Jewson Timber centre pricing

[mr]

I passed by the local Jewson timber centre today and popped in looking for some construction type softwood, they had none (seems to be the story of my life), at least they had a small pile but it was "water damaged" and not for sale. On the way out I noticed some quite nice looking pine, clear, knotfree wide planks. What and how much is that I asks.

Canadian Southern Pine Im told, 300 mm x 25 mm cost £19 per metre.

Unless my maths (or the concept Im working from) is completly addled, and it may well be, that puts the price into the £70 odd per cubic foot range - or roughly three times the cost of the same thing from SL Hardwoods who aren't known for being the cheapest in the land.

Have I gone completely barking or is Canadian Pine usually £19 per metre in that sort of width & thickness (300 x 25mm)?

Cheers Mike

 

[ike]

Sounds like a decimal error to me.

Ike

 

[9fingers]

Jewsons seem very amenable to bargaining on prices. I always find out prices elsewhere, pick the lowest, deduct 20% or so and start bargaining from there.
They will also deliver free on orders over £100.
I have also bargained hard over plywood prices at the pack rate (35-40 sheets) and then called off the sheets in small quantities (over £100 for the free delivery each time) as and when I needed it sometimes taking several months to use all that I had committed to.

You do have to be hard nosed but they are a huge company with big buying power and you are not being hard on the individuals by bargaining just getting your fair share of their services. If you don't do it, the next customer will.

Bob

 

[mr]

I t does sound like an error doesn't it though this was the cost from memory from one of the staff which I then checked at the desk, they confirmed.

As for bargaining I wonder if they'll bargain down to a more realistic fiver or so a metre (Cheapest -20% Bob ). Suspect not. They did say some one had bought some the other day and had been shocked at the price at the desk. Not suprising really.

Think Ill give em a ring and get a price on it. Ask if theyve made a mistake.

Cheers Mike

 

[Pecker]

Hows this, their compratiarts Travis perkins, want £2.10 pm of 6x1 sawn redwood and £21 per sheet 18mm mdf.

Both local merchants want about £1.10pm for the redwood and £12 - £14 for the mdf.

these big boys are very expensive on timber. The prices I have quoted above at T&P include my trade discount...

If I buy 1cubic mtr of Redwood 5ths from Clarkswood in Bristol it is £247.

Travis perkins want £611 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woody

 

[mr]

Praps therein lies the answer. I double checked the price with Jewsons as I say and they were certian on the £19 per linear metre. At those prices I'll start using walnut for secondary wood. I can get that delivered for a fraction of the price. A while back I bought about 10 m of 140mm x 19 Ash par, with delivery that cost somewhere round £150 as I recall. Delivered PAR Ash or pay more for undelivered sawn Pine? hmmmmmmmmmmm thats a hard one.


Cheers Mike

 

[Fishmat]

These are all trade places who give discounts to trade customers. Big discounts for bulk buys, large companies use them.

Use you local timber merchants. They are more friendly, more helpful and alot cheaper.

 

[mr]

Use you local timber merchants. They are more friendly, more helpful and alot cheaper.

But what kind of discount off a 2/3 rds (minumum) inflated price makes a cost acceptable ?

Alas my nearest local merchant (Yandles) is an hours drive away. Jewsons is 10 mins and TP is less. Shame neither seem overly useful.

Mike

 

[Pecker]

I get fairly good discounts fromTP and Jewsons (it varies HUGELY, in fact my printed list of discounts from TP is 42 pages!!!! and rages from 5% to 74% (as far as I can tell) ). But the £21 quoted for the MDF includes my "trade discount" at 42%

Woody

 

[Inspector]

I can't relate to the prices and the measures you use, but if I converted about right that works out to about $12.00 a board foot. :shock: That would be 3 to 6 times what we would pay. (Was the wood imported by plane? ) That is closer to what Teak starts at, and is higher than Mahogany too.

"Canadian Southern Pine "?
The other question I have is where is Southern part of Canada that grows it? I thought we were known far and wide as 'The Great White North'. Never heard of any Pine by that name. :roll:

Looks like marketing is trolling for suckers. :twisted:

 

[Kane]

Getting timber has been (and still is) the biggest obstacle to getting some woodworking actually started - tools aren't a problem, plenty of advice on forums like this and plenty of suppliers online who can easily offer next day delivery but for wood there's bog all, B&Q are local and open at times I can actually get there but they sell crap the local timber merchants are supposedly ok but open 9-5 and I work 8:30-5 25 miles away from them. The online suppliers websites are next to useless and unless you're an experienced woodworker already the terminology is incredibly confusing.

 

[Pecker]

Kane, I've been a chippie for 25 years and still get confused by the terminology!

I live very rurally - 30 miles from B&Q. The local timber merchants the quality is poor -even for supposedly good stuf, so it's a problem all over. You want to try and get hardwood up here!

Woody

 

[ByronBlack]

Easiest route to stopping this problem is to boycott B&Q, Travis Perkins et al, and support your local dealer, not only will you encourage them to get in better quality and wider range of materials, you'll build a relationship with them which makes the whole process of buying timber a more relaxed and honest operation.

I've only ever bought timber from two places, and I get good service from both, i've now got to the point where I can request a certain species and get good prices because they know me and i've spent a lot of money in their store.

Even Krenov got most of his wood from local dealers and went out of his way to do so, and building a relationship in the process.

 

[mr]

Getting timber has been (and still is) the biggest obstacle to getting some woodworking actually started - tools aren't a problem, plenty of advice on forums like this and plenty of suppliers online who can easily offer next day delivery but for wood there's bog all, B&Q are local and open at times I can actually get there but they sell crap the local timber merchants are supposedly ok but open 9-5 and I work 8:30-5 25 miles away from them. The online suppliers websites are next to useless and unless you're an experienced woodworker already the terminology is incredibly confusing.

My feelings exactly, getting hold of any timber, even softwood seems almost impossible at times. It's enough to drive you to opening your own timber yard
Mike

 

[PaulB]

None of you have clearly heard of reclaimed timber?
I have used reclaimed stuff for years. Providing you have a decent table or bandsaw you can rip down clear lengths of redwood to your hearts content, for a fraction of the cost of buying off the rack.
For carcassing, my hands are tied, I have to use C graded timber and the customer obviously bears the cost, but showy grade clear timber is out there, you just have to look for it. Whether you are building furniture or staircases there is always a solution, just use your eyes and an internet connection.
Fleabay has regular hardwood batches for sale at silly prices, well below usual outlet levels.
Go on be creative :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[nev]

They could have grown their own trees in the 12 years since the original post :shock: