Rip Off B&Q

Emp_Fab

So, I bought a wall mount to stick my telly up on the wall and it comes with M8 and M6 bolts to attach the bracket to the TV. Unfortunately, my TV has M4 holes so I need to get some M4x25 bolts.  I look on B&Q's website as they are pretty much the nearest place to me for bits 'n bobs like that - £6.08 for a pack of 10.

I look on Ebay... £1.23 for 10 including delivery AND they're stainless steel (unlike B&Q's).

If only I could get around having to wait for things to arrive from Ebay !!!!

dafuzz

I like their music though

randomhandclaps

dafuzz said:

I like their music though

http://anglicanmemes.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/evil-vicar-a-bit-spiritual.gif?w=584

EricTheWeary

I had to buy an oven bulb for my mother ( well, my mother's oven). I bought one from her local DIY shop for 90p. Couple of weeks later needed one for my oven. Popped to B and Q, which is quite near me, I think the bulb was £3.

chillidoggy

Emp_Fab said:

So, I bought a wall mount to stick my telly up on the wall and it comes with M8 and M6 bolts to attach the bracket to the TV. Unfortunately, my TV has M4 holes so I need to get some M4x25 bolts.  I look on B&Q's website as they are pretty much the nearest place to me for bits 'n bobs like that - £6.08 for a pack of 10.

I look on Ebay... £1.23 for 10 including delivery AND they're stainless steel (unlike B&Q's).

If only I could get around having to wait for things to arrive from Ebay !!!!

If you're running true to form, you might as well order them off eBay.

By the way, have you finished the laminate yet?

Emp_Fab

Actually yes !!

Well.... almost.

The laminate is down in the living room and the kitchen (which is all I was ever going to do).  The only thing left outstanding is the quadrant beading to cover the expansion gaps around the edges.

At last....  the laminate standing joke can be put to rest.

chillidoggy

Impressive work!

Now all we need to do is get a toaster bought, and we can put the other standing joke to bed.

mike_l

Emp_Fab said:

At last....  the laminate standing joke can be put to rest.

What? Never.....

chillidoggy said:

Now all we need to do is get a toaster bought, and we can put the other standing joke to bed.

Ahahahahaha.

Chilli find a toaster? That's like Emp finishing a job completely

Sambostar

Emp, how heavy is the TV?  I wouldn't get stainless, they are prone to snapping.  Especially lower grade stainless.

I hate stainless screws because they are forever snapping off.

I hate B&Q because like all companies these days, their parent company, the Kingfisher group, thinks it is clever to run B&Q, TradePoint and Screwfix, just like Crown and Dulux are the same company,  They monopolise the market, cover all their bases, force others out of the market and think people won't notice.  They deserve everything that comes to them.

Mind you, their cement is cheap though eh.

boogieman

Sambostar;369272" said:

Emp, how heavy is the TV?  I wouldn't get stainless, they are prone to snapping.  Especially lower grade stainless.I hate stainless screws because they are forever snapping off.I hate B&Q because like all companies these days, their parent company, the Kingfisher group, thinks it is clever to run B&Q, TradePoint and Screwfix, just like Crown and Dulux are the same company,  They monopolise the market, cover all their bases, force others out of the market and think people won't notice.  They deserve everything that comes to them.Mind you, their cement is cheap though eh.

Considering they're the same company I don't get how the prices can vary so much. I've been looking at lighting for my new shed. B&Q want £50 for a twin fluorescent unit. The exact same thing in Screwfix is £18.99.

Sambostar

Different stock lines and price rigging. 

Even Trade Point is different stock to what is on the shelves (And is of better quality), would you believe.

I try and use local electrical wholesalers and builders yards or timber merchants for decent stuff.  Screwfix is OK for some stuff, but for the real deal at decent prices, you have to use the wholesalers and builders merchants.

I treat Screwfix and B&Q as a quick stop when I have forgotten to order online, or the wholesaler is 30 miles away as their stuff is equally shit and equally expensive for the proper brand name quality.

Sambostar

For decent weatherproof shed lighting you want something like this:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Lighting_External_Index/Twin_Flo_2/index.html

boogieman

@Sambostar. Awesome, cheers for that.

UnclePsychosis

I for one am SHOCKED that shops charge a premium for convenience. Absolutely disgusting.

Emp_Fab

A premium is a fair thing.  600% is not 'a premium'.

UnclePsychosis

Emp_Fab;369695" said:

A premium is a fair thing.  600% is not 'a premium'.

600%... Also known as a fiver. A fiver is most definitely "a premium".

Emp_Fab

...on a £1 item ??!!!  What planet are you on ?!  )

CabbageCat

If people are willing to pay it it's fair.

I'm sure you would like things to cost less but I daresay it's pretty rare to find an establishment that bases their prices on what people want to pay.

chillidoggy

If only we were patient enough to order stuff off the web, eh?

randomhandclaps

Internet ordering times are getting amazingly quick.  When I ordered my wife she was here within 2 days from Romania and that was by lorry.

Cirrus

Everything I've ever got from B&Q has in some way been shit.

The free standing light that leans drunkenly to one side.

The packing tape with a mark down the side that meant you couldn't get more than one layer of tape off before it tore.

The electric drill that holds drill bits at a slight angle.

The bed side light that made clicking noises as it cooled while you were trying to get to sleep.

And not only are their hardware items way overpriced, it's amazing how often they don't have anything.