ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Price increases!!!

I converted to U.S. gallons, so you're looking at over three times the price here compared to the U.S.A. Something like 75 to 80% of the pump price is tax.

Copper prices are still fluctuating widely here. My usual supplier is giving daily figures for reels of cable at the moment.

.. I'm not at all happy with the way things are heading,but there's nothing we can do about it.....except, fight back and raise our prices,...it's something we're gonna have to do...charge a little extra for your service calls,to compensate for the gas hike,and the same for copper and steel..
Russ

There is another factor at play. Prices in the international markets (be it oil, steel or whatever) have for as long as anyone can remember been fixed in USD. This time the dollar is down so much that the sellers (like OPEC) are trying to compensate for it. For a change America experiences rising import prices. The currency effect is more apparent in a small country: As the Swedish Krona fluctuates, so does the gas price. The gas price is in fact DOWN from what it was a few years ago.

What goes up must come down...

.. I HATE to say this,but "Big Orange" seems to have better prices than my own supply house,...granted, the selection may be alittle different,but after all, romex is romex,..no??? I don't like the thought of going there, but somethings gotta give...
Russ

Attic Rat,
Be careful with HD. They're only cheaper on a few things here like wire in the smaller sizes and romex. With the increase in steel their pipe is more than my supply house, I think they are gouging. If you are finding everything cheaper at HD maybe you should look for a new supply house.

"If you are finding everything cheaper at HD maybe you should look for a new supply house."...

BigB, I've never found ANYTHING cheap at ANY Harley-Davidson dealership! Matter of fact, I thought H-D meant "hundred dollars", since that's what every little thing seems to cost.

The British equivalent of HD makes big profits on the small items. I've seen ground rods which I get for £2 listed at £5.99, and strip connectors at £1.99 that I get for about 29 pence!

They're not too bad on cable reels in the smaller sizes, but larger and pre-cut lengths are going to cost people a big mark-up.

Switchgear varies: Panels often aren't too different from the supply house, but breakers clock up the money quickly, about £8 to £9 for a C/B that costs me under £5 at my usual wholesaler.

I agree that if HD is your best price, shop arround. You'll find even large disparities between supply houses.

The local supply house that I've used for 15 years didn't have a part one day that I needed NOW, so I went to the next closest one. They were cheaper. A few months later , same thing. They talked me into opening an account and I bought a good assortment of items we regularly use just as a test. They were cheaper on every item, not just some, but EVERY STINKING ONE. We're talking about 10%-40%. It ticked me off so much that I didn't even ask the supply house I've been loyal to to match, I just started buying most of our supplies at the new place.

Shop around.

Was at HD today. $2.97 for ½" EMT. Ouch


steve

Just to add a few more items onto the list that have been in the news lately:

Plywood and OSB have doubled in the last year. Other kinds of lumber have also risen, but mostly sheet goods.

Milk (yes, milk) prices are also very high, around $3 a gallon.

Has anyone noticed the prices of pull boxes, j-boxes and panelboards increase as well?

Peter