So much for disintermediation...

[John Rumm]

I need to build some paths, so used the Wickes web site to price up what I needed. Total came to about £640 inc VAT and delivery.

Then I thought - let's see what happens if we cut out the middle man... so I posted a request for a quote via Travis Perkins web site for the same stuff (I had never tried them before for building materials, but figured since they own Wickes they logically ought to be able to be competitive).

How wrong can you be? Following day, quote came back from twice the price perkins a at £855. The most noticeable difference being the slabs at getting on for twice the price. So I emailed TP back, and said I had a quote for the same stuff from wickes - but their slabs were much cheaper and they appear to be effectively the same slab. That resulted in a reduced quote of only £135 more than wickes.

Apparently chatting to the delivery driver, wickes will price match any quote from TP, but not the other way round!

[Andy Burns]

Always seems to be the case, if you go into TP, you can get a "trade cash" card, gets you some meagre discount, but you can use the card to get a trademate.co.uk account (via the post!), then you can see prices online, rather than having to ask for quotes - but expect prices to stay high, presumably above a certain monthly spend someone eventually notices you and you get better discounts

As it is, I only go to TP for stuff that ain't in any of the outlets they own.

[fred]

In article , John Rumm writes

I don't suppose block is an option?

Phil (I think) has recently pointed out that slabs are an expensive option by comparison but you may require a slightly more stable base.

IME all the BMs are a joke unless you can push the right buttons or can go through a huge volume re-seller and take advantage of their bulk discounts.

[John Rumm]

It would be - but in this case I was going for speed of construction... and since we are only talking 20 m^2 the price difference would be probably only £150

If I use block then I need to excavate, part fill with type 1, compact, then mix and lay concrete retaining haunches with a row of blocks bedded on, let them go off, sharp sand screed, tamp it, law blocks, tamp again, and gap fill.

I was planing on going for type 1, compact, screed with 8:1 dry mix (or possibly even weaker - just enough binding to stop the sand migrating), lay slabs, and point up.

Slabs 600x600, path 600 wide.

[harryagain]

Tch. The first thing you need to do is get yourself an account. Do not go near anyone for quotations, do it by telephone and make it clear you are ringing round for prices.. That way you speak to a person who can be haggled with and knows he is up against competition. And also has quotas to meet an maybe bonuses as well. Make sure you have an exact description of what you want. Ideal is to have seen it as well.

50% discounts are not uncommon. They are all crooks out to rip you off.

If you have an account the way things are structured encourages them to give the best deal (but always ring & check prices for something new, it keeps them on their toes) Never appear at a builders merchant looking to prosperous, leave the Beemer at home. If you have an account, you can order stuff by telephone for speedy delivery.

Forget your stupid computer, itis worthless for this business.

[stuart noble]

I've taken to popping into Jewsons for odds and ends, an altogether more pleasant experience than the sheds.

[Scott M]

I've tried that but don't know why I bother.

Went looking for fence repair spurs (FWIW, neither Jewsons or TP stock them - slow moving lines) and came away with a bag of Jewsons' own postcrete. A fiver.

In Wickes a few days later and they had Hanson postcrete for £3.20. To add insult to injury, looking at the bag style and instructions, Hanson supply Jewsons!

Mind you, I've picked up plumbing sundries (as opposed to actual elbows etc) from the local independent plumbers' merchant and been dismayed to find them more expensive than Screwfix - something I didn't think /could/ be possible!

Mind you, I have some sympathy. By charging high and giving good discount to regulars, then Joe Soap can't complain that a tradesman is ripping them off as they "can buy it cheaper".

I've wangled decent discount a couple of times in trade places. Looking the part and talking da lingo can work. Or once in a car parts place getting an MoTs worth of bits for a friend's car, adding a final bulb to the list and simply saying "as long as it's less than 50p as that's what I get them for at Halfords with my Trade Card." Bang. Couple of quid in the pocket :-)

[stuart noble]

Last thing I bought in Jewsons was a dozen house bricks to finish off a job. 50p each, and I was in and out in 5 minutes. Homebase next door

*sometimes* have bricks, like they *sometimes* have cement (though it usually has holes in the bag), and I have to hump it about on a wayward trolley.

[John Rumm]

I have noted that for basic building materials, wickes are frequently comparable or better than the BMs, even when you have an account. Its not uncommon in ours to see a substantial quantity of sign written traders vans loading up with plaster etc.

Yup BMs are usually pretty poor for plumbing stuff IME - and don't even look at the price of some of the drainage stuff - even allowing for a

50% trade discount they can still be three times the price of toolstation.

In reality you are usually much better off going to a specialist supplier for materials rather than using a BM as a supermarket.

Yup there is also the point that they don't want to encourage a class of shoppers who take extra effort to service, as it pushes their cost of sales up.

[John Stumbles]

SELCO's the place if you've got one: no waiting in endless queues behind people being apparently paid to drink plastic coffee, mostly reasonable prices but trade-only so keeps most of the time-wasters & tyre-kickers out. And Plumbfix for plumbing stuff.

[meow2222]

Do they sell stuff online?

NT