They insist on selling decking timber etc only in multiples of certain lengths. So if they have pieces of timber say 5.5 metres long, they charge for 5.4 metres. I have just bought 13 pieces of timber totalling 25 metres, for which they charged me for 19 metres.
Since I couldn't fit 5.5 metres of timber inside my small car, they kindly cut the timber into short bits for me. My weird project (which is not a deck) requires 12 pieces of timber at 4 different lengths.
I marked with chalk where I wanted the timber cut. But their saw is really wide and they couldn't see the marks, so I had to remeasure each piece and tell them the length to the chalk mark. Then they had to increase my measurement to match one of their standard lengths, e.g. 1.9m was changed to 2.0m. Then they gave me the extra timber for free, all 6 metres of it. I'm not complaining, but why don't they just measure the 5 long pieces that I took off the rack and charge me for the actual length of them?
dastedly,
Apr 21, 1:46pm
They may be thinking you very odd ?
trade4us2,
Apr 21, 2:00pm
Well I'm a customer prepared to pay the price on the shelf. If they give away 25% of their timber, I am not complaining. But it's much harder for them to sell only in certain lengths of timber.
dastedly,
Apr 21, 2:06pm
but they would be make good %60+ mark up on the metre rate first .They not missing out on much really
amasser,
Apr 21, 4:31pm
Perhaps somebody can't do arithmetic and under-charged you. Go back and pay the correct price and for all the cutting!
pete48,
Apr 21, 5:11pm
I don't know if this helps, but, all sawn timber is sold (old school in feet) as multiples of 300mm. Eg: 1.8M, 2.4M, 2.7M, 5.1M etc etc. A length measured at 5.9 is sold at 5.7. Don't know about when they cut to a customers instruction though. Peter
trade4us2,
Apr 21, 5:48pm
Yes that sounds like what was happening. They were measuring my 13 cut bits of timber and donating the extra bits to me. Instead of measuring the 5 long pieces that I got off the rack.
golfdiver,
Apr 24, 6:59pm
All the timber I buy comes in specified lengths. Normally a choice of 4.8, 5.4, or 6.0. I order a nominal amount and they pack it and deliver it wrapped. There is a bench saw for approved clients. I don’t think it gets used.
brigette6,
Apr 24, 7:24pm
I work in the forestry industry and the domestic mill logs are cut 150mm longer than the sold length due to checking (cracks) that can happen at the ends of the timber. So a 4.8m length of timber is actually 4.950m long, sold as 4.8m
trade4us2,
Apr 24, 8:13pm
So as I said, the merchants are odd for not charging for the timber that is longer than one of their standard sizes.
budgel,
Apr 24, 8:13pm
I think the current health and safety laws have put an end to that.
golfdiver,
Apr 24, 9:23pm
Probably, I’ve used their forklift this year however
golfdiver,
Apr 24, 9:25pm
I use 5.4 dressed purlins as they will cover exactly 6 trusses. They are spot on.
trade4us2,
Apr 27, 8:47am
I needed timber at 1.5, 1.8, 2.0, and 2.1 lengths, and the timber on the rack was random lengths up to 5.5 m and would not fit in a small car. So it had to be cut. The cutting facility cannot cut at a marked line. They are unable to charge wholly for the timber on their racks. Very odd!
elect70,
Apr 27, 1:57pm
Better to cut on site to size from the lenghts given . Old story measure twice cut once
trade4us2,
Apr 27, 2:22pm
By on site, do you mean at the timber merchant's site or my building site?
golfdiver,
Apr 27, 2:34pm
Why didn’t you get it delivered? The costs are minimal. Then you could cut it at home.
trade4us2,
Apr 27, 5:05pm
The delivery charge would be almost as much as what the timber cost. Timber shops have been able to cut the timber in the past, but their new saw is particularly stupid.
briantamaki-god,
Nov 19, 12:55pm
could have been worse you could have needed kwilia thats sold in running metres
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