B+Q Prices!

[Bartdude]

Went to a job today,needed a couple of 22mm compression stop ends,didn't have any in the van(doh!)so I nipped down the road to B+Q. Found them and looked at the price,£3.49 each!!

I couldn't bring myself to pay it,drove 10 minutes to a merchants instead!!

Thing is the place was packed,there was a guy buying about 8 lengths of 22mm copper too(in 2 meter lengths so it fits in cars)Dread to think how much that cost him

 

[ecowarm]

[DLMURL="http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9264634&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=copper+pipe&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&isSearch=true"]

Streamline Black Label EN 1057 Copper Tube X022L-2 22mm x 2m EAN: 5034579002498 [/DLMURL]

in store

Available for reserve & collect
[DLMURL="http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/stores/store_finder.jsp?productID=9264634&linkSrc=lister&ean=5034579002498"]Select a store to check stock & reserve & collect

[/DLMURL]



Only £17.99

 

[Blake]

Yeah but remember guys, we are paying for the highly skilled and ever helpful members of staff who are trained to a very high standard in all things plumbing and gas.

 

[Puddle]

Went to a job today,needed a couple of 22mm compression stop ends,didn't have any in the van(doh!)so I nipped down the road to B+Q. Found them and looked at the price,£3.49 each!!

I couldn't bring myself to pay it,drove 10 minutes to a merchants instead!!

Thing is the place was packed,there was a guy buying about 8 lengths of 22mm copper too(in 2 meter lengths so it fits in cars)Dread to think how much that cost him

Some would have bought the compression cap ends,kept the reciept,finished the job then bought two more from merchants the next day or so and return those for a B&Q refund.,I think not right using B&Q like that but seen it done

imho

 

[Puddle]

[DLMURL="http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9264634&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=copper+pipe&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&isSearch=true"]

Streamline Black Label EN 1057 Copper Tube X022L-2 22mm x 2m EAN: 5034579002498 [/DLMURL]

in store

Available for reserve & collect
[DLMURL="http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/stores/store_finder.jsp?productID=9264634&linkSrc=lister&ean=5034579002498"]Select a store to check stock & reserve & collect

[/DLMURL]



Only £17.99

Thanks for heads up,will reserve mine straight away if any left

 

[Bartdude]

Some would have bought the compression cap ends,kept the reciept,finished the job then bought two more from merchants the next day or so and return those for a B&Q refund.,I think not right using B&Q like that but seen it done

imho

The way that fuel prices are at the moment I probably would have been out of pocket by the time I'd driven back and forth!! And they were individually packaged in little plastic bags

 

[GQuigley67]

tradepoint account reduces the b&q prices get yourself one of those just incase you need to nip over to b&q if its nearer or merchants are shut, last resort though

 

[WHPES]

Some plumbing stuff at B&Q is actually way cheaper than anywhere else, such as polytanks. You've just got to be careful and check.

 

[plumberbest]

Yes totally agree with WHPES B&Q is the cheapest store for plumbing accessories.

 

[papahape]

Some would have bought the compression cap ends,kept the reciept,finished the job then bought two more from merchants the next day or so and return those for a B&Q refund.,I think not right using B&Q like that but seen it done

imho

def my new tip for the day cheers

 

[WHPES]

Whatever it costs for the fittings, B&Q or otherwise, I just add it to the bill.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

of course the customer pays otherwise you won't make any profit

 

[tipintim]

is that 17.99 for 2 meters of 22, or a bundle?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

2 meters i would guess

 

[graham_f]

As a DIYer, rather than a professional plumber, where would you guys recommend I purchase supplies (pipe and fittings etc) from? Are the places you use trade only or do they sell to the public too?

 

[GQuigley67]

there are alot of places plumb centre, william wilsons, pts, bss, they sell to public and trade although you don't get discounts unless you have a trade account with them

 

[Avatar]

£4.50 for a 15mm equal tee compression fitting - they are having a bubble!

Having said that the copper pipe can sometimes be cheaper in wee and poo . . .

When ever I go to the plumbing section, half the little plastic bags are ripped open, and have bits missing from them as 'someone' half inches them. If you do buy here, make sure someone hasn't opened the packet before you . . .

 

[quality]

I once bought a copper hot water cylinder from B&Q and it was full of those plastic packets

 

[stevetheplumber]

out of interest whats everyone paying for 15mm tube ?merchant has just told me its going up again

 

[verdigrey]

15mm 10 x 3m £60.50 plus VAT . BES .

 

[dontknowitall]

£60 plus vat - local merchant (free delivery/collection too!)

 

[andekoch]

I find there is a careful balance between spending time to hunt down and order or collect the cheapest stuff plus the cost of holding stock yourself as opposed to using the most convenient place.
I tend to use a small local firm so my travel time is minimal and stock holding is very low. His prices are a little high but not too bad plus I am not loosing jobs on price so cant be that bad.

 

[Guest123]

22mm compression stop ends? Why do you not have a couple in stock in your van, these are basic and often essential items! LOL
B&Q cater for the guys that are killing our industry, i.e diyers as the uninformed will pay their rip off prices. Trade Point is ok for some things but most items are not catered for with this card and it's B&Q's way off getting trade customers in their doors that can't get to rip off sister company Screwfix. Best way I found to get work and also **** them off is to stand outside their door in their car park and hand out my own leaflets.
Rant over.
;-))

 

[adam84]

ive always found b+q to a bit on the pricey side but where i am there is a b+q and a screwfix in close proximity so i opened a plumbfix account with some nice discounts and a larger range available, the only down side is that you have to be gassafe registered to open an account which wont be very good bathroom installers or unregistered plumbers sadly.

 

[Resolute]

I'm a plumbfix account holder and I don't have gas qualifications - they just won't sell me any gas appliances. If more companies took this approach then there might not be so many dangerous gas installations!

 

[GQuigley67]

I have never been challenged to show my gas safe card when buying gas stuff, which is wrong i believe but they dont care as long as they get the cash

 

[johnmcginty]

ive always found b+q to a bit on the pricey side but where i am there is a b+q and a screwfix in close proximity so i opened a plumbfix account with some nice discounts and a larger range available, the only down side is that you have to be gassafe registered to open an account which wont be very good bathroom installers or unregistered plumbers sadly.

You dont have to be gas safe to open a plumbfix account i have one and i don't do gas. You just need 2 invoices and a business card.

 

[Resolute]

You dont have to be gas safe to open a plumbfix account i have one and i don't do gas. You just need 2 invoices and a business card.

I didn't even need that, I phoned them up and gave details of my qualifications over the phone and they upgraded my screwfix account to a plumbfix one.

 

[adam84]

well im glad to be corrected on that one, the system would be better in this country if we followed the example of the states and made it legislation that only registered engineers can buy gas critical parts, after all its just like selling dynamite to someone that doesnt have a clue, the only problem with that is that retail sector probably has more sway than the gas industry.

 

[Spike295]

There are also alot of people out there with a gas safe card who also dont have a clue!

 

[Guest123]

What's the point when if you're refused gas fittings etc in Plumbfix that you can go across the road to the same company's DIY section called B&Q and buy them? I sent my missus to buy me a gas cooker hose and she got it no problem from B&Q. She's an office worker!

 

[Dannypipe]

If you stopped joe public buying anything to do with Gas, then they'd just switch to the internet...well a lot of them would. It'll never happen.

It would be nice if it did, but it won't.

Did PTS/Plumb Centre or any other plumbing merchants ask to see your credientials before you opened an account, or just a letter head!?

I buy all manner of boiler parts from PTS, for all they know I might just dress like a plumber...oh and smell like one.

You get my point.

 

[fagsanbooz]

As a registered engineer i am supportive of some merchants not selling 'gas' fittings to non-registered but, i hope it doesn't become a 'closed shop' and that means lack of competition (back to the 70's!!), higher prices and effectively a restriction of trade. What about these scenarios;
A large national housebuilder negotiates low prices for bulk buying but, a merchant says, sorry your not competent to have boilers or gas fires?????
You need to get your car brakes done but halfords laugh when you can't prove your qualified and suggest they can supply a local garage only and not you?????????
Oh and by the way, no more heating controls, wiring centres, cable or fused spurs for you plumbers, only available to qualified electricians???
Or... are we all saying that car repairs and 230v electrics don't have any safety issues and are all DIY???

 

[Mikey456]

Rofl went into B&Q on friday for a new toolbox as they had some decent offers on due to the bank holiday weekend. Ended up giving my number out for a job some woman was plunging her sink and it was coming through the bath B&Q guy didnt have a clue what he was talking about so i jumped in and gave her a tip then she said oh can you do it instead? Done it saturday £35 for pouring some knockout down the pipe

 

[Guest123]

Rofl went into B&Q on friday for a new toolbox as they had some decent offers on due to the bank holiday weekend. Ended up giving my number out for a job some woman was plunging her sink and it was coming through the bath B&Q guy didnt have a clue what he was talking about so i jumped in and gave her a tip then she said oh can you do it instead? Done it saturday £35 for pouring some knockout down the pipe

I once handed out my leaflets in their carpark and got loads of work. Revenge is sweet!

 

[Mikey456]

The look on the guys face that was serving her was priceless, think he was shocked that i actually gave my number to her haha.

 

[bcp]

It isn't the job of a commercial consortium (or monopoly) to establish restrictive or closed shop practices. The cynical thinking is to be seen to be on side and therefore court trade; also establish an elite. If a loony member of the public wants to blow him or herself up that's up to them and any statute or law as a consequence, it is not the business of shops or trades to interfere. This echoes exactly the debate about so called fast trackers. If there is no other route (never mind the theoretical apprenticeships that don't exist or are blocked to older people) for new entrants into the trade then so be it. I abhor the idea that only a select few and their 'chosen' family or friends should be able to gain access to an earning trade or profession. My views are the same for the so called white collar jobs. Anyone should be able to gain access or entrance: if they are no good at it, that's a different matter.

 

[unguided1]

tradepoint account reduces the b&q prices get yourself one of those just incase you need to nip over to b&q if its nearer or merchants are shut, last resort though

I think GQuigley67 has got it right B&Q are definately trying to push their trade accounts at the moment I went to buy some 1/2" tap washers last week mainly because I was passing and I couldnt be bothered to root around in the back of the motor, I couldnt belive it when I got to the checkout and they tried to charge me £4.50 for them, nearly had a heart attack, (that would probably cheer a few people up if i did).
I left em on the counter and rooted around in the motor

 

[desrob]

It isn't the job of a commercial consortium (or monopoly) to establish restrictive or closed shop practices. The cynical thinking is to be seen to be on side and therefore court trade; also establish an elite. If a loony member of the public wants to blow him or herself up that's up to them and any statute or law as a consequence, it is not the business of shops or trades to interfere. This echoes exactly the debate about so called fast trackers. If there is no other route (never mind the theoretical apprenticeships that don't exist or are blocked to older people) for new entrants into the trade then so be it. I abhor the idea that only a select few and their 'chosen' family or friends should be able to gain access to an earning trade or profession. My views are the same for the so called white collar jobs. Anyone should be able to gain access or entrance: if they are no good at it, that's a different matter.

why would buisness , shops , trades , want to interfere with a damaged individual blowning him self up,and apprenticeships are 90% practical based

 

[redbarnman]

You also have to remember that B&Q are open long hours, Saturday, Sunday and Bank holidays and that costs money. Compare that to your trade merchant. Screwfix work well for me and are quite a bit cheaper than B&Q even the new trade point part.

 

[Guest123]

You also have to remember that B&Q are open long hours, Saturday, Sunday and Bank holidays and that costs money. Compare that to your trade merchant. Screwfix work well for me and are quite a bit cheaper than B&Q even the new trade point part.

B&Q, Screwfix, Plumbfix and the rest are all the same company. B&Q is the DIY division and the rest are aimed at trade. With clever marketing i.e Trade Point with discount card, free website and email etc. they are trying to make sure that Trade goes mainly to them and their sub companies.
The wee independent corner merchants can't compete. The B&Q companies are open 7 days a week. For an independent merchant to do that they'd have to pay extra staff wages and then put up their prices.

 

[tackleburger]

Some would have bought the compression cap ends,kept the reciept,finished the job then bought two more from merchants the next day or so and return those for a B&Q refund.,I think not right using B&Q like that but seen it done

imho

I went in for cap ends and walked out as well. The really annoying thing is this.

You used to be able to go in pick them up at a reasonable price, then get your trade card out and you would get 5% cashback in due course. You could do this on everything.

Now enter trade point yahoo. My B&Q doesn't have one so i have to order should I feel the need cap ends in trade point are as well priced as the merchants in fact possibly cheaper. But you have to order them to get the price. I asked why and they said, wait for it. The ones in store are better quality!! Oh right then hardly bleeding kuterlites plumbsure or something what a joke. I have seriously reduced my purchasing in B&Q I used it a lot for end feed etc as it was as good as any both price and quality and they opened at 7am. Don't go now since the trade point thing everything has shot up in price.

 

[unguided1]

Unknown to a lot of people is the fact that B&Q are owned by Kingfisher PLC who also own Screwfix. I suspect that the reason why B&Q prices have increased recently is because they have just done a deal to purchase 30 odd Focus stores for some 20 odd million pounds, so someone has to pay for the deal and I suppose it will just have to be the customers