Where to buy?

dolalu

Hi,
Just about to start a huge self renovation on my new home and obvosly working to a strict budget. Any recommendations about where i should shop? Woodies, B&Q, local stores?

I have never done anything on this scale before?
I have heard good and bad things about the likes of b&q, what experiences has anyone else had?

northdublin

in the middle of a live in renovation and i get some of the stuff i need in b&q and woddies. the likes of building materials like timber, plasterboard, cement and other sundries i would usually go to the local builders providers. but for paint and brushes and tiling equipment and finishing equipment i go to woddies and such places. b&q and woddies dont deliver but builders merchants do so its worth a trip to yer local providers to see what they have.

The Hill Billy

OP - If you are on a strict budget you really need to get out there & cost the materials yourself instead of relying on "[Insert name of outlet here] is cheaper/dearer than [Insert name of other outlet here]" from someone on boards.

Your can check the prices of some stuff online, but when it comes to dealing with builders providers - you can't bargain/haggle with them over the interweb.

10-10-20

You should price around your local suppliers yourself! Often you will find a builders suppliers in some backstreet who can beat the big names on almost all building items!
Try the likes of Brooks and talk to your builders!

I don't think I've ever seen a builder in Woodies!

dolalu

Ok, i undersdtand aboutt he pricing of bits myself....what about in terms of service then. there will be some things i have never done before, what are these types of shops like for advising you of products etc.

I know i can buy a good DIY book or look it up on the internet, but nothing replaces a good bit of old fashioned advice!

* I obviously will only attempt things that are witihn my capability, i have no intention of rewiring my house, for things like that i'll get the pro's in....

grahamo

I'd recommend Chadwicks if there is one close to where you live.

The Hill Billy

If you mention your general area then someone here may be able to point you in the right direction of a helpful builders provide near you.

Builderwoman!

Never buy from the likes of the big chain store type hardware/DIY shops etc for a big renovation job like that unless you are stuck for something on a Sunday when no one else is open...they do have good bargains up and down in some DIY stuff but not in building materials. Go to your local hardware stores in the area...price around between them...hand in or fax in a list of stuff you want to two or three local small hardwares and see what quotes they come back with. You would be surprised...we saved 1200 on plasterboard alone one time when we shopped around!

Bargain with some of them too. Or ask them if they have a rep on the road dealing with builders etc and get his ph no they usually are a lot easier to bargain with rather than the guy working behind the counter who has to put it in at the "shop" rate rather than the "reps" rate. Believe me you will save the price of some of your new furniture by shopping around hardwares, dealing with sales reps for hardwares and doing a bit of bargaining.

A couple of recent examples of rip off in big chain type hardwares...doing a bit of work late on Sat pm and local hardware closes early Sat...went to the "orange" brand DIY chain store to buy paint primer....it was 3 per small tin dearer than local shop.

Recently phoned around about price of bags of peat moss/compost...saved a €1+ a bag by making five phonecalls and of course got much better prices at a smaller local hardware.

On Sunday had to get some of those strong screws and metal type rawl plugs for going through plasterboard on external walls to put up curtain poles etc ...€10+ for pack of 4 in large DIY chainstore.... got a dozen for same price the following day in local hardware.

Ok they are open Sundays and prob later in the evenings but do a shopping list in time of what you need and you will save a lot of money.

dolalu

well i shopped around (a lot) and to be honest i found the 'orange' to be much cheaper overall, some things are expensive, but as a job cost i saved around 7% compared to other shops.plus they pulled my order together when i faxed them so i just had to take the van to the door and pay
woodies was terrible though, pathetic service in carrickmines