John Rumm
wibbled on Thursday 14 January 2010 20:30


The same sort of online ordering for basic building materials, for
delivery by a certain time, at a place of my choice would be great. An
online builders merchant if you like - but without the queuing up at the
counter, daft headline prices one needs to haggle down etc.

Yes. Parkers of Sussex has done it - they do have a comprehensive website
with not-as-bloody-stupid-as-TP prices, but still expensive for many things
that B&Q sell. Not nationwide. But a step in the right direction. They'll
match B&Q prices, but you have to go and see them, so back to square one...

http://shop.parkerbs.com/

A place to buy a decent selection of timber, where the softwood in not
all banana shaped, and the selection of hardwood runs to more than a
token offering of one or two planks of some unknown species of
"hardwood". I would love to plan a furniture construction project and be
able to click though a wood equivalent of screwfix - ordering up some
unfinshed oak boards, or some furniture board, or some planks of cherry
etc. Being able to order boards and sheet materials, and at the same
time being able to specify a cutting list, knowing that should I need to
save time I can have stuff delivered, or ready for collection, pre-cut
etc.

Oh yes - Timber Merchants - the last of the pre-Internet era vendors...

--
Tim Watts

Icicles - nature's way of pinpointing all the leaks in your guttering...