17-01-12, 08:02 AM
SOMETIMES IT CAN BE CHEAPER TO CONTACT A LOCAL HAULAGE FIRM, WHO SPECIALIZE IN SAND AND GRAVEL DELIVERY.
I am a builder and these days for just 1 ton ( ie no other items) , now that many merchants are charging delivery on top, it still can be as cheap to use these guys. Usually for anything over a ton, I use the hauliers. They also do use a proper weighbridge, so you get the weight you pay for. Oddly , they are the cheapest on cement too.
Also...dont buy aggregates in very wet weather....you pay for the weight of water !
Generally, you do get penalised for buying in small quantities. Often customers dont realise just how much we have to pay for materials. There is an opportunism taken by merchants over delivery charges, I think they are excessive.There just is not the volume throughput to generate profit by the material alone. In fact I think many merchants welcome private clients cos they do rip them off. Builders will go elsewhere.
I am a builder and these days for just 1 ton ( ie no other items) , now that many merchants are charging delivery on top, it still can be as cheap to use these guys. Usually for anything over a ton, I use the hauliers. They also do use a proper weighbridge, so you get the weight you pay for. Oddly , they are the cheapest on cement too.
Also...dont buy aggregates in very wet weather....you pay for the weight of water !
Generally, you do get penalised for buying in small quantities. Often customers dont realise just how much we have to pay for materials. There is an opportunism taken by merchants over delivery charges, I think they are excessive.There just is not the volume throughput to generate profit by the material alone. In fact I think many merchants welcome private clients cos they do rip them off. Builders will go elsewhere.