Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[aaronjb]

I think B&Q is now a soft furnishings boutique for the BMW driving types. The useful stuff is disappearing fast from the shelves to be replaced by overpriced tat, coffee shops, etc.

Bit like Halfords, then, only that now caters exclusively for the "Daddy I want something PINK on my new car!" brigade.


I put one of those security lights on my garage (well, the spark did as he was wiring the rest of the place up) - the included bulb lasted literally two minutes; switched the light on for the first time, thought "Hey I can see to get stuff out of the b.." and the light went 'bang'. Replaced the blub and removed the shattered contents of the old one and it's been going good for a yearish now. Same thing always happens with those lamps - shipping damage on the included bulb, I guess?

Just remember not to hold the new bulb with ungloved/covered fingers..

[TheBoy]

I think B&Q is now a soft furnishings boutique for the BMW driving types. The useful stuff is disappearing fast from the shelves to be replaced by overpriced tat, coffee shops, etc.

Bit like Halfords, then, only that now caters exclusively for the "Daddy I want something PINK on my new car!" brigade.


I put one of those security lights on my garage (well, the spark did as he was wiring the rest of the place up) - the included bulb lasted literally two minutes; switched the light on for the first time, thought "Hey I can see to get stuff out of the b.." and the light went 'bang'. Replaced the blub and removed the shattered contents of the old one and it's been going good for a yearish now. Same thing always happens with those lamps - shipping damage on the included bulb, I guess?

Just remember not to hold the new bulb with ungloved/covered fingers..

Suspect the supplied bulb is also the cheapest, shite-est chinese crap on the planet...

[aaronjb]

Suspect the supplied bulb is also the cheapest, shite-est chinese crap on the planet...

That too.. and probably fitted by someone who has just eaten a fry up with his fingers

[Rods2]

Wanted a Euro lock barrel for a relative at the weekend. B&Q had all of 2 sizes, way too long for the application.

Went to Screwfix and they had exactly the same one as B&Q, in a much wider variety of sizes, for a third of the price.

I think B&Q is now a soft furnishings boutique for the BMW driving types. The useful stuff is disappearing fast from the shelves to be replaced by overpriced tat, coffee shops, etc.

Normal marketing speak for this is "re-positioning up market" which in reality means increase the price until the profit reaches our per meter shelf length target and replace the useful low margin stuff with useless tat. Rarely use B&Q these days due to their highs prices (Wickes normally cheaper) but also appalling stock control. Another multiple that has not only forgotten how to sell them cheap but also how the stack them high as well.

I find myself buying stuff like screws, pipe fittings etc. from Fleabay as about a third the price of shops, so even with postage still much cheaper.

Our two near diy places are a local hardware store, expensive, but a good range of useful stuff that multiples don't stock and a Homebase which is stupidly expensive, but still useful for occasional bits. The Homebase might be shutting as their lease is about to run out and they have been outbid by Next. Just what we need another clothes shop with a massive M&S just across the road from it. 

[Tony H]

yeah they don't do munitions sadly

We have agro with a local Tom cat. Keeps jumping over the fence and scrapping with our two or trying to get in the cat flap, which is magnetic entry.

Although the two outside lights have been failed for a while. Steam from the new boiler in the garage cooked the motion sensitive one, and the bulbs are forever blowing in those Halogen spot lights. So we couldn't see what was going on in the garden. Sorted now though.

I just can't believe how expensive B+Q are!

I thought their prices were OK till I discovered 'Screwfix' so now, go to b&q to see what I want and then buy from Screwfix which is almost next door to them.....

Check prices at Toolstation first then decide Srewfix was owned by the guy who sold it then set up Toolstation in competition I have found quite a few things conciderably cheaper at Toolstation

[omega3000]

Cooker flexi hose from B&Q £32.00 

Same hose from Plumbcentre £14.00 

Simples 

[geoffr70]

No no no, don't pay retail, see if ya can blag yourself a trade card. SOmethings are the same but others are  1/3 of the price! Also for things like that always check eBay, you'll be surprised. Free delivery, cheaper, and straight to your door no hassle saving time and money.

[feeutfo]

Suspect the supplied bulb is also the cheapest, shite-est chinese crap on the planet...

That too.. and probably fitted by someone who has just eaten a fry up with his fingers

now I may be useless with electrics, but I ain't that useless. Bulbs untouched by my hand. Doesn't seem to matter what make bulb fitted. Life is poor at best.

[OOMV6]

yeah they don't do munitions sadly

We have agro with a local Tom cat. Keeps jumping over the fence and scrapping with our two or trying to get in the cat flap, which is magnetic entry.

Although the two outside lights have been failed for a while. Steam from the new boiler in the garage cooked the motion sensitive one, and the bulbs are forever blowing in those Halogen spot lights. So we couldn't see what was going on in the garden. Sorted now though.

I just can't believe how expensive B+Q are!

I thought their prices were OK till I discovered 'Screwfix' so now, go to b&q to see what I want and then buy from Screwfix which is almost next door to them.....

And they are the same company go figure

Really?....   A recent small plumbing purchase was significantly cheaper at screwfix.........

One and the same. I happened to be near B+Q so dived in at 8.45pm, smash n grab got what I wanted at the till 5 mins later...HOW MUCH...? I thought £70 tops.

That made me chuckle.  Why go into B&Q in the first place. Why not just go straight to screwfix? 

[aaronjb]

Suspect the supplied bulb is also the cheapest, shite-est chinese crap on the planet...

That too.. and probably fitted by someone who has just eaten a fry up with his fingers

now I may be useless with electrics, but I ain't that useless. Bulbs untouched by my hand. Doesn't seem to matter what make bulb fitted. Life is poor at best.

  Well y'know .. I don't like to make assumptions 

Are they the 500W or 150Ws as someone else mentioned earlier? I used to have a 500W that lasted next to no time, but the smaller (shorter) 150s seem to last quite a while here. Despite the neighbourhood cats turning the damn thing on every five minutes 

[feeutfo]

Suspect the supplied bulb is also the cheapest, shite-est chinese crap on the planet...

That too.. and probably fitted by someone who has just eaten a fry up with his fingers

now I may be useless with electrics, but I ain't that useless. Bulbs untouched by my hand. Doesn't seem to matter what make bulb fitted. Life is poor at best.

  Well y'know .. I don't like to make assumptions 

Are they the 500W or 150Ws as someone else mentioned earlier? I used to have a 500W that lasted next to no time, but the smaller (shorter) 150s seem to last quite a while here. Despite the neighbourhood cats turning the damn thing on every five minutes 

as pictured. We have the shorter ones in an up lighter in the front room, rarely fails.

So I have to change the unit, outside, to get better bulb life?  ....sigh....

[aaronjb]

as pictured. We have the shorter ones in an up lighter in the front room, rarely fails.

So I have to change the unit, outside, to get better bulb life?  ....sigh....

Yup .. but on the bright side, you won't be lighting up most of the next street when it comes on 

I always wondered what that bright blinking light was in the north...

[noel]

Wanted a Euro lock barrel for a relative at the weekend. B&Q had all of 2 sizes, way too long for the application.

Went to Screwfix and they had exactly the same one as B&Q, in a much wider variety of sizes, for a third of the price.

I think B&Q is now a soft furnishings boutique for the BMW driving types. The useful stuff is disappearing fast from the shelves to be replaced by overpriced tat, coffee shops, etc.