Installing Closet Shelving in Ten(10) Steps

I am a big fan of the wire shelving products on the market today. There are a number of manufacturers of which I know of two: Rubbermade and ClosetMaid. I know both are carried commonly at the big box stores like Home Hardware, Home Depot and Rona.

Things You'll Need:

• Closet shelf kit or material - get it at one of the places I mentioned above
• Drill
  
• Screwdriver
• Stud finder (not critical)
  
• Carpenter's level
• Hack saw
• Hammer
  
• Ladder (if needed)

Step 1 -- Measure and record the dimensions of your closet.

Step 2 -- Create a hand drawn diagram of the shelves - looking down from the ceiling

Step 3 -- Purchase closet shelf material or kit. Use the store clerk to pick out all the right materials you need. Get them to cut the material to the right lengths at the store.

Step 4 -- Place the top wire shelf horizontally at the highest point reachable or alternatively at least as high as coats and clothing you need to hang. Make a mark at this point. Use the level to mark a line from one end of the closet wal to the other.

Step 5 -- Install the wire shelf wall hangers along this line, at the space prescribed in the kit instructions.

Step 6 -- Snap the wire shelf in to the wire holders.

Step 7 -- While holding the shelf level, mark the locations for the shelf holders at each end of the shelf (against the two walls). Drill the holes and install the shelf holders. Hold the shelf above these holders while installing them and then just drop the shelf in place.

Step 8 -- If the shelf is longer than 3 feet then you will need to install some support arms. Dry fit them where they are needed to mark where the screw holes go. Then fasten the arms to the wall.

ASIDE: Try to fasten screws to studs (best) or use the special hollow wall fasteners. Find the studs using a stud finder.

Step 9 -- Place the end caps on all exposed wire shelf ends.

;-)

Installing a Kitchen Countertop: A few tips...

This past Saturday we installed the counter top to complete our installation of the IKEA cabinets. I purchased the counter top material at RONA, and used their cutting shop to cut the counter top to size and create the 45 degree as well.

The RONA service also provides the connecting hardware to secure the two parts of the counter together. We just squirted on some glue and bolted the two halves together. The hardness part was flipping the unit over and putting it in place -- it was an exact fit hence it took a bit of grunting to get it in place.

With a few supporting blocks in strategic places, and a handful of screws, the counter top was solidly in place.

It kinda' looks homey doesn't it!

A few tips:

• Walls are never completely straight nor square - Always take this in consideration when measuring for the countertop
• Measure every conceivable dimension for the countertop! Often your cupboards are not square either!
• Remembers that you need to have each exposure end of the countertop finished. For instance, where the stove goes.
• Make sure you have enough support under the countertop. This usually required 5/8-inch material.
• Make sure you have the screws of the right length so as not to screw through the countertop

;-)

Dale's goes to the Dark side...

Brad Dale had warned me, but driving up on Friday night I was startled to see that Dales Home Building Centre had become Dale's RONA Building Centre. The change was even more pronounced when I visited Dale's the next morning to pickup some plumbing materials. Not only was the big blue sign up on the front of the store but very pronounced inside the store. Brad and his father Bobby, and all the staff were proudly wearing RONA gear.

My initial feeling was not positive as my dealings with the RONA store closest to my home (Innis Road in Ottawa was and continues not to be great (see previous post). This local store is filthy, the staff surely, the inventory is poorly organized and the prices seem on average to be more expensive. My wife won't join me when I go tot he store. The Home Depot across the road from it is the exact opposite: clean, well organized, great prices and the people are on you like flies to help...

But then I remembered that the biggest reason I selected Dale's Building Centre was because of the owners. They run the store superbly! They are friendly and always willing to help and suggest alternatives. I simply get great service.

I know that the great service will not disappear because they have switched to RONA. In fact after speaking to Bobby Dale, the owner, it is clear that by moving to RONA he actually has his customers best interests in mind. He feels the prices will be lower, the quality higher, and the speed of deliver faster.

I'm sticking with Dale's...

I believe that the quality of the store has everything to do with the owner or manager of the store.

I'd be interested in your opinion of service in the building materials industry, and the various suppliers - what has been your experience with RONA?

Finally a Word from RONA...

Well after waiting almost three weeks, I decided to call RONA, if only to give them a piece of my mind on Friday.

I called the main number and asked for the contractor's desk, and got to a cashier. I politely explained that I was looking for a quote on the material list I have left... She said " Oh! you need the contractor desk..." duh!

After weaving through a few more people I was finally connected to the contractor desk, and speaking to the head cheese at the time, I got the message "Oh yes, I emailed that to you a week ago". I obviously didn't get it in my email, but giving them the benefit of the doubt I suggested that it may have been spammed out and asked to have it resent... "But sir it was just an alert that your quote was ready, now you just need to come in an get it".

In my glee that I was about to get my first materials quote I said "Great I will be over this evening to get it!"

So Friday evening, and at the contrctor's desk, I get a blank look from the lady at the desk. Essential saying 'Gee! I haven't a clue where to look'. Fortunately the head cheese, linkely anticipating that the off commercial hours staff were 'clueless', said to direct them to look in the centre island location and look for an envelope with my name on it.

Well Madam Clueless, proceeded after my passed-on directions to pull out almost every file folder on the 'center island'. I became privy to the building plans of several to become customers of RONA, before finally my file was discovered.

With the quote in hand I proceeded home, after a detour to the grocery store, two in fact, eager to crack open the quote.

While RONA won the honours of the first to get me a quote it turned out to be wanting in a number of respects. The major issue with the quote is that they picked and choose what items they quoted on. The only basis seemed to be what was easy to quote. The biggest item missing was a quote for the roof trusses - a key component.

I guess RONA should get some points for responding the fastest, however, everything else was a disaster. Perhaps we will give them a half a point - just to indicated that they did play in the game - but perhaps a different game, or league than the rest...

You will understand if I don't call them back...
"The Canadian How to People" - give me a break, I am embarrassed to say they are a Canadian company...

So far:
Home Depot: 3
RONA: 0.5 (out of the game...)
BMR: 0.5
Home hardware: 1

Material Quotes: an Update

Well if you been following the saga, I have given a request for quote to four suppliers:

• Home Depot (two weeks ago)
• Rona (two weeks ago)
• BMR (one week ago)
• Home Hardware Building Centre (one week ago)

Here is an update:

Home Depot called yesterday to first apologize for being tardy but also to ask a few questions abut the material list.

BMR I know has called because their telephone number is registered on my home phone - twice in fact, and I suspect once on my cell phone. However, they never left a message. I will call them on Monday.

No word from RONA.

No word from Home Hardware but we had a good meeting over the material list last weekend so I wasn't really expecting a call.

So the score so far is:

Home Depot: 3
BMR: 0.5
RONA : 0
Home Hardware: 1

Coming up this week:

• Call the septic system engineer to get him in to do the survey
• Call two contractors for a quote on the foundation
• Touch base (call) the building inspector
• Find a electrician

Quoting Wars: Home Depot 2; Rona 0

I promptly received a call this morning from Mark Leger who is the supervisor at the contractor desk at Home Depot. It was a pleasant call. He asked a few clarifying questions, and then addressed two issues in the request for quote.

First he suggested that he not quote on the sections involving items that require choice, if fact he was very intuitive and further to say that perhaps these are items that would require my better half in the decision making process... as if us men ever have a choice when it comes to picking styles and colours! Rather he said he would concentrate on the construction materials.

Secondly, he suggested that would not be in my best interest to insist on a 90-day quote guarantee as lumber costs are dropping, so I would miss out on any savings.

He thought that I would have a quote by Friday.

No word from Rona - enough said...

The bottom line is

• Home Depot: 2
• Rona: 0
• Home Build Centre: n/a (they haven't received the RFQ yet)

Coming up: I am traveling up to the cottage lot this weekend for two reasons. First to check out the depth of the snow and how it is melting so I can gauge when operations can start. Secondly, I need to visit Bobby Dale at the Home Hardware Building Centre in Otter lake to start the quoting process with him.
;-)

$70K + You would thing they would be scrambling for my business...

It never ceases to amaze me how some businesses do everything in their power to turn customers off.

Just back from dropping off my request for a quote at the local Home Depot and Rona stores. They both can't handle these requests on weekends both stated that they only handle that during week days but they both said they would pass them on to the manager at the contractor desk on Monday - and I would be called! Gee I hope so... an order of $70K plus is up for grabs...

The Home Depot fellow at the contractor's desk said that he would look at getting to the quote first thing on Monday, after the weekend madness. I actually didn't expect an instant turnaround because I know they will need to call out for various sub-quotes for floor systems, roof trusses, etc. But the fellow immediately started to look at the material list and started to ask a few clarifying questions. I was pleased that he was eager to get at it. Well the weekend madness beaconed his attention so we agreed he would call me on Monday with further questions.

I left Home Depot with a smile - actually a stayed a bit to have lunch in the Harvey's which is inside the store -- I had a 'Gary's Burger"... ;-)

A little less satisfying was my experience at RONA. What really floored me was before I left the "lumber" Desk at Rona the fellow at the desk slipped in that a $100 fee would be required for the quote - which of course would be refunded if I actually purchased with them. Gee I guess they think they are doing me a favour or something... I promptly replied that perhaps Rona really didn't want my business after all! The fellow curtly said well the contract desk will call you on Monday...

I and my wife spent a about an hour walking around in RONA - it had been a long time since I had been there - and I just wanted to get updated on the kinds of brands and materials that they stocked for future reference. Unfortunately, my previous impression of RONA was only strengthened... RONA could learn a lot from Home Depot. I left with the following perspective:

• Rona is generally more expensive ( you see I had already did a preliminary costing at Home Depot the previous weekend - that is why I know it is going to cost me about $70K) Yes there were a few, very small few, number of products where Rona was marginally lower in price - but not many
• The place is horribly disorganized, and a mess. I was looking to price some woodstoves and the chimney accessories, and while I new where the general area the product were in, when I got there I almost passed it by. The aisle was so cluttered it obscured the things I was looking for and until I did some acrobatics thought they didn't have them
• The place is filthy! My wife said she was afraid to touch anything as just about everything was covered with a thin film of dust. As we left she said to me "I feel like I need to take a shower!"

It is amazing what some businesses will do to reject your business.

THE SCORE: So far Home Depot 1; Rona 0

I mentioned in an earlier post that I will be getting 3 quotes. My experiences with Home hardware will be coming soon. That store is located near where the cottage is to be built so I need about an hours drive to get there. That will a future story here...

Getting the Material quotes...

Armed with the material list, details for the exterior windows & doors, and a copy of the architect drawings, I am off to start the quoting process.

I also created a supplier cover sheet where I listed a few quoting rules like:

• Substitution of materials - I listed a few brand names for materials
• Location of the construction site - so they know where they are delivering
• A delivery schedule - I grouped the materials in to delivery lots because I don't want materials sitting around for itchy fingers
• How to contact me
• Return of the plans - they are damned expensive and in limited supply
• The quote must be valid for at least 90 days

I have chosen to get three quotes. The lucky suppliers are Home Depot, Rona and Home Hardware Building centres.