Home Depot - University Park

We signed an agreement with Home Depot to install new Simonton windows in our home on 11 November 2013. They came to install all the new windows on 29 January 2014. The order was messed up. One custom window that was supposed to be mulled to match a window below it was not. The window for the garage didn't arrive because they said the manufacturer didn't make the type of window that was ordered so they reordered it from PGT but it was not in the warehouse. The bathroom window obscurity was incorrect as well. so Home Depot reordered all the wrong windows from Simonton. No one from Home Depot ever called us with a status update on our windows after they messed up the order until they were ready to install. My husband had to call the installation manager repeatedly and complain. His answer was generally that he had sent an email but not received an answer. When asked why he had not called for the status, he replied that the protocol with Simonton was to just send an email. I stated that sending an email is not a management action, the recipient may not even be there, he said he would call. He may or may not have as I was only able to leave messages on his voice mail on subsequent calls. Finally, we contacted someone in the installation management office who checked the status on her computer. We were told that we should have been contacted by the installer but the installation was scheduled for Sunday 30 March 2014 and someone would call the day before. I said that was not acceptable and the installer should call and schedule a date not tell me a date. I thought it was pretty strange that they were going to install on a Sunday but we were just happy to get our windows finished so it didn't matter when they were coming. The installer called the next day and said he didn't know where that date came from as he had been out of the country and had just received an email giving him the 30th as the installation date. He said he was flexible and could be here on 21 March to install. They arrived to install the new windows and realized that the same window that was mulled wrong before was wrong again. This time the shape/design was wrong. He installed the window that arrived because they had already removed our old window. We now have an installed wrong shaped window. I would not recommend using Home Depot for windows. The contractor that installed the windows did a great job but I don't feel like anyone that we talked to above the store level cares about how quickly our job gets complete. My husband went to the local Home Depot manager and spoke with Ben, the window supervisor because the assistant manager was too busy to talk to him. Ben went to speak with the store manager and said that he would follow up on our order and call back because it was late Friday and he did not expect to get an answer on the weekend. My husband went back to see Ben on the Monday but we still don't have an ETA for our window. We are now almost five months into the project and who knows when our job will be complete? The people that work for Home Depot seem to accept that it is the norm to have a problem with window orders and it is okay not to have a sense of urgency to complete a job. Save yourself some time and aggravation and use someone else if you want customer service. You can blame the manufacturer all you want but there is no excuse for not communicating with the customer. Update as of 20 May 2014: Home Depot was supposed to be here between 10 and 12 today to install our last window. I called to confirm the time and the scheduler said they would be here. They didn't arrive so my husband called Eduardo, the installation manager. He wasn't aware that the time we were given was between 10 and 12. They finally arrived at 2:30 pm and installed the right window. All I can say is hooray, the nightmare is finally over!

Overall, the experience went well. The process of selecting kitchen cabinets was longer (1.5 hours) and more complex than I expected. However, we had all of the appropriate kick panels, filler strips, molding and veneer at the installation. In addition, the selection process allowed us to pick very attractive cabinets at a price that was 1/4 to 1/2 of other quotes. The cabinets had the automatic closing feature. Some even had full plywood construction for sink cabinets and side exposures. All the cabinets were in good shape when delivered. One of a set of three cabinets was not delivered with the others. It must have been defective and not sent after the final inspection at the factory. It was delivered about one week later, still in time for the installation. While the price of the kitchen cabinets was really low due to the line selected and special promotions, the price for installation seemed less competitive.
Home Depot went out of their way to keep us informed of shedules with automated phone updates and live person. Sometimes the real person updates were different and more accurate than the robo-calls. Installers were professional, neat, skilled and courteous. We are delighted with results.

They worked with an outstanding designer to help me set up the kitchen. She had a wealth of information on suggestions and good advice.