Screwfix / Toolstation / Toolbank

[Feltwell]

A bit of inside info you may find useful, as I know some of you use the likes of Screwfix for supplies......

Screwfix, as some of you know, is owned Kingfisher, who also own B&Q. With the expansion of the network of Screwfix trade counters, Screwfix was increasingly in competition with B&Q - especially as it was priced lower to appeal to the trade. Screwfix and B&Q traded as 2 seperate entities, there was little or no joint working between them.

Kingfisher realised they were giving away profit margin here but still want to appeal to the trade - so have come up with "trade point" in B&Q, where registered traders get lower prices than Joe Public. For those of you who use Screwfix trade counters, you may have noticed a very discrete extra door appear on some of them - often labelled for "Plumbfix" or "Electrofix". The users of these seperate "trade only" counters pay lower prices than that shown at the general counter that is open to all - where you are increasingly paying a bit more, closer to B&Q prices. The registration for the "trade only" counter is strictly controlled.

Toolstation is the company started by the founders of Screwfix after they sold Screwfix to Kingfisher. They have also been expanding their trade counter network - my new workplace has both a Toolstation and Screwfix counter within a few hundred yards. The Toolstation catalogue is not as user friendly as the Screwfix one, it is aimed more at the tradesman, but they don't have the 2 tier pricing - and they are starting to look a lot cheaper than Screwfix if you are not trade. I compared 6 different items I needed today, all of them were cheaper in Toolstation than Screwfix. Also, if you don't have a trade counter near you then with Toolstation you only have to spend £10 to get free delivery. I've used them a few times and the service is fine.

Before this starts to sound too much like a Toolstation advert, I should point out that their range is not as comprehensive as Screwfix and that also Toolbank is worth checking, another very similar company. The message here is shop around - prices vary and the difference seems to be getting greater.

Whilst I'm on the subject of DIY supplies - after struggling for a good number of years, the Focus chain has gone into administration this week. It may still yet be bought and the stores are still open for the moment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13294178

 

[AMc]

Thanks for the info Feltwell - I did recall the Kingfisher connection and also the Screwfix founders had set up again but didn't realise it was toolstation.
Screwfix seem to be aggressively expanding their physical stores near me having gone from 1 in Yarmouth to 2 more in Norwich in a couple of years.
I haven't (yet) found anything cheaper in B&Q - certain supplies - draught excluders for instance work out 5:1 in favour of bulk buying at Screwfix.
I also bought 5 wardrobe rails from Screwfix for the price on one in Homebase - must ebay the 3 I don't need
For a while I had a valid Buildstore tradecard which gave me 10% off in Homebase - it was still telling that that barely brought most things in line with B&Q 1/4 mile down the road.

I'm slightly surprised about the trade competition as my experience of shopping around for 'real' building supplies showed almost all prices were flexible between the merchants. The plumbers and electricians had their favourite trade supplier and didn't appear to pay any attention at all to price - just to their quoted discount rate The explanation I came to was that materials were the smaller component of estimates compared to labour and as any significant costs are moved onto the customer they had little incentive to spend time comparison shopping.

FWIW I think diligent comparison shopping is one way in which a self builder can significantly reduce the cost of a build compared to a managed or contracted build.

If you're doing significant building work and having tradesmen on site then self build insurance is worth while - that qualified me for trade cards at many of the big builders merchants which were worth the effort as even the basic 5% discount makes a difference and if you haggle and favour one you can get a better rate.

 

[MdB]

If you're doing significant building work and having tradesmen on site then self build insurance is worth while - that qualified me for trade cards at many of the big builders merchants which were worth the effort as even the basic 5% discount makes a difference and if you haggle and favour one you can get a better rate.

I've had no problems getting trade cards at various merchants. Telling them you are self building seems to be enough.

 

[AMc]

I felt the insurance was worth while having been told my house insurance wouldn't cover any personal liability claims if workmen injured themselves/each other/me.

 

[d49xc]

Any genuine trademan (ie not flybynight cowboys) should/will have public liability insurance to cover themselves against doing any form of damage to you or your property while working on it. Painters dropping cans of paint onto carpets and plumbers flooding the house come to mind.
quoting for many seriously big jobs it's almost mandatory to have to supply a copy of the policy schedule with the tender

Not sure about situation of damage TO them from you or your house I would think this comes under your contents insurance which generally has a liability to the public (ie not you/family or employee) clause in it: legal experts please.........

I agree the situation is more complex when its not really a lived in house/property but a defacto building site.


PS with Toolstation if your a registered user on the web site you can view the local store stock levels for your chosen item. This has saved me many a wasted trip to the local one some 15 miles away. - virtually next to screwfix!
in my opinion screwfix is getting rather expensive now and the stuff I want I found was "out of stock" so I really don't bother anymore
Try an avoid the silverline brand stuff at either if you can - its usually lower quality

The pro's also don't have time (which costs money as well as the petrol) to search round saving a few £ here and there.

 

[middi]

It is worth to note that the majority on products sold by the mentioned outlets can only appeal to the public that needs a quick fix, DIY and of limited durability.

( all in all not a bad thing of course, but as to value for money it is the usual short term rip off. I have used them.)

Middi

 

[Penners]

That's a useful briefing, Feltwell - thank you. Funnily enough I was discussing B&Q's new Trade Point brand with a friend, the other day. In my nearest B&Q (Norwich) the Trade Point checkout area has been clearly delineated with a kind of proscenium arch around it, which seems to say "only special people are allowed in here - nah nah n-nah nah".

It's an interesting marketing exercise - I wonder how much resentment it foments in "ordinary" customers.

I use Toolstation a fair bit, but I must agree that their range is, at present, much more limited than that of Screwfix.

 

[Penners]

It is worth to note that the majority on products sold by the mentioned outlets can only appeal to the public that needs a quick fix, DIY and of limited durability.

That's a strange comment, Middi. Obviously there's an element of "you get what you pay for" in any range of products, but - speaking for myself - I've never found the products sold by these establishments to be inferior to those sold elsewhere (price for price).

 

[Ixia]

Thank you for that, they even deliver to us, which a lot of of the online tool companies don't (or charge vast extra amounts). I miss the old Screwfix. We only have a B&Q here and the prices are unbelievable, there are local builders merchants but they are dear and only open office hours, which is no good when you invariably realise there is something you need on a Sat afternoon.

It is worth to note that the majority on products sold by the mentioned outlets can only appeal to the public that needs a quick fix, DIY and of limited durability.

:? I bought my Makita drill and sander from Screwfix, They are certainly not of limited durability! I frequently have to resort to B&Q and most things are fine, although I was cursing their 12mm plywood yesterday, it varied from 10-13mm :x In fact I have an El Cheapo SDS drill from Argos, expected it to only last the one job, it's still going years later.

 

[Penners]

I bought my Makita drill and sander from Screwfix, They are certainly not of limited durability!

I should hope not - Makita is an excellent brand, IMO.

I was cursing their 12mm plywood yesterday, it varied from 10-13mm

Ply comes in widely varying grades of quality, from shuttering grade up to the best cabinet grade birch ply. If dimensional accuracy is important to you, it's worth spending a bit more on one of the higher grades.

 

[Ixia]

For the price it should have been accurate and gold plated to boot.

Penners - I also had to buy a new paint stirrer, despite knowing there are 2 in the garage......somewhere :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

I also had to buy a new paint stirrer, despite knowing there are 2 in the garage......somewhere :wink:

The good news is that you'll soon find the other two now that you've bought a new one. :wink:

 

[Penners]

But you'll have lost the paint that needed stirring.

 

[AMc]

Any genuine trademan (ie not flybynight cowboys) should/will have public liability insurance to cover themselves against doing any form of damage to you or your property while working on it. Painters dropping cans of paint onto carpets and plumbers flooding the house come to mind.
quoting for many seriously big jobs it's almost mandatory to have to supply a copy of the policy schedule with the tender

True, if you're using a main contractor who is subbing everything else. The primary labour was coming that way and my electricians and plumbers had their own cover.
I also paid some labour directly & used some small builders for bits and bobs and they could have been a real problem if they'd been injured in a serious way. It also provided me with cover for myself and injuries I caused to others while I was working which given I was labouring alongside everyday was important.
It covered injuries to people delivering to site - I strongly doubt the guys delivering the cast iron bath in the back of an Audi estate had cover for lifting it up our scaffold steps into a 1st floor window!
I also needed cover for when the roof was off my house insurance not unreasonably waived my storm damage cover while the roof wasn't watertight and I theft cover for materials that weren't installed.
I spent about £1500 on 18 months insurance for a £190K project so it was sensible in my case.

FWIW I've never found the quality of screwfix stuff to be any better or worse to the stuff I've bought in builders merchants.