6 Criteria to Consider when Selecting a Building Material Supplier

or...
And the Material Contract goes to...

Today I finalized the supplier for the building materials for the cottage. The winner is Dale's Home Hardware Building Center in Otter Lake.

I have been working closing with Brad Dale at Dales Home Hardware finalizing the last few items. While his quote for almost all of the materials was relatively equal to his main competition at Home Depot, his quote on the Roof truss system was way out of whack with that of Home Depot and a quote I obtained directly from a roof truss supplier. And by out of whack I mean it was almost twice the price.

Brad was a bit curious himself so he had a few 'discussion' with his supplier. The result was that they agreed to not to match the Home Depot price to beat it by roughly $100 dollars.

Now, with almost identical price quotes I determined that the the Home Hardware would be the best overall, based on the following considerations I now deem very important:

1. Price
It is important to drive the best price, but there are other considerations, as long as there isn't a big difference say 5% then the other issues are as important, perhaps become more important. Beware the low ball bitter. Sometimes they are too literal in pricing your materials list, leaving out important elements. for instance for s steel roof, make sure the bit includes all the various metal connectors that are required, those 'extras' cn often skew a price by 10% or more, if they are not included.

It turns out that that the Home Hardware quote was very close to the Home Hardware quote so the following issues became important factors.

2. Service
How has been your experience with the supplier through the bidding process. Did they take you materials list and bit it directly? or did they take the time to understand what you are trying to do? Did they suggest alternatives? Did they suggest ways do reduce the cost?

Your experience with the supplier before you buy is often a good indication what kind of service you are going to get after or while you buy.

Home Hardware, Brad Dale specifically, was very interested in understanding my project and suggested many alternative options and materials.

3. Delivery Flexibility
Any number of things can cause the building schedule to change such as the weather, a missing helper, and heaven forbid a person catastrophe of some sort. Gee! maybe I have even over estimated how long a building task may take and the schedule goes faster.

Home Hardware is close to the Cottage, about 2 kilometers, with a weeks notice, sometimes less, I can make significant adjustments to may delivery schedule.

4. Materials Storage
I will be building from a far. That means I will be building my cottage on extended weekends and a few weeks in which i will take vacation. Security of my materials is paramount. The construction site will be unlike most - there will not be constant constant presence of workers to discourage a thief. Hence I need my supplier to store materials until I will need them, delivering them just in time - as I need and can immediately use them up. If the stud, or the truss, or the engineered floor joist is nailed down it is very difficult to steal.

Home Hardware is willing to keep my ordered material in their lumber yard until I need them. They will even do this for materials that they have sourced from a third party like the roof trusses. In fact the trusses are likely to be delivered well in advance - a month before I need them.

5. Ad Hoc Materials Needs
I am expecting that my materials list is not perfect. I am sure there will be the occasional time when I need that extra stud, or box of nails, or whatever I didn't quite consider or measure right. Without a close source of materials, the project could grind to a halt while that now key piece is sourced and delivered.

Dale's Home Hardware is only 2 kilometes away. I can easily go get the missing material or call them to deliver it.

6. Payment Flexibility
I will be getting, receiving and hence purchasing materials on a weekly, maybe some weeks on a daily basis so having a convenient and fast fast way to pay will reduce the frustration. Plus I may need to send one of the building team, my wife, Lucie or one of my sons to get the material. having a means to address these issues just materials it easier to spend time building rather than dealing with logistics.

At Home Harware, Brad suggested setting up an account and listing all the people that can purchase on the account. I can pay the account weekly or monthly as the balance grows.

For those of you that have been following the quote contest the final point score is :

Home Hardware: 5 (WINNER!)
RENO: 0.5 (complete)
BMR: 0 (complete)
Home Depot: 3 (runner up)

Dale's Home Hardware Building Centre is found on Highway 303 just as you arrive in Otter lake, Quebec:

Material Quote Status... they are dropping like flies...

Oh I forgot I to tell you, I received a voice message from the head of the contractor's department at BMR (Building Materials & Renovations) last week. He confirmed they have misplaced - let's call a spade a spade - LOST - the request for quote and set of plans I left with them. ...and in this words, "would I be so kind to bring around another copy".

Not likely! Plans are not inexpensive! So I have written BMR off the list and assessed them a minus 0.5 (-0.5).

So the running score is:

Home Depot: 3
RENO: 0.5 (complete)
BMR: 0 (complete)
Home Hardware: 1

NOTE: I am moving primary residences this weekend so posting will resume earlier next week...

NEXT: Coming up next week

• Getting the permit
• Getting the foundation started
• ordering materials (maybe

BMR Matereials Quote Update

I also called BMR (Building Materials & Renovations) on Friday as I had noticed their number on my telephone. They hadn't left a message the both times they called but I thought I should call them.

Another telephone journey nightmare. I went through the main desk, the lumber desk, then a contractor sales person and finally to the head of the contractor's department. Bottom line no one have heard of me or my request for a quote.

I described the material quote and the attached plans to the head honcho at the Contractors department, and finally a gleam of hope appeared. He said "Oh! yes! I think Sergio was working on something like that. --- let me investigate and call you back."

As you can guess I didn't get a call back on Friday!

Score remains:

Home Depot: 3
RENO: 0.5 (complete)
BMR: 0.5 (I resisted adding a minus 1 tot he score)
Home Hardware: 1

Finally a Word from RONA...

Well after waiting almost three weeks, I decided to call RONA, if only to give them a piece of my mind on Friday.

I called the main number and asked for the contractor's desk, and got to a cashier. I politely explained that I was looking for a quote on the material list I have left... She said " Oh! you need the contractor desk..." duh!

After weaving through a few more people I was finally connected to the contractor desk, and speaking to the head cheese at the time, I got the message "Oh yes, I emailed that to you a week ago". I obviously didn't get it in my email, but giving them the benefit of the doubt I suggested that it may have been spammed out and asked to have it resent... "But sir it was just an alert that your quote was ready, now you just need to come in an get it".

In my glee that I was about to get my first materials quote I said "Great I will be over this evening to get it!"

So Friday evening, and at the contrctor's desk, I get a blank look from the lady at the desk. Essential saying 'Gee! I haven't a clue where to look'. Fortunately the head cheese, linkely anticipating that the off commercial hours staff were 'clueless', said to direct them to look in the centre island location and look for an envelope with my name on it.

Well Madam Clueless, proceeded after my passed-on directions to pull out almost every file folder on the 'center island'. I became privy to the building plans of several to become customers of RONA, before finally my file was discovered.

With the quote in hand I proceeded home, after a detour to the grocery store, two in fact, eager to crack open the quote.

While RONA won the honours of the first to get me a quote it turned out to be wanting in a number of respects. The major issue with the quote is that they picked and choose what items they quoted on. The only basis seemed to be what was easy to quote. The biggest item missing was a quote for the roof trusses - a key component.

I guess RONA should get some points for responding the fastest, however, everything else was a disaster. Perhaps we will give them a half a point - just to indicated that they did play in the game - but perhaps a different game, or league than the rest...

You will understand if I don't call them back...
"The Canadian How to People" - give me a break, I am embarrassed to say they are a Canadian company...

So far:
Home Depot: 3
RONA: 0.5 (out of the game...)
BMR: 0.5
Home hardware: 1

Material Quotes: an Update

Well if you been following the saga, I have given a request for quote to four suppliers:

• Home Depot (two weeks ago)
• Rona (two weeks ago)
• BMR (one week ago)
• Home Hardware Building Centre (one week ago)

Here is an update:

Home Depot called yesterday to first apologize for being tardy but also to ask a few questions abut the material list.

BMR I know has called because their telephone number is registered on my home phone - twice in fact, and I suspect once on my cell phone. However, they never left a message. I will call them on Monday.

No word from RONA.

No word from Home Hardware but we had a good meeting over the material list last weekend so I wasn't really expecting a call.

So the score so far is:

Home Depot: 3
BMR: 0.5
RONA : 0
Home Hardware: 1

Coming up this week:

• Call the septic system engineer to get him in to do the survey
• Call two contractors for a quote on the foundation
• Touch base (call) the building inspector
• Find a electrician

Quoting Wars: Home Depot 2; Rona 0

I promptly received a call this morning from Mark Leger who is the supervisor at the contractor desk at Home Depot. It was a pleasant call. He asked a few clarifying questions, and then addressed two issues in the request for quote.

First he suggested that he not quote on the sections involving items that require choice, if fact he was very intuitive and further to say that perhaps these are items that would require my better half in the decision making process... as if us men ever have a choice when it comes to picking styles and colours! Rather he said he would concentrate on the construction materials.

Secondly, he suggested that would not be in my best interest to insist on a 90-day quote guarantee as lumber costs are dropping, so I would miss out on any savings.

He thought that I would have a quote by Friday.

No word from Rona - enough said...

The bottom line is

• Home Depot: 2
• Rona: 0
• Home Build Centre: n/a (they haven't received the RFQ yet)

Coming up: I am traveling up to the cottage lot this weekend for two reasons. First to check out the depth of the snow and how it is melting so I can gauge when operations can start. Secondly, I need to visit Bobby Dale at the Home Hardware Building Centre in Otter lake to start the quoting process with him.
;-)

$70K + You would thing they would be scrambling for my business...

It never ceases to amaze me how some businesses do everything in their power to turn customers off.

Just back from dropping off my request for a quote at the local Home Depot and Rona stores. They both can't handle these requests on weekends both stated that they only handle that during week days but they both said they would pass them on to the manager at the contractor desk on Monday - and I would be called! Gee I hope so... an order of $70K plus is up for grabs...

The Home Depot fellow at the contractor's desk said that he would look at getting to the quote first thing on Monday, after the weekend madness. I actually didn't expect an instant turnaround because I know they will need to call out for various sub-quotes for floor systems, roof trusses, etc. But the fellow immediately started to look at the material list and started to ask a few clarifying questions. I was pleased that he was eager to get at it. Well the weekend madness beaconed his attention so we agreed he would call me on Monday with further questions.

I left Home Depot with a smile - actually a stayed a bit to have lunch in the Harvey's which is inside the store -- I had a 'Gary's Burger"... ;-)

A little less satisfying was my experience at RONA. What really floored me was before I left the "lumber" Desk at Rona the fellow at the desk slipped in that a $100 fee would be required for the quote - which of course would be refunded if I actually purchased with them. Gee I guess they think they are doing me a favour or something... I promptly replied that perhaps Rona really didn't want my business after all! The fellow curtly said well the contract desk will call you on Monday...

I and my wife spent a about an hour walking around in RONA - it had been a long time since I had been there - and I just wanted to get updated on the kinds of brands and materials that they stocked for future reference. Unfortunately, my previous impression of RONA was only strengthened... RONA could learn a lot from Home Depot. I left with the following perspective:

• Rona is generally more expensive ( you see I had already did a preliminary costing at Home Depot the previous weekend - that is why I know it is going to cost me about $70K) Yes there were a few, very small few, number of products where Rona was marginally lower in price - but not many
• The place is horribly disorganized, and a mess. I was looking to price some woodstoves and the chimney accessories, and while I new where the general area the product were in, when I got there I almost passed it by. The aisle was so cluttered it obscured the things I was looking for and until I did some acrobatics thought they didn't have them
• The place is filthy! My wife said she was afraid to touch anything as just about everything was covered with a thin film of dust. As we left she said to me "I feel like I need to take a shower!"

It is amazing what some businesses will do to reject your business.

THE SCORE: So far Home Depot 1; Rona 0

I mentioned in an earlier post that I will be getting 3 quotes. My experiences with Home hardware will be coming soon. That store is located near where the cottage is to be built so I need about an hours drive to get there. That will a future story here...

Getting the Material quotes...

Armed with the material list, details for the exterior windows & doors, and a copy of the architect drawings, I am off to start the quoting process.

I also created a supplier cover sheet where I listed a few quoting rules like:

• Substitution of materials - I listed a few brand names for materials
• Location of the construction site - so they know where they are delivering
• A delivery schedule - I grouped the materials in to delivery lots because I don't want materials sitting around for itchy fingers
• How to contact me
• Return of the plans - they are damned expensive and in limited supply
• The quote must be valid for at least 90 days

I have chosen to get three quotes. The lucky suppliers are Home Depot, Rona and Home Hardware Building centres.