electricmanscott
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA
$40.00 for 250' roll of 14/2 romex at Lowes. Ouch, That's gonna leave a mark! 
Romex $$$$$
- Thread starter electricmanscott
- Start date
- Status
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
Re: Romex $$$$$
I think the pain will continue until the economy tanks. Either way, tough road ahead.
I think the pain will continue until the economy tanks. Either way, tough road ahead.
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Re: Romex $$$$$
Yeah, and they're usually the cheapest in town!Originally posted by electricmanscott:
$40.00 for 250' roll of 14/2 romex at Lowes. Ouch, That's gonna leave a mark!
jeff43222
Senior Member
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Romex $$$$$
I bought a roll of 14/2 NM at the supply house last week for 38.40. It was less than that at a big box store.
I bought a roll of 14/2 NM at the supply house last week for 38.40. It was less than that at a big box store.
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Re: Romex $$$$$
HD's Contractor website is listing 14/2 for $31.00. Looks like they have everyone beat hands down.
HD's Contractor website is listing 14/2 for $31.00. Looks like they have everyone beat hands down.
goldstar
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Re: Romex $$$$$
The price of copper is going through the roof. My last trip to Big Orange I noticed the price for a coil of 14/2 was $28.00 and change. Has the price gone up again ?
There are 2 methods of valuing inventory FIFO (first in - first out) and LIFO (last in - first out). Both the supply houses and Big Box stores are using the LIFO method. But if you're doing your accounting properly you're supposed to wait until you actually buy the wire and bring it into inventory before you revalue your inventory. Irrespective of what they originally paid for their wire inventory, as soon as they "here" that the price is going up they raise their prices. Hell of a windfall don't you think ??? By the way, the gas stations are doing the same thing with gas. At least in their case you see the prices come down once in a while. That's where the rub come into play. When they "here" that the price of inventory is coming down, they don't revalue their inventory until they actually buy it and bring it into inventory.
Are we in the wrong business ?
The price of copper is going through the roof. My last trip to Big Orange I noticed the price for a coil of 14/2 was $28.00 and change. Has the price gone up again ?
There are 2 methods of valuing inventory FIFO (first in - first out) and LIFO (last in - first out). Both the supply houses and Big Box stores are using the LIFO method. But if you're doing your accounting properly you're supposed to wait until you actually buy the wire and bring it into inventory before you revalue your inventory. Irrespective of what they originally paid for their wire inventory, as soon as they "here" that the price is going up they raise their prices. Hell of a windfall don't you think ??? By the way, the gas stations are doing the same thing with gas. At least in their case you see the prices come down once in a while. That's where the rub come into play. When they "here" that the price of inventory is coming down, they don't revalue their inventory until they actually buy it and bring it into inventory.
Are we in the wrong business ?
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: Romex $$$$$
Last sat big orange was $41 for 12-2 here for 250 but was only $150 for 1000.Yes on way up and will destroy anyone with locked in bids on a house.I can rememer it when it was 5 cents a foot
Last sat big orange was $41 for 12-2 here for 250 but was only $150 for 1000.Yes on way up and will destroy anyone with locked in bids on a house.I can rememer it when it was 5 cents a foot
Re: Romex $$$$$
Just checked the price for 250' 12/2 at L___s (can't say that word) it is $55.90 here in Illinois. It's like gold. My last order of 3000' just last week was up $250 from just two weeks prior.Lets see these guys wire a house for $300 profit with these gas price and material cost.
[ October 21, 2005, 01:17 AM: Message edited by: gerns ]
Just checked the price for 250' 12/2 at L___s (can't say that word) it is $55.90 here in Illinois. It's like gold. My last order of 3000' just last week was up $250 from just two weeks prior.Lets see these guys wire a house for $300 profit with these gas price and material cost.
[ October 21, 2005, 01:17 AM: Message edited by: gerns ]
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Re: Romex $$$$$
I wasn't aware that was a dirty word. :roll: :roll:
You mean Lowes?
I wasn't aware that was a dirty word. :roll: :roll:
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Re: Romex $$$$$
"Romex" has gotten so expensive that I'm starting to make my own. I'm taking scraps of THHN/THWN and wire-tying it together in a nice bundle. If it's too short, I just butt-splice another section on. So far the inspectors haven't said anything. In fact, one inspector remarked, "Wow, look at all the pretty colors of that wire you used."
"Romex" has gotten so expensive that I'm starting to make my own. I'm taking scraps of THHN/THWN and wire-tying it together in a nice bundle. If it's too short, I just butt-splice another section on. So far the inspectors haven't said anything. In fact, one inspector remarked, "Wow, look at all the pretty colors of that wire you used."
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Re: Romex $$$$$
Tell the manager. Complain like heck. Call the company headquarters. The only way it will change is if you make a fuss. The big shots will take notice of it. If the bad service doesn't stop, don't go there anymore.
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Re: Romex $$$$$
My area is so saturated with Lowes and Home Depot that you can go to any one of them on a weeknight, especially the ones in the suburbs, and practically have the whole store to yourself.
[ October 22, 2005, 12:01 AM: Message edited by: peter d ]
My area is so saturated with Lowes and Home Depot that you can go to any one of them on a weeknight, especially the ones in the suburbs, and practically have the whole store to yourself.
[ October 22, 2005, 12:01 AM: Message edited by: peter d ]
pierre
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
Re: Romex $$$$$
A few things come to mind here when I read this thread.
1. " you can go to any one of them on a weeknight". I think that going to any store at NIGHT, is a premium, as that is cutting into personal time and has a big ticket number added to it. This happens though, as most electricians in our industry who become "contractors" do not learn or understand how to actually run a business as a "contractor" would. (I can't wait to see the responses to that statement)
2. I do not understand why a bunch of "contractors" do not get together and direct order a pallet of NM cable (or other supplies) and split the cost, thereby lowering their costs. Thats what comradery and solidarity in our industry can do - lower contractor costs and raise, or at least help in the bottom line.
3. The cost of materials should not affect your direct bottom, but will definitely at some point affect your total sales as the customer(s) slow down their capitol improvements due to the rise in cost.
4. Bid packages that go out with some time from the proposal to the end of a job are the hardest to control, as contractor costs are moving in the upward direction at unpredictable amounts.
I am not contracting at this time, but I have very close contact with a lot of contractors and I am aware of some, if not most of the situations arising these days.
I will say GOOD LUCK though!!!!!
A few things come to mind here when I read this thread.
1. " you can go to any one of them on a weeknight". I think that going to any store at NIGHT, is a premium, as that is cutting into personal time and has a big ticket number added to it. This happens though, as most electricians in our industry who become "contractors" do not learn or understand how to actually run a business as a "contractor" would. (I can't wait to see the responses to that statement)
2. I do not understand why a bunch of "contractors" do not get together and direct order a pallet of NM cable (or other supplies) and split the cost, thereby lowering their costs. Thats what comradery and solidarity in our industry can do - lower contractor costs and raise, or at least help in the bottom line.
3. The cost of materials should not affect your direct bottom, but will definitely at some point affect your total sales as the customer(s) slow down their capitol improvements due to the rise in cost.
4. Bid packages that go out with some time from the proposal to the end of a job are the hardest to control, as contractor costs are moving in the upward direction at unpredictable amounts.
I am not contracting at this time, but I have very close contact with a lot of contractors and I am aware of some, if not most of the situations arising these days.
I will say GOOD LUCK though!!!!!
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
Re: Romex $$$$$
buying in bulk and splitting the costs and savings sounds like a great idea. in practice it never works. think about all the coops around where the prices are more than you pay at the big box stores.
it takes resources to arrange these kind of buys, bill the people, see that the right people pickup the right stuff, etc, deal with the deadbeats...
in the end it is unlikely you will be able to save any money once you figure in all the costs. thats why no one does it.
besides, no manufacturer wants to sell by the pallet. they want to sell by the truck load. and you can get stuff by the pallet from your distributor for about 5% over their actual cost, sometimes less. the other 5% is not worth trying to recover.
buying in bulk and splitting the costs and savings sounds like a great idea. in practice it never works. think about all the coops around where the prices are more than you pay at the big box stores.
it takes resources to arrange these kind of buys, bill the people, see that the right people pickup the right stuff, etc, deal with the deadbeats...
in the end it is unlikely you will be able to save any money once you figure in all the costs. thats why no one does it.
besides, no manufacturer wants to sell by the pallet. they want to sell by the truck load. and you can get stuff by the pallet from your distributor for about 5% over their actual cost, sometimes less. the other 5% is not worth trying to recover.
william runkle
Senior Member
- Location
- Michigan
Re: Romex $$$$$
Well the whole copper issue is the thing to look at not just non-metallic sheath cable. But 12 THHN, 4 THHN, 2/0 THHN and cost of E.M.T., I.M.C. and R.M.C. all together my bids are good for a week it is all to unstable right now I have never seen it like this and I have been a Contractor for 23 years.
Well the whole copper issue is the thing to look at not just non-metallic sheath cable. But 12 THHN, 4 THHN, 2/0 THHN and cost of E.M.T., I.M.C. and R.M.C. all together my bids are good for a week it is all to unstable right now I have never seen it like this and I have been a Contractor for 23 years.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
Re: Romex $$$$$
I was at farm and fleet yesterdya. 250' of 12/2 was $48.
I was at farm and fleet yesterdya. 250' of 12/2 was $48.
macmikeman
Senior Member
- Location
- Planet macmikeman
Re: Romex $$$$$
I went into a dinky little mom and pop hardware store yesterday. Its the kind of place where they sell romex by the foot, and probably sell about 500 feet a year this way. They had a stack of 12-2 250' rolls they were selling for $32 dollars apiece. Those rolls were yellow, probably sat there for about a year at least. I bought it all. And the 14-2 for $22 bucks a roll. They probably made a killing on me. But they are in for a suprise when they re-stock.
I went into a dinky little mom and pop hardware store yesterday. Its the kind of place where they sell romex by the foot, and probably sell about 500 feet a year this way. They had a stack of 12-2 250' rolls they were selling for $32 dollars apiece. Those rolls were yellow, probably sat there for about a year at least. I bought it all. And the 14-2 for $22 bucks a roll. They probably made a killing on me. But they are in for a suprise when they re-stock.
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