use your independant merchants or lose them

[oldplumber]

Only my own thoughts, but we should all be using our merchants more and forget the internet cos if you dont theyll go out of business and when you want that little 12mm to 10mm reducer you wont be able to get one. If we all remembered that buying off the net for boilers is providing some bloke in his kitchen with a few quid a sale as hes buying direct from a merchant /maker who delivers for him free of charge such that he wont care if things arrive dented etc and you have to wait for a replacement for several days, it puts the more expensive independants in a better light.

A local merchant is of far more benefit to most of us, than cheaper boilers, you just accept a slightly smaller margin yourself, or if a customer insists on a boiler off the net my response is that they can buy it themselves and explain how a guarantee works on doing it that way (ie not your problem) and they normally change their minds.

having a trader within 10 minutes is essential to do a cheaper job, so hows about using them as they are esential in the long term, and Im not talking about parts center or city. Whats your opinions are they needed or do we watch them fail and then miss them?

 

[metaldust9]

i tend to use who is the nearest,or if in bulk who i get on with,ive found the really small merchants carnt get near on price for boilers except when its a cheap boiler then there the best ,the other day i paid £8.50 for some stuff i usually pay a fiver for but if id gone were i normally go i would have had to pay petty plus time so wasnt bothered

 

[turnpin]

couldn`t agree with you more you dont have to spend a fortune just pop in from time to time and top up with what you need they like us all have to pay the bills so its better to have some money coming in than none you only have to look at most high streets to see how many shops not just plumbing merchants have closed down.We should also recommend these shops to our colleagues and friends ..spread the word and shop local🙂regards turnpin

 

[dontknowitall]

I just prefer to support local businesses. If you ask and you're a regular customer, they can often match the internet prices. I don't always ask because they have to make a profit to keep going but on occasion they come up trumps.

Another good reason is if you're in there most days, when someone comes in and asks for a plumber, they're more likely to think of the chaps who are their best customers.

 

[oldplumber]

my independant matches plumbfix prices, boilers can cost a bit more but customers can pay that for the convenience of his van delivering parts straight after a call if hes free, cant see the big boys doing that

 

[princegoose]

Its sad to see B&Q beat PTS on some stuff, but as ive got my company logo on the van i dont want be seen at B&Q, Screwfix ect. but more importantly the guys at PTS, plumbcentre and indys know a 100 times more than the anyone at B&Q, internet........

 

[royston]

Local to me i have 3 good independents situated at different sides of town, so usually depends where im working to which one i use. I also find that prices very at each one. As for your screwfix and plumbfix i do on occasions use them for certain things. But i do prefer to use my independents where ever possible.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Its sad to see B&Q beat PTS on some stuff, but as ive got my company logo on the van i dont want be seen at B&Q, Screwfix ect. but more importantly the guys at PTS, plumbcentre and indys know a 100 times more than the anyone at B&Q, internet........

really ,you would not go there cos of reputation ???????
i get bulk buy and only visit local for some staff,reason pump 15/50 -i was charged £77.oo before vat !did search on line and found that i can get a 15/50 same graoundfoss for total of £64.00 in a shop 8 miles away !

 

[princegoose]

i just dont think it looks great if a customer sees you getting stuff from a DIY store, bit snobbish i suppose. Im as prudent as they come, spend hours on internet checking prices.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

b&q has a trade section and i dont think screw fix is diy store ,as it has plum shop to

 

[princegoose]

our B&Q hasnt got a proper trade point and maybe screwfix isnt a diy store but like i say, i just get snobbish. theyre both rip off mercheants anyway.

 

[dontknowitall]

I worked miles away from home late last year and was suprisingly impressed with B&Q. Bit pricey compared to local merchants but it was the cheapest local to the job and they had everything I needed.

 

[oldplumber]

I worked miles away from home late last year and was suprisingly impressed with B&Q. Bit pricey compared to local merchants but it was the cheapest local to the job and they had everything I needed.

where u popping in a ravenheat and a bit of speedfit by any chance?

 

[dontknowitall]

LOL - only speedfit I use are the stop ends!!

Ironically the shower was brilliant!!!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

ironically not on gas pipes ...🙂

 

[Puddle]

I use my local independent supplier most of the time,boilers and a lot of the stuff is not that much more expensive if at all,after postage ,from the internet and if you go like for like on quality,I do not use screw fix as there is a quality issue here

I do buy from the net if any bargains but mainly only boiler and shower/tap spares

Use BQ,Wicks for shower hoses,fixings and handy when finishing a bathroom refurb ect to get the finishing bits a bobs,have never thought about my or any other tradesman's street cred from vans in their car park ,mine boggles

One thing I would mention,I also use my local electrical merchants,not just for the expected electrical equipment ,but often showers,immersion heaters,time controls ect are cheaper there

imho

 

[stevetheplumber]

i use various local and nationals but tend to stock up on copper fittings and plastics three or four times a year from pulsar direct next day delivery ether to site or home as it just saves so much money i buy rads from selcos as they are 30 percent cheaper for the same rads from locals.
way i see it is if the locals cant provide at the right prices they deserve to fail thats buisness i have to make every job as profitable as possible or i would fail
buying matierials from somewhere thats not competative is like walking into waitrose and giving them the thirty quid ive saved by shopping at sainsburies

 

[SafeGasInstall]

for the same make materials not different on quality why not save 15-20%

 

[ranger1]

B&Q are owned by the same company that owns srewfix. I look round B&Q with her who must be obeyed always checking prices, their plaster is cheaper than the local traders including TP, but I am probably like every one else I buy were it is best for me, but I tend to buy boilers from PC even if they are a bit dearer. I`m very well known in my area been trading aprox 30 yrs so I normally get a good deal, however customer service does count to me, that known man on the other end of the phone can be very reasuring at times when there is a problem with the goods that have just been delivered to a customer. Have to say though your motives are good old plumber we either use them or lose them.

 

[oldplumber]

B&Q and the likes of city dont stock the range of parts an independant does and if you ask they wil get and hold bits in stock. everyone is too price orientated these days and expects something for nothing. me Id rather work for 4 days doing a job and charge £35/hour labour and stick 20% on materials and pay a bit more for them rather than hunting round the net to get bits, await delivery and crack the job in 2 days. whos going to be enjoying retirement more, me with some cash left and still able to move around or the arthritic bloke with no money left. sure Ill lose more quotes for work, but I but my customer will stick with me as they know the jobs not had any short cuts and its done well. which means in the lng term Im building and retaining my customer base. cheap and quick isnt best in this trade if you want to survive. After all if customers are really all price orientated why dont they all drive round in cheap ladas, its because we the trade seem to be to happy to fall into the trap of being cheap, customers will pay decent prices if you pursuade them its in th3ir interest to. Then we can get dearer products, which isnt the case where i shop, and still have hapy cstomers.. Remember if you get a really cheap boiler from plumbase, which isoften the case then everything else they flog you is where they make their profits, cos you too often fall into the trap thatv if the boilers cheap everything else will be and thats not the case most times, check it out next time you go for quote. aNYWAY TIME TO HOP OFF THE SOAPBOX, NIGHT ALL

 

[ranger1]

Well old plumber, my kness are in pain, my back hurts, my Kids think i`m daft an they know best, to be true I cant be bothered in chaseing every lead, I only take what I feel is right for me now, more time playing than working, the seven days finnished years ago, the early starts are long gone so are the late finnishes, I will never stop working or learning but my time with the family, wife, kids an grandkids is nearly as important as my nights with my mates in the pub an time with the dog an gun at daft oclock in the morning waiting for a goose to fly over me./ I dont advertize for the reasons you state, work just knocks on the door now, plumbing, gas, kitchens and building has given me a nice life, met some great people on the way got more to meet.I never worry about work someone will always want somthing doing, its just have they got the money to pay for it an are they level headed enough to let the worker enjoy his work without to much stress. This buisness provides a good quality of life if you don`t take yourself to serious. AN ITS GOOD NIGHT FROM ME AS WELL