buying gear

johnboy6083 · Dec 15, 2010

hi ladies and gents.

im hoping to start doing more of my own work next year, and as such, i need to start thinking about reducing overheads.

Where is the best place for getting gear?
Cable
misc, ie screws/plugs, backboxes, sockets
lighting, ie pendants/flourescents
consumer units/switchgear

any help would be appreciated.

also are thereany pre requisites to getting trade accounts, and anything i should watch out for. also could somebody PM me the problems people seem to be having with CEF, so i know what to avoid.

Thanks in advance,

John

Amp David · Dec 15, 2010

All my fixings I get from Toolstation as its cheaper than anywhere I can find. Always keep astock of wall plugs, screws etc in the van and garage. Plus it get delivered next day for free if over ten quid spend.

Cable I get when I need it from local place. as its seem that everyone has to be competitive with cable prices if they want to sell any.

Consumer units, if its a penny pinching job then its where ever has the cheapest one at that time, but good jobs where the customer doesn't mind spending to get good gear, then its either local for Eaton or again Toolstation for MK. Same goes for sockets, switches and the like. Local guy does GET which seem good quality but look a little square (if you know what I mean) but again Toolstation do MK at a price I can't get any where else.

Never yet used of the big wholesalers as most of my work is local. Have been thinking about getting an account at Edmunsons as they have a good range of products usually held in stock

johnboy6083 · Dec 17, 2010

just bought some 2.5 t+e, from screwfix, and noticed the prices in there seemed reasonable.

How much discount do you lads get from wholesalers?

Also, does anybody know where i can get pattress boxes (white plastic) with really round corners? its for a underfloor heating programmer.

cheers, john

Amp David · Dec 17, 2010

johnboy6083 said:
just bought some 2.5 t+e, from screwfix, and noticed the prices in there seemed reasonable.

How much discount do you lads get from wholesalers?

Also, does anybody know where i can get pattress boxes (white plastic) with really round corners? its for a underfloor heating programmer.

cheers, john

100m of 2.5 is almost a tenner cheaper from Toolstation. MK patress boxes have rounded corners to match there sockets

Local wholsaler gives me 15% before VAT discount on all his stocked gear.

johnboy6083 · Dec 17, 2010

cheers mate. Are his prices reasonable before the discount? im not sure the MK ones are rounded enough. the underfloor hearing programmer is like the picture, but without the back part. Stupid foreign ****!