steel prices make no sense to me ..

[owas]

my stash of 80mm box is running low .. so I've got some prices off a few company's ..

One wants £40+vat for a full length of 80x3mm box(all cut up into 2m lengths)

And another wants 75+ vat

How on earth can 2 big companies be so far apart on the price

 

[candor]

Hot or cold rolled maybe?

 

[Spark plug]

my stash of 80mm box is running low .. so I've got some prices off a few company's ..

One wants £40+vat for a full length of 80x3mm box(all cut up into 2m lengths)

And another wants 75+ vat

How on earth can 2 big companies be so far apart on the price

Some companies can't be bothered to deal with joe blogs, who buys 1 length of steel every other crab season.

I know it's not right but that's the way it is.

 

[owas]

Some companies can't be bothered to deal with joe blogs, who buys 1 length of steel every other crab season.

I know it's not right but that's the way it is.

They didn't have a clue how much I would be buying .. seemed like a set price on there system

Hot or cold rolled maybe?

Im not too clued up on specs but i asked for the cheapest standard mild steel .. im sure it was hot rolled, there was one type that was 90+vat

 

[zx9]

Some companies can't be bothered to deal with joe blogs, who buys 1 length of steel every other crab season.

I know it's not right but that's the way it is.

I think you are on the right lines, small or cash orders could be costing more to process than they would like to make % wise, they may have quoted higher to either make you go else where or if you do place the order, still turn a bit of profit on the transaction.

Edit: Posts crossed with Owas

 

[baconbarm]

What he said^^

I get my steel delivered to the shop, but if I ever need the odd length which doesn't warrant a delivery I will use FH Brundles- they aren't as cheap as the steel stockists I use, but still competitive and they are happy to deal with 'one off' customers like yourselves- they have a cutting charge of about 50p a cut.

I don't know how close the nearest branch is to you though, but they deliver for about a tenner.

Also DC IRON or forest metals sell half lengths with similar delivery charge to your door

 

[W.olly]

It can vary that much in any steel, i was after 15 sheets of 8x4 sheets, varied form £45- near £90 a sheet. now thats not a low quantity to any company, along with another 10 sheets.
Pays to shop around, can even get them delivered cheaper that being collected.

 

[owas]

What he said^^

I get my steel delivered to the shop, but if I ever need the odd length which doesn't warrant a delivery I will use FH Brundles- they aren't as cheap as the steel stockists I use, but still competitive and they are happy to deal with 'one off' customers like yourselves- they have a cutting charge of about 50p a cut.

I don't know how close the nearest branch is to you though, but they deliver for about a tenner.

Also DC IRON or forest metals sell half lengths with similar delivery charge to your door

The £40+vat is FH warden, charged me nothing extra for the cuts .. makes it easier to pick up in the landy

Even have a load of offcuts in pretty much any size too.

 

[rtbcomp]

A firm I used to do work for always quoted list prices over the phone. Customers had their own discount, upto 80% off list.

 

[Hitch]

Depends on the place, but some may well have a minimum order charge, £75 isn't a lot of steel to the big boys, could easily be about a metre of some of the big sections.
To pay to stock it, pick it, cut it, load it, invoice it....plus the actual cost of the steel...same with cutting, pick it, cut it, load it, 15 mins minimum job, so theres £10 just to cut it...

Buying small amounts, i'd guess you got the much better price from a smaller firm i'd guess, not the huge overheads of the big businesses either.

 

[Kent]

Try and avoid buying small quantities, there are a few bits and bats I could do with here but as they aint urgent I will wait till I have a bigger order on. Its quite sensible for a stockholder to operate a minimum order system or minimum spend especially if he has to faff about cutting it. If I have to order a smaller quantity I tend to look what I can get in for stock that I might use quickly. Also consider looking at delivered as full lengths and cut stuff yourself, only times I get stuff cut is if its real heavy stuff that I don't want to handle or keep the offcuts or if I need to get something into the truck quick for a shortage on a site job (can only get 3mtrs in the pick-up).
I recon I need upwards of £300 a drop to get proper prices

You know what smaller users need to get together and group their stuff into one order with one delivery point like a mini buying group. Might be worth folk getting together into respective areas, besides anything else I have some 80x80x3 on the shelf without a home to go to just yet if someone really needed it and was local I could sell some on.

 

[Spark plug]

I tend to use 2 suppliers, 1 for odd lengths and can even buy a half length if I want and the other when I want decent quantities. Even without an account I can get decent discount at the bigger suppliers just by spending a few quid.

I think it also makes a difference when ringing around for prices if you talk the talk:

"Can I get a quote for

10 lengths of 25x25x2 SHS
5 lengths of 25x1.5 CHS
2 lengths of 40x10 flat"

If you start asking about what size is this and do you sell 27.5x41 box, they just take you as a time waster.

 

[500e]

Did some work for a large steel stock holder some years ago, was told it cost £15 to raise all the paper work for an invoice that included pick time, check stock, computer & software cost in talking to customer, etc

 

[baconbarm]

While were on the subject of varying prices-

Im happy with the mild steel prices I get, but ive recently been getting jobs in aluminium- im still a bit green on where the best places to buy so ive been ringing round etc. The difference in price is shocking.

For example- 100 pieces of 6" wide by 3/4" thick at 9" long, bearing in mind im also paying for the cutting service for these pieces- Approx £8.50 +vat cheapest I could find per unit, up to £22 per unit from the dearest place.

Even when I order, I have to get them to confirm the price because it goes up and down depending on which salesperson is on the line

 

[anto44]

Some places charge stupid prices for cutting. I priced 2mm sheet before and it worked out cheaper to buy a full sheet than to buy 2 1/4 sheets. The same place won't let you cut any steel yourself in their yard at all, not even with a hacksaw.

 

[sardine]

I think they throw a dice and quote off that.

What exactly is the problem with just publishing a price list ? I know steel world price goes up and down but they already have it in stock, they know what they can sell it for.

 

[brightspark]

Even when I order, I have to get them to confirm the price because it goes up and down depending on which salesperson is on the line

thats why i only deal with the manager one salesman and one lad on the counter cos the rest talk sh...te with there prices

 

[ukracer]

While were on the subject of varying prices-

Im happy with the mild steel prices I get, but ive recently been getting jobs in aluminium- im still a bit green on where the best places to buy so ive been ringing round etc. The difference in price is shocking.

For example- 100 pieces of 6" wide by 3/4" thick at 9" long, bearing in mind im also paying for the cutting service for these pieces- Approx £8.50 +vat cheapest I could find per unit, up to £22 per unit from the dearest place.

Even when I order, I have to get them to confirm the price because it goes up and down depending on which salesperson is on the line

Where was the cheapest place to get aluminium on line? If we were really clever we would get a list together as its not like a local supplier. Online prices are easier to share the best deals

 

[owas]

Online prices are usually ridiculously inflated though .. from what I've seen anyway.

I need to find another closing business to clear there stock again I want 4 meters of 80mm box for £2.50 again

 

[baconbarm]

"thats why i only deal with the manager one salesman and one lad on the counter cos the rest talk..."

This is the reason why im happy with the mild steel suppliers I use- I ring them with an order and don't even bother asking the price because I know they don't try it on,which is a rare thing