by Michael Riley

Created on: February 01, 2009

I have a lot of experience with both Home Depot and Lowe's home improvement stores. I purchased an old house, ripped everything out down to the studs and remodeled the entire thing. Roof, siding, windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, drywall, flooring, cabinets...you name it, I did it.

Almost everything I bought came from one of these stores. In my experience, working with the staff at Home Depot was more rewarding. Their store was better stocked and the staff were generally more helpful. The layout of the store is logical and the same where ever you go.

While both stores had a significant selection of products to choose from, the products at Home Depot were typcially better than those offered at Lowe's. For example, the windows offered at Home Depot were of better quality than those at Lowe's and at a better price. Additionally, the doors at each store were essentially the same but cheaper at Home Depot.

In my experience, Lowe's always seemed somewhat dysfunctional. Maybe it was the stores that I frequented but I saw this in several states so it appears to be systemic. The lumber department always seemed to be lacking some product that I needed and the garden area was always understaffed. Most of the time I had to help myself in order retrieve large items or things that required a ladder.

Interestingly enough, I learned a fact about Lowe's that will forever keep me from ever returning. Each of these big stores has a regional distribution center that supplies stores within a specific area. Each day a semi-truck is sent to each store with the items that are required to maintain proper stock and deliver special order items.

This is the difference that every DIY'r needs to know.

While Home Depot puts all of their items on pallets and wraps them for safe shipping, Lowe's loads their trucks without palletizing anything. Each item is individually stacked in the truck to fit as much as possible in each load.

Ever see the "This side up." or "Do not stack." warnings on boxes? These mean nothing in a Lowe's truck. Refrigerators are stacked sideways, boxes of tile are placed on top of shower enclosures, and special order items are thrown in with lawn furniture. Large pieces of cardboard are strapped between stacks of merchandise to keep them from falling and then the process is started over. A close friend of mine unloads these trucks. I have seen the pictures. I would never buy a boxed item, something I couldn't physically see, at Lowe's.

When you add everything up, Home Depot beats Lowe's hands down.

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