I wanted to get a price for Bamboo flooring from Howdens. I do not have an account but would by on someoneelse's account. They would not give me a price at all as they "do not give prices to anyone off the street". They are treating their prices as state secrets.
Funny you say that. I had EXACTLY the same argument with a guy on the phone at Howdens at a London branch this time last Sat. Told him I needed 40 internal high quality doors. He said I can come and look but wouldnt give me a price, and I would not be able to use my wife's limited account because it was not a building trade related company. Told them to **** off and I'd take my £20k budget elsewhere. Their loss.
I've had various receptions......needed some large softwood garage doors, paid cash, no problem at all.
Wanted a kitchen for someone, wouldn't even discuss the price. Guy there was a right smart ass.
Wanted another kitchen for someone else, and they opened an account for me there and then.
(Three different branches, north east.)
John
Was told to go to Howdens by insurance claims assessor to choose new laminate flooring after a water leak. They wouldn't entertain us until we gave them the assessors phone number. After a whispered conversation with him the salesman agreed to show us what they had but still wouldn't give us any prices. After choosing, the wife and I left feeling like second-class citizens. Never again will I be going back there.
I have been on the bamboo sites and into the shop.
I just mentioned to a friend that we wanted to put bamboo flooring in and he said that it was cheaper at Howden and told me a price which he thought he could remember. He is a GP - so no trade that Howden would normally be interested in at all - and he has bought material for their surgery for cash. And cash is fine with me but they do not need to behave like a secret society.
I have a feeling that there may be, or used to be, a planning difference between retail and wholesale. So wholesale (trade only) outlets could be situated in places where retail outlets were not allowed - and presumably where costs were lower. Googling suggests the difference is between "A1" and "B8" planning categories.
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