Can I buy from a builders merchant, and is it cheaper than a DIY store?

A lot of people never go into a builders merchant because they assume it is trade only. It is not, anywhere in Britain. The pricing culture is genuinely different from a retail shop, which is unfamiliar rather than difficult, and the stock is aimed at people who use the material rather than people browsing it.

Step by step

1. Walk in — no account needed.Every UK builders merchant sells to the public for cash or card. You may be asked whether you have an account, which is a question about billing, not a requirement. Say no and pay at the counter.
2. Know what is genuinely cheaper there.Structural timber, sheet materials, plasterboard, aggregates, cement, insulation, drainage, and fixings in boxes rather than blister packs. On a bulk order the difference against a shed is usually substantial, and the quality of the timber is generally better.
3. Know what is not.Power tools, paint, small hardware, single fixings, anything you want to compare on a shelf, and anything sold in a domestic quantity. A shed is also open longer, is easier to browse and has a returns policy aimed at consumers.
4. Ask for a price rather than reading one.List prices at a merchant are the starting point, not the answer. Ask what they can do on the price for the quantity you are buying, especially on a whole-job order. It is entirely normal, nobody is offended, and it routinely makes a real difference.
5. Get a written quote for a whole job.Take your cutting list or a materials list to the counter and ask for a quote. You then have a comparable number to take to a second merchant, and merchants expect to be compared.
6. Ask about delivery.Most merchants deliver locally, often free above a modest order value, and they deliver with a lorry that can put a pack of timber or a stack of boards where you want it. This is usually cheaper and far easier than hiring a van.
7. Check prices are ex-VAT.Trade counters normally quote excluding VAT because their customers reclaim it. A price that looks dramatically cheaper may be the same price after tax. Ask which it is, every time.
8. Go at a quiet time and be direct.First thing in the morning is the trade rush. Mid-morning to mid-afternoon on a weekday is quiet. Know what you want, in the units they sell it in, and ask if you are unsure — staff are generally helpful to people who are not pretending to know.

Tips

• Independent merchants often price better than the national chains on timber and are more willing to sort stock with you. It is worth having both a chain and an independent on your list.
• If you are doing a large job, ask about opening a cash account. It is not a credit account, it just records you as a regular and often unlocks better pricing. Many merchants will set one up on the spot.
• Merchants sell in trade quantities: a bag of 200 screws rather than a pack of 20, a whole pack of timber rather than a length. For a big job that is a saving; for one shelf it is not.
• Timber quality at a merchant is generally better sorted than at a shed, but you should still pick through the rack.

Common mistakes

• Comparing a merchant's ex-VAT price with a shed's inclusive price — It makes the merchant look twenty per cent cheaper than it is. Always establish which you are being quoted before deciding.
• Accepting the first price on a large order — Merchant pricing is negotiable in a way retail is not, particularly on a whole-job order. Not asking simply means paying more than the person before you in the queue.
• Turning up at 7am with a small domestic order — You will be behind a queue of trades collecting for the day and everyone, including you, will have a worse time. Go mid-morning.

Questions people ask