4 Stores With Way Lower Prices Than Home Depot
Written by
Brooke Barley
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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It seems like no store is spared from the impacts of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports. After making a statement in May that their prices would stay the same no matter what tariffs were imposed, Home Depot is changing its tune. The hardware store chain’s chief financial officer Richard McPhail announced that some items will be seeing price hikes after all, according to Realtor.com.
This is bad news for customers and businesses that rely on Home Depot. Though Home Depot has historically had lower prices than competitors, consumer experts say with their price increases, that’s not the case. Here are the stores experts say will now generally beat Home Depot’s prices.
Ace Hardware
If you live near an Ace Hardware, you’re in luck, as you’re probably going to find prices that are easier on your wallet than Home Depot’s.
Danny Niemela is a professional home remodeler and contractor, as well as the vice president and CFO at ArDan Construction. Niemela said that, a lot of the time, Ace will offer what you need for cheaper than Home Depot.
“For example, you can probably go to an Ace Hardware store in Arizona and buy a 5-pound box of contractor-grade screws for $7,” Nimela shared. “The same box can cost $10 at Home Depot. That is a 30% swing on something contractors buy in significant volume.”
Ben Kuhl is the CEO of Shelf Expression, and said even if the prices aren’t lower at Ace, it’s a better overall experience than Home Depot.
“The prices aren’t always lower than Home Depot, but the customer service beats it hands down,” according to Kuhl. “At Home Depot, it can be tough to find someone who can actually help you locate a product or explain details about it, and even when you do, they may not know the specifics.”
Locally-Owned Stores
Buying hardware from a local spot helps support a business owned by someone in your community and get a better deal than Home Depot.
“Smaller stores may not promote across the board deep discounts on everything, but they can undersell in niche products where their overhead is lower,” Niemela said.
Ferguson
Niemela said if you need plumbing supplies, don’t go to Home Depot. He’s almost always found plumbing fixtures cheaper at Ferguson.
“Ferguson has the same faucets, valves and shower systems for $50 to $100 less per unit. When multiplied across an entire-house order (ten faucets, four shower sets, etc.) that adds up to a $1,500 difference. Frankly, Home Depot often competes on convenience, not price, in this category,” Niemela noted.
Sherwin-Williams
Looking to give a room or home a fresh coat of paint? Niemela said Home Depot is not the place to go.
“A gallon of Behr paint at Home Depot may cost you $45, while Sherwin-Williams frequently has 30% to 40% off promotions that bring top-of-the-line paints to $30 per gallon or less,” he stated. “Even beyond the cost, Sherwin-Williams’ contractor-grade paints usually have better coverage, so there are fewer coats and less labor time, and the savings multiply.”
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