I would expect SF to always be the cheaper, but there's few inexplicable differences I've come across on bulk items.

For instance Ronseal Diamond Hard floor varnish:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-di...n-2-5ltr/99321

£36.99 for 2.5 litres

http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/paint-w...?skuId=9260902

£59.98 for 5 litres

OK a 2.5 litre can is £42.98 at B&Q - but if you don't know about the 5 litre price at B&Q, you end up paying more in the long run at SF.

Actually that 5l can price is the cheapest I can find anywhere.

Same happened when I was buying boxes of MK White double sockets - the box of 5 significantly cheaper at B&Q. I think I also found that some of the other MK fittings were slightly cheaper at B&Q (5A round-pin lighting sockets IIRC)

And another was Ragni trowels (the good hardened steel stuff).

Any others you know of where the DIY sheds beat the trade counters?

On Sunday 29 December 2013 09:14 wrote in uk.d-i-y:


Any others you know of where the DIY sheds beat the trade counters?

Quite often it seems to happen. B&Q pricing is random.

Even instore...

Once I noticed some precut mains flex, it was something like I forget the
exact figures):

5m £2.99
10m £6.99


--
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http://www.sensorly.com/ Crowd mapping of 2G/3G/4G mobile signal coverage

wrote:

Any others you know of where the DIY sheds beat the trade counters?

single 3m length 15mm copper tube

B&Q £8.98
SF £9.49 (£7.49 if you want ten pack)
TS only sell 2m length in ten pack for £5.49

Oh dear, now I disprove my own point, must be a recent offer, I checked
a week or two ago

Wickes £5.49 (£5.36 in ten pack)

On Sun, 29 Dec 2013 01:14:12 -0800, wrote:

Same happened when I was buying boxes of MK White double sockets - the
box of 5 significantly cheaper at B&Q. I think I also found that some of
the other MK fittings were slightly cheaper at B&Q (5A round-pin
lighting sockets IIRC)

There was some discussion here (a while ago) that the sheds were selling
'special builds' of MK stuff - not built to the same quality. Can't
remember the outcome though.

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Tim Watts wrote:

Once I noticed some precut mains flex, it was something like I forget the
exact figures):

5m £2.99
10m £6.99

Though unlike dishwasher tablets, 15mm copper tees and screws, there's
no saving to be had if you want a single 10m run of flex ;-)

In general, I find SF have ramped their prices up so much in the last
few years that they're not at all concerned with beating anybody in
price wars, instead relying on heavy advertising of the "25% off!" type
to draw people in.

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

There was some discussion here (a while ago) that the sheds were selling

'special builds' of MK stuff - not built to the same quality. Can't

remember the outcome though.


The MK stuff I bought had exactly the same product ID's, but that's certainly one to be wary of in future.

wrote:
I would expect SF to always be the cheaper, but there's few
inexplicable differences I've come across on bulk items.

For instance Ronseal Diamond Hard floor varnish:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-di...n-2-5ltr/99321

£36.99 for 2.5 litres

http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/paint-w...?skuId=9260902

£59.98 for 5 litres

OK a 2.5 litre can is £42.98 at B&Q - but if you don't know about the
5 litre price at B&Q, you end up paying more in the long run at SF.

Actually that 5l can price is the cheapest I can find anywhere.

Or you could just type in 'Ronseal Diamond Hard floor varnish' into google,
click on shopping, sort prices from low to high, and pay £7.99 per 2.5L tin
from brooklyn trading.

wrote:
I would expect SF to always be the cheaper, but there's few
inexplicable differences I've come across on bulk items.

For instance Ronseal Diamond Hard floor varnish:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-di...n-2-5ltr/99321

£36.99 for 2.5 litres

http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/paint-w...?skuId=9260902

£59.98 for 5 litres

OK a 2.5 litre can is £42.98 at B&Q - but if you don't know about the
5 litre price at B&Q, you end up paying more in the long run at SF.

Actually that 5l can price is the cheapest I can find anywhere.

Or you could just type in 'Ronseal Diamond Hard floor varnish' into google,
click on shopping, sort prices from low to high, and pay £7.99 per 2.5L tin
from brooklyn trading.

On Sun, 29 Dec 2013 01:14:12 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Any others you know of where the DIY sheds beat the trade counters?

Not exactly on topic, but sometimes B&Q and SF are the same price, then take
off 10% on crinklyday...
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

Or you could just type in 'Ronseal Diamond Hard floor varnish' into google,

click on shopping, sort prices from low to high, and pay �7.99 per 2.5L tin

from brooklyn trading.


That's a very good price, unfortunately when you click through on the link it's the coloured stuff.

(the look of the tins suggests it's pretty old stock, although it may still be perfectly good)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/12113...ff14=95&ff19=0

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
wrote:

Any others you know of where the DIY sheds beat the trade counters?

single 3m length 15mm copper tube

B&Q £8.98
SF £9.49 (£7.49 if you want ten pack)
TS only sell 2m length in ten pack for £5.49

Our local TS (Folkestone) will sell individual lengths if you ask. I
discovered this by accident when I was in there picking something up and
remembered I needed a length of plastic conduit. After quickly looking and
noticing it was only listed as 20m packs in the catalogue I mentioned I'd
leave it. The guy then pulled out some tatty bit of paper from under the
counter with individual prices and went to split a pack.

Can't remember the price but it was perfectly reasonable. Worth trying if
you are in there anyway - might save a trip elsewhere :-)

Darren

In message , D.M.Chapman
writes
Our local TS (Folkestone) will sell individual lengths if you ask. I
discovered this by accident when I was in there picking something up and
remembered I needed a length of plastic conduit. After quickly looking and
noticing it was only listed as 20m packs in the catalogue I mentioned I'd
leave it. The guy then pulled out some tatty bit of paper from under the
counter with individual prices and went to split a pack.

Can't remember the price but it was perfectly reasonable. Worth trying if
you are in there anyway - might save a trip elsewhere :-)



There are a few things in TS's online catalogue that are sold in packs,
but are available in individual lengths if bought in store (rather than
online).


Adrian
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In message , D.M.Chapman
writes
In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
wrote:

Any others you know of where the DIY sheds beat the trade counters?

single 3m length 15mm copper tube

B&Q £8.98
SF £9.49 (£7.49 if you want ten pack)
TS only sell 2m length in ten pack for £5.49

Our local TS (Folkestone) will sell individual lengths if you ask. I
discovered this by accident when I was in there picking something up and
remembered I needed a length of plastic conduit. After quickly looking and
noticing it was only listed as 20m packs in the catalogue I mentioned I'd
leave it. The guy then pulled out some tatty bit of paper from under the
counter with individual prices and went to split a pack.

Can't remember the price but it was perfectly reasonable. Worth trying if
you are in there anyway - might save a trip elsewhere :-)


It's not in the printed customer catalogues, nor online I think, but
there are extra pages in the laminated ones at the 'order stations' (in
the Huntingdon anyway) one giving the singles prices for various pipes
--
Chris French

In article ,
chris French wrote:

It's not in the printed customer catalogues, nor online I think, but
there are extra pages in the laminated ones at the 'order stations' (in
the Huntingdon anyway) one giving the singles prices for various pipes


Ah, that might explain it - I've never used the instore catalogues. Will
look next time.

I usually stick it all in my basket online, check it should be in stock
then print out the basket with the magic code. Much quicker than them
having to rekey it all and saves having to give postcode etc repeatedly.

Added bonus is the orders are all visible online - handy when I want
another tube of that sealant that was good last time yet I can't
remember which one it was. :-)

Darren

D.M.Chapman wrote:

I usually stick it all in my basket online, check it should be in stock
then print out the basket with the magic code. Much quicker than them
having to rekey it all

I use the TS trolley as a stock checker, but rarely order using it
unless it's unavailable in a local branch, as it makes you wait two days
to collect, unlike virtually every other click and collect website.

What "magic code" is this?

furtling

Oh, so you have to go through the motions of printing it (but can cancel
the actual print) to see the xx9999 format reference number, given that
I'd never print out an order I've never noticed that, and given that all
you need is the reference why *would* you print it - daft!

In message , Andy
Burns writes
D.M.Chapman wrote:

I usually stick it all in my basket online, check it should be in stock
then print out the basket with the magic code. Much quicker than them
having to rekey it all

I use the TS trolley as a stock checker, but rarely order using it
unless it's unavailable in a local branch, as it makes you wait two
days to collect, unlike virtually every other click and collect website.

Ditto.

What "magic code" is this?

furtling

Oh, so you have to go through the motions of printing it (but can
cancel the actual print) to see the xx9999 format reference number,
given that I'd never print out an order I've never noticed that, and
given that all you need is the reference why *would* you print it - daft!


Ah will have to investigate.

--
Chris French

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:

What "magic code" is this?

furtling

Oh, so you have to go through the motions of printing it (but can cancel
the actual print) to see the xx9999 format reference number, given that
I'd never print out an order I've never noticed that, and given that all
you need is the reference why *would* you print it - daft!


Yep, that's the code. I did contact them and ask why it only appears on
the printed output and they thanked me for my feedback...

that was a good two years ago, so I guess it's not likely to change anytime
soon.

Darren