DIY store prices

[The Medway Handyman]

As I've mentioned before I buy most stuff online & mainly charge it out at Homebase prices - 10%.

Just done an update of the 25 items on my regularly used list;

------------------------------------------------------------------- Straight compression fitting 15mm Elbow compression fitting 15mm Tee compression fitting 15mm

300mm flexible 300mm flexible tap connector 15mm copper pipe 2m 15mm service valve Washing machine hose Self cutting tap Straight compression w/m tap Gripfill cartridge Silicone 1.0mm T&E - metre 2.5mm T&E - metre SDSO SSSO 1 gang switch Pullcord switch Pendant lampholder Batten lampholder 1200 x600 x12mm MDF Bottom fill valve Side fill valve Siphon

----------------------------------------------------------------

Cost at Homebase = £138:20. Cost from Toolstation/TLC/Timber Merchant = £51:03.

Quite a difference! Makes you wonder what margins these people operate on.

[Andy Cap]

The prices that always amazes me are the packs of about ten screws or bolts. They are absolutely exhorbitant. I think a pack of 10 bolts and wing nuts was £3.99.

[Ronald Raygun]

It's true, but where else is one to go to get them?

By the way, it's "exorbitant" (no 'h'), the word is not related to "exhortation". I had first thought it meant "out of this world" (from orb meaning globe), but actually it comes from orbita meaning track or path, so something exorbitant is literally off-track, deviating from the norm, often excessively so.

[Andy Cap]

In the case of nuts and bolts,

of course. ;-) But not everyone has such a great outlet just down the road of course. They are just about the most helpful place, I have ever used. For screws, I use my local hardware shop. Delighted to spend money there, just to help keep it open.

[The Medway Handyman]

Are you a fan of

weekly e mail is well worth subscribing to.

[dom]

Brilliant - bookmarked.

[Jim Newman]

Indeed, a shameful rip off of customers.

[The Medway Handyman]

Aladdin's Cave!

[Dave Liquorice]

Looks a good site but they don't have stainless wing nuts. B-(

[dom]

Check out B&Q - there's usually surplus of wingnuts in there.

[Andy Cap]

This is another site, that posts and interesting word each day.

I can't spell them though.

[The Medway Handyman]

It will come in handy one day Harry :-)

[Nightjar]

I go to my local fastening supplier. My last purchase was 50 x 75mm x M12 bright zinc coach bolts, complete with nuts and washers for less than the best online price I could find for the bolts alone.

Colin Bignell

[Tim Streater]

Are you factoring in the extra miles to go to the extra shops? At even

25p/mile it can add up.

[Ma Matilda Walsing]

Your link has "awad" in it - now THAT looks exhorbitant.

[Tim Streater]

Then there's Mackays in Cambridge which always seemed to have obscure bits and pieces if you needed them.

[dom]

Mackays is great, but everything is astonishingly expensive.

[Scott M]

But people who buy stuff there are only wanting three and only once. So they're happy to spend what seems a reasonable amount to achieve some task.

They don't know they can buy ten times as many for a tenth of the price at Screwfix and, in some cases, don't care as they don't want 97 left over.

[Bob Neumann]

So why do you do it?

[Ronald Raygun]

If some of the shops are local enough to be within walking distance, one might conceivably drive less.

Why "even"? You make it sound as though you would normally cost it at more. I'd put it at nearer half that.

Naturally, for such comparisons, one should use the marginal, not the total, cost of motoring, since the base cost is attributable to the policy decision to have a car at all. Thus the cost attributable to making any particular trip boils down to just the cost of fuel used, plus perhaps a small allowance for tyre wear. Most other costs are annual irrespective of mileage.