The Bobcat Nation

anyone know a place cheaper than home depot in Bozeman for appliances and upgraded fixtures/carpet/lighting. I haven't been to Kenyon Noble in years, i know Chris Ogle's family still owns it. is it like a mini home depot? any other places that compare/compete with bozeman home depot?

want to buy appliances and fixtures to give my contractor directly for the house. saves money that way.

thanks

briannell wrote:anyone know a place cheaper than home depot in Bozeman for appliances and upgraded fixtures/carpet/lighting. I haven't been to Kenyon Noble in years, i know Chris Ogle's family still owns it. is it like a mini home depot? any other places that compare/compete with bozeman home depot?

want to buy appliances and fixtures to give my contractor directly for the house. saves money that way.

thanks

go to Vann's and tell them you are a contractor and want a package price.

Briannell,
I used to work in the flooring industry as a salesman for five years. So, I can lend some insight in this area.
1) Don't think that buying at a box store always translates into lower prices. First off a lot of local merchants such as Pierce, Flooring place, Gallatin Valley Furniture, will carry a lot of items in stock. These dealers will buy multiple truck loads of carpeting twice a year at national conventions and negotiate ridiculously low prices on them. In addition to the value of in stock pieces, you will also get contractor's pricing if you let them know that you are building a home (I'm assuming you went forward with the springhill property). Also, there's a lot to be said for the service and professionalism you will receive from someone who actually makes their living and knows what they are doing. I would at least check them out before buying.


2) I would bet the same arguement can be had for appliances at places such as Bozeman TV & Appliance, Vann's, and Stone's.

3) I'm going to mention this one more time because I think it's something that we, as consumers, some times forget about. Service is never an issue for any of us until we need it. I can guarantee that need will be better fulfilled at a store that specializes in the product vs a home improvement business.

thank you so much. yes i'm having my friend build my home on the springhill rd lot. he has lots of wiggle room, i'm pretty easy to deal with, but as a woman i want certain things in my home. he's simply asked me to point out what upgrades I want before he "works" it out into the budget. hey, good guy, i'm getting over 1/3 acre which I actually asked for smaller, but this is what he wants me to have, and I'm not even paying his 2003 price for the lot. he also gets to rein me in when I get upgrade happy, as most men know women are prone to that. i only have access to websites, so that's why i was asking the best place to find the products i want. thanks for the flooring advice. yes he has to rub carpet samples with me. Ugh! what us women put you men through.

a couple of sites that I could find:

1) www.vanns.com
2) www.pierceflooring.com

BobCatFan wrote:

briannell wrote:anyone know a place cheaper than home depot in Bozeman for appliances and upgraded fixtures/carpet/lighting. I haven't been to Kenyon Noble in years, i know Chris Ogle's family still owns it. is it like a mini home depot? any other places that compare/compete with bozeman home depot?

want to buy appliances and fixtures to give my contractor directly for the house. saves money that way.

thanks

go to Vann's and tell them you are a contractor and want a package price.

I agree if you go into Vanns and tell them you are redoing your home you can get some pretty big discounts. Also try to find out who at the Bozeman Vanns specializes in construction packages and deal with that person. In Missoula I would deal with Bob Whitlatch @ Vanns. The person who has is the "construction package" job at a appliance (or any other supplier) has that cushy job because they are good at their job. They ussually know the appliances, they know the Manufactors /products and they also are very up on special programs or package discounts available that can further save some money. Lastly if you do have a contractor, meantion his/her name some times they will pass along all or a portion of the particular contractor in house dicount to you. The idea is that if he keeps you happy, that keeps your contractor, and in turn your contractor will keep him happy.

Don't, though go into a store like Vanns when you are buying a pot load of stuff and let the part time college student help you. These guys want the biggest and fanceyest sell and don't care if you come back.

I had a client who is VERY wealthy. He built a new very high 7,600 sq. ft. home plus a very nice 1950 sq. ft. Guest house and a 2400 sq,ft seperate "home office" on one site. He went into Vanns one weekend wearing blue jeans and sweat shirt. Was approached by a young sales man, and asked if he was looking for some appliances. My client said yes," three house holds worth". The sales man said "get real", snickered and walked away. My client quietly turned around left the store and drove to Hamilton and promptly spent over $100,000 on appliances, never to return to Vanns.

In case you didn't know Rebecca, Kenyon Noble is building a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) new store in between 7th and 19th on Oak Street. They will compete with HD on most anything IMO. And (from what contractor friends have told me) Simkin-Hallin still sells the most contracting supplies (raw lumber, plywood/chipboard, etc.) of anyone in the GV.

I will shop local before I shop at HD, Lowe's, etc., but thats just me.

thanks so much. i'd rather give to Kenyon Noble or someplace local. Besides Brian and Chris graduated together and played football together, so he may be helpful towards us. Not sure. i haven't spoke with ogle since MSU days, so i don't know.

I am going to check out the sites provided to me, and drive chad crazy sending him down to check things out for me. By the way anyone needing roofing or gutters or new home i'll plug him (Chad Campbell) nice man helping a mom and kids out. he also went to MSU.

hard to do a project from WA. i appreciate all info.