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TIL: Plumbing supply stores have very fair prices.

CoachBoilermaker
CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 338
edited October 19 in THE MAIN WALL

I needed some air vents for my steam radiators.

Went to two different shops.

$56 Hoffman 1A
$29 Vari-Vent

This is very similar to online pricing.
Same day pickup.
Easier returns.

Plus I asked them for contact info of a few local plumbers.

In the car world, dealership parts prices are a massive ripoff.
Not so for plumbing supply.

What's your take on local vs. online?

Comments

  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,293

    Not too much difference.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,312

    I like that Online you can find just about anything. Most of the online outfits have multiple locations to draw from and can ship form one close top you and you will get it in 2 days or less. (unless you live in a remote part of the country). I prefer the local supply house because of your observation about pick up same day and easy returns. My problem was that the local warehouses near me were all 40 minutes away (1H 20M roundtrip) so it was easier to order from online supplier when at the customers house and tell them it would be there the next day after the part was delivered to my shop. I could then go the the next service call and make more $$$ in stead of driving for over an hour and debating with the customer about the time that I was traveling for only them to get paid for at the prevailing rate. Never a fun conversation.

    I did have a Taxi Cap company that was located near the supply houses that would pick up parts from them and deliver it to the customer's location. So I would give my customers a choice. Tomorrow repair for $$ or today repair for $$$. If they choose to pay extra for today (the cost of the taxi ride) then I would order the part and call a cab. Then I would go to the next repair call and make some money while waiting for the part to arrive. Return to the customer after the part was delivered and finish the call. Everybody happy.

    Today you can call an Uber to do this

    In the Uber instructions to the driver, just say type in: Pick up package from location A and deliver to location B

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

  • CoachBoilermaker
    CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 338

    Agreed on the drive factor. I have supply stores within 10 mins.

    40 min drive and I'd go online also.

  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 5,282
    edited October 19

    I purchase as much as I can from the local supply houses. If they have to order I generally go on line. It takes an extra day for ABCO and Sids to deliver.

  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,293

    Except for oddities like compression tanks, Supplyhouse.com is really one stop shopping. Recommended.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
    EdTheHeaterMan
  • CoachBoilermaker
    CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 338
    edited October 20

    Where does supplyhouse.com ship from?

    Where does my order ship from? Most orders will ship directly from one of our warehouses in 

    Cranbury, NJ, Columbus, OH, Reno, NV or Dallas, TX

    .

  • epmiller
    epmiller Member Posts: 26

    I have found that purchasing online is only lower prices for small, or lighter weight parts vs the local supply house. Physically larger or heavier items are always cheaper locally. Line sets cheaper online, line set ducting much cheaper locally. Boilers and mini-splits aren't even close online. I only have a 20 minute drive to my most used local supply house so that helps. I do love ordering online for an upcoming job and not having to spend any time picking things up. I am too small to benefit from the local supply house delivery services. On the other hand, my favorite online site definitely has more common parts inventory (for example thermostats or pex plumbing fittings) to order from than my local supply house.

    delcrossv
  • CoachBoilermaker
    CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 338
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1815310#Comment_1815310

    Are boilers cheaper locally because of shipping costs for online? Probably takes too long to deliver also. Can't wait a week for boiler.

  • mikedo
    mikedo Member Posts: 228

    supplyhouse.com im lucky there close order by 1 o clock usually here next day. the last 20 boiler drains i ordered for tommorrow were half price compared to the local plumbing supply and ive recently been having very bad luck with them not being able fill an order properly.

  • epmiller
    epmiller Member Posts: 26
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1815331#Comment_1815331

    Shipping probably figures in, but most of my work is not emergency work so time is not usually as big an issue. The prices being 25, 33, 50% higher does.

  • Long Beach Ed
    Long Beach Ed Member Posts: 1,309
    edited October 29

    My local suppliers give us a great discount that usually saves us some 20%+ off on-line retail prices. We also save 5% by paying the monthly bill within 10 days. They'll drop off supplies in an hour at our worksite.

    And we support the owners' families who have been part of our life for 40 years. And they support our community and hire our neighbors. And they stock domestic stuff just for me. Love these guys.

    EdTheHeaterManGGrossCLamb

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