Am I only the only person sick of this?

heffo500

Okay I'm sick of this and I'm sure I'm not the only one. DIY stores overcharging us on electrical and plumbing fixtures among other things. The list is endless of overpriced things they sell.

Today for instance I bought a batten lamp holder and a 1 way light switch. Total cost in the electrical wholesalers €1.60 Was in a DIY store and they wanted nearly €6 for the exact same products.

Why do people buy this stuff in diy stores?

I really dont get it. Why don't electrical wholesalers advertise more to the general public?

The wholesalers I go too never have a problem serving the public even in the boom. They are even very helpful and know what they are talking about unlike some diy store staff. It's all money in the till after all.

Joey the lips

Your not overcharged. Its just a different mark up system. At the end of the day i could explain it but it will bore the bejasus out of you and you still will feel your overcharged.

imo the defination of overcharging is where the manufacturer recomends a retail price and the retailer sells it dearer.

Woodies is always a little dearer but it holds a far greater stock of many items. This stock holding costs a lot of money.

paddy147

heffo500 wrote: »

Okay I'm sick of this and I'm sure I'm not the only one. DIY stores overcharging us on electrical and plumbing fixtures among other things. The list is endless of overpriced things they sell.

Today for instance I bought a batten lamp holder and a 1 way light switch. Total cost in the electrical wholesalers €1.60 Was in a DIY store and they wanted nearly €6 for the exact same products.

Why do people buy this stuff in diy stores?

I really dont get it. Why don't electrical wholesalers advertise more to the general public?

The wholesalers I go too never have a problem serving the public even in the boom. They are even very helpful and know what they are talking about unlike some diy store staff. It's all money in the till after all.

Well,you know what to do then.

Dont spend in a diy shop and go to the wholesalers in future.

At the end of the day,no one is making you or forcing you to spend extra money in a diy shop.

Its your choice.

Merch

heffo500 wrote: »

Okay I'm sick of this and I'm sure I'm not the only one. DIY stores overcharging us on electrical and plumbing fixtures among other things. The list is endless of overpriced things they sell.

Today for instance I bought a batten lamp holder and a 1 way light switch. Total cost in the electrical wholesalers €1.60 Was in a DIY store and they wanted nearly €6 for the exact same products.

Why do people buy this stuff in diy stores?

I really dont get it. Why don't electrical wholesalers advertise more to the general public?

The wholesalers I go too never have a problem serving the public even in the boom. They are even very helpful and know what they are talking about unlike some diy store staff. It's all money in the till after all.

Some wholesalers have a problem now, nevermind the boom, been buying a few items lately, some places have a terrible attitude, either lazy or worse. Not as many as before, still I prefer to get it cheaper so I go, although for certain items I have surprisingly found B&Q cheaper.

golfbgud

Its also about convenience - stores such as Woodies are open 7 days a week with late hours.

How many wholesalers are open late or Sat/Sun?

Location and parking can also be factors......

paddy147

golfbgud wrote: »

Its also about convenience - stores such as Woodies are open 7 days a week with late hours.

How many wholesalers are open late or Sat/Sun?

Location and parking can also be factors......

A good few wholesalers and builders providers now open on a Satrurday up to lunch time,around 1pm.

Theres now a demand for them to open and enough business for them to make money.

Kashkai

Likewise I've found b&q to be cheap on some items. I've also found that builders providers appear to employ mostly unfriendly, ignorant people.

Im pretty handy and I know what I'm talking about when I go to say the likes of Chadwicks to buy say a central heating pump but I always seem to deal with some sour faced muppet who thinks just because I'm not wearing snickers gear and I'm not caked in mud/sawdust/grease etc, I don't know what I'm about. It's like some perverse tradesman only snobbery.

Merch

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Likewise I've found b&q to be cheap on some items. I've also found that builders providers appear to employ mostly unfriendly, ignorant people.

Im pretty handy and I know what I'm talking about when I go to say the likes of Chadwicks to buy say a central heating pump but I always seem to deal with some sour faced muppet who thinks just because I'm not wearing snickers gear and I'm not caked in mud/sawdust/grease etc, I don't know what I'm about. It's like some perverse tradesman only snobbery.

Excluding delivery B&Q are cheaper for cement by the bag (by about 20 cents, plus 10% discount if you buy more than 10 bags, when I looked anyway) then building providers I checked, but it was handier for me to get deliveries with blocks from building providers.
Generally building providers are way cheaper so I go despite the dour unfriendlyness of some.
eg I hauled my arse over to the northside to look at roofing material, unlike the friendly website, the guy over the counter couldnt even get off his stool to show me the stuff, EDIT (it wasnt even busy, virtually no one in the place) Id have been spending a few quid so I cant understand. I wouldnt mind but I have a trade, so while Im not familiar with names and terminology of all trades, the blokes behind the counters are only sales/store people for the most part so I have none of it, I'm polite and courteous, I expect the same, any rolling of eyes or huffing, I'll pull them up on it, dont care if Im spending 20 euro or 500. If I'm only spending a tenner and they are unhelpful, I wont go back with anything that requires me spending a lot more.

Kashkai

Like you, I regard myself as polite and courteous when dealing with people but builders providers do employ a lot of ignorant people. You'd think that in the massive downturn in the building industry, they'd start treating the rest if us mortals with just a teensey weensey bit of respect;)

However most of the guys in woodies wouldn't know which end of a screwdriver to use. At least b & q appear to train their staff so they know what they're doing.

Merch

That was B&Q's sales pitch when they entered the market, wasnt it, no more wha? factor. I'm not sure it holds true anymore, better than most diy places.

I think builders providers are better than they used to be, a few quite good, a lot not really and a few downright unhelpful.

Kashkai

Well can you point me in the direction of the good ones because I've yet to find one that treats "ordinary" customers with anything more than a grunt

paddy147

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Well can you point me in the direction of the good ones because I've yet to find one that treats "ordinary" customers with anything more than a grunt

Well then grunt back.

What do you want,someone to hold your hand for you while you are there???

Come on like,open your mouth and state what you want or need to get from them...........grunt or no grunt.

Its not rocket science.

P.S-Im not a builder,but Ive no problem in dealing with Goodwins,Chadwicks,Smiths Builders Providers,Grange Builders Providers etc etc.Never a problem with any of them in fact,even when asking for advice and asking questions.

Kashkai

paddy147 wrote: »

Well then grunt back.

What do you want,someone to hold your hand for you while you are there???

Come on like,open your mouth and state what you want or need to get from them...........grunt or no grunt.

Its not rocket science.

P.S-Im not a builder,but Ive no problem in dealing with Goodwins,Chadwicks,Smiths Builders Providers,Grange Builders Providers etc etc.Never a problem with any of them in fact,even when asking for advice and asking questions.

No, I'm a big boy and I don't need someone to hold my hand:rolleyes:.

However, perhaps I was brought up to treat people the way I'd like to be treated, i.e. I don't treat anyone like they're something nasty that I've just stepped in. So I can't understand why I can walk into the likes of Chadwicks and say:

"Good morning, have you got a 6 bar pump for a central heating system?" which only gets me a sour look from the guy behind the counter who then has a sigh, shuffles off to find said pump, can't, has to get someone else to find it for him, and comes back and bangs it down on the counter. He then mumbles the price, I pay him, get my change and say "Thank you", get no response, so I leave and let him stew.

Despite all this, I still wouldn't lower myself to play them at their own game. I don't do grunting, sneering or aggressiveness. I was brought up in a so called working class corporation estate on the Northside of Dublin so I don't feel superior to guys who work in these places. I just can't understand why they're so bloody sourpussed? If they don't like their job, then leave.

harry21

This thread is starting to get a bit skewed towards the bad service you get in builders providers etc rather than being ripped off!!

+1 @ Merch, B&Q is best deal around for cement.

When I go into a builders provider I get on alright. I don't pretned to know everything, I generally tell them what I'm doing, ask for the product, and ask if they think its the right choice?

9/10 times I'm right anyway and the 1/10 time I'm wrong I get what I think anyway cause I'm a stubborn F*&ker... ha

Joey the lips

Builders providers are use to dealing with the trade. These are repeat customers who know exactly what they want.

Its not an attidue problem its just a different style of customer service.

Walk into one wearing a liverpool jersey or united jersey and you will have a bit of crack.

Merch

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Well can you point me in the direction of the good ones because I've yet to find one that treats "ordinary" customers with anything more than a grunt

Where are you located?

Merch

harry21 wrote: »

This thread is starting to get a bit skewed towards the bad service you get in builders providers etc rather than being ripped off!!

+1 @ Merch, B&Q is best deal around for cement.

When I go into a builders provider I get on alright. I don't pretned to know everything, I generally tell them what I'm doing, ask for the product, and ask if they think its the right choice?

9/10 times I'm right anyway and the 1/10 time I'm wrong I get what I think anyway cause I'm a stubborn F*&ker... ha

yes, if you just need a few bags for something and can take it away yourself or have transport to take it away, definitely cheaper in B&Q, well up to the last few weeks. I wondered about the procing of the cement, thought it must be something to do with the price they get it at? still suprised there isnt a big mark up (but happy there isnt, as Id just go to builders providers.

heffo500

paddy147 wrote: »

Well,you know what to do then.

Dont spend in a diy shop and go to the wholesalers in future.

At the end of the day,no one is making you or forcing you to spend extra money in a diy shop.

Its your choice.

I never said I was being forced to go to a diy shop. I always buy from the wholesalers but I feel sorry for the normal diyer trying to save a bit of money by doing a job themselves and then pay for supplies at higher price when they could save a few bob and head down to the wholesalers.


By starting this thread I wasn't trying to get on my soap box, I was trying to make inexperienced diyers on this more aware that they could be getting their supplies cheaper if they wished.

I agree some wholesalers have a terrible attitude especially chadwicks I begrudge giving them my business whereas heiton buckleys I've found to be much more helpful.

I find the best way to go to these wholesaler is to have a list of everything you want ready so that you know exactly what you want when you go there, I've found from experience that I'm quicker than most tradesmen in wholesalers because I go armed with a list.

I'm not sure if I can recommend suppliers on this so if someone can clarify this I will be more than happy to put up the names of the suppliers I go too. And they all seem very friendly to diyers.

Merch

heffo500 wrote: »

I never said I was being forced to go to a diy shop. I always buy from the wholesalers but I feel sorry for the normal diyer trying to save a bit of money by doing a job themselves and then pay for supplies at higher price when they could save a few bob and head down to the wholesalers.


By starting this thread I wasn't trying to get on my soap box, I was trying to make inexperienced diyers on this more aware that they could be getting their supplies cheaper if they wished.

I agree some wholesalers have a terrible attitude especially chadwicks I begrudge giving them my business whereas heiton buckleys I've found to be much more helpful.

I find the best way to go to these wholesaler is to have a list of everything you want ready so that you know exactly what you want when you go there, I've found from experience that I'm quicker than most tradesmen in wholesalers because I go armed with a list.

I'm not sure if I can recommend suppliers on this so if someone can clarify this I will be more than happy to put up the names of the suppliers I go too. And they all seem very friendly to diyers.

Im all for that
and a list would be a good idea
I usually have a mental list but forget the odd thing, having said that i dont hang about humming and hawwing, I like to get in and out and have seen some people giving them their life story lol

Kashkai

I live in north Kildare. I'm no tradesman but I do a better job than most of the so called pros who worked on my house when it was being built. I had to redo a lot of plumbing (incl digging up a concrete floor to fix a leak), electrics (replaced new shower pull switch that had burnt out after two months, replaced cooker switch for same reason, rewired plugs and light switches where wires had come out and replaced timer on central heating that also burnt out - no problems with them since btw), took down doors to shave them when they expanded and wouldn't close etc etc etc.

So when I go into a builders providers, I know exactly what I want, the make and model number, quantities etc. Still doesnt cut any ice with the sourpusses though.

I avoid Woodies as it's expensive and the staff haven't a clue. I like b&q as they have a huge selection, can be competitive and most if the staff are knowledgable and friendly.

heffo500

Clonee Wholesale Electrical Ltd, http://www.cweelectrical.com/ Ph: 01-8208820

CDV Plumbing Supplies, Unit 5 Coolport Coolmine Ind Est 15 Co. Dublin, Dublin, Ph: 01 8216006 Just down the road from the electrical wholesalers.

Noyeks Newman, Ballymount Cross Ind. Est., Ballymount,
Dublin 24. Based in finglas also but I find them much more helpful in Ballymount. And always ask for the full trade discount when getting stuff there.

Zintek Satellite Systems Greenhills Road Eurohaul Centre Tallaght Dublin 24. Ireland tel: +353 1 4008351 fax: +353 1 4008352 email: info@zintek.tv Best place I've found for tv supplies and advice and they are open till 4 on a saturday.

Merch

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I live in north Kildare. I'm no tradesman as I do a better job than most of the so called pros who worked on my house when it was being built. I had to redo a lot of plumbing (incl digging up a concrete floor to fix a leak), electrics (replaced new shower pull switch that had burnt out after two months, replaced cooker switch for same reason, resided plugs and light switches where wires had come out and replaced timer on central heating that also burnt out - no problems with them since btw), take down doors to shave them when they expanded and wouldn't close etc etc etc.

Look in golden pages, see where is near you, not sure what builder providers are in north kildare, where is that, what town area? there is a Chadwicks at the back of Lucan, not sure what they are like or how much they stock. I go to Smyths or O'malleys on greenhills rd, also place in clondalkin (although I used to find them a bit dour, so avoided them, they have a reasonable stock of stuff and are near me too.

07734

i find b&q sometimes have great specials offers from time to time, their clearance bins can be a goldmine.