Bunnings isn't so cheap

[Ian Robinson]

We recently had to replace our Hill's rotary hoist (finally died , heck it's over 50 years old and the spindle shaft finally corroded out).

First thought was get a new hoist from Bunnings ..and install it myself .. you have buy the Hoist in a box , collect it or have it delivered (delivered is $50 minumum !!!) , buy a bag of ready mix cement (NOTE to all - avoid rapidset as it will corrode the galvanised coating very quickly) , and then you need to install it (bore / dig a deep hole in the yard - how many people have a post hole digging (scissoring type double) shovel and a prybar hanging about in the shed) - so if you don't you either need to buy these (not cheap) or hire a mechanical post hole borer and auger (add at least $100 for a over night hire) or pay someone to do the job (Bunnings can't help there , wont even recommend a local contractor)(works out about the same cost , so there is nothing at all to save there by the DIYS route (....bummer .... ).

Turned out being cheaper to call Hills , and buy the Hoist direct from their local distributer who supply , deliver and arrange a complete installation of their biggest collapseable rotary hoist for only about $20 more Bunnings charge for just for the Hoist..(can't buy a 20kg bag of mix for that !!) .. and nothing more to pay .... and the warantee remains in force too !!!

Pays to shop around by phone or email.... and buying from Bunnings isn't always to best / cheaper way to go.

I suppose this is no surprize to the more die hard DIYSers here who do handyman jobs at home and for family and mates all the time.

[michaellxv (Michael)]

Not at all surprised by your story. A lot of seemingly simply jobs require specialised tools. The cheap versions (use once and throw away) are not worth the effort, they usually create more problems.

Sometimes it is just better to pay someone who has the tools and knows what they are doing.

DIY should be things that are kinda fun to do. If its not don't do it.

[Ian Robinson]

Originally Posted by michaellxv

Not at all surprised by your story. A lot of seemingly simply jobs require specialised tools. The cheap versions (use once and throw away) are not worth the effort, they usually create more problems.

Sometimes it is just better to pay someone who has the tools and knows what they are doing.

DIY should be things that are kinda fun to do. If its not don't do it.

Yep been there and done that ... I killed a cheap Bunnings shovel about 10 years ago on the very first hole I dug for one of my boundary fences , each hole took took me a couple of hours to dig (I wanted them deep enough for the fence never to fall over and to take a bag of rapidset each steel post , unlike the original fence that had buggerall concrete holding the posts , no wonder it blew over) and it was dambed hard yakka with a shovel , spade and a mattock .... !!! took better part of week all up and my neighbour never lifted finger to help .

I'm not used to hard physical labour .... would probably do myself an injury or worse .... digging holes is not my idea of fun ....

[Clarry (Clayton)]

How annoying is that. You pay good money for a hoist & just 50 years later it corrodes out. You should take it straight back to the Nock & Kirby's store and demand they replace it.
Seriously though, I have had a similar experiences with cheap Bunnings hardware. What looks like a bargain ends up a waste of good money.

[pgc hunter]

50 years is a damn good lifetime for any product. Good quality aussie built! That's 50 years more than any of the cheap chinese junk imports we unfortunately have to suffer with these days will last.

[Ian Robinson]

Originally Posted by pgc hunter

50 years is a damn good lifetime for any product. Good quality aussie built! That's 50 years more than any of the cheap chinese junk imports we unfortunately have to suffer with these days will last.

If I get 1/2 that out of the new Hills Hoist I'll be happy ....

But I don't think I will , if we stay in this house that much longer that is .

They made things to last back in the 50s .

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

I divide tools into two categories. Those designed to be used once. Those designed to last. I only ever buy the second group. Anything too expensive can be hired.

It took a fencing contractor a couple of days to dig the holes for our ~150m of fences. By hand because there's no access for machinery. Holes that would take the post plus a bag of rapid set each.

Add a few hours to put up the pailings with an air nailer.

That's the sort of work I'm happy to pay someone with the professional grade tools to do for me.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

The major mis-conception about big business compared to smaller. With major marketing power they can say a lot but mean something else.

Woolworths and Coles are the same. My local Spud Shed is brilliant for cheap FRESH fruit and VEG. But they can't compete on marketing power so consequently they are well known.

[MrB (Simon)]

My local Spud Shed is brilliant for cheap FRESH fruit and VEG. But they can't compete on marketing power so consequently they are well known.

Even with the cheap pricing of Spud Shed, he's doing alright.... he doesn't need to market himself, all his premium stuff goes to Coles. He also has FreshExpress out at the Canning Vale markets.
But I s'pose, with marketing he could keep the good stuff for himself and sell it for less than Coles retail but more than Coles' wholesale price... and he wouldn't have to bend over for them anymore.

It used to be a family business.. the three Galati brothers and their Father, My mum in the office, me on forklifts and tractors, and my brother in the mechanics shed fixing everything.
Tony's purchase yesterday of a $31,000 box of cherries is just pocket money. LOL

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Buy a farm. Every tool you own will become worthless overnight.
No tool you get from Bunnings is going to cut it, except for the smallest household jobs.
That uber-expensive M***** 18 volt LiOn drill? Dead in a week from drilling into redgum sleepers. Its transmission shot.
That little pipe ditch you dug from the flower bed to the run-off?
Multiply that times 100. You'll drop from exhaustion after 5 feet!
As I write, Dave the digger is putting in about 100 metre's of trench, and boring post-holes with his ditch-witch thingy.
It would have taken me weeks, if not months and a heart attack or two.
It'll take him a day and he won't break a sweat. He charges about $100 per hour.
But it would cost me $100,000 or more to buy his gear so its worth it.
No substitute for that industrial gear IMO.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Something to be said about false economy, buy cheap stuff and will only last a short time so you have to buy more of.

Bunnings were selling a BOSCH LIon drill mini one quite cheap. I found they were a special cheap make for bunnings. I bought a unit from RS Components and ore than 2 years still going very strong. I have heard from some people that purchaced a cheaper one from Bunning that they broke soon after warranty mine still going even for business use. Also bunnings warranty only cover private home use in most cases.

[star1961 (Lisa)]

i no longer shop at bunnings or woolworths due to their lack of customer service and wrong prices on their products and staff not knowing anything about their products. too big companies can't or don't care to provide good customer service. i'd prefer to shop at the small local business but unfortunately not many exist any more!

[star1961 (Lisa)]

oh and you can add target to that list. they deliberate place sale items amongst higher priced products and mislead their customers. i no longer shop there either.

[Lee]

Bunnings have a trick too - they promise to beat competitors prices on identical items.... sometimes they will have items rebadged for them, so only they sell that item - an example is some of the cheap Karcher water blasters have unique Bunnings designations - so even though the same item is elsewhere, it will have a different code, so isn't identical..... sheisters.....