The Home Depot — Local services in Tehachapi

First it is key to note I am rating this not based on other Home Depot experiences. In general I have found most Home Depots to be more about being lucky enough to find what you need in the disaster that is the poorly organized store full of incompetent and oft dangerously ill-informed staff. Compared to other Home Depots this store is amazing.

Overall the staff are friendly and reasonably knowledgeable a this location, you can generally find someone quickly if you need assistance, they know the store layout, and can even give some advice/info if you need it. The store is kept organized and generally you will find things in the right spot and not just randomly strewn about like other Home Depot stores. Prices are fair and even if you could get a better price in Bakersfield or Lancaster/Palmdale you probably lose out on the gas anyways for smaller purchases. One nit-picky thing is this store tends to get mediocre lumber. Some other stores you could get pretty good 2x4s and other basics that were reasonably straight, not moldy wet, and without too much bark, for some reason this store makes you work to find basic lumber that is not garbage (talking 3-4 inches of bow, twist, crown etc. sometimes). I am not knocking off the star for that though.

The reason for knocking off the store is actually over a $3 organization bin and a $7ish dollar bin. I picked up a few one day and one of the bins in the middle was pretty significantly damaged when I realized this I handed it to the staff, they did not have any more at the time so I just went home short one. The staff commented how messed up it was and chatted about discounting it or something rather than sending it back. Next day I returned for some other parts and swung by to see if they had restocked the bins. Instead they had simply put the seriously damaged bin back on the shelf. The other bin, was a stacking set of two, which had quite a few plastic pieces broken which would prevent either of the two-pack from stacking properly with other bins (the selling feature). This item sat on the shelves at full price for about a month before they either finally cleared it out or someone foolishly bought it. Now, this is not a major issue, nor does it stop me from going to the store, but it was a bit lame they would try to charge full price for broken items even after it has been brought to their attention.

Short version is it is great for a Home Depot and still pretty good for a home improvement store. I will likely keep going back for my DIY home projects and small work items as long as...

I recently had my countertops done through Home Depot, and I feel it's important to share my experience. To put it bluntly, it was a letdown from start to finish. The whole process was frustrating, and I was really disappointed with how Home Depot handled it.

First off, they didn't give me an itemized invoice when I asked for it. It felt like they weren't transparent about the costs, which is always a red flag. Then there's this weird thing where they somehow get to charge 100% upfront. I found out that's not the norm in this industry - usually, it's 10% or $1000 max. After speaking with the contractor state licensing board I learned they have some sort of exemption that let them bypass the usual rules, which didn't sit right with me.

Once they had my money, it was like they vanished. I was the one who had to keep chasing them down to get any updates or progress on the project. It's like they forgot they were supposed to be working for me.

The planning and execution of the project were both seriously lacking. They cut corners wherever they could leaving us to either finish things ourselves or hire someone else to do it. It wasn't just about the delays or the quality of the countertops (which, by the way, were a whole other story of issues thanks to their subcontractors). It was also about the lack of care and attention to detail in every part of the job which supposed to take 8-10 weeks and ended up taking more than 11 months to complete.

I wouldn't recommend going through Home Depot for any home improvement work. Their approach to my project was unprofessional and left me with more headaches than I started with. They took my money, did a subpar job, and made the whole experience a hassle I wouldn't...

In short. This is by far thee best Home Depot I've been to in Kern County and beyond.

In long. They have Darren from plumbing, who knows exactly what you need as he has over 40 years as a well-established plumber. As well as Eddie, who helps me, and has such a positive attitude doing so.

Then there's Angela, Nicole, and Vicky at the Pro Desk, who are always so personable. I trust that whatever question they have, that they will find the answer, while being so light-hearted and fun.

Then there's the cashiers like Edith, Maria, Tonya, Dolfe, Alice, Matthew and Matty. All they want to do is help and engage in some relatable conversations.

In the paint department, you have the experienced knowledge of Tish, Jackie and Mackenzie. Each one will find what you're looking for, and with an action of helpfulness.

Let's not forget John, who has been there from nearly the beginning. He has worked nearly every department, and is a wealth of knowledge.

There are so many more workers there that should take the accolades, but I can't remember every name. Sorry.

I've been going there nearly every day (sometimes a few times a day), for the past 14 years, and there's one thing that I've learned. They would move mountains for their customers, but if there are stops signs that are out of their control, then this is just the vacillating hurdles of life. We know that there are times that things don't work they want them to, but many times, it's not always the fault of the Home Depot worker in Tehachapi.

So a huge shout out to all the Home Depot workers in Tehachapi!! You have made my experiences great over the years, and I value every...