Floor Box, Gripe

[jmellc]

I'm on a roll with my gripes.

Just did a sun room rough with 2 floor boxes. Went to Big Orange & Big Blue for my favorite Carlon floor box with flip covers. Neither has it any more. Had to get a Hubbel model for $10 extra that is harder to install. Takes a much larger hole with rounded corners for the cover to fit. Cover looks nice, is brass with a flip cover & duplex instead of single recep. But a monster to cut for, with 3 layers of wood to cut.

I find something I like & the merchant gets rid of it. :rant:

 

[kwired]

I find something I like & the merchant gets rid of it. :rant:

worse yet when the company that makes something you like goes out of business or drops the product.

 

[hurk27]

I'm on a roll with my gripes.

Just did a sun room rough with 2 floor boxes. Went to Big Orange & Big Blue for my favorite Carlon floor box with flip covers. Neither has it any more. Had to get a Hubbel model for $10 extra that is harder to install. Takes a much larger hole with rounded corners for the cover to fit. Cover looks nice, is brass with a flip cover & duplex instead of single recep. But a monster to cut for, with 3 layers of wood to cut.

I find something I like & the merchant gets rid of it. :rant:

Welcome to the real world of logistics.

I think all the big three box stores in the past year has gone through a change out of products, brands, and other things, but it is not just the stores that are doing this, many of the manufactures are just not making certain product lines and make it a bear to find something your used to using, I have Had about every excuse I can think of told to me as the reason why but the real reason is simply the building market is down and they are not wanting to tie up money in stock that they have no idea when it will move.

 

[GUNNING]

Get thee to a supply house.

Get thee to a supply house.

hmmm ....sounds familiar. I've noticed big box stores inventory is a lot less varried. Time to preplan and start using the supply houses again. Sure it might cost you an extra 15% but they will work with you to get what you need when you need it. If you are working for labor plus part plus 20% then its worth the time investment. Big box stores are great for that outlet or box but try to get a three phase motor controller. They also label where the parts went so it can be billed out right. Well most of the time.

 

[Fulthrotl]

hmmm ....sounds familiar. I've noticed big box stores inventory is a lot less varried. Time to preplan and start using the supply houses again. Sure it might cost you an extra 15% but they will work with you to get what you need when you need it. If you are working for labor plus part plus 20% then its worth the time investment. Big box stores are great for that outlet or box but try to get a three phase motor controller. They also label where the parts went so it can be billed out right. Well most of the time.

i support the wholesale house i work with. i buy everything i can from them. it's slow right now, so that isn't much....

but if they close their doors.... then it's sucky time.

 

[GUNNING]

People equate cost with value.

People equate cost with value.

I agree it would be sucky if they left.
There are a couple of ways to approach a supply house. They do look at volume. If you are buying a bunch from them they give you a better discount. The other thing you can do is ask for prices from two or more suppliers. IF you are dealing with one more than the other you can negotiate a better price. I've gotten a better price from a big box store and for $2 more got the same thing from my supplier. Had to ask but they said yes. It showed them I look at my invoicing and they said they were willing to negotiate. Later the $18 screw anchor kit hurt but they are not driving new trucks and wearing Armani either.

The other thing Im looking into is changing the way I'm bidding work. TRASER ex has Listed Brand supply house prices and keystones into Turbobid (free) which has a contract presentation format and helps with double checking estimates (squarefootage vs time and material) also uses NECA units etc. I'm looking at modifying my business model to incorporate these products. Looks like a win win. With these tools I'm going to make more money and the supplier that is cheaper on the traser list is going to make more money and its all computerized with instant gratification. http://www.turbobid.net/TurboBidNetPricerTradeService.html

Somebody here said those that do the time and material instead of taking the extra 5 minutes to bid the work is loosing money. You are right.

Instead of complaining about not being able to find a discount part, preplan, bid the job, and make more money. That is why we are here.

People equate cost with value. A $5 widget cant be as good as a $30 widget.

 

[jmellc]

I use my supply houses for most things. None of them have had the Carlon floorbox. I liked that one as it was a standard box, easy to cut in. Could mount to joist or subfloor. Had bracket to raise & lower as needed. Cover fit well at the end & the flip caps were handy. No screw plugs to get lost. Was duplex instead of single & cost was reasonable, about $30.

The Hubbell I got looks good, has brass flip cover. But the hassle is cutting such a big hole through several layers of subfloor. Inspector will proably question size of hole & why I didn't patch around it. Lit says leave open, I have the lit nearby for him. Just makes a bad impression in my book.

Truth is, I've seen several Hubbell products that are not that good. I've had their range outlets with terminals that break when tightened & a few other misc devices that I didn't think were up to par for the price.

Carlon still has that box on their website. I would think box stores would carry the lesser priced products if they have to trim inventory. But they dropped the Carlon & now have 3 different Hubbell floorboxes.