For the DIYers this post (obvious to the trades )

Most trades buy in builders providers but for the DIYer they are not very user friendly as items are often tucked away, no visible pricing on the shelf and everything is in bulk and hard to know what to buy

However it is worth having a browse as you will almost always find things a lot cheaper than Wickes, B&Q etc I have been buying everything in my local providers for the last year and looking at the receipts ity has always been cheaper (by a lot) that the stores. For example, yesterday I bought 18 sheets of insultaion yesterday from Builders Depot in London £14 a sheet for retail. I just checked B&Q, £27 @20 sheets that's £260 saving.

They also deliver next day for £5 (depending on order)

You also have a big advantage that they stock better quality timber, longer lengths and well know brands. If you are like me and think I don't need 200 screws when I just need 10. But you may well find that 200 is about 20% dearer than 10 from the store! I got earth sleeving in home base last night (£1.29 for 1m), I checked Screwfix £5.39 for 100m. Mind you I only need 10cm but shows you the difference in price

The prices of their bathroom suite, showers, tiles etc are a lot cheaper than the stores too so best to get a catalogue

PS: the one exception (I know of) is Travis Perkins, avoid them completely! they are ridiculous price (dearer than B&Q) for retail!

PPS Screwfix, ebay, Toolstation can be cheaper than a builders providers at times (in my experience)

Actually just on the above, I saw a few posts regarding insulation.
There seems be lots of stores selling loft insulation very cheap so maybe its best to check the store first in this case

i use my local diy yard for most things, timber is a lot better quallity, silicone is upto £3 cheaper per tube etc

for sheet goods i will use b&q as its local and is £5 a board cheaper than the diy yard for 18mm mdf

places like screwfix are the cheapest for fixings usually

i use my local diy yard for most things, timber is a lot better quallity, silicone is upto £3 cheaper per tube etc

for sheet goods i will use b&q as its local and is £5 a board cheaper than the diy yard for 18mm mdf

places like screwfix are the cheapest for fixings usually

Its amazing how many people don't think of using the a yard for there things. I have a homebase and Builders depot right next to each other. I am often telling people in Hombase to check the yard as I know the layout of both stores well.

We have Garstang Timber Supplies within ½ mile of us, who deliver, and about 1 mile the other side of town is a big builders yard that delivers. The second one is great for all lose materials such as sand, soil, gravel and different sized pebbles etc. You can either get the small builders bags filled and put in the boot of the car or they will bring a ton (tonne) of the stuff in a bag with the Hi-Mac lorry and drop it just where you want it. Both are very good for hardware and tools.

The big 'sheds' are about 9 miles away in Preston so the local firms get most of my DIY trade, not that I do much now that the house is 'done up' to the Manager's Spec.

dave

_________________
You can always tell a Yorkshireman,
But you cannot tell him much.

I totally agree - going to the local DIY shop, or what appears to be a 'trade' place can save you a lot of money.

For timber, I would also recommend the local timber yard. I've found that they do longer lengths (which don't fit into your car, unless you get them to cut them for you), and are cheaper, better quality, better finished etc.

I've also found my local SDM is *way* cheaper for consumables like dust masks - £2 for a 10 pack - B&Q charge about £4 for 2 or 3. They're also pretty good if you do just want to buy four screws, or whatever - and they only charge pennies for them. I've had people go in there for random bits of plumbing to fix kitchen appliances and the like - they're cheap, and pretty helpful. Being a decorators merchant, they're obviously also good for paint.

One thing I would say is that often the 'trade' places aren't staffed by people that understand the norms of 'customer service', or in some cases the 'norms' of fashion, or cleanliness. They also may appear to expect you to know your terminology (eg. "too be for" versus "two by four" ;-). However, I find that so long as you treat them with respect, and admit you need a bit of help, ask politely, etc, then they'll literally bend over backwards to help you. Before you know it, you'll have a world of advice, your wood cut up into a dozen small lengths just like you want, get it all carried out to your car, and they'll throw in a free bag of screws too.

Having said all that, every once in a while, your local B&Q/Homebase do come through with what you need. The old guy down at Homebase knows his garden section very well. Also, they're doing super-cheap loft insulation at the moment (and the nice lad down there carried it out to the car for me).

As you might imagine, the Internet is a good place to look too. I haven't bought too many tools and stuff online, but for curtain poles/bay window poles, have a good look around B&Q and Homebase, and then buy them from Coast and Country Furnishings ;-) For curtains themselves, check out Montgommery. I'd advise you check the details carefully, and hit the "contact us" link on websites to check you're getting what you think you're getting though. If the people you're looking at aren't super-helpful getting you sorted out, then go somewhere else. It's all too easy to buy the wrong thing, so you need to be sure they'll change it without any hassle.

Lastly, "buy cheap, buy twice". Even for stuff you don't really care about, get "one up from the cheapest", because the cheapest is probably utter crap. Paying a few pence extra will probably get you something much better (even though it might look about the same).

Just my 2 pence ;-)

I buy large amounts from the following, timber from Sydenhams timber merchants, building stuff bricks/blocks/paving jumbo bags from Elliots building supplies.

Electrical stuff cable etc either from SFX or TLC depends on quality I need.

Wickes is my fave for everyday stuff and Toolstation 5 min walk (apparently, never walked it yet) for plumbing fittings, tools. Close to them is Grahams plumbing supplies.

B&Poo on weds for over '?0 10% discount

Often look in sale bin for bargains plus 10% off. 1 Metre rule 90p - 10% bargain

John

_________________
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is not!

I found sydenhams very exoensive for timber.

I bought 3 lenghts of treated timber from there at 7m lengths (because they had it in stock, and my usual timber supplier (Stallbridge Timber 0 check thhem out if our local, very cheap and good ) didn't have any till the following day - rush job) and they were exactly double the price

ive heard a story of an irishman walks into a builders merchants and asks for an 'irish jay'....

personally i think its tending to go the other way.... take travis for example, plasterers beads are silly prices, wickes are much better then of course theres your plastering supplies which are less than a quarter the price of travis... 3 quid for a 2.4m thincote stop bead? theyre having a laff...

_________________
http://www.peterborough-plasterer.co.uk/

Popped it to the builders providers this morning, getting some 50mm corner braces. £2.25 for 8, Homebase £3.49 for 4!

Although toolstation is 10 for £1.21,

I bought 15mm and 22mm pipe insulation from B&Q and Plumbase - B&Q is about 30% cheaper. So much for "buy from trade places" ;-)

Damn these shops - can't they just be consistently cheaper or more expensive and make our lives simpler!?

I have found cheap DIY stuff in Wilkinsons, horrible shop, but handy range of stuff if you are in town anyway.
Hammerite for example, 750ml in B&Q, £15.98, in wilko, you get 1litre for £16.47, go to Mole valley farmers and its only £13.46 (1litre)


No more nails, B&Q. £4.48 per tube, Wilkos, £4.97 for two.

_________________
Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety one?

I use all of the above to be honest.

Screwfix and Toolstation a lot (usually some offer on what I want in one or the other stores) - recent purchases are all the electrical and fixings for the cellar/office conversion plus the new fire for the living room.
B&Q and Homebase when they have offers on - recent purchases 3 wall lights from B&Q for the hall and the nursery for £9.57 last week. Also a half pack of laminate flooring (only quater of the price and only needed a meters worth of flooring) and they were selling 3X2 gypsum board for £2.50 a sheet in October :)
Builders yard for all general building materials - gravel cement etc....
garden center - recent purchase, 12 bags of slate for the front yard (£4.99 per bag everywhere else, but £9.99 for 3 there)

Hope that helps.

Oh for paint I have been using B&Q £9.99 emulsion - but on the hunt for somewhere cheaper and better quality. £9.99 per tub but needed 2 to do the kitchen last year as it was very thin.

We have this place called CW Berrys builder merchants very competitive on the prices,

Velux windows cheapest place i found was magnet.