Highland Hardwoods — Local services in Brentwood

I have been a Highland Hardwoods customer for over 12 years. They have by far the best selection of hardwood around, and their staff had always been incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. While I was aware that they also sold hardwood flooring, it wasn’t until a recent kitchen remodel that I had the need to purchase flooring. Based on my years of positive experience with Highland, they were the first place I went. My remodel is well past the design phase, and I made that clear to the sales person in charge of selling flooring. My expectation was that I would tell them exactly what I needed, which was unfinished 4” face T&G solid white oak floor planks, and they would just sell it to me without question. Instead what I got was a 30 min lecture on why I needed to buy engineered and finished flooring at over twice the price. When I insisted that all options and materials had been considered and I just needed a quote for what I came for, my time was wasted with unwarranted questioning and false information about engineered vs. hardwood flooring. I left frustrated and empty handed, and immediately purchased what I needed elsewhere with absolutely zero resistance.

While I’ll continue to be a regular customer of Highland for all my carpentry needs, I strongly recommend to anyone shopping for hardwood flooring to go elsewhere. The person I dealt with was clearly a rep for Mirage flooring, who assumed I didn’t know what I was doing, and had little interest in actually selling me what I came for. Purchasing building materials shouldn't feel like used...

Over the last 5 years, I've tried a number of hardwood lumber suppliers for projects from small to larger. Highland Hardwoods has them all beat. They're an hour from me, but worth the drive. Here are their advantages:

A wider species selection than others, both domestic and exotic. Online downloadable detailed lists of species and sizes with prices. Clearly marked pricing next to each bin. All wood is easily accessed. They have invested in a mezzanine so all wood is reachable. Helpful (as opposed to grumpy) personnel in the lumber shed to help cut to size or pull large pieces (I need some help). Willingness to cut pieces off longer boards as long as 7' remains. Shorts bins with 25% off shorts. Willingness to pull an entire lift to select from for large orders, with advance notice. Regular specials on specific species and sizes.

I don't have any relationship to HH. I'm just an amateur...

HH was a long drive from where I am but based on a recommendation, I ordered a custom countertop from them. Estimate was 3-6 weeks because the work needed to be outsourced. OK, fine. At 7 weeks I reached out asking what’s up. Was told that it would be another couple of weeks. Not fine, but what can I do. Reached out two weeks later and was given a date. I replied, great I’ll be there by noon to pick it up. When I arrived, product was not finished, but should be ready in another week. Seriously! Finally countertop was ready at 10 weeks. Really lousy estimating on their part! Side story, at the 6 week point I needed more millworker and counters but since I hadn’t heard anything from HH and knew that I couldn’t wait 6 weeks for this next job, I gave my next order to Ponders Hollow in Mass. Their estimate was 3 to 4 weeks and they actually delivered in 19 days,…less than 3 weeks! Can you guess who is going to get...