primitive questions lumber liquidators; the Godfather to the rescue

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1158208

Oh my.

Adsos Letter (12,807 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

Lumber Liquidators?

We're getting ready to put down engineered hardwood; I'll be doing it myself, but I'm looking for the best place to get the material. We have a Lumber Liquidators outlet in Berkeley. Has anyone used them before?

Melissa G (8,759 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

1. A friend of mine just did a high end redo of her house and was pleased with the product and price she got from them. Looked good to me at first glance.

Adsos Letter (12,807 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

3. Thanks! If she liked the product and price then the final result would be up to to the installer.

In our case, me.

Stinky The Clown (44,355 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

2. They're a dependable discounter, but not always the cheapest, even for like quality.

I've bought material from them for two renovations. In one case, we bought some laminate which was as good as anyone else's. We paid 50¢ per square foot for it. We also bought some top end maple and paid a fair price, but no bargain. I bought similar maple for another project in the same property and paid less at a local, one-store shop.

Adsos Letter (12,807 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

4. What kind of one-store shop? Do you mean a flooring store, or something like Lowes, Home Depot, etc?

I'm looking for a top-quality, click-lock, engineered hardwood, with a thick enough surface to make refinishing a possibility; probably Brazilian Cherry, but Acacia or Bamboo are also on the short list.

Stinky The Clown (44,355 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

6. I'm talking about a locally owned materials store

It was a building supply business owned by one guy and was his only store. He sold doors, windows, kitchen and bath cabinets, fencing, wood and laminate flooring (no vinyl or carpet), some plumbing fixtures, but nothing special, and various moldings, but not an extensive line.

A lot of it was close out or otherwise distressed merchandise and some of it was in very limited quantities, but it was mostly good stuff. Some was great, top shelf stuff.

I look, but never bought, from a place that had similar merchandise, but only sold at weekly auctions, cash and carry. Many local builders go there and buy truckloads of stuff. He also has an extensive appliance scratch and dent room that is cash, not auctions.

These kinds of places are everywhere, but not well known except to the trades. I can't think of a yellow pages category except building materials, but neither of these places are listed there.

Adsos Letter (12,807 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

8. Thanks, I appreciate the help. I worked as a painter for 30+ years, so I know plenty of builders.

I think I'll ask one of them, as you suggest.

Scuba (13,670 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

5. Pick carefully. Check each piece for warpage, cracks, water damage, etc. Do this wherever you buy.

Hassin Bin Sober (4,973 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

7. I had good luck with some 4.5? 5? inch hand-scraped 3/4 inch thick Teak from LL.

The thing I liked about them was most material was in-stock or at their warehouse/in-transit.

There were quite a few "shorts"..... probably more than advertised. WE were able to bury a bunch under the island and make it look good.

We were probably left over with what amounted to a box of shorts (24inch).

Overall. we were happy wthe experience. Except that they called us while we were installing it to tell us the stuff was on sale for an additional 50 cents off (they had us on their follow up sheet and didn't realize we purchased as it was under a differnt name on the invoice). They wouldn't make an adjustment - I suppose I could have made a stink and MAYBE got some satisfaction. But I had other things to worry about.

I priced out similar higher end floors at Home Depot but the stuff is all special order and they wanted an arm and a leg for shipping - like 5-700 bucks.

after which a photograph of a floor

Adsos Letter (12,807 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

10. Thanks for posting that pic!

Looks like you got a nice floor out of it. The % of shorts doesn't sound terrible, and I may be able to come up with a creative use for them.

I appreciate the heads-up about the cost difference due to shipping, something I hadn't factored in the cost! 

Hassin Bin Sober (4,973 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

13. I think we are going to use the leftover shorts as a back-splash in my friend's cabin in Wisc.

LL Chairman (1 post) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

12. Lumber Liquidators does have the best prices!

As Founder/ Chairman of LL I guarantee we have the best prices on quality hardwood flooring. Also to person who said they didn't get the sale price please email me your info and I will make sure you get sale price as our policy states. Thank you. Tom Sullivan. ts lumberliquidators dot com

Kolesar (26,302 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

14. Welcome to the Democratic Underground, Mr. Sullivan

[Chris_]

Doesn't LL advertise on Rush Limbaugh's show?

Mr. Sullivan appears to have made the maximum contributions to HRH Obama this year. 

[JakeStyle]

Wow that's disappointing.  I used to buy materials at Lumber Liquidators quite often.

[Rugnuts]

12. Lumber Liquidators does have the best prices!

As Founder/ Chairman of LL I guarantee we have the best prices on quality hardwood flooring. Also to person who said they didn't get the sale price please email me your info and I will make sure you get sale price as our policy states. Thank you. Tom Sullivan. ts lumberliquidators dot com

14. Welcome to the Democratic Underground, Mr. Sullivan

  

[Gratiot]

I actually think it's nice to see that the founder and chairman of a company is responding to questions about his company on forums.  I'm not sure, you can really ridicule him or construe his political ideology from his posting there.  Especially, with it appearing to be his only post there.  As if he registered just to answer a particular question or commentary about his company.

[franksolich]

I actually think it's nice to see that the founder and chairman of a company is responding to questions about his company on forums.  I'm not sure, you can really ridicule him or construe his political ideology from his posting there.  Especially, with it appearing to be his only post there.  As if he registered just to answer a particular question or commentary about his company.

That's probably exactly what happened.

There ain't no way a successful businessman is going to get entangled with the primitives.

[Rebel]

Wow that's disappointing.  I used to buy materials at Lumber Liquidators quite often.

You don't actually believe that shit, do you?

[GOBUCKS]

Mr. Sullivan appears to have made the maximum contributions to HRH Obama this year.

 
No further information is necessary.

Pretty amazing to see a moonbat in the building trades.

[Gratiot]

 
No further information is necessary.

Pretty amazing to see a moonbat in the building trades.

Most big businessmen or corporate PACS donate to both parties and even both candidates in an election.  It's not necessarily about platforms or political ideology, but about buying access. 

...feel free to disagree or state that's not the case here, but... it's often just business versus political leanings.

[Maxiest]

Sullivan, Thomas D
MIAMI BEACH, FL
33139   Proton Energy / Lumber Liquidators   $2,500   06/07/2011   P   OBAMA FOR AMERICA - Democrat
Sullivan, Thomas D
MIAMI BEACH, FL
33139   Proton Energy / Lumber Liquidators   $2,500   06/07/2011   G   OBAMA FOR AMERICA - Democrat
Sullivan, Thomas D
MIAMI BEACH, FL
33139   Proton Energy / Lumber Liquidators/   $35,800   06/07/2011   P   OBAMA VICTORY FUND 2012 - Democrat

This burns me up to no end...  Looking at a little history he is straight up American entrepreneur.  Why are these people voting D???? WTF?????

And yes LL's ads are run like crazy on all Conservative stations.

[GOBUCKS]

Most big businessmen or corporate PACS donate to both parties and even both candidates in an election.  It's not necessarily about platforms or political ideology, but about buying access. 

...feel free to disagree or state that's not the case here, but... it's often just business versus political leanings.

Of course some of them do that, although few will ever max out on both sidies of a race. There's nearly always a bias in favor of the donor's best interest.

But you have to wonder about a guy who posts under his own name, listing his company's name, on a lunatic site where the next thread may be about dragging businessmen out into the street and setting up a guillotiine.

[Karin]

Well the poster isn't actually him; chairmen of companies don't just idly surf the net, googling themselves.  Sounds like something for an intern. 

I'm not in the market currently, but I look askance at those contributions.  They would factor into my decision when I'm in the market. 

Lumber Liquidators intern:  Please include this thread in your report. 

[GOBUCKS]

Well the poster isn't actually him; chairmen of companies don't just idly surf the net, googling themselves.  Sounds like something for an intern. 

I'm not in the market currently, but I look askance at those contributions.  They would factor into my decision when I'm in the market. 

Lumber Liquidators intern:  Please include this thread in your report. 

You're right, but a company using an intern who posts the chairman's name in a lunatic political forum hardly speaks better for he company than if the guy did it himself.

It has a strong whiff of Graysonicity to it.

[Gratiot]

Well the poster isn't actually him; chairmen of companies don't just idly surf the net, googling themselves.  Sounds like something for an intern. 

There are a few companies out there that perform internet monitoring for executives, celebrities, politicians, etc. that automatically alert them to when certain things are mentioned or said.  It's fairly reasonable to, I wouldn't consider it out of line for them to be subscribers.  Even for as few reasons as possible sales opportunities or brand protection. 

Also, as several sites have shown over the years, a number of people do constantly google there name and join in discussion about their products, companies, or themselves. 

[Ballygrl]

frank, with all due respect I ask that you refrain from using the term "Godfather" when citing posts by Stinky. Here's my reasoning, as an American of Italian descent, and as someone who's from NY, I assure you that "Godfathers" and those associated with "Godfathers" are VERY PRO-AMERICAN, and wouldn't dare subscribe to regressive ideology, they're pro-union but that's about the only thing regressive about them. The term "Godfather" used in this instance is an insult to real "Godfathers".

I believe in free speech and you can continue to use the term if you choose to, but I felt the need to express an opinion on the term in the names of all those past and present Godfathers who love/loved God, America, the Flag, and Apple Pie.

Thanks!

[franksolich]

frank, with all due respect I ask that you refrain from using the term "Godfather" when citing posts by Stinky. Here's my reasoning, as an American of Italian descent, and as someone who's from NY, I assure you that "Godfathers" and those associated with "Godfathers" are VERY PRO-AMERICAN, and wouldn't dare subscribe to regressive ideology, they're pro-union but that's about the only thing regressive about them. The term "Godfather" used in this instance is an insult to real "Godfathers".

I believe in free speech and you can continue to use the term if you choose to, but I felt the need to express an opinion on the term in the names of all those past and present Godfathers who love/loved God, America, the Flag, and Apple Pie.

Thanks!

Uh, I had no idea.

I thought it was just the name of a movie, not something borrowed from real life.

But as I aim to please, as soon as someone can find a better monicker for the generalissimo dude, I'll use it.

[Ballygrl]

Uh, I had no idea.

I thought it was just the name of a movie, not something borrowed from real life.

But as I aim to please, as soon as someone can find a better monicker for the generalissimo dude, I'll use it.

[franksolich]

You see, madam, I'm going through some convulsions about the way I think about the generalissimo dude.

I had generally negative vibes about him from way back when, until just last week, when someone here found a link to photographs of the generalissimo dude.

Up until that time, all I'd ever seen of the generalissimo dude was a shot of one of his elbows, and from that, extrapolated the rest of him.

But then when I saw those photographs of the generalissimo dude shoveling snow, I gasped in dismay.

This gent is old and frail and feeble and fragile.

I always knew he was 65 years old, but kept seeing this "picture" of him as a sour dour thinning-haired pot-bellied guy around that age, some belligerency and strength still in him.

It never occurred to me that the generalissimo dude was so.....frail.

I felt an enormous surge of pity.

I have a problem when envisioning ageing people, because naturally I use my parents and older brothers and sisters as exemplars.  The generalissimo dude and an older brother of mine were both born the same month in 1946, and about a hundred miles apart, the brother in New York City and the generalissimo dude in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

There must've been something about the water in both cities, as both the older brother and the generalissimo dude adopted the same attitudes about life, the same politics of self-serving short-term selfish self-interest.  Like the generalissimo dude, this brother was a diehard radical extreme left Democrat; they probably would've gotten along well if they'd known each other in real life, other than my brother's distaste for organized crime and somewhat generally positive attitude about God.

But the brother died in 1986, when both he and the generalissimo dude were 40 years old, and of course I remember him well at that age.  By sloppy--but eminently natural--thinking, whenever I hear about someone born in 1946, I still see them as similar with my brother at 40 years.....even though it's been a very long time now.

When I saw the photograph of the generalissimo dude shoveling the snow, I thought, "My God, this can't be.....this cannot possibly be something similar with what my brother would look like today."

[Ballygrl]

A Godfather would have a snowblower though or have someone else shoveling.