Was going to post this in bargains elsewhere but Madhouse seems more fitting.

B&Q price on 10 x M8 SS washers £3.28. I'll just drop my trousers then?

Toolstation is £1.52 for 100 and a free hot chocolate!

And I'm done.

But according to their advertising they're the cheapest DIY place around!

I know what you mean though - I avoid the place if at all possible. You know something's adrift when I can go to a local independent fastener supplier (Suffolk Fasteners), order exactly the quantity I require, get far better quality stuff than B&Q's, AND pay a fraction of the price. In fact, I often buy more than I need because (1) I'm embarrassed to occupy the salesman's time for just 50p or £1 and (2) you never know when I might need those extra nuts, bolts & washers!

What really annoys me is that an excellent hardware shop in Ipswich folded because they couldn't compete with B&Q, even though that shop was often cheaper.

Trouble is - the average DIY punter is a mug...

B n Q is right next to Tool station here, if I want something I pop in first to seechow much the bit is in pounds then govin TS for cit in pennys!

And, screwfix are opening in between now to add more checking!!

Screwfix are owned by B&Q...

Screwfix are owned by B&Q but they are a lot cheaper. Mine is just around the corner from B&Q and I am surprised than anyone still uses B&Q for anything that screwfix sells - even though its often a case of more for the same price, you can never have enough nuts, bolts and washers.

Beware b&q bolts are made from cheap shitty steel so do not use where ht bolts are needed, i dont think they even meet 8.8 spec

I once bought an extension lead with surge protection from Screwfix. It wasn't the main purchase but the other stuff I'd bought was the cheapest I could find, so I naturally thought that the extension lead would also be a good deal. Wrong! The exact same extension lead was actually £5 cheaper in B&Q. Managed to get the difference back due to their price promise but if I hadn't looked at the item in B&Q on the same day, I'd have been none the wiser.

I've shopped around for a few items over the last year or so and found B&Q to be the cheapest. Even when compared to online retailers.

Phil

My main problem with screwfix is that about half the time i go there, i have to go back again to get something changed. Broken tools, 40mm pipe fittings missing seals, etc etc. That combined with the fact that the cheapest of any tool there is generally not up to the job intended (and you have to then buy a dearer one) has made me very careful shopping there.

OK, I'm after a good quality led torch, one with a 1 km focusable beam, where to go??

Coozer, surely that's a death ray you're talking aboot?
What aboot this one?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Duronic-RFL903D-Rechargeable-Metres-Flashlight/dp/B00B0L74Z2

HTH. Cheers, Pewe10

quote:

---

Originally posted by coozer
OK, I'm after a good quality led torch, one with a 1 km focusable beam, where to go??

---

Think B&Q are dear have a wander into Homebase you'll come out laughing your nads off.
Cheers,
Bob

quote:

---

Originally posted by splitrivet
Think B&Q are dear have a wander into Homebase you'll come out laughing your nads off.
Cheers,
Bob

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by David Jenkins

quote:

---

Originally posted by splitrivet
Think B&Q are dear have a wander into Homebase you'll come out laughing your nads off.
Cheers,
Bob

---

Another place that insist that they are cheap on TV ads....

---

I ALWAYS try to avoid B&Q, and halfords! Ridiculous prices! What you pay for convenience though I suppose!

I have actually done some research into this. B&Q is expensive for EVERYTHING unless you have a trade card. The trade cards are easy to get. Screws and Bolts come our about the same as Screwfix as you get access to the trade only products. Plumbing fixtures and fittings are cheaper at B&Q with the trade card and they have a great returns policy. The Tradecard makes B&Q as cheap if not cheaper than screwfix for SMALL items and consumables. But for larger items just stay well clear. I bought a bath tap from B&Q and found it for half price elsewhere. Took it back and got a refund.

I'm expecting a delivery of 50 nuts today. £12.49






But they are M20
( S/F )

I HAD to buy a length of box steel from them a week or so back as it was a Saturday and my steel stockholders were obviously closed.
£20.00 for 1.5m!!!
I pay less than that for 7.5m, with as many cuts as I like!
It felt like they'd inserted said steel when I got to the till

We needed a couple of lengths of kitchen worktop (for the cheap and cheerful temporary kitchen)
Wickes stuff looked decent but was £130 each
Ikea stuff looked almost as good but was only £35 each (but in some weird 620mm widths)
B&Q looked really cheap and nasty and was still £130 and most of the ones the had were damaged - total rip off
Needless to say we got it from Ikea....

quote:

---

Originally posted by thefreak
I HAD to buy a length of box steel from them a week or so back as it was a Saturday and my steel stockholders were obviously closed.
£20.00 for 1.5m!!!
I pay less than that for 7.5m, with as many cuts as I like!
It felt like they'd inserted said steel when I got to the till

---

Interesting to see that the company that owns B&Q are planning to shut about 50 stores due to financial pressures... I wonder why...

Think you have to shop about, i bought a exhaust clamp from Halfords £1.59 need another so went to my local car place £2.00.

must be a local nuts and bolts supplier near you.

I guess you pay for the fact you can go in late at night and get almost anything. And they know it!

It's post like that make me glad my father in law owns the local fasteners company.