Opinions on suppliers please

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by coggy, Jan 12, 2004.

  1. coggy

    coggy New Member

    Hi all

    Can you post your opinions on the following suppliers, if you have experience with them.
    Quality of timber, service etc would be great thanks. It will be mainly for Interior doors, Softwood, sheeets etc

    (1) Arnold Lavers
    (2) Jewsons
    (3) Magnet
    (4) Travis perkins
    (5) Wickes
    And any one else you recommend, must be in or around South Yorkshire (Sheffield)

    (Wolf or Scrit your opinions would be great)

    Thanks everyone
    Coggy
     
  2. bilco

    bilco New Member

    Hi Coggy
    Never liked jewsons much for second fix joinery..TP were better...With both you can score good deals if you deal with departmental heads...spend much time endearing yourself to them and haggle like hell.
    Al carry some good stock but never managed to get very good terms.
    Magnet often don't have what you want at the time but you can get good deals
    Never rated Wickes
    There are a number of timber supplyers/importers round that area...ask arround locally
     
  3. WOLF

    WOLF New Member

    travis and jewsons are the same FRENCH owned company now days, i agree with BILCO, regards getting to know the dept heads, as they can usually do a "favour" or two when you need it, just make sure that you come across as someone who will NOT take substandard timber.. as some BRANCH managers do like to try their luck with new account holders/enquiries.. have a friend who worked for TP until the "wierd memo's" started from head office about getting rid of sub standard timber.....
    wickes...forget them, timber is substandard, and magnets, well i have only ever dealt with them once, and that was a complete disaster, 4 week wait and wrong kit on every single item!!!
    i have not dealt with LAVERS either, so can not give you an opinion on them i'm afraid.
    i will endeavour to look up the web addresses of lumber suppliers from your area when in the office tomorrow, so until then amigo!!
    regards matt
     
  4. diyhopeful

    diyhopeful Active Member

    From a DIY'ers point of view:-

    Travis Perkins is the best.

    Along the same lines as the previous comments, if you get a good relationship with Travis Perkins they will deliver during the week unattended (a friendly neighbour helps with this risky business.)

    Jewsons timber tends to be less stable. and usually less range than TP.

    B+Q are terrible for quality, except the kiln dried Canadian lengths which are excellent for carcasing. (and fit in your car!)

    I'm sure Wickes store their timber in a pond.

    I hate to say it but Homebase have superb timber although you need a mortgage to buy one piece.
     
  5. WOLF

    WOLF New Member

    you actually answered your own question there my feind, home base good quality, high price, well they do go hand in glove; DIYH, they actually have an inhouse grader as the main timber buyer, that is why you get good timber, sorry to say!
    regards matt
     
  6. diyhopeful

    diyhopeful Active Member

    Matt,

    Is there anywhere you would trust online or over the phone with a delivery nationwide ?

    Most of the best timber merchants seem dotted around the country and I'm cautious about spending a large amount on timber sight unseen.

    Being within the M25 means paying through the nose. Does £200 for 4 125mm x 30mm maple boards seem unreasonable !!Thanks for any suggestions.
     
  7. Thermo

    Thermo New Member

    I have to admit that homebase timber is pretty good quality but expensive. Just take a copy of a wickes catalogue with you and ask them to price match, that way you get the wickes price but without the extra water thrown in!
     
  8. diyhopeful

    diyhopeful Active Member

    I didn't know they price promised. Excellent idea. I fancy a heated debate.....
     
  9. Gotcher

    Gotcher New Member

    Slightly different story about Homebase - I was in our local branch recently and noticed that you can get them to cut a kitchen worktop joint.

    At £99 per joint it makes my price to do the same job look like a fantastic bargain!

    Sorry, I changed the topic. I'll try not to do it again.

    Gotcher
     
  10. coggy

    coggy New Member

    Thanks guys

    Keep the info coming.

    I really need a place in the area i can use for all the timber, sheets etc.

    Arnold Lavers is winning so far from what people have put on here,
    Thanks again and keep them coming
     
  11. coggy

    coggy New Member

  12. coggy

    coggy New Member

    I am also looking for somewhere who sell wardrobe and cupboard doors.

    I will be fitting both but have no workshop to make them so will be looking to buy the doors etc and build the carcass to suit.

    Any help on this and the other would be great
    Thanks
     
  13. coggy

    coggy New Member

    Thanks everyone

    Wolf do you know of anywhere else who supply wardrobe doors etc

    Also the suppliers of timber in my area

    Thanks guys
     
  14. dewaltdisney

    dewaltdisney New Member

    DIYH,

    No one seems to have picked up on the question you asked about your maple boards. You did not give the lengths and also whether they had been prepared or not. As a guide rough sawn hardwood costs around £40 to £60 per cubic foot plus VAT. Rare woods are more expensive, common a little cheaper. The yard I use charge a minimum £15 to machine finish if this is useful.


    DWD
     
  15. diyhopeful

    diyhopeful Active Member

    dwd,

    the boards I wanted were 2.4m (or closest available).

    so £200 for finished boards seems about right then.

    Bloody Hell !!



    Back to bendy B&Q pine then..... :)

    thanks for your help.
     
  16. coggy

    coggy New Member

    Thanks everyone

    Wolf or anyone else,do you know of anywhere else who supply wardrobe doors etc

    Also the suppliers of timber in my area

    Thanks guys
     
  17. scrit

    scrit Guest

    Hi Coggy

    Sorry, can't help with the softwood - not in your part of the world - I tend to use Hills in Oldham on those rare occassions I buy the stuff. I agree with te comments about TP - they will haggle prices down, but you've got to stand your ground. Can't help you with decent hardwood suppliers in your part of the world, either, although if you are looking for consistent quality at reasonable prices on sawn hardwoods I'd try both Timbmet in Rochdale and John Boddy in Borobridge, N. Yorks - both carry a good range of timbers and their quality is spot on. British Hardwoods in Bingley are OK (they do component stock for floors and worktops, for example), but I've found the quality of some of their stuff a bit hit and miss - they also tend to supply waney or 1/SE rather than 2/SE stock (Timbmet especially do 2/SE - much less waste).

    As to £40 to £60 a cube, what the heck are you buying? Oak - yes, teak or mahogany (the real stuff, swietenia) - you'd be lucky, but I wouldn't be in business if I were paying that for most stuff. I suppose it depends how much you buy at a time.

    Scrit
     
  18. scrit

    scrit Guest

    Hi again Coggy

    For specials in veneered sheet I'd give Lawcris in Leeds a bell - they'll do you just about anything (shouldn't say that 'coz I'm looking at doing that sort of stuff myself) - want a 10 x 5 MDF 28mm thick with walnut burr - they're your guys - not cheap, but very good. For plywoods try Pennine Timber at Middleton in Manchester - very competitive on birch and good prices if you go and collect - watch out for their delivery charges though, they charge full transport and normally send out only in pack quantity of sheet stock. You'll need an FLT (or several big helpers) to unload - BTW don't even mention chip to them, they go nuts!

    And now the advert - don't forget that I do CNC subcon machining, too!

    Scrit
     

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