Running a trade
Where to buy trade supplies: trade counters, accounts and pricing
Paying retail at the DIY shed eats your margin on every job. Most tradespeople buy through builders' merchants, trade counters and wholesalers with a trade account — here's how to get set up and pay less.
What you'll need
- •Photo ID and proof of trading (invoices, insurance, or website)
- •Business bank details
- •Details of the materials you buy most often
Step by step
1Open accounts with the big merchants
Travis Perkins, Jewson, Screwfix, Toolstation and electrical wholesalers like CEF all offer trade accounts. Ask for a cash account first if you don't want credit checks — you still get trade pricing, you just pay at the counter.
2Get your trade cards
TradePoint (B&Q's trade arm) and Screwfix trade accounts are free and instant with proof of trade. Keep the cards on your phone so you always pay trade price, even on one-off purchases.
3Consider a credit account once established
A 30-day credit account helps cash flow — you buy materials at the start of a job and pay after the customer pays you. Only take one on once you're confident in your invoicing.
4Price-match the wholesalers
For plumbing and electrical, specialist wholesalers usually beat general merchants on pipe, cable and fittings. Open accounts with one or two local to you and ask about their pricing tiers.
5Track your real costs
Note what you actually pay per fitting, roll or bag at each merchant. Prices vary by branch and by your account level — the 'trade price' on the shelf ticket is rarely your final price once you're a regular.
6Ask before you pay
Counter staff can move on price for bigger orders, damaged packaging or end-of-line stock. If you're quoting a large job, ask for a project price in writing so your margin is locked in.
Common mistakes
- •Quoting materials from retail prices and discovering the merchant charged you more than you allowed.
- •Buying everything on a credit account before your first invoices have been paid — cash flow kills more new trade businesses than lack of work.
- •Assuming the biggest merchant is cheapest for everything; specialist wholesalers win on their own products.
When to get a second opinion
Not sure how to price materials into your first quotes? An experienced tradesperson can walk you through how they cost jobs.
Ask an experienced tradesperson