It pays to shop around

I have found similar 'discrepancies' whenever I used a firm whose name might be nationally recognisable, versus the local BM.

Hemlock is usually cheaper anyway.

Wickes have been on my list for places that aren't even worth trying for a few years now. I sometimes go in, just because they're the only big-name shed that isn't a special 20 mile trip, but usually walk out again after discovering that the price is so inflated it's worth the trip.

A bit like the massive difference in price between uPVC windows supplied and fitted by a small local family company - and the big rip-off merchants like Everest or 'Safestyle UK'.

-- Triff

I find them an odd mix of overpriced and highly competitive - depending on what you actually want.

For some stuff like plaster, our local one is probably the best place about for price, and have a huge turnover of the stuff - so what is on the shelf is not only fresh, but often still warm! Bog standard emulsion is not bad either. Timber nothing special, and electrical or plumbing usually silly money.

This house has a rather nice mahogany handrail up the side of the=20 stairs. The previous owner had a second one fitted by the council - a=20 nasty pine thing on cheap (flimsy) brackets which were screwed to a=20 board which was then screwed to the wall.

The wife needs both handrails but objected to the horrid second one -=20 local timberyard supplied (routed to shape free) a suitable bit of=20 matching mahogany for =A320, screwed it to the wall with spacers to match= =20 the other side using coachscrews and plugged 'em.=20

Very smart, and probably the same price as the council had paid to do it=20 badly.

--=20 Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

If hemlock isn't a pine it does a very good job immitating it. Or did they mean the poisonous herb?

Not looked recently, but at one time Wick's timber was even worse than B&Q. If that is possible.

Bit pedantic

Dave Plowman (News) ( snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk) wibbled on Friday 04 March 2011

Thankfully, that seems to be not thecase as of the last 2-3 years at least. Wickes random softwood is straight (mostly) and (more importantly) stays that way after unwrapping. I've foundit quite satisfactory for a variety of jobs.

Hemlock is NOT a pine. It's a species all by itself, as is spruce and fir.

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

No don't think that is possible.

I'd agree. B&Q timber is abysmal - unless you want to build a boat - in which case its already bent to shape.

Wickes timber I find reasonably good if you are prepared to root around & select the best.

Local timber merchant beats them hands down though.

It's fine now - or appears to be from the few bits I've bought. It wasn't always - 20 years ago their branch in Harrow (which is now their UK HQ) sold what was clearly banana wood. Soaking wet, usually, too.