[RickM]

Legion,

I learned a similar lesson with Home Depot two years ago.
I purchased 15 Emerald Green Aborvites to border a corner of my pool. Great deal at HD @ $35 a pop for 6' trees. This is less than half of what local nurseries would charge. Plus HD has a one year money back guarantee!! How can I lose?

Well, $525 for the trees, another $75+ for delivery (IIRC) and $200 to hire two laborers (Landscapers during the week) to plant.

Things were great until the particularly wet spring led to the "failure" of 13 of the trees.

Go to HD and ask if a rep could go to my house and evaluate the condition and issue me a refund for the 13 tress. "Nope, dig them up and bring them in.....root ball and all". $hit! I argue that I paid for shipping and installation and now will have to do the same to get a refund. They couldn't care less.

End up in the store with 13 tress on 3 flat bed carts, receipt in hand...before one year was up. They WOULDN'T refund my money....only a store credit!!!!! After telling them that they were sold to me with a MBG they still refused and said they only refunded money within 90 days. According to them a credit is getting my money back. Bull$--T....it's them getting my money back.

They apparently changed their plant/tree policy because they were losing their shirts on returns.

I refused the credit and after a failed attempt with their regional (NJ) and main (Atlanta) headquarters I decided to go to small claims court.

The day before I go down to file I get a call from some guy at the HD Contractors desk.....Mr. M, we have a check here for a refund that you have coming to you. Those Mofos! I end up getting a check after all that grief.

Lesson learned? Go to where they specialize!
I've heard horror stories of the contractors they sub out. IMO, if a contractor is worth their salt they don't need HD to get them work.