We visited the Home Depot to purchase a new tankless hot water heater on Sept. 25. We were informed that the procedure was to put $50 as a down payment to start the process, the next step of which was a visit from their contracted plumber to examine the room where we wanted to install the heater and to provide an estimate for that installation. I was given a phone number for B's Plumbing to schedule the estimate. I called the next day and schedule it for a Thursday afternoon when I could be home.

The estimator spent about an hour on October 4 taking measurements and questioning me about the location. He seemed to have a limited knowledge of the tankless hot water heater, even though this company was supposed to be an authorized installer. He said that an estimate would be forthcoming.

After two weeks with no call from either B's Plumbing or Home Depot, I called B's Plumbing and was informed that they needed more information to provide the estimate. I scheduled another afternoon that I could be home to let the estimator have access to the utility room where we wanted it installed. This took place on October 20.

The call sheet left behind by the second estimator revealed a little more about the first estimate, though. This is the actual comments written by the B's plumbing dispatcher:

"10/7/06/bb - est done 10/4 by danny - scanned but he did not do it wright [sic] - we will have to go back - we need to know all the btu rating of all gas appliance - need to know the gas pipe size and the rating on the gas meter. -- need some pic as well - if cust calls back re schedule"

That last line is the real kicker. I've paid $50 for an estimate, and it's up to me to call back to reschedule when it was done wrong, rather than they make the effort to contact me?

Given that, it is not surprising that I received no call or estimate even after the second estimator had been there. A month later, with no word, I call Home Depot to find out what the issue is, and am unable to actually get someone on the phone who can assist me. A week later, during the weekday, I visit the Home Depot in person to determine what the status of the estimate is. After waiting for 30 minutes or longer, the customer service agent says that he's talked with B's Plumbing and they are faxing over the estimate. Another 15 or 30 minutes go by, and a different customer service agent comes out and says that they need to send an estimator out for a third time.

Instead, I requested a refund of my deposit, as I had no confidence in either B's Plumbing or Home Depot's ability to actually provide an accurate estimate or successfully install this hot water heater.

Now, three months later, I find myself back where I started from, with one advantage: I know never to hire Home Depot or B's Plumbing for a home installation again.