OK, OK, I give, Home Depot is lousy

[_RaT_]

but so is Lowes..... I went to HD #1 to get 3 strands 120' long of #6 THHN wire. No one anywhere to punch in the code, roll the wire around and measure/cut it for me, no one. I'm checking the time and run out, thought 1.5 hours would be plenty. I decide to buy 500' ready to go roll instead but still need 35' of 6/3 romex cut. Same issue. Drive across freeway after picking up my son at kindergarten and head to Lowes, no one to help and no 500' roll of #6 THHN. Go to Home Depot #2, reread Home Depot #1. I give up. The big stores are horrible in the wire department. I suggest that based on my time at HD and Lowes, they have someone at the wire department ready to help. With copper at 7 trillion dollars a foot, someone, somewhere is sipping margaritas. I don't mind that, but I would like my time to count for something...

PS.... Lowes was 45 cents/foot for #6 THHN and HD was 54 cents/foot. Does that mean HD gives it to me for 45 cents/foot less 10%???

 

[escavader]

I noticed wire is wicked espensive this year.Must be the copper?
ALAN

 

[kennyd]

I noticed wire is wicked espensive this year.Must be the copper?
ALAN

It is the copper and also the plastic insulation. Plastic is a petroleum product!

 

[DieselPower]

All prices are up. Not just copper.

I rarely buy any electrical supplies at HD or Lowes. I usually go to the local electrical contractors supply store in my area called Tri-State Electric. They alway's have what I need, alway's know what I'm talking about(when you neet that widget that connects to the gizmo that plugs into the whatchamacalit) and are alway's more than happy to help you.

Kind of like lumber. When I need lumber I go to the local saw mill and get exactly what I want unlike getting what you can at the big box stores.

 

[_RaT_]

It is the copper and also the plastic insulation. Plastic is a petroleum product!

Big Oil, Big Plastic... its a conspiracy

 

[AndyM]

I noticed wire is wicked espensive this year.Must be the copper?
ALAN

The last 250 foot roll of 12/2 romex I bought a few years back was $19.95. Now it's 77 dollars!

I see Home Depot is trying to trick customers into thinking their wire is cheaper by selling them in 200 foot rolls. The package looks the same, but the price is 10 dollars less. If you're in a hurry and not paying attention, you're walking away thinking you're getting a great deal!

 

[Ken_CT]

I agree with AndyM. A while back I bought lime for the lawn from Agway by the 50# bag. At HD it came in 40# bags and only a little cheaper per bag, but more expensive per pound.

 

[RobertN]

At HD it came in 40# bags and only a little cheaper per bag, but more expensive per pound.

It it an OSHA thing for lifting heavy items(not price related). I noticed dog food doesn't come in 50lb bags like it used to either.

I have noticed what you are saying though. Look at vending machines... Remeber when candy bars used to big bigger for a given price?

 

[_RaT_]

The last 250 foot roll of 12/2 romex I bought a few years back was $19.95. Now it's 77 dollars!

I see Home Depot is trying to trick customers into thinking their wire is cheaper by selling them in 200 foot rolls. The package looks the same, but the price is 10 dollars less. If you're in a hurry and not paying attention, you're walking away thinking you're getting a great deal!

The price of copper to be fair has little to do with Home Depot. Romex is also being packaged into various lengths from 25 feet to 1000' rolls at Home Depot. I have yet to be "tricked" by the lengths.

 

[AndyM]

The price of copper to be fair has little to do with Home Depot. Romex is also being packaged into various lengths from 25 feet to 1000' rolls at Home Depot. I have yet to be "tricked" by the lengths.

Agreed, Home Dept has nothing to do with the recent spike in copper prices.

However, they know most consumer by romex cable in 250 foot rolls, so they began selling 200 foot rolls for slightly cheaper to make the average consumer feel they got a good deal, at first glance... It's similar to a few years ago when some companies started selling ice cream in "half gallon sized containers" but there was only 1.75 quarts in the container, or when a chocolate bar becomes an inch shorter but the price remains the same!