The joys of screwfix counters

[Gavin John Hyde]

Just gone along the road to screwfix to pick up a click and collect order for tomorrow before they close. Place usually like a ghost town this time of night.
However, There is a lady at the counter with a pile of stuff including a small consumer unit, a box of sockets, switches etc and some twin and earth. She is having a conversation with the guy behind the counter who is being more than helpful in selling her all the bits and discussing her planned job.
She intends to wire up her shed with power and lights now spring is coming and is doing it herself. I know most of the staff in the store and he says to her you need somebody like him (me), she says how much would it be? I said ball park figure depending on cable run and the condition of existing stuff, clipped direct/conduit? etc.. £500+ if it involves a long supply cable and rod.
She said thats far too much and she is going to carry on doing it herself! I said I hope you are going to notify it and test it afterwards. Her response was a classic... My partner will help if i get stuck!! Is he an electrician? No hes a teacher! , what about yourself? Oh, I am a community mental health nurse!
Surely there comes a point with these stores where they have to stop people being a risk to themselves and others in buying things they dont really understand... She might have read a book and watched youtube but is not competent to do the job.
I have long thought that certain stuff should be restricted and only available to people in the trade and qualified or accredited somehow.

 

[Christopher Bernard]

If they restricted the sales of cable and consumer units to only people who have done their 2382 or something, this sort of problem could possibly go away, though to work properly it would have to be by law. Places like Screwfix are a business and care more about selling the stuff than who's buying it for whatever purpose.

 

[PEG]

Not going to happen,so don't stress

Are you going to restrict sales of thermometers?

Vets use thermometers,to assess the health of animals,and are trained to do so.

Anyone can buy any size of thermometer.

Anyone can purchase,any size,and fit in any orifice,of any animal.

Will restricting the sale in some outlets,stop these people from doing as they feel?

Nope.

If you feel the need to ban the sale of anything,head on down to the NEC exhibition centre,and ban the sale of a single scrawny baked potato,for a scandalous £8.95.

I will join you in the protest

 

[Squid]

You should've advised her to buy a load of stanley knife blades so she can hand them out to her patients........

 

[PEG]

If they restricted the sales of cable and consumer units to only people who have done their 2382 or something, this sort of problem could possibly go away, though to work properly it would have to be by law. Places like Screwfix are a business and care more about selling the stuff than who's buying it for whatever purpose.

Nope,it will not.

...So they rock up,with a 2382 certificate,and no problems?

What about signing it off? Have they got any appropriate test gear?

Can they fit the equipment in a professional manner? ...because some sparks with more than the above,cannot.

....This is banning spoons coz people are fat,all over again

 

[Toneyz]

It's the installation of the products, not the purchasing.

 

[telectrix]

anyone can go out and buy gas pipe, but the installation of same is controlled by gas safe. WTF do we not have the same?

 

[Squid]

You've never extended or shortened a gas pipe, you haven't lived just need some washing up liquid or a box of matches to test for leaks.......

 

[Octopus]

I like the free biscuits on the trade counter

 

[telectrix]

You've never extended or shortened a gas pipe, you haven't lived just need some washing up liquid or a box of matches to test for leaks.......

up here in the civilised North, we have ciggy lighters. matches are some sort of ball game played by the likes of arsenal and west ham. one day they'll approach the standards of Liverpool and Accrington Stanley.

 

[westward10]

If they restricted the sales of cable and consumer units to only people who have done their 2382 or something, this sort of problem could possibly go away, though to work properly it would have to be by law. Places like Screwfix are a business and care more about selling the stuff than who's buying it for whatever purpose.

Thats me stuffed then.

 

[elsparko]

anyone can go out and buy gas pipe, but the installation of same is controlled by gas safe. WTF do we not have the same?

shirley its just a "pipe" before gas flows through it?

 

[johnduffell]

Diy is one thing but the real danger is trades people having a go in someone else's house. DIY only affects a single house but a dodgy "electrician" working around an area can do hundred of houses and not be there to deal with the results.
Personally I think part p has reduced the number of the latter, but I'm sure it hasn't changed DIY at all!

 

[Squid]

I like the free biscuits on the trade counter

They are the same biscuits as supplied at boarding school, its not a custard or semolina coating.........

 

[Spoon]

....This is banning spoons coz people are fat,all over again

Why am I being banned??... I can't help being fat, I like cake...

 

[Toneyz]

Once DIY centres only used to sell a limited range of materials and the general public never went near electrical wholesalers it was for trade only.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

Once DIY centres only used to sell a limited range of materials and the general public never went near electrical wholesalers it was for trade only.

Yes, before the days of the Internet and also before Screwfix, Toolstation, etc. which are a sort of halfway house between the DIY superstore and a proper wholesale counter.

You'd think the Internet would make DIY safer, however as communications/ technology advances, a lot of joe public become more and more stupid and unable to communicate or comprehend anything they see or read, unless of course it originates from faeces book.

 

[Spoon]

..unless of course it originates from faeces book.

Is that for buying/selling different sizes/colours of faeces or just pics?

 

[PEG]

They are the same biscuits as supplied at boarding school, its not a custard or semolina coating.........

Ahh,happy days...once upon a time,the first three years at school were spent warming the toilet seat for the school bully...now you can tell them on day one,you want to be non-gender specified,won't do competition sports,and are vegan...

The world is upside down...

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

You've never extended or shortened a gas pipe, you haven't lived just need some washing up liquid or a box of matches to test for leaks.......

Is that what people mean by the bang test?

 

[Pete999]

Just gone along the road to screwfix to pick up a click and collect order for tomorrow before they close. Place usually like a ghost town this time of night.
However, There is a lady at the counter with a pile of stuff including a small consumer unit, a box of sockets, switches etc and some twin and earth. She is having a conversation with the guy behind the counter who is being more than helpful in selling her all the bits and discussing her planned job.
She intends to wire up her shed with power and lights now spring is coming and is doing it herself. I know most of the staff in the store and he says to her you need somebody like him (me), she says how much would it be? I said ball park figure depending on cable run and the condition of existing stuff, clipped direct/conduit? etc.. £500+ if it involves a long supply cable and rod.
She said thats far too much and she is going to carry on doing it herself! I said I hope you are going to notify it and test it afterwards. Her response was a classic... My partner will help if i get stuck!! Is he an electrician? No hes a teacher! , what about yourself? Oh, I am a community mental health nurse!
Surely there comes a point with these stores where they have to stop people being a risk to themselves and others in buying things they dont really understand... She might have read a book and watched youtube but is not competent to do the job.
I have long thought that certain stuff should be restricted and only available to people in the trade and qualified or accredited somehow.

I worked for Electrifix for a short while until I had a falling out with the teenage Manageress, the object of electrifixwas to limit sales of plumbing and electrics to tradespeople, and you had to prove you were actually a Spark or Plumber by showing your qualifications, and so avoid selling to non qualified people, trouble was Joe Public could use both sides Screwfix and Electrifix, many a heated discussion took place which ended in me opening my Gob far to much, only lasted about a month.

 

[Octopus]

You'd think the Internet would make DIY safer, however as communications/ technology advances, a lot of joe public become more and more stupid and unable to communicate or comprehend anything they see or read, unless of course it originates from faeces book.

You just have to look at the forums on some of these "box shifters" if you want to read misleading "advice" - talk about the blind leading the blind.

The problems are made worse when the manufacturers who are supposed to be supporting the trade sell to the sheds .............

 

[Pete999]

You just have to look at the forums on some of these "box shifters" if you want to read misleading "advice" - talk about the blind leading the blind.

The problems are made worse when the manufacturers who are supposed to be supporting the trade sell to the sheds .............

Was going to have a go at you when I read your post Murdoch, but in truth that's exactly what I was a box shifter, good post.

 

[willy fixit]

I like the free biscuits on the trade counter

I complain when there are biscuits but no fruit!
And their coffee is carp!

 

[Pete999]

I complain when there are biscuits but no fruit!
And their coffee is carp!

In reply. the coffee and biccysare supplied by the staff most of the time, the guy on my counter (Chief box shifter) used to bring bags of those kids sweeties in, just saying.

 

[Octopus]

Was going to have a go at you when I read your post Murdoch, but in truth that's exactly what I was a box shifter, good post.

Thing is that most traditional "wholesalers" need to step up with internet sites and increase stock or they will fail .......... too many people reach for these sites frst.

I needed some small white round junction boxes for under cupboard light connections recently - Wilts didn't have any , neither did a local independent (who questioned why they were necessary - so I simply suggested would he want brown or black ones on his new shiny £10K plus kitchen ......... and left) - so TLC or Electrifix was my choice

 

[willy fixit]

In reply. the coffee and biccysare supplied by the staff most of the time, the guy on my counter (Chief box shifter) used to bring bags of those kids sweeties in, just saying.

You're right and I only complain in jest. It'd be better though, if they had a machine like TLC/Denmans/Toolstation/Plumbase or a nice filter coffee like Howdens - Although I never have the Machine coffee only the soup or Hot Choccy! - Costa for coffee.

 

[PEG]

My regular supplier always has a full wild boar,on a spit-roast,and nubian eunuchs,serving honey-mead...

I think you lot need to find establishments,willing to try harder...

 

[Pete999]

You're right and I only complain in jest. It'd be better though, if they had a machine like TLC/Denmans/Toolstation/Plumbase or a nice filter coffee like Howdens - Although I never have the Machine coffee only the soup or Hot Choccy! - Costa for coffee.

You have more money than sense willy Costa equals rip off imo.

 

[Pete999]

My regular supplier always has a full wild boar,on a spit-roast,and nubian eunuchs,serving honey-mead...

I think you lot need to find establishments,willing to try harder...

In yer dreams PEG in yer dreams.

 

[peterhyper]

You have more money than sense willy Costa equals rip off imo.

I can't start the day without my costa, worth every penny of the £2.95.

 

[RWJ]

I can't start the day without my costa, worth every penny of the £2.95.

It's Tomas Nagy from the only ways screwshit lol

 

[Adam W]

Nowadays people don't know their limits because they haven't been introduced to what they can and can't do - it used to be that kids were taught how to do DIY, had a go them selves and consequently knew how to do it. Now nobody is allowed to do anything because "health & safety" unless they've had 'training' and got a certificate to go on the fridge, until such a time comes that they are expected to know how to do everything, like after buying a house or being given a position of responsibility, such as a teacher.

The papers are always keen to tell us that nobody can do the kind of things our grandparents did - wallpapering, darning socks, servicing a car, changing a plug... I suppose having a go at wiring a shed is one of those empowering things that no adult should be told they shouldn't do.

I sometimes wonder what the future has in store, what with children 'graduating' through every stage in life where we would have just got on with it - is it a bit of harmless fun or does it teach the idea that you can't do anything unless a higher authority has officially legitimised it with a certificate? Will it be left to the NHS to scoop up the bodies of recent university graduates who have starved to death because they never got their groceries badge?

 

[telectrix]

The Nature of Things - https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=G_u3_ppkoOAC&pg=PA26&lpg=PA26&dq=when+we+were+young+we+climbed+trees&source=bl&ots=0U8QTjZ_m8&sig=dccWOQiPuz9KvYFDNcbILDIEgqk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjh5M3RoLTZAhXsAMAKHRACCPkQ6AEISTAG#v=onepage&q=when%20we%20were%20young%20we%20climbed%20trees&f=false

 

[davesparks]

neither did a local independent (who questioned why they were necessary - so I simply suggested would he want brown or black ones on his new shiny £10K plus kitchen ......... and left)

I think I can guess where that was, and which member of staff it was. He always has to have an opinion on what you are buying and the way you should do the job.

 

[davesparks]

limit sales of plumbing and electrics to tradespeople, and you had to prove you were actually a Spark or Plumber by showing your qualifications, and so avoid selling to non qualified people,

When I signed up to electrifix they wanted proof in the form of scheme membership, they had to phone the office to check whether my C&G qualifications were good enough!

 

[Octopus]

I only go there as a last resort!

Just can't warm to the boss

 

[Christopher Bernard]

When I signed up to electrifix they wanted proof in the form of scheme membership, they had to phone the office to check whether my C&G qualifications were good enough!

When I signed up they just wanted proof that I had a certificate relating to electrical works, they asked for my membership number but as to whether they contacted them I have no idea.

 

[Pete999]

I only go there as a last resort!

Just can't warm to the boss

Was She/He a teenager with dillusuions of self importance?

 

[Octopus]

Was She/He a teenager with dillusuions of self importance?

Ha ha

He's old, arrogant, and believes he's god, and can't accept people buy elsewhere...

 

[Pete999]

Ha ha

He's old, arrogant, and believes he's god, and can't accept people buy elsewhere...

Yrah get the picture

 

[RWJ]

When I signed up they just wanted proof that I had a certificate relating to electrical works, they asked for my membership number but as to whether they contacted them I have no idea.

However, when they opened our local branch they gave Electricfix membership to anyone who asked... No proof!

This seemed to be a common policy at the time, there is a thread on here (from about 6 years ago) discussing it.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

My regular supplier always has a full wild boar,on a spit-roast,and nubian eunuchs,serving honey-mead...

I think you lot need to find establishments,willing to try harder...

That aussie firm who have taken over homebase give out free hotdogs on a sunday in Oz. I am hoping they do the family sizzle events in teh uk, but suspect it will attract the wrong crowd! should offer it to people spending x amount only. you wouldnt mind homebase prices then if you get a hotdog!

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I can't start the day without my costa, worth every penny of the £2.95.

get yourself an espresso machine at home and a bag of ground coffee, then a thermal cup, you will save a fortune. once you try fresh coffee you realise that instant crap really is awful

 

[Octopus]

Ha ha

He's old, arrogant, and believes he's god, and can't accept people buy elsewhere...

And to add, they don't have any computer generated accounts and all the invoices are written by hand...

 

[Percyprod]

Whilst not disagreeing with the safety aspect of wiring or gas installations by unqualified people, I always find it strange that no mention is made of the ability of anyone to buy car brake or steering parts, and to fit them. Surely the danger risk is far greater, potentially many people injured or killed as oppossed to one. Also how many safety minded qualified electricians use their phone, eat or drink whilst driving? A high number I'c guess, but of course that 8s suitably forgotten.

 

[Squid]

That aussie firm who have taken over homebase give out free hotdogs on a sunday in Oz. I am hoping they do the family sizzle events in teh uk, but suspect it will attract the wrong crowd! should offer it to people spending x amount only. you wouldnt mind homebase prices then if you get a hotdog!

With the new owners taking a £584M write down on the business I don't think that will happen.

The trouble in the UK is you just get the scum abusing it, look at the Black Friday event a few years back with people going mad for sh!te TV's or the opening of the new Ikea store in Enfield.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

With the new owners taking a £584M write down on the business I don't think that will happen.

The trouble in the UK is you just get the scum abusing it, look at the Black Friday event a few years back with people going mad for sh!te TV's or the opening of the new Ikea store in Enfield.

When they bought the company it turns out homebase had millions of quids worth of stock sitting in warehouses they had forgot about, i learnt this as when in a store i asked what the heck they were doing with spice girls wallpaper in 2017! they said then about the old stock and how this mountain of plastic storage boxes was part of it and thats why they are so cheap - they had sat in a warehouse for close to a decade. they have turned some homebase stores (mainly small dated ones with short leases) into clearance stores where this random stock goes to be sold cheap, they are then going to close some warehouses as they are surplus to requirements. the random stuff ranges from fittings, storage stuff, tools and furniture. its a case of what they find next in the warehouse. I bought a new light fitting that had a faded old homebase logo on the outside for a tenner, back in 2009 when on sale it was £49.99, so cant complain

 

[Squid]

When they bought the company it turns out homebase had millions of quids worth of stock sitting in warehouses they had forgot about, i learnt this as when in a store i asked what the heck they were doing with spice girls wallpaper in 2017! they said then about the old stock and how this mountain of plastic storage boxes was part of it and thats why they are so cheap - they had sat in a warehouse for close to a decade. they have turned some homebase stores (mainly small dated ones with short leases) into clearance stores where this random stock goes to be sold cheap, they are then going to close some warehouses as they are surplus to requirements. the random stuff ranges from fittings, storage stuff, tools and furniture. its a case of what they find next in the warehouse. I bought a new light fitting that had a faded old homebase logo on the outside for a tenner, back in 2009 when on sale it was £49.99, so cant complain

The HB in Earls Court was demolished and the are being turned in to flats the one in W12 is closing down in the next year or so and flats are being built on the plot, who the f!!ck will want to live in a flat on the side of the A40?

 

[static zap]

Forgotten stock ,or customers just would not spend fast enough at --those prices--!
(Like an offie with out of date stock -cos locals are skint )