Starting a new project that requires stainless. What prices would i be looking to pay for say 40x5mm and 25x6 flat and say 6mm round a metre or whatever. 304 would be alright. Don't want to be ripped off, as I fairly new to the whole stainless lark... Thanks.
Go to Yell.com etc and get a list of the stainless stockholders local to you. Phone 'em all, get a quote and try playing 'em against each other. Places that sell by the the metre etc on the internet will typically want upto the same ££ for a metre or 2 that a proper stockholder would charge for a full length
http://www.parkersteel.co.uk/ will give you a rough idea that should be beatable by haggling with them/playing them against another stockholder etc. Don't need to register or anything, just add what you want to price to basket, click view basket and then update basket to get prices. I don't buy much bar etc but have just priced a sheet of stainless and ally and they were a lot closer to what i pay from Aalco than they usually are.
Don't know if it helps but I've just been quoted £23.76 per meter ex vat for 75x6 and £29.37 per meter ex vat for 100x6 both for 2m lengths, for comparison 75x6 black was £11.55 for 2 meter and 100x6 was £14.85
Stainless prices are falling, not much but the current ex steelmaker prices are lower than they were a month or so ago.
Unfortunately it takes time to filter through to the consumer
With a bit of a haggle,I got a fairly decent deal with a local fabricator. I'm not local to any SS suppliers, so the 80 euro delivery charge they want is a bit off putting, making small orders not worthwhile. Thanks lads