My dream builders merchant would do [x]

[bmj1]

Hi all,

 

I'm coming towards the end of my self-build journey - and I owe a huge debt of thanks and appreciation to this community - who have been there throughout - with advice, guidance, good humour, and sometimes just support and a friendly pair of ears. Thank you all 😅

 

One paint point I've found is around ordering building materials:

• Lack of transparency around pricing - the online prices and local store prices aren't great - you have to find a local merchant and haggle on every order
• The whole faff around 'setting up accounts'
• Poor services levels generally, lack of a digital process with the cheaper merchants

 

I'm kicking the tyres (genuinely) on doing something about it - and setting up my own digital-first builders merchant.

 

I'd like to kindly ask - what are your paint points when it comes to ordering building materials ? What would your dream builders merchant offer ?

 

Thank you in advance !

[Redbeard]

Sorry, what is a 'paint point'? I thought at first it was a typo inadvertently left in, but I see it appears twice so presumably it means something. A web-search does not elucidate much.

[Redbeard]

1 hour ago, bmj1 said:

What would your dream builders merchant offer ?

 

A very small truck for difficult (tight') roads. I am in my 2nd day of waiting for delivery of a bulk ('tonne') bag and due to dodgy parking the truck cannot get up. I would willingly pay a premium just to get the ****** stuff here!

[MikeSharp01]

It must be pain points.

[Redbeard]

Ahh! Thankyou!

[Alan Ambrose]

I would like the online merchants to (a) not lie about their stock levels, (b) ship stuff when they say they would, (c) let you know promptly when they fail either of (a) or (b).

 

I have a couple of bad experiences recently on quite big orders for 'in stock + order by noon for next day delivery' products. When you call up after a few days and you ask where the delivery is, they, say, "ah, it's not actually in stock / although we said it's in stock it's actually been discontinued + didn't someone from here let you know (no they didn't) + OK if we deliver in a couple of weeks? (no it isn't FFS)". 

[bmj1]

Oops. "Pain points" = things that frustrate you, or you would like improved !

Thank you for the feedback, please keep it coming...!

Edited Wednesday at 16:18 by bmj1

[BadgerBodger]

The advertised rate and the actual negotiated rates being so wildly different. Why not just give me your best price? 

I’m constantly surprised as to who is offering the best price, recently been to two specialist BM for roofing materials. Both were beaten by my local BM for a not insignificant roof area of 282m2. Timber, felt, lathe, trim, nails, tiles, the full kaboodl!!! 
 

Same goes for lintels. Why advertise a rate of X when the merchant will immediately give you 40+% off! 

[nod]

Be open on a Sunday 

[BotusBuild]

Pass on the delivery details provided to the delivery driver. If I give you a What3Words address there is a damn good reason - postcode will put you in a 2.5 mile radius of the actual location

[SteamyTea]

We had a delivery a couple of days ago, 150 scaffold planks.

No one on site (not a building site) knew anything about it.

The delivery driver was very patient. I told him to unload it with his crane. He got his stabilisers out, was about to lift, then a change of plan. Ended up with the two of if us lifting 2 planks at a time into a shed. He was cheerful right though it (I still ache).

That was worth a premium.

 

@bmj1 

Are you thinking of a physical store with a good online presence, or an Amazon/eBay type model?

[maxe307]

I would like the merchants to actually know something about the products they are selling and supplying. They seem to know very little about the products in general and often seem to just pass messages on from the suppliers. I have been trying to buy from smaller businesses as they often deal direct to bypass this problem. 

[JohnMo]

28 minutes ago, maxe307 said:

would like the merchants to actually know something about the products they are selling and supplying

So actually pay for a skilled work force?

 

But isn't the skilled worker buying the materials, on top of this? They should know what they are buying why.

 

[Mike]

On 07/05/2025 at 14:01, bmj1 said:

What would your dream builders merchant offer ?

Delivery by drone through my 6th floor windows would be ideal.

[JohnMo]

2 hours ago, Mike said:

Delivery by drone through my 6th floor windows would be ideal.

Especially if it's timber 6.8m long, saves loads of messing about.

[SteamyTea]

If delivered by drone, what is the returns policy?