Using distributors worth it?

[ul_1973_tested]

Do wholesale distributors like Walters Wholesale, Scott Electric, or Mars Electric really give much of a better deal/ft of say NM-B than Amazon or Home Depot? (I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble...are we talking 1% price diff or 10%?)

 

[marmathsen]

For us right now it's about 10% cheaper through a local wholesaler. This fluctuates though. For several months or years at a time, the local suppliers may be more expensive than big box stores. For context we are a small 4 person residential only company in Seattle.

Rob G - Seattle

 

[ptonsparky]

I rarely used anything but wholesalers. PMO when I discovered some items could be cheaper, but I also learned wholesalers were competitive. There were four in the closest town and seven more within a 50 mile radius.

Waiting for non stocked items was the worst. Online companies such as AD changed that and they have only gotten better.

I tried to work on anything but residential. Not to many PLCs or VFDs at Menards.

 

[ul_1973_tested]

Thanks all, 10% discount is pretty good. So ballpark wire cost $0.42/ft retail, a 2000-sq foot house using ~3500 ft of wire could lower cost by $142 using wholesaler/distributor. (3500*0.42*0.1=$142). Probably worth doing if it only takes a few hours to get for a couple of houses.

Any national ones you recommend or you just look locally, shipping eats national up too fast?

 

[petersonra]

Wire is pretty much sold by the ounce of copper or aluminum.

You probably won't get a much better deal than what your local supply house charges unless you don't have a purchasing agreement with them.

 

[electrofelon]

Many supply houses will deliver too, which can be a huge plus.

 

[tortuga]

For several months or years at a time, the local suppliers may be more expensive than big box stores.

This is what I have found for basic residential supplies like NM cable, PVC conduit etc. at first I figured it was because we are a small outfit so I asked a friend at a larger company to compare and he said the box stores were also cheaper.
He then proceed to buy them out of NM cable.
After that they set a limit of rolls per customer.
NM cable is often a 'loss leader' where box sores will sell it at loss and advertise a great price to get you in the store, then make it all back when you buy all the other overpriced stuff.

Loadcenters at the box stores around me all have an aluminum buss where as the wholesale house panels have a mostly have a tin plated copper buss. The bus bars look identical. I am old school and prefer the plated copper buss.

 

[solarken]

Do wholesale distributors like Walters Wholesale, Scott Electric, or Mars Electric really give much of a better deal/ft of say NM-B than Amazon or Home Depot? (I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble...are we talking 1% price diff or 10%?)

One benefit depending on the type of jobs you do is you can install conduit runs, pull in measuring mule tape, and order exact conductor lengths, including colors, and loaded on one reel. Saves time and less waste. Many distributors provide this with no extra cost.

 

[Todd0x1]

One benefit depending on the type of jobs you do is you can install conduit runs, pull in measuring mule tape, and order exact conductor lengths, including colors, and loaded on one reel. Saves time and less waste. Many distributors provide this with no extra cost.

and you can get pulling eyes crimped on. also walters does cnc conduit bending

Electrical Pipe Bending

Do you need electrical pipe bending for your upcoming project? Contact Walters Wholesale. Pipe bending for EMT, IMC, Rigid, aluminum rigid, and more.

www.walterswholesale.com

 

[LarryFine]

also walters does cnc conduit bending

What happens when your threaded joints tighten with the pipe pointing the wrong way?

 

[Todd0x1]

What happens when your threaded joints tighten with the pipe pointing the wrong way?

Back it off until everything lines up? We're piping wires...not plumbing water. Honestly I have no idea I don't deal with big threaded stuff.

 

[electrofelon]

What happens when your threaded joints tighten with the pipe pointing the wrong way?

Hate feeling it get tight in the wrong spot. U feelin' lucky and think U can go another turn? Well do ya punk?

 

[gadfly56]

Thanks all, 10% discount is pretty good. So ballpark wire cost $0.42/ft retail, a 2000-sq foot house using ~3500 ft of wire could lower cost by $142 using wholesaler/distributor. (3500*0.42*0.1=$142). Probably worth doing if it only takes a few hours to get for a couple of houses.

Any national ones you recommend or you just look locally, shipping eats national up too fast?

Unless they deliver, as electrofelon suggests, running a "few hours" for a savings of $284 or so isn't worth it. If you're picking up wire, you're not making money, unless you build that time into your labor, and you're right back where you started in costs, if not worse.

 

[LarryFine]

Hate feeling it get tight in the wrong spot. U feelin' lucky and think U can go another turn? Well do ya punk?

When I have a straight run with an elbow on the end, I'll leave each joint less than wrench-tight, then tighten the entire run at once, making it easier to get the end pointed the right way.

And it also makes it more likely that I will get an entire turn if I do feel lucky enough to give it a try, because the additional rotation is shared among several joints instead of only one.

 

[gadfly56]

When I have a straight run with an elbow on the end, I'll leave each joint less than wrench-tight, then tighten the entire run at once, making it easier to get the end pointed the right way.

And it also makes it more likely that I will get an entire turn if I do feel lucky enough to give it a try, because the additional rotation is shared among several joints instead of only one.

How about a strategically placed compression fitting or union?

 

[curt swartz]

This is what I have found for basic residential supplies like NM cable, PVC conduit etc. at first I figured it was because we are a small outfit so I asked a friend at a larger company to compare and he said the box stores were also cheaper.

Nothing at the box stores is cheaper than what I get from my supply houses.

 

[Omid]

I think it depends on what you want to buy. If you want to buy wire, you can probably get a better deal from local suppliers due to the shipping costs. However, for other items such as dimmers, ballasts, or breakers, you may find better deals on Amazon. Also, as you probably know, suppliers, both online and local, do not set their prices based on cost plus a fixed markup. Their prices fluctuate depending on various factors such as their inventory, their order period, their business plan, and even the salesperson's mood of the day. SO I think we have to do our homework if we want to get a right price. If I have a continuous flow of jobs such as residentials with high material costs, I would set a competitive price from my local seller. For those in service with a variety of parts in small quantities, online purchases may be more convenient as you can reorder any parts conveniently online as you use it and refill the inventory or in cases easily return it if you don't need it.

 

[LarryFine]

I'll usually go where it's most convenient for the job, especially for that last-minute store run with my last-minute shopping list to finish the job.

 

[petersonra]

If you are a good sized outfit you probably should be looking at arranging purchasing contracts with your suppliers. It is amazing to me how much the price drops. The distributor is not even going to tell you they exist but will be happy to talk with the owner about it

 

[electrofelon]

I would say there is just about always room to ask for a better price. I admit I don't do it enough, but every time I have reached out to my sales guy and complain that a price seemed high he lowered it.