French diy supplies much less than UK – another rip-off?

BlueVinney

In the summer I visited a warehouse of the French 'Brico Depot' diy chain and found their prices very much lower than the UK. Brico Depot is similar to B&Q in layout and range of products supplied. I understand that the group that owns B&Q also owns Brico Depot so that's not so surprising.

I'm renovating my house and so yesterday went back to France for the day to buy some of my materials and I've just recording my experience from that trip. I usually buy from Screwfix as it is so much cheaper than B&Q and the like. I'll give Screwfix prices where there are any equivalent.

In practice I found that the stockholding efficiency was not very good and some of the things I needed were not available on my visit. They could give me a delivery date for the next batch, that didn't help me on a day trip. Although many staff were helpful, some displayed the irritating approach to customer service which you can find in France. Maybe it was the English accent in my French.

A few months ago I fitted a toilet with concealed cistern. Screwfix had nothing suitable so the cheapest I could source was a Roca brand floor-standing white ceramic bowl with plastic cistern, 3/6 litre dual flush and silent fill. The whole came to a couple of quid short of £200. Yesterday I bought another, it's a complete system from Roca but with a fully suspended toilet bowl (ie. doesn't need to stand on the floor) including an adjustable steel frame to mount it but otherwise with the same specification. This time I won't even need to build a wooden frame to support the cistern. The whole lot cost E110.00 or £77.50.

I was really blown away by a shower cubicles (wish I had the space to fit one). A 950x950 fully enclosed moulded cubicle with 6mm decorated safety glass walls including curved sliding doors, overhead fixed shower + 10 adjustable hydro-therapy jets + a fully adjustable conventional shower head, internal padded seat and mirror. That cost £246 and was ready to take away. The nearest thing I could find in Screwfix was a Walk-In shower enclosure which is not enclosed and only has 1 conventional shower head. It costs £899, only £650 more for a lot less facilities!

I tried to buy a moulded, multi-jet shower panel which you fit on the wall in the shower area. It included a shower head at high level, 6 adjustable 'hydro-massage' jets and a conventional hand-held head on a flexible hose. The moulded housing included 2 shelves for shower gel, etc. and controls to vary temperature and to choose which jets you want to use. That little lot cost £43, unfortunately not in stock for a couple of weeks. The nearest thing in Screwfix included a moveable shower head on a flexible hose + 4 jets and shelf for £149.

BD advertise a 390 page catalogue of their stock items and costs. You would guess, it was out of stock.

Unfortunately the BD website (http://www.bricodepot.com/) isn't of much help in finding useful information as it only lists the locations of their warehouses.

So does anyone know how I can get hold of information on Brico Depot or any other French suppliers? I've looked in at Mr Bricolage but they don't have as broad a range and it generally seem more expensive than BD. Alternatively does anyone import at prices near those in France?

In true MSE mode I got the day trip from Portsmouth for £30 including car, filled my empty tank with diesel at 71p a litre and brought back some wine, spirits and food so had a free trip anyway.

Edit 12 November

Just been to B&Q and found they had a shower panel at 'below half price'. It had a conventional flexible shower on a riser rail, 5 jets and a mixer. The reduced price was £122 but it was out of stock with the next delivery in 2 weeks. The only one available was £249. Think I'll miss out on that for now.

Mr_Pink_3

BlueVinney,

Interesting thread this.

Like you I like to use Screwfix where possible, but am also aware of the savings that can be had in France.

Since you travel from Portsmouth I assume that you don’t end up in Calais? Anyway in Calais there is a large store called Leroy Merlin, that I would highly recommend. It stocks all the items you mentioned and, as you say, the saving on ceramics and fittings are massive. I have also found that the quality of ‘unbranded’ stuff tends to be better than you would buy in the UK. Branded items like Roca, I would assume are exactly the same quality wherever bought, even if not exactly the same range.

Whenever I have been to Leroy Merlin in Calais there is always a few English peeps there, including builders and DIYers in rented vans that can accommodate the sort of items we are talking about. Similarly to you I wish I had the space (or even another bathroom) just so I could put in a massive high quality ceramic shower and His and Hers basins!

Another point that is worth mentioning is the tools available. I think it is mainly hand tools that offer the best savings, in particular trowels and decorating tools.

The link for Leroy Merlin is: https://www.leroymerlin.fr

And I think there is something about buying building materials in France on this site: https://www.day-tripper.net

All the best,

Mr Pink

BlueVinney

Thanks Mr Pink,

Thanks for that information.

Exploring those links should keep me busy for some time. Cherbourg is much more restricted in shopping opportunities but Portsmouth-Cherbourg-Poole is the only practical day visit route from Dorset at this time of year. Just have to eat my heart out!

Tim_L

Be careful - not all French plumbing fittings are legal in the UK as I understand things. Best to take advice from a plumber before buying anything.

njm_2

Just a thought – but I needed a metal double socket for my workshop and because I was already in B&Q I took a look at their range; the cheapest was about £10. Screwfix was £4.20 but as I didn’t have a £45 order so that ruled them out. My local electrical wholesaler has a trade counter and they were more than happy to make a cash sale - £4.50 inclusive. I also needed to replace a number of ceiling lights recently – B&Q wanted over £3 for the ready made unit, Screwfix was £2.25 so I thought I would make them up myself. Started ordering all the bits at the wholesaler and when he realised what I was planning to do, offered me ready made pendants at £1.12 each – even rounded the total down for cash!

I’m hoping the same may apply at the local plumbers merchants

Mr_Proctalgia

Some of he stuff mentioned is available in this country if you keep your eyes peeled, for instance a couple of months ago Lidl had a plumbing offer so I filled my boots with thermostatic shower and bath mixers, ceramic taps and a few other bits and bobs, just out of interest I walked across the road to Wickes and they had the identical stuff! The shower mixer was £100 more (common design tube type with bullet ends) Later on i went to B and Q and they were £150 more! I paid £25 for a shower mixer, £6 for a complete riser set up, and £15 for bath mixers, sink taps were £5.99 (ceramic) so the stuff is here, you just need to find it.

(As an aside I saw someone behind me buy the lot and spoke to him in the carpark - He said "I'll ebay this lot - the muppets have no idea).