"pray4surf" writes:

"Jeffrey J. Kosowsky" wrote in message
...
: Now that the Internet has made pricing so transparent, it gets even
: more frustrating to walk into a local supply house and realize that
: you are not getting the same deal that contractors get.

Hello Jeffrey!

You've done an admirable job arguing your case, probably won't convince any
pro's here to change their mind...

Thanks.

I'm more interested your repeated allocutions to pricing via the internet.
Would you care to share with the group these internet sources?

I usually use the Internet more for researching what is available and
finding out competitive pricing is more of a side benefit.

As a 'confirmed' DIY'er myself, I'm trying hard to see your point. Whenever
I've gone to specialty suppliers (the contractor's sources) it has always
been armed with specific item numbers/descriptions/quantity information. Be
it from my own research or advice of a hired pro. However, to go from one
specialty house to another takes up *way* more time than simply stopping by
one of the two borgs in my neighborhood. I maybe saving 10-15% at the
specialty shop, but waste a lot of time doing so... I digress...

I don't disagree. In fact, until recently, I used to just go buy
everything at the big box store, until I started hearing rumors of
inferior products masquerading as name brand product -- hard to know
how much of this is just self-serving innuendo served up by threatened
mom-and-pop supply houses, but it has made me hesitate before just
scooping up parts at Home Depot.

Now if doubts about Home Depot quality lead me to start visiting more
supply houses, then at least I don't want to feel like I am paying
twice as much as the guy next to me just because he calls himself a
contractor.

What I don't understand is why so many disgruntled contractors on this
newsgroup are so offended by this to the point of getting nasty and
ad-hominem. I am not forcing anybody to give me better pricing -- it
is a free country and vendors are free to give me discounts or not. In
fact, it would be quite naive and reckless of me not to try to get the
best price for an item. I mean how many people walk into a store when
an item is on sale and say please give me the regular price instead...