northshorepom Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/bunnings-stores-set-to-roll-out-in-the-uk-after-700m-deal-20160113-gm5gqg.html Good deal I reckon. Homebase has always wanted for direction and position in the market for about 20 years and Bunnings is run brilliantly in Aus. Will force B&Q to up its game at the very least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I remember when we moved to Australia I thought they were the same company as they are very alike in every way. I'm not sure how they will do in the UK market. Wasn't there already another competitor to B & Q, I can't remember the name I've been gone too long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 ^Homebase. The one that Bunnings have bought Bunnings is quite similar to B&Q, but better in every respect IMO - range carried, prices, knowledge/helpfulness of staff, and carry a lot of stuff that you have to muck about going to trade suppliers for back home (eg loads of doors, all sorts of timber, lots of hardware etc etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 ^Homebase. The one that Bunnings have bought Bunnings is quite similar to B&Q, but better in every respect IMO - range carried, prices, knowledge/helpfulness of staff, and carry a lot of stuff that you have to muck about going to trade suppliers for back home (eg loads of doors, all sorts of timber, lots of hardware etc etc) No, it wasn't that, just asked Rob it was Do It All. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Oops shows I have been gone too long https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_It_All Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 Ah, OK. They went out of business about 5 years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Sausage sizzles coming to the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Sausage sizzles coming to the UK?would get rained off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I think B & Q will give Bunnings a run for their money, i hope there is enough sales for both companys to survive as that way the customer will be the best off at the end of the day. Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 My OH (the Australian!) is always referred to Bunnings, as B&Q. I'm not a DIY expert but they seem pretty similar to me... I'd be happy to see Homebase replaced or upgraded - always a bit overpriced and not good on stock items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 My Aus DH is pretty happy with that news! He's always bemoaning the lack of a Bunnings in UK! Home base is awful, needs a big boot and B&Q is cheap and Nast in comparison. He's been to Bunnings in Aus 3 times already and we were in Canberra just a week before embarking on our trip down south! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallyman Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I would say that Bunnings compared to B&Q is slightly more trade based how ever some of the B&Q super stores are pretty good , when I was back in uk last year the rumours was that B& Q were cutting back and closing some stores not sure if this has happened Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Our nearest DIY store were Wickes and Screwfix (is Wickes not throughout the UK?). Wickes had a strange mix of trade selling on one side and kitchen/bathroom showrooms on the other with DIY stuff in the middle. Screwfix probably aimed more at trade customers. B&Q and Homebase were aimed solely at DIY; used to find staff knowledge and helpfulness poor in all UK chain DIY stores. We mainly used an old fashioned hardware store in the village, prices were higher but the helpful advice was great and we were helping support a local business which was massively popular proving that customer service can trump price sometimes. Bunnings a breath of fresh air by comparison with the UK chains in my experience. i recall there was also (useless) Focus but they went out of business a couple of years ago I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I would say that Bunnings compared to B&Q is slightly more trade based how ever some of the B&Q super stores are pretty good , when I was back in uk last year the rumours was that B& Q were cutting back and closing some stores not sure if this has happened In the UK tradies have different more specialized and specific trade outlets than we have in Aus, the likes of B&Q are more for Joe public. With Bunnings as joe public we do tend to get spoilt for choice and see things we would never dream of ever using, but also we get hit for price and trying to get trade deals with them - 5% if lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallyman Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 In the UK tradies have different more specialized and specific trade outlets than we have in Aus, the likes of B&Q are more for Joe public. With Bunnings as joe public we do tend to get spoilt for choice and see things we would never dream of ever using, but also we get hit for price and trying to get trade deals with them - 5% if lucky. Agree, cost of materials over here in oz is , well let's say expensive , screw fix was a good trade shops for your day to day items ,I think it would work here although I have been buying fixings on line now and saving a fair bit by buying in baulk but it's taken me a fair few hours to get exactly what I wanted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr H Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I would still prefer Wickes -.- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucharmily Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 My little girls call it Bunnys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 All the blokes hang round in Bunnings it is like a club. Wonder if it will be the same in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slean Wolfhead Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Bunnings has grown on me, maybe because i hadn't heard of many of the products initially so i thought they were a bit naff. Now i realise it was actually B+Q that were poor quality, I was always taking stuff back but haven't had to do the same here. We have a new Bunnings and it's stunning, I was walking round and they have a place for Utes to pull right into the shop up one of the aisles to collect stuff. It's becoming morelike Home Depot in the USA...where tradies and DIYers shop at the same place instead of splitting into different home and trade stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxh Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I seem to be in the minority here, but I've found Bunnings to be not a patch on the UK DIY stores. Between Homebase / B&Q (DIY based) and Wickes (more trade based) you could get pretty much anything you want. But I've lost count of the times I've asked for something in Bunnings but they've never heard of it (or, as has happened a few times, you're speaking to another Pom who knows exactly what you're after, but hasn't seem them in Aus). I'm sure some things are due to slightly different ways of doing things here (for example, you can't get metal back boxes for electical sockets) but just for lack of range, for example, try and get a dimmer light switch in a metal finish (anything but plain white!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjg Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I'm sure some things are due to slightly different ways of doing things here (for example, you can't get metal back boxes for electical sockets) but just for lack of range, for example, try and get a dimmer light switch in a metal finish (anything but plain white!!) midendorp electrical. the big purple buildings. trade and joe public Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNC FABS Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 In the Uk homebase was always aimed at the home 'decorator' . as there is more margin in this against volume. Wickes (Travis perkins group, also own toolstation) are more trade focused. B&Q (kingfisher group, also own screwfix) aim for both markets, hence larger stores. All suffered from downturn over past few years. Homebase and B&Q have closed stores, wickes has opened them. So will be interesting to see what direction Bunnings take ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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