Advice on cost savings, trade or cash accounts?

[allthatpebbledash]

Hi everyone. Lots of lurking from me as we’re not quite ready with planning yet for the new build, but doing research early.

 

 

I’ve come across this comment (link above) which suggests there should a pinned thread or two which helps breakdown cost effectiveness in sourcing building materials, but I can’t seem to find it. Can someone kindly locate it for me?

 

Effectively I’m trying to understand if a cash account is the way to go with merchants or if I should open trade accounts.

 

[JohnMo]

Not sure it makes a huge amount of difference, you just need to shop around to get good prices.

[Ferdinand]

On 31/10/2023 at 18:04, allthatpebbledash said:

Hi everyone. Lots of lurking from me as we’re not quite ready with planning yet for the new build, but doing research early.

 

 

I’ve come across this comment (link above) which suggests there should a pinned thread or two which helps breakdown cost effectiveness in sourcing building materials, but I can’t seem to find it. Can someone kindly locate it for me?

 

Effectively I’m trying to understand if a cash account is the way to go with merchants or if I should open trade accounts.

 

 

Both are threads I posted early in the life of the forum.

 

They are quite long now !

 

Still worth some time, as there is a lot of useful info - an example is that self-builders can usually get the 10% trade discount at Wickes, plus a further 10% (ie 9% since it compounds on top of the Trade Discount) by using a membership scheme discount card available via various memberships etc (I get mine via a Health Cashplan, but employers, trade unions etc do similar).

 

The latter schemes operate by you loading cash onto a reusable cash card eg before you go to the shop, and you get 5-10% more value than you load up.

Another one is the potentential value of points Credit Cards (spend a few 10s of K and you get a nice holiday bonus at the end), or Interest Free Period Credit Cards.

 

HTH.

Watch the detail.

My two threads mentioned are here:

and here:

 

[Blooda]

If one of your tradesmen says they can get it cheaper than you, they probably can't.  As they aren't prepared to spend a few hours searching around the tinternet, and will generally go to the same place each time.

[saveasteading]

Most tradespeople are lucky to have one credit account at a BM. The credit assists cash flow.

You will get a better price by paying as you go. That way you are not borrowing from the BM.

In time the BM may allow the occasional favour of ' pay next time you are in'.

More important even than that is priority delivery.

 

That all changes though for large purchases, or highish spending levels, when they really want the business. Then a credit account will be as good. Think small and accept whatever credit they offer, and always pay in good time.

 

Working together with your favoured BM, giving them a chance to match other quotes, can be the best way..  allowing them to make a profit along the way.

But you will do best by studying the market for each product so you know a fair price when you see it.

 

BUT.  professional buyers spend their time chasing another 1% here and there. There is much more saving to be made by efficient design and avoiding of waste. Any waste.  It isn't only the stuff in the skip, but the timbers that could have been smaller, the earth you didn't have to dig, etc.