Bunnings (again)

That seems a little odd. How are you supposed to shop around if they won't let you know what stuff costs. Maybe you need to price it up at a few competitors then show them and say can you undercut these? Brian

There are prices on the sample units on the wall. and a ball park figure for the "standard" kitchen in that design

But that doesn't tell you that cupboard A is unavailable with alternative door X.

Which is the problem that I had in Wren, and is also a problem with the kitchens in Wickes, even though I do have a price list from them

So you can get a general idea of the price, but not an exact price.

They all have a broken model IMHO (but that's because I'm not, nor am accompanied by, a 20 something girlie whose only interest in their new car is what colour it is) where they expect you to choose your style of kitchen first and then have the cupboards that are available in that style, even if that (a) produces a compromised layout or (b) is over your price range.

Whereas I want to layout my kitchen with the most efficient use of the space for cupboards first and then have it costed with the cheapest doors on the front

tim

Inherently: They have actual shops.

I went into our local one yesterday on a whim for the second time (about

Now, I rarely go into shops these days and I actually felt so overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff they did have that it occurred to me that browsing web sites and catalogues suits me far better for planning and buying for projects that the loss of the "go and poke and prod" isn't much of a problem.

I did buy a 1/4" PCL male fitting for under £2 so it wasn't all bad.

For most things I prefer an actual shop where I can go and look at what I want and, when I find the right item, can pay and walk away with it.

Online is good for many things, but you cannot feel the build quality, measure unlisted dimensions or even properly judge colours online. Plus you then have to wait for delivery; often miss it and have to wait again; then find that it is not suitable, have to return it and start over again.

Or like myself a while back: We needed a tumble dryer ugently after ours broke (middle of a very rainy period, with 3 children, each who could need one or more items of school uniform washing, drying and ironing in the few free hours between getting home and us going to bed).

Found what we wanted, checked stock, ordered for next day delivery. Phone call that night - only one in stock damaged, no replacement. Next morning phone office to cancel only to be told they have plenty in stock. Rearrange for next day. Call at 07:30 to say they haven't. Call office to cancel, told they are in stock, inform them otherwise, get them to cancel. Money will be back into account in 5 working days.

Find same item in stock at Boots online. Order. Receive confirmation of order- hmmm, looks familiar. Boots online use same out of stock supplier! Cancel again. Money will be back into account in 5 working days.

Drive to a shop, with my trailer, buy and take away there and then.

Loads of hassle and, for a while, almost £1000 out of my account, plus days of delay. Arggggh!

SteveW

For white goods many shops only have the one item for display and you are effectively mail ordering in the shop for next day(s) delivery from a central warehouse or direct from the manufacturer.

Many, but not all.

SteveW

I tend to check prices and availability online before going to Wickes/Currys/whoever.

Possibly because I didn't have a particular need in mind, just idly looking at the endless stuff was a bit overwhelming. I did pick through the tool section happily and decided I wouldn't be buying any of their sockets or spanners.

To think you could have solved all that with a £15 fan.

NT

Whenever I go somewhere like that, that has tons of "useful" stuff, I get the feeling there's something I needed but can't quite remember.

Yeah! Or "That looks useful, I'll remember it's here when I need it" and promptly forget.

I stood outside the traditional ironmongers in our local town for a good

(As an aside - it's so much cheaper to buy things online, or even at Screwfix, that I end up buying a huge bag of something to get a small amount, e.g., 500g of panel pins is a f*ck load. I'm sure my executor will be delighted with them.)

My son has already started moaning about all the work he will have sorting out my stuff.

We've both started weeding out our various accumulations of stuff - of course, whatever we get rid of will be something we need a few weeks later...

Hehe. I needed a few split rings a while back, I now have what is probably a lifetime's supply.

Panel pins Plastic wall plugs Yellow & green sleeving (a kilometer from SF was cheaper than 5 meters from B&Q) 'O' rings Picture pins (they were *50p* *each* in B&Q) Roll pins Blade fuses (for cars)

I'm sure there are loads more.

All of those here too.

Split pins, grommets, springs, small spatlas (100), small syringes (100) ...

I noticed halfords selling 2-way wago connectors in individual packages at £2 each!

====snip====

I'm guessing you meant "spatulas" rather than "spatlas". I guess the 'U' key must have ducked out of the way when you typed that. :-)