Where to buy building materials on the example of Moscow - 4 tips

Starting a repair, each of us begins to look for a place where it would be possible to buy all the necessary building materials: from concrete mixers and cement to paint tools, baseboards and other trifles. We put forward a lot of criteria, and among the most important ones are the favorable price and quality of the goods. Also important are delivery times, quality assurance and other factors. So where is it better to buy building materials and what should you pay attention to first of all?

No. 1. Construction market, store or online site?

Companies specializing in the provision of construction and repair services, as well as private builders who do all the work on their own, can easily name a few places where you can purchase the necessary building materials:

• construction market;
• specialized construction stores and hypermarkets;
• online stores;
• Ads in catalogs and magazines.

the main thing advantage of shopping in the construction market - low price and the opportunity to save money. On the other hand, this savings can be deceiving. The fact is that often products are stored in inappropriate conditions: the temperature and humidity conditions necessary for different materials are not observed. In such retail outlets it is difficult to find the one who bears the real responsibility for the proper storage of products, therefore, it is often sold unsuitable for use, or with poor performance.

A big plus of the construction markets is the opportunity to see and examine the goods, but a considerable number of fakes are concentrated there, so you need to have enough experience to make a really profitable purchase. If there is no certainty that you can distinguish a quality product from a fake, then it is better to buy only trifles in the markets, such as screws, nails etc. However, if necessary, purchase a large batch of building materials, for example, immediately for repair of the whole apartment, difficulties may arise: you have to run at different points and look for the required material, since in one place everything you need may not be. Markets are great for buying materials for minor repairs.

Hardware stores and hypermarkets They have a large and often huge range of products, offering literally everything: from nail and scotch to roofing materials. Product quality is many times higher than in the market. Firstly, with solid retail space, it is easy to organize a storage place for the goods and maintain the necessary conditions there. Secondly, large stores work for a long-term reputation, therefore, as a rule, they sell quality goods from well-known manufacturers. The probability of buying fake or expired products, of course, is in this case, but still it is much lower than in the construction market.

You have to pay for a large assortment, a beautiful supply of all materials and proper storage conditions - prices in construction hypermarkets are usually higher than at any other trading floors. If you have time in stock (relevant for private construction), you can wait for stocks and sales, which large retail chains regularly conduct.Some sites make shipping discounts, and when ordering a certain amount they offer completely free delivery.

A compromise solution can be called building materials online stores. They differ in a huge assortment and the most favorable prices, because rent and other expenses here are many times lower. Moreover, when buying online, you can save a lot of time. The only negative is the inability to see the product and touch it before the purchase, so it is better to contact proven online stores. Residents of Moscow and the Moscow Region can be advised Master Tibot, an online construction hypermarket, is a worthy supplier of construction products of excellent quality and huge species diversity. Today the store offers more than 3,000 items, so the site is great for large purchases. There is also a relatively rare product that smaller stores do not take on sales due to its low popularity. The range is constantly expanding and replenishing.

Online store Master Tibot works directly with trusted manufacturers without intermediaries, so it guarantees the quality of products and offers the best prices. Often, customers get discounts and bonus programs. The store’s specialists are ready to provide each client with the most complete consultation and in the shortest possible time to deliver products to the construction site. The speed is ensured by the presence of several warehouses in the region, and the company takes care of the delivery. Building and finishing materials, equipment and tools are sold both in difference and in bulk: you can order a batch of products of any scale.

Newspapers and catalogs Not a very popular way to shop, but some manufacturers still use it. Such directories always indicate contact details and terms of cooperation. In fact, this is a paper version of the online store, only the range of products will be lower. As a rule, catalogs are devoted only to a certain type of product, often these are products of a high price category or having high aesthetic value.

No. 2. What to ask the seller?

How to make sure that the product offered to you is of high quality and safe? For any product you can demand quality certificate, which testifies, for example, that formaldehyde emission from particleboard is at an acceptable level (E0, E1), and zinc or lead are not included in the composition of finishing materials.

The buyer has the right to know other information about the product: capacity address, composition, membership in a particular brand or grade, and shelf life. After making sure that the product is safe and meets all standards, you can evaluate the seller by other criteria.

Storage conditions - a very important, and in some cases a decisive, factor. If insulation, solid wood products or gas block stored at high humidity and with a constant temperature difference, they lost a good half of their useful performance and are unlikely to be used in construction work. If the seller does not allow to inspect the warehouse and evaluate the storage conditions, this says a lot. In this case, it makes sense to overpay a little, but it is guaranteed to get products of the required quality, than to save and after some time to come back for a purchase.

Big shops do it themselves delivery issues - This is very convenient, since you don’t have to look for a freight carrier and coordinate all delivery details with it. The more elements in the circuit, the greater the likelihood that there will be hitch and delay. Delivery conditions, however, may vary, and the cost often depends on the distance of the construction site.Some large stores are ready to deliver products free of charge, subject to ordering goods for a certain amount.

More than payment options offers the seller, the more convenient the buyer. The basic set of almost any trading platform includes cash payment and cashless card payment. Large stores offer the possibility of bank transfer, which is important for legal entities and entrepreneurs. Some sites also work with electronic money systems, but so far it is a rarity. If we are talking about online stores, then the opportunity should be provided payment after product delivery.

The responsible seller, regardless of the size of the trading floor, must provide guarantee for your products, replace it or return in case of non-compliance. It is better to ask about this in advance, and even better - read reviews about a particular seller, paying attention to his behavior in force majeure situations.

No. 3. When is the best time to buy building materials?

It is best to shop in the winter. During this period, construction and repair work practically freezes, so many manufacturers and sellers are ready to offer the lowest possible prices. Manufacturers give dealers decent discounts on condition of purchasing products for a certain amount, and those, in turn, reduce the price to customers. Often, even winter delivery is cheaper, like renting truck cranes and other equipment. Needless to say, they will deliver products in unpopular winter time faster, if, of course, the city is not covered with snow.

To take advantage of favorable winter prices, you must provide purchased products with normal storage conditions. It should be at least a room with a roof. Some products will require the maintenance of specific conditions, and if the consignment is large, then the warehouse must be reliably protected from theft, so weigh all the benefits and expenses.

Number 4. What else to consider when buying?

The seller must carry out pre-sale preparation of the goods, i.e. to inspect the products, and for some types of goods - check the completeness and availability of necessary parts and schemes for assembly. All types of goods undergo pre-sale training: from bricks and lumber to doors and metal products. On the other hand, the buyer should know that pre-sale preparation does not include assembly - it is usually carried out for a fee.

When selling bulk fasteners by weight, the seller must provide the buyer with the opportunity to independently weigh the goods. Measuring instruments must be verified. If you do not trust, then you can take a reference weight with you (a weight, the mass of which is precisely known).

Often stocks in large stores are connected with the fact that the shelf life of the product is coming to an end, so you should not lose your mind in the pursuit of profit: it is important to check the quality certificates, the shelf life and clearly determine for yourself whether you will be able to use the product while it still has necessary qualities.

The seller must give a sales receipt - he, in which case, will be needed to process the return.