Best way to purchase electrical materials?

[Zeke]

I'm wanting to get started on my subpanel project and need all kinds of supplies from wire to breakers, some flex and dozens of little fittings like LB's, connectors, grounded bushes, some armored #8 ground wire and the list goes on. I'm reworking my load center as part of the project and replacing all the breakers, adding a new ground rod and water line connection. Of course I need another GR at the garage. I have seen those at the HD in 8 and 10'

I will build my materials sheet off a drawn plan and schematic. But say I need 15' of 1' flex. Who sells me that? I think even the box stores want to sell 50' rolls. Wire? Well, I need some #6 romex 3 wire with ground, about 25'. Waiting for some lizard in the aisle of the HD only to find that there isn't any on the rack is going to be ball buster.

I have seen online supply houses that will sell almost anything by the foot. Is this an option to have a supply ship me everything ? Just the wire?

If I go to the wholesale elec supply will they sell me 2) 1" flex connectors? Or do I start at the home store and buy all the trinkets I can find and then move to the pro supply for the more obscure?

BTW, everyone on this forum says "call a pro." Well, I've had 5 pros out here and heard 5 different evaluations, 5 different tales about how difficult life is, 5 different plans to go about this and zero prices. I have one guy that has a license, has referrals, will work by the hour and I have to provide everything.

If I don't get it all correct, "Well, we can run down to the HD and get it." I know how those wild goose chases work. All said and done, I can do every single bit of this work myself, safely and to code.

I just wanted some help.

 

[dbonne]

Zeke,
If your time is money, you can get most of what you need at HD. You can beat their prices online, not usually at a wholesale house (unless you are a quantity buyer). HD might not have the 1 inch flex, though. The price difference on a small job is not worth my time chasing it down.

BTW, what kind of electrician won't get his own materials? I would hate to show up on a job and get half way done and not have what I needed?

 

[theoldwizard1]

If HD or Lowes has what you need their prices are hard to beat, especially when you add in shipping. Get everything you can there. Don't overlook Amazon.

For oddball things, like the flex, shop eBay.

Instead of #6 Romex how about individual #6 in conduit.

 

[OccupantRJ]

An electrical supply should sell you all you need as a walk in customer. This is how I get my supplies, a few at a time. I let them stock the inventory and buy as needed. Wire by the foot, fittings, etc. Sometimes if a place is wholesale only, they are still known to sell items to a homeowner, as long as they do not feel you are competing with the local established licensed electricians. I work across the road from an electrical supply, and for the last 25 years, have been waiting at the counter many times for parts when a fresh face comes in for something. Never seen one refused yet, even when the counter guy has to coach them through the sale. They may roll their eyes after they have left, but they still sell to them. Guy last week bought 6 feet of #6 Romex while I was there. During this, I learned that that was the largest they stocked, se we were both winners.

 

[Majordisorder]

Zeke, take a large list to HD contractor desk and get a bid. One electrical sub I always use says the supply houses cant beat their wire prices. Not talking the 50 or 100 foot rolls,but the 250'. They will usually give a 5 or 10% break on a large order.

 

[mbatarga]

I purchased a few inexpensive single qty items for my garage wiring from my local electric supply house - 1 trip I paid <$5 total for several items. They didn't seem to mind. I made many other trips to HD and Lowes for everything else.

 

[brewchief]

The electrical supply houses here will sell a lot of the stuff by the foot, sometimes the by the foot price is high enough that it's cheaper to buy a whole roll.

The box stores can be cheaper on some stuff but often are more on others and sometimes are lacking exactly what you need.

 

[malibu101]

Yep on an electrical supply house.
Where I go they will sell anything to anyone in any quantity.

On "basics" like rolls of #12 romex and such, big box stores will always be cheaper. Often times on loaded panels too.

But for other "big boy" or non-basic stuff, or lesser quantities of items, I personally always find the supply house a much better priced option.

 

[930dreamer]

I like our "Border State Electrical" supply in Amarillo. It's downtown, always has coffee and if your early enough donuts. I'm a walk in cash customer and service is top notch plus if I can get everything at one place all the better.

 

[EOC_Jason]

As someone else said, I would go both to the HD contractor counter with your list, get them to give you a bundle price. I would also do the same at your local electrical wholesaler.

FYI, Home Depot gives like a 10% discount for active/former military. Just in case you are or know someone who is... Every little bit helps.

 

[Zeke]

Zeke,
If your time is money, you can get most of what you need at HD. You can beat their prices online, not usually at a wholesale house (unless you are a quantity buyer). HD might not have the 1 inch flex, though. The price difference on a small job is not worth my time chasing it down.

BTW, what kind of electrician won't get his own materials? I would hate to show up on a job and get half way done and not have what I needed?

Good point. This would be a very busy guy who values his job time and not have much background time. As a contractor myself or 43 years I've learned that a third of my time is background time that pays zero. Now doing handywork I spend more time working and less finding things and when I have to go shopping I get paid. Not so for bid jobs.

And, I've had more plumbers than not come w/o every single piece. I can't imagine why it would be much different for elec work when it's not routine.

As for who asked about running the #6 in conduit, it's up a wall cavity, across some attic space, up through the roof in a short section of sealtight and into an equipment disconnect.

Thanks for the replies, I'll start at the Home Defect one mile from me and work from there.

 

[Jagmandave]

I find I save time and money by just going to the wholesale electrical house - they have everything you need and you get it in one trip.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

any kind of cut wire I always check the electrical supply house there almost always cheaper than HD
this week I just bought 170' of 8-3 wg for $1.14/ft (k&E electric)
I stopped at home depot on the way.........they had 125 roll of 8-3 wg for $166 thats 1.33/ft.........also get this they had it on a roll cut to length for $2.43/ft, i even asked the guy that can't be right, he said it is, who would pay that?

 

[Zeke]

You guys are pushing me the other way.

 

[brewchief]

any kind of cut wire I always check the electrical supply house there almost always cheaper than HD
this week I just bought 170' of 8-3 wg for $1.14/ft (k&E electric)
I stopped at home depot on the way.........they had 125 roll of 8-3 wg for $166 thats 1.33/ft.........also get this they had it on a roll cut to length for $2.43/ft, i even asked the guy that can't be right, he said it is, who would pay that?

Per foot prices can get crazy sometimes but it's not a bad deal if you need 10-15 feet.
Ever look at the price on the little 25 and 50 foot boxes of romex? I've seen 25' for over half the price of a 250' roll, the guy who only needs a few feet still grabs the little box.


FWIW I can't stand seeing a job that has price stickers all over everything, looks amateur IMHO. If I have to get stuff at a box store I HAVE to peel the stickers off or it will drive me nuts.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

Per foot prices can get crazy sometimes but it's not a bad deal if you need 10-15 feet.
Ever look at the price on the little 25 and 50 foot boxes of romex? I've seen 25' for over half the price of a 250' roll, the guy who only needs a few feet still grabs the little box.


FWIW I can't stand seeing a job that has price stickers all over everything, looks amateur IMHO. If I have to get stuff at a box store I HAVE to peel the stickers off or it will drive me nuts.

hahaha...........I do the same thing, where you at in mich?

 

[Delta74]

get a list of what you know you will use, panel, breakers, plugs, switches, boxes, specify what you want for the panel, like Square D QO panel, any conduit if you are using it, and yes drop it off at HD, Lowes, or your larger obscure Home hardware ( don't laugh ) get there quotes, then walk into a wholesaler, get them to figure it out.

forget the, well I will buy this here, this there, look at package price as usually they know they cant compete in one area like a single 250 foot spool of 12/2 NMD. but will shave a few bucks off other things. this way when you need those extra's the wholesalers will not throw you out when you need those 3 boxes.

another thing to look at, and this may sound silly, but make sure you are actually comparing the same things, yes its a Leviton plug, HD is 79 cents, wholesaler is 1.49, the one at HD is a crappy low cost, the other MAY be a Spec grade. the spec grade in simple terms, its built of better / thicker, materials, likely have better clamping force over its life.

the wholesaler may also be able to get your lighting layout as well, give them the size, height and desired light levels, and they can usually give you a layout, and several choices of fixtures, just tell them your needs like Residential ballasts, remember they deal with the Manufacturer regularly for orders and likely would save you the hassle of Internet sales and possible damage.

 

[nolimits76]

I don't have much electrical, but I've done other projects where the same logic applies. When I'm doing a small rinky dink project then HD or Lowe's is good enough. When I'm doing anything of size, I find the service a supply house or actual lumber yard to be something I value.

As you already pointed out -- time is money.

 

[Norcal]

You furnish material you warranty the material, the contractor supplies it they warranty it.

 

[Zeke]

You furnish material you warranty the material, the contractor supplies it they warranty it.

Not an issue with me.

I'm not going to make a materials list and drop it off at every counter I can find. I took off and estimated windows for 6 months many years ago. I solicited contractors and homeowners to bring me their plans. Never did I meet more penny pinchers in my life. Most contractors simply used me to get a better price from their regular source. Could they make a list of the sizes? No, they were so lazy that I had to find the schedule on the plans and check it against the elevations for consistency. It could run from one to 2 hours to come up with an estimate and often I had to contact the distributor to get information that would add a day or 2 to the process.

A lot of work for a bunch of disloyal shoppers. I have a lot of respect for estimators and counter people. I plan on finding the best way to do this onesy twosy shopping and stick with the best plan.

Of course it won't bother me or a wholesale supply house if I pick up one ground bushing out of the HD bins. And I'm bound to miss a few little things like that. You can't finish the pull until all the conduit is right so running back to the store will be a fact.

The guy that will do this hourly probably has this in mind so he can get me out of his hair. But, as I said, if I'm going to get all the materials, I'm going to install as much as I can on my own. HE is the one that will lose money and maybe all he will get to do is pull the heavy stuff and pull the meter to change out the main.

 

[Aceman]

Zeke, I would use an electrical supply house. I do this for a living and make lists just like yours every day. If I only need X feet to do a job that's what I put on my list and that's what the supply house cuts it at. That goes for wire, flex, you name it. If I only need two connectors, same story.

I shop at 4+ supply houses, they all do it this way.

 

[Zeke]

Thanks, Ace. I have a house in mind that I had overlooked and I have been there before. They are a new company, independent and eager to help. The 2 times I was there I was the only customer. Well, many times I have been to CES and been the only customer. I tend to go in the middle to early afternoon part of the day.

 

[brewchief]

[/B]

hahaha...........I do the same thing, where you at in mich?

Little map dot between Lansing and Detroit called Webberville.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

Little map dot between Lansing and Detroit called Webberville.

I'm at one of those little map dot places also, Capac just off of I-69 between port huron and flint

 

[jeffmoss26]

Electrical supply house, unless you run out of something on a weekend.

 

[ddawg16]

I have bought a lot of wire and electrical supplies for both my personal use and commercial projects.

Unless your buying a lot of stuff or need some special items...the cost difference between HD and electrical houses is minimal. In fact, in many cases, wire (12 and 14g) is cheaper at HD. The only time it gets cheaper at a supply house is if your buying 1000'+ rolls.