, 2012)

Sounds pretty cheap, but I also have the "Pleasure" of dealing with HD instalations. They are horrendous usually, and HD does care. They care only about volume of installations, not how they actually are done.


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## debnvince (Jan 12, 2013)

mknasa dad said:


> Sounds pretty cheap, but I also have the "Pleasure" of dealing with HD instalations. They are horrendous usually, and HD does care. They care only about volume of installations, not how they actually are done.


You're not kidding....home depot did my kitchen refacing and the sub sucked....I wouldn't hire them again....the did do a countertop for me recently but I figured it would be hard to mess that up....think I got screwed on the price tho!


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