best local hardware store?

[JickieC]

Which would people recommend and say is the least expensive? For very general DIY?

thanking you!

[dbboy]

Two on LL and one on Grove Vale, so fortunate we have three to choose from, but it depends really on what you need, suggest shopping around for best prices. The superstores will be better on some items and less so on others. Weathershield paint in Shauns was comparable to B&Q price. Also some offer a better product choice than others but again depends what you are after.

For timber have used South London Timber at the Gas Works on Old Kent Road, they just sell whole lengths with no provision for cutting or preparing timber, suspect will be cheaper than Whitten's, although they provide more services.

[JickieC]

Thankyou dbboy for that really comprehensive and generous answer! Much appreciated and the kind of local knowledge i don't have

cheers

[Sue]

By far the best place for paint is Whites in Forest Hill:

http://www.whitestradepaints.co.uk/home

Cheaper than anywhere else, really wide stock of paints, brushes etc and extremely helpful staff.

They will make you up any colour (from any paint range including Farrow and Ball if memory serves) in any trade paint type.

ETA: They will also match any colour from anything you bring in.

I wouldn't go anywhere else for paint now. There is parking outside the store.

[JickieC]

thank you Sue - that's great!

[dbboy]

Sorry, have to disagree about Whites, I find them to be more expensive than even the diy superstores, unless you can get a trade discount??

[Bradders]

Acre Lane Timber and Plumbing gets my vote. Awesome range of DIY products and reasonably priced. Worth the trip out from ED.

[Sue]

dbboy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry, have to disagree about Whites, I find them

> to be more expensive than even the diy

> superstores, unless you can get a trade discount??

As far as I know they give everybody a trade discount.

They have always been cheaper for everything I've bought there, comparing like for like.

But as Jason says, trade paint is way better than the bog standard paint you get in places like Homebase.

What have you found cheaper elsewhere (for the identical product)?

[dbboy]

Weathershield undercoat and gloss

[JickieC]

thanks everyone - really really useful info!'

Toolstation's website also says they are opening up on LL. (Put a local postcode into their branch finder and it comes up)