New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase
of 25% on bulk screws and fixings. It's not SF's
fault - with the £ in freefall, anything that's made
abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike
lucky an find a warehouse with old stock at last years
prices.

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
...
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall, anything
that's made abroad is rocketing in price.


Against what currency? The pound has not dropped that much against the US
dollar.

Peter Crosland

On 20 Sep, 07:44, "Peter Crosland" wrote:
"Bertie Doe" wrote in message

...

New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall, anything
that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

Against what currency? The pound has not dropped that much against the US
dollar.

Peter Crosland

If the dollar is now at $1.60 to the pound and was near enough $2 a
year ago, then that's a 20% drop isn't it, which is near enough the
price change ?

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
...
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall, anything
that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike lucky an find a
warehouse with old stock at last years prices.



My local B&Q staff were telling people that they now owned
Screwfix and if they presented a screwfix catalogue showing
cheaper items they would match the price. I would just buy
from the cheaper place! Not into all that power game stuff.
Screwfix put the prices up to try and achieve what they
promised shareholders. Nothing to do with currency, so go
and do some research instead of misquoting what you hear
elsewhere.
Petrol and diesel should now be cheaper than last year by
applying your logic. The price of oil dropped, but prices
went up because pretax profits for people like Shell had
dropped due to wage increases.
So, learn a bit more and come back, or explain in detail
what you mean.

On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:44:41 +0100, Peter Crosland wrote:
"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
...
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall, anything
that's made abroad is rocketing in price.


Against what currency? The pound has not dropped that much against the US
dollar.

Peter Crosland


True, but the US isn't exactly a low-wage country where we import low-value
items from, so comparing Sterling against USD won't tell you anything
useful about the cost of imported goods.
However when you compare Sterling against CNY (China) the pound has
dropped from buying 15 Yuan/Renminbi in Sept. 2007 to 11 today
Wassat: a 25% drop? So maybe Screwfix's price rises just reflect the going
rate?

"Roger" wrote in message
...

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
...
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall,
anything that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike lucky an find a
warehouse with old stock at last years prices.



My local B&Q staff were telling people that they now owned
Screwfix and if they presented a screwfix catalogue showing
cheaper items they would match the price. I would just buy
from the cheaper place!

B&Q pricematch. I can buy cable from B&Q at the same price I pay at my
electrical wholesalers. Very handy when working away from home.

Adam

"Rob G" wrote in message
...
On 20 Sep, 07:44, "Peter Crosland" wrote:
"Bertie Doe" wrote in message

...

New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall,
anything
that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

Against what currency? The pound has not dropped that much against the US
dollar.

If the dollar is now at $1.60 to the pound and was near enough $2 a
year ago, then that's a 20% drop isn't it, which is near enough the
price change ?


It is actually around 12% diference.

Peter Crosland

Bertie Doe wrote:
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase
of 25% on bulk screws and fixings. It's not SF's
fault - with the £ in freefall, anything that's made
abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike
lucky an find a warehouse with old stock at last years
prices.

Quick check on a popular (with me anyway) size 1.5" x 8 twinthread c/s pozi,
box of 200;

SF £1.50

TS £1.14.

Hmmmm. And Toolstation have free delivery over £10.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Roger"
saying something like:

My local B&Q staff

Snip ****e.

Ignore Roger the ****.

On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:13:50 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bertie Doe wrote:
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall,
anything that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike lucky an find a
warehouse with old stock at last years prices.

Quick check on a popular (with me anyway) size 1.5" x 8 twinthread c/s
pozi, box of 200;

SF £1.50

TS £1.14.

Hmmmm. And Toolstation have free delivery over £10.

I like Toolstation and have moved most of my purchases there from
Screwfix.

Strangely though, despite generally cheaper prices, the trade counter
here in Crawley is normally very quiet indeed and I have never had to
queue up. I'm not complaining though!

But I wonder whether they are doing enough to promote themselves.

Steve

On Sep 20, 5:21*pm, Steve wrote:

I like Toolstation and have moved most of my purchases there from
Screwfix.

I agree. Some of the fixings are better quality than those sold at
higher prices at Screwfix. Dispite Screwfix displaying large signs
saying they will pricematch any local competitor they actually take a
very aloof attitude. When asked to match Toolstation for a 50metre
roll of 2.5mm T&E (£19.86 vs £23) I was basically told to sod off to
Toolstation and buy it there. The manager can refuse to pricematch on
a pick and choose basis dispite no disclaimers to the contrary and the
competitor having item in stock.

Dave.

Steve wrote:
On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:13:50 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bertie Doe wrote:
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on
bulk screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in
freefall, anything that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike lucky an find a
warehouse with old stock at last years prices.

Quick check on a popular (with me anyway) size 1.5" x 8 twinthread
c/s pozi, box of 200;

SF £1.50

TS £1.14.

Hmmmm. And Toolstation have free delivery over £10.

I like Toolstation and have moved most of my purchases there from
Screwfix.


I hadn't realised how much cheaper they were, those screws for example are
24% less. Nothing to worry about on a box of screws, but in general worth
keeping an eye on.


Strangely though, despite generally cheaper prices, the trade counter
here in Crawley is normally very quiet indeed and I have never had to
queue up. I'm not complaining though!


Alas our nearest TS is in Dartford, fair bit further away than SF and not in
my normal operating area. I've ordered a few bits to be delivered though
now its only a £10 order. And it might be silly, but I like getting parcels
:-)


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"Dave Starling" wrote in
message
...
On Sep 20, 5:21 pm, Steve
wrote:

I like Toolstation and have moved most of my
purchases there from
Screwfix.

I agree. Some of the fixings are better quality than
those sold at
higher prices at Screwfix. Dispite Screwfix displaying
large signs
saying they will pricematch any local competitor they
actually take a
very aloof attitude. When asked to match Toolstation
for a 50metre
roll of 2.5mm T&E (£19.86 vs £23) I was basically told
to sod off to
Toolstation and buy it there. The manager can refuse
to pricematch on
a pick and choose basis dispite no disclaimers to the
contrary and the
competitor having item in stock.

Dave.

As I mentioned earlier, it's mainly the screws and
fixings that are affected. Definitely worth shopping
around IMO. For me, their level of service has been
very good. I've saved lots on power tools etc.

..

On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:54:32 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:13:50 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bertie Doe wrote:
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall,
anything that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike lucky an find a
warehouse with old stock at last years prices.

Quick check on a popular (with me anyway) size 1.5" x 8 twinthread c/s
pozi, box of 200;

SF £1.50

TS £1.14.

Hmmmm. And Toolstation have free delivery over £10.

I like Toolstation and have moved most of my purchases there from
Screwfix.


I hadn't realised how much cheaper they were, those screws for example
are 24% less. Nothing to worry about on a box of screws, but in general
worth keeping an eye on.


Strangely though, despite generally cheaper prices, the trade counter
here in Crawley is normally very quiet indeed and I have never had to
queue up. I'm not complaining though!


Alas our nearest TS is in Dartford, fair bit further away than SF and
not in my normal operating area. I've ordered a few bits to be
delivered though now its only a £10 order. And it might be silly, but I
like getting parcels :-)

I suppose I'm lucky then :-) Toolstation is about 2/3 of the distance of
Screwfix, but as that is only a couple of miles it makes little
difference. Parking does though, as well as the prices and the service.
Our SF is located in an industrial park where people double-park all over
the place and is inhabited by other companies that drive fork-lift trucks
around unloading HGVs with little or no regard to other traffic!

Whilst Toolstation is in a similar estate, there is always somewhere to
park with the only occasional hazard being "white van men", but you get
them wherever you go.

I don't think I mentioned that beverages are free, apparently. I've never
sampled them though because my orders have taken so little time to
complete!

In case anyone thinks this is a plug for Toolstation - it is! But from a
satisfied customer with no other reason to promote them other than what I
have written.

I wish them well and hope that they don't slip into making the same
mistakes as Screwfix.

Steve

On 20 Sep, 12:51, "Peter Crosland" wrote:
"Rob G" wrote in message

...
On 20 Sep, 07:44, "Peter Crosland" wrote:

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message

...

New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall,
anything
that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

Against what currency? The pound has not dropped that much against the US
dollar.
If the dollar is now at $1.60 to the pound and was near enough $2 *a
year ago, then that's a 20% drop isn't it, which is near enough the
price change ?

It is actually around 12% diference.

Peter Crosland

Umm ... 200 - 160 = 40; 40/200 = 0.2 which is 20%. No wonder the
world's finances are in such poor shape when the modern generation
can't even do sums like this in their heads.

Rob

"Rob G" wrote in message
...
On 20 Sep, 12:51, "Peter Crosland" wrote:
"Rob G" wrote in message

...
On 20 Sep, 07:44, "Peter Crosland" wrote:

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message

...

New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall,
anything
that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

Against what currency? The pound has not dropped that much against the
US
dollar.
If the dollar is now at $1.60 to the pound and was near enough $2 a
year ago, then that's a 20% drop isn't it, which is near enough the
price change ?

It is actually around 12% diference.

Peter Crosland

Umm ... 200 - 160 = 40; 40/200 = 0.2 which is 20%. No wonder the
world's finances are in such poor shape when the modern generation
can't even do sums like this in their heads.


In actual fact the £ was worth about $1.41 a year ago so it has actually
appreciated against the $ rather than fallen during the last year! As I am
aged 62 I don't think I can be regarded as modern generation so your
assumption is just as wrong as the OP's was.

Peter Crosland

Steve wrote:
On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:54:32 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:13:50 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bertie Doe wrote:
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on
bulk screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in
freefall, anything that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike lucky an find a
warehouse with old stock at last years prices.

Quick check on a popular (with me anyway) size 1.5" x 8 twinthread
c/s pozi, box of 200;

SF £1.50

TS £1.14.

Hmmmm. And Toolstation have free delivery over £10.

I like Toolstation and have moved most of my purchases there from
Screwfix.


I hadn't realised how much cheaper they were, those screws for
example are 24% less. Nothing to worry about on a box of screws,
but in general worth keeping an eye on.


Strangely though, despite generally cheaper prices, the trade
counter here in Crawley is normally very quiet indeed and I have
never had to queue up. I'm not complaining though!


Alas our nearest TS is in Dartford, fair bit further away than SF and
not in my normal operating area. I've ordered a few bits to be
delivered though now its only a £10 order. And it might be silly,
but I like getting parcels :-)

I suppose I'm lucky then :-) Toolstation is about 2/3 of the distance
of Screwfix, but as that is only a couple of miles it makes little
difference. Parking does though, as well as the prices and the
service. Our SF is located in an industrial park where people
double-park all over the place and is inhabited by other companies
that drive fork-lift trucks around unloading HGVs with little or no
regard to other traffic!

Whilst Toolstation is in a similar estate, there is always somewhere
to park with the only occasional hazard being "white van men", but
you get them wherever you go.

I don't think I mentioned that beverages are free, apparently. I've
never sampled them though because my orders have taken so little time
to complete!

In case anyone thinks this is a plug for Toolstation - it is! But
from a satisfied customer with no other reason to promote them other
than what I have written.

I wish them well and hope that they don't slip into making the same
mistakes as Screwfix.

Apparently TS was started by the guy who owned SF. When SF was sold to
Kingfisher it was part of the contract that he couldn't start a similar
business for 5 years. 5 years after he started TS.

Thas what I heard anyway.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Sep 20, 8:35*am, Rob G wrote:
If the dollar is now at $1.60 to the pound and was near enough $2 *a
year ago, then that's a 20% drop isn't it, which is near enough the
price change ?

Realise that much inventory was purchased around the peak US$:GBP
forex rate which was 2.36:1.00, freight shipment around that period
hit a record. The problem is whilst Western economies have devalued
"as-one" to avoid competitive devaluation, the Indo-China economies
have not - together with oil appreciating significantly to the 75$
level. Freight is as much forward contract oil price whether it be via
air or sea.

That said, Screwfix and others seems to have reigned in a) inventory
level and b) inventory stocked due to the recession. I suspect their
inventory turnover figure rocketed and they have over-reacted. Local
screwfix doesn't have even drill bits or basic light switches in
stock, everything is order in. People trudge to B&Q next door who then
run out, restock and wonder why it doesn't shift.

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
om...
Steve wrote:
On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:54:32 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:13:50 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Bertie Doe wrote:
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on
bulk screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in
freefall, anything that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

If you're planning a major project, you may strike lucky an find a
warehouse with old stock at last years prices.

Quick check on a popular (with me anyway) size 1.5" x 8 twinthread
c/s pozi, box of 200;

SF £1.50

TS £1.14.

Hmmmm. And Toolstation have free delivery over £10.

I like Toolstation and have moved most of my purchases there from
Screwfix.


I hadn't realised how much cheaper they were, those screws for
example are 24% less. Nothing to worry about on a box of screws,
but in general worth keeping an eye on.


Strangely though, despite generally cheaper prices, the trade
counter here in Crawley is normally very quiet indeed and I have
never had to queue up. I'm not complaining though!


Alas our nearest TS is in Dartford, fair bit further away than SF and
not in my normal operating area. I've ordered a few bits to be
delivered though now its only a £10 order. And it might be silly,
but I like getting parcels :-)

I suppose I'm lucky then :-) Toolstation is about 2/3 of the distance
of Screwfix, but as that is only a couple of miles it makes little
difference. Parking does though, as well as the prices and the
service. Our SF is located in an industrial park where people
double-park all over the place and is inhabited by other companies
that drive fork-lift trucks around unloading HGVs with little or no
regard to other traffic!

Whilst Toolstation is in a similar estate, there is always somewhere
to park with the only occasional hazard being "white van men", but
you get them wherever you go.

I don't think I mentioned that beverages are free, apparently. I've
never sampled them though because my orders have taken so little time
to complete!

In case anyone thinks this is a plug for Toolstation - it is! But
from a satisfied customer with no other reason to promote them other
than what I have written.

I wish them well and hope that they don't slip into making the same
mistakes as Screwfix.

Apparently TS was started by the guy who owned SF. When SF was sold to
Kingfisher it was part of the contract that he couldn't start a similar
business for 5 years. 5 years after he started TS.

Thas what I heard anyway.

You heard correctly.

Peter Crosland

On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:13:22 +0100, Bertie Doe wrote:
As I mentioned earlier, it's mainly the screws and
fixings that are affected.

Just as a word of warning, I bought some 3" c/s pozi wood screws a few
months back - same apparent spec as the brand I normally get, but these
were a bit cheaper (they were just "there" at the store I was in, and it
saved me a trip to the DIY shed - or so I thought at the time).

Got home and realised that yes, they're the same length, and the threads
are the same diameter, and they're (as far as I can tell) the same
material - but the actual shaft was slightly narrower. Presumably someone
had figured out they could save a few pennies per ton that way, or
something. As a result, they're crap - when being driven in, the shafts
have a habit of shearing at 1/2" or so below the head (just before the
threads start).

I'm (very) slowly using them on 'crap' projects where it doesn't matter if
one busts and I have to put another one in right next to it (e.g. in jigs
and formers used for other things and other such temporary stuff).

The upshot of that was that the cheaper product was cheaper for a reason,
and not really up to the job, so beware about automatically going for the
cheapest item when it comes to fastners...

cheers

Jules

On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:09:14 -0500, Jules wrote:

On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:13:22 +0100, Bertie Doe wrote:
As I mentioned earlier, it's mainly the screws and
fixings that are affected.

Just as a word of warning, I bought some 3" c/s pozi wood screws a few
months back - same apparent spec as the brand I normally get, but these
were a bit cheaper (they were just "there" at the store I was in, and it
saved me a trip to the DIY shed - or so I thought at the time).

Got home and realised that yes, they're the same length, and the threads
are the same diameter, and they're (as far as I can tell) the same
material - but the actual shaft was slightly narrower. Presumably someone
had figured out they could save a few pennies per ton that way, or
something. As a result, they're crap - when being driven in, the shafts
have a habit of shearing at 1/2" or so below the head (just before the
threads start).

I'm (very) slowly using them on 'crap' projects where it doesn't matter if
one busts and I have to put another one in right next to it (e.g. in jigs
and formers used for other things and other such temporary stuff).

The upshot of that was that the cheaper product was cheaper for a reason,
and not really up to the job, so beware about automatically going for the
cheapest item when it comes to fastners...

cheers

Jules

Thanks for the warning.

Last year I was using SF's Turbo Ultra„¢ A2 Stainless Steel Countersunk 6.0
x 90mm on the frame of me shed. Predrilled holes (clearance and pilot) but
a few twisted and a couple sheared in spite of that, so even the 'best'
aren't perfect.
--
Peter.
The head of a pin will hold more angels if
it's been flattened with an angel-grinder.

In article , The Medway
Handyman writes

Apparently TS was started by the guy who owned SF. When SF was sold to
Kingfisher it was part of the contract that he couldn't start a similar
business for 5 years. 5 years after he started TS.

He did it again, TS is now owned by Travis Perkins.

Your other favourite Wickes is also in that stable.
--
fred
BBC3, ITV2/3/4, channels going to the DOGs

In article , Peter
Crosland writes
"Rob G" wrote in message

Umm ... 200 - 160 = 40; 40/200 = 0.2 which is 20%. No wonder the
world's finances are in such poor shape when the modern generation
can't even do sums like this in their heads.

In actual fact the £ was worth about $1.41 a year ago so it has actually
appreciated against the $ rather than fallen during the last year! As I am
aged 62 I don't think I can be regarded as modern generation so your
assumption is just as wrong as the OP's was.

Play nice girls.

http://www.x-rates.com/d/USD/GBP/hist2008.html

Looks like the £ was about $2 until July last year, so just over a year,
and didn't hit $1.41 until March this year. Monthly averages that is.

http://www.x-rates.com/d/USD/GBP/hist2009.html
--
fred
BBC3, ITV2/3/4, channels going to the DOGs

"fred" wrote in message ...
In article , Peter
Crosland writes
"Rob G" wrote in message

Umm ... 200 - 160 = 40; 40/200 = 0.2 which is 20%. No wonder the
world's finances are in such poor shape when the modern generation
can't even do sums like this in their heads.

In actual fact the £ was worth about $1.41 a year ago so it has actually
appreciated against the $ rather than fallen during the last year! As I am
aged 62 I don't think I can be regarded as modern generation so your
assumption is just as wrong as the OP's was.

Play nice girls.

http://www.x-rates.com/d/USD/GBP/hist2008.html

Looks like the £ was about $2 until July last year, so just over a year,
and didn't hit $1.41 until March this year. Monthly averages that is.

http://www.x-rates.com/d/USD/GBP/hist2009.html


I compared rates one year ago on this site.

http://www.oanda.com/convert/fxhistory

It just shows how volatile the rates have been. Nevertheless I don't believe
exchange rates are the main reason for the price rise.

Peter Crosland

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember fred saying
something like:

Apparently TS was started by the guy who owned SF. When SF was sold to
Kingfisher it was part of the contract that he couldn't start a similar
business for 5 years. 5 years after he started TS.

He did it again, TS is now owned by Travis Perkins.

Wonder what he'll start up next, ScrewStation?

On Sep 23, 4:06*pm, Grimly Curmudgeon
wrote:
Wonder what he'll start up next, ScrewStation?

Trade Only - ScrewDIY :-)

"js.b1" wrote in message
...
On Sep 23, 4:06 pm, Grimly Curmudgeon

wrote:
Wonder what he'll start up next, ScrewStation?

Trade Only - ScrewDIY :-)

Pros Only - Toolfix.

On 20 Sep, 10:53, pete wrote:
On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:44:41 +0100, Peter Crosland wrote:
"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
...
New catalogue compared with previous shows an increase of 25% on bulk
screws and fixings. It's not SF's fault - with the £ in freefall, anything
that's made abroad is rocketing in price.

Against what currency? The pound has not dropped that much against the US
dollar.

Peter Crosland

True, but the US isn't exactly a low-wage country where we import low-value
items from, so comparing Sterling against USD won't tell you anything
useful about the cost of imported goods.
However when you compare Sterling against CNY (China) the pound has
dropped from buying 15 Yuan/Renminbi in Sept. 2007 to 11 today
Wassat: a 25% drop? So maybe Screwfix's price rises just reflect the going
rate?

but it's not uncommon for forex transactions to be done in dollars.