Following on from other threads, mostly about cheese, I thought it would be useful to start one on DIY stores.

In my opinion, Rona is the best for wood and other building materials, unless you go to proper builders' merchants. Home Depot is better for tools and generally being able to find things. Reno Depot (owned by Rona and probably an eastern thing) does the best electricals. The smaller outfits, like Home Hardware and BMR are good for quirky little things that the majors don't carry. Crappy Tire does some astonishingly good deals from time to time but you have to keep a close eye on the flyers.

What do others think on this important matter?

Kent for the wood and building materials - The Tire of Much Crap for deals on tools and electrical gear

I think it's a mistake to go to DIY stores in Canada, that's a very expensive way to do things. We mainly go to the Lowe's on Transit Road in Buffalo, sometimes to the Home Depot on the other side of the road.

Of course, sometimes one just needs a pound of nails, no point in going to America for that so I have been into examples of all the chains up here. I've pretty much had it with Home Hardware as the shops tend to be owned by religionists, the one nearest us isn't even open on Sundays. Still the pressure treated fence post knobs from HH in Orangeville were a bargain at $1 each, they're five bucks at the Home Depot in Canada, $2 in the US. We needed 54.

Peavy Mart is where we head for smaller items.

I go to Lowe's on 130th. Buffalo is a little far.

Some us are rather too far aware from the USA.....

Home Hardware is the local store I'll go to for that thing that doesn't warrant a trip to the bigger DIY store. So not lumber, sometimes tools, very definately for random nuts, bolts and other fixings. Kent or Home Depot are the big box stores for major construction stuff, lumber and so on. For proper service on lumber though I'll go to the specialist Lumberyard up the shore. You couldn't pay me enough to go to the local RONA with a lumberyard as I really don't need to be patronised by the nobheads who work there just because I'm not a contractor.

There's such a huge variation in what's there and the prices.

With our old Heat Pump/Air Con, I used to buy filters for about $5. They were good enough - allergy type and all that.

But when Canadian Tire didn't have any once, I went to Kent and they didn't stock any for under $30. And even those didn't seem better.

A couple of weeks ago I needed a wood filler. All CT had was a stick for a tenner. I'd have needed about 6 of them.

Home Hardware (also not open Sunday) had a dozen types sizes etc from about $4 for a pot that was big enough for the job.

Home Depot - very good for smaller freezers/fridges and even lawn mowers.

Lowe's tends to carry a lot of low-priced poor quality rubbish. Canadian Tire is also pretty junky. If you want real quality tools, Lee Valley is great. The House of Tools is also very good. Home Hardware sometimes has interesting things but seldom has sales. If you have to shop at one of the common big stores, Home Depot seems to have the best quality although in some stores they appear to hire staff and fail to train them adequately so it's not much use asking for help.

If you really want something that Canadian Tire sells you can sign up to their website and get e-mailed when it is on sale.

Lowes do seem to offer a pretty good online shopping and delivery experience. I priced up a BBQ recently there which I could get delivered for "free" to Newfoundland for less than buying locally. (My nearest Lowes store is probably in Ontario). Best deal was a "mulch plug" for the JD ride on mower I purchase at Home Depot. $48 online or at my local JD place. $5.68 delivered by Lowes!

We get a weekly flyer

All the DIY stores in Red Deer are the pits, awful service, lack of stock and they all sell the same stuff so no choice. The kitchen displays in home depot have not changed since we moved here (8 years ago).

Is it possible someone moved in?

I may be lucky but I have had good experiences with Home Depot, both in Langley and South Surrey. Several times I have been dissuaded from spending $100 + when they have sold me a $1 widget that does the job just as well. Last month I asked them how to fix a leaking shower/bath tap (OK, faucet) and they gave me the washer and the tool to loosen the washer retaining nut for free.

The guy I try to seek out in my local Home Depot is very good at that. He's told me on several occasions not to bother buying certain items. He's the one I always want to cut wood for me.