Contents
- №1.Construction market, store or online site?
- №2.What to ask the seller?
- №3.When is it better to buy building materials?
- №4.What else to consider when buying?
Starting repair, each of us begins to look for a place where you can buy all the necessary building materials: from concrete mixers and cement to painting tools, baseboards and other trifles. We put forward a lot of criteria, and among the most important ones is the favorable price and quality of the goods. Also important are the delivery time, quality assurance and other factors. So where is it better to buy building materials and what should you pay attention to first?
# 1.Construction market, store or online site?
Specializing in the provision of construction and repair services companies, as well as private builders who perform all the work on their own, can easily name several places where you can purchase the necessary building materials:
- the construction market;
- specialized construction stores and hypermarkets;
- online shopping;
- ads in catalogs and magazines.
The main advantage of purchases on the construction market is low price and an opportunity to save money. On the other hand, these savings can be deceptive. The fact is that often the products are stored in improper conditions: the temperature and humidity conditions necessary for different materials are not observed. In such outlets it is difficult to find someone who bears real responsibility for the proper storage of products, therefore, often it is sold already unserviceable or with deteriorated performance.
A big plus of the construction market is an opportunity to see and view the product, but there are a lot of fakes there, so you need to have enough experience to make a really good purchase. If there is no certainty that you can distinguish a quality product from a fake, then it is better to buy only small things in the markets, such as screws, nails, etc. However, if it is necessary to purchase a large batch of building materials, for example, immediately for repairing an entire apartment, difficulties may arise: it is necessary to run at different points and look for the required material, since there may not be everything in one place. Markets are great for buying materials for minor repairs. 
hardware stores and hypermarkets have a large and often huge range of products, offering literally everything: from nails and scotch to roofing materials. Product quality is several times higher than in the market. Firstly, with respectable retail space, it is easy to organize a storage place for the goods and maintain the necessary conditions there. Secondly, large stores work for a long-term reputation, therefore, as a rule, they sell high-quality goods from well-known manufacturers. The probability to buy a fake or expired products, of course, is in this case, but still it is much lower than in the construction market.
You have to pay for a large assortment, a beautiful supply of all materials and proper storage conditions - prices in construction hypermarkets are usually higher than on any other marketplace. If there is time in stock( relevant for private construction), you can wait for promotions and sales, which large retail chains spend regularly. Some sites offer discounts on shipping, and when ordering a certain amount they offer free shipping. 
A compromise solution can be called online shopping of building materials .They are distinguished by a huge range and the most favorable prices, because rent and other expenses are several times lower here. Moreover, when buying online you can save a lot of time. The only drawback is the inability to see the product and touch it before buying, so it’s best to contact proven online stores. Residents of Moscow and the Moscow region can be advised to build a construction Internet hypermarket Master Tibot - this is a worthy supplier of construction products of excellent quality and a huge species diversity. Today, the store offers more than 3,000 items of goods, so the site is great for large purchases. There are also relatively rare products that smaller stores do not charge for sales due to its low popularity. The range is constantly expanding and expanding. 
Online Shop Master Tibot works directly with reliable manufacturers without intermediaries, so it vouches for the quality of products and offers the most favorable prices. Often customers make discounts, bonus programs also work. Specialists of the store are ready to provide each client with the most comprehensive advice and in the shortest possible time to deliver the products to the construction site. The speed is ensured by the presence of several warehouses in the region, and the company assumes all concerns about the delivery. Construction and finishing materials, equipment and tools are sold both in difference and wholesale: you can order a batch of products of any scale.
Newspapers and catalogs is not a very popular way to shop, but some manufacturers still use it. Such catalogs always contain contact details and terms of cooperation. In fact, this is a paper version of an online store, only the range of products will be lower. As a rule, catalogs are devoted only to a certain type of product, and often these are goods of a high price category or having a high aesthetic value. 
№2.What to ask the seller?
How to make sure that the product offered to you is of high quality and safe? quality certificate may be required for any product, which certifies, for example, that formaldehyde emission from particle board is at an acceptable level( E0, E1), and zinc or lead are not part of the finishing materials.
An example of a certificate of conformity
The buyer has the right to know and other product information: production facilities address, composition, belonging to a specific brand or grade , and shelf life .Making sure that the products are safe and meets all standards, you can evaluate the seller on other criteria.
The storage conditions of products are a very important, and in some cases decisive, factor. If the insulation, products made of solid wood or gas-block were stored at high humidity and with a constant temperature difference, then they lost a good half of their useful performance and are unlikely to be used during construction work. If the seller does not allow to inspect the warehouse and assess the storage conditions, it says a lot. In this case, it makes sense to overpay a little, but it is guaranteed to get products of the required quality than to save and after some time come back for the purchase. 
Large stores themselves are engaged in delivery issues - this is very convenient, since you do not have to look for a carrier, and coordinate with him all the details of delivery. The more elements in the scheme, the greater the likelihood that there will be a hitch and delays. Terms of delivery, however, may differ, and the cost often depends on the distance of the construction site. Some large stores are ready to deliver products for free, subject to the order of goods for a certain amount.
The more payment options offers the seller, the more convenient the buyer. The basic set of almost any trading platform includes cash payment and non-cash payment by card. Large stores offer the possibility of bank transfer, which is important for legal entities and entrepreneurs. Some sites also work with electronic money systems, but for now this is still rare. If we are talking about online stores, then the possibility of payment after the delivery of products should be provided. 
The responsible seller, regardless of the size of the trading platform, must provide with a guarantee for their products, , replace it or return it in case of non-compliance. It is better to ask about it in advance, and even better to read reviews about a particular seller, paying attention to his behavior in force majeure situations.
№3.When is it better to buy building materials?
Most profitable to shop in the winter. During this period, construction and repair works practically freeze, therefore many manufacturers and sellers are ready to offer the lowest possible prices. Manufacturers make decent discounts to dealers, subject to purchasing products for a certain amount, and those, in turn, throw off the price to buyers. Often, even the delivery in the winter time is cheaper, as is the rental of truck cranes and other equipment. Needless to say, they will deliver products in unpopular winter time faster, unless, of course, the city is covered with snow.
To take advantage of favorable winter prices, it is necessary for to provide the purchased products with the normal storage conditions for .This should be, at a minimum, a room with a roof. Some products will require the maintenance of specific conditions, and if the lot is large, then the warehouse must be reliably protected from theft, so weigh all the benefits and expenses. 
№4.What else to consider when buying?
The seller must carry out a pre-sale preparation of the goods, i.e.to inspect products, and for some types of goods - check the completeness and availability of necessary parts and diagrams for assembly. All types of goods go from pre-sale preparation: from bricks and lumber to doors and metal products. On the other hand, the buyer should know that the pre-sale preparation does not provide for the assembly - it is usually made for a fee.
When selling packaged fasteners by weight, the seller must provide the buyer with the opportunity to independently weigh the goods. Measuring instruments must be verified. If you do not trust, then you can take with you a reference weight( a weight, the mass of which is precisely known).
Often promotions in large stores are connected with the fact that the shelf life of a product is about to end, so you shouldn’t lose your mind in pursuit of benefits: it is important to check the quality certificates, the shelf life and clearly determine for yourself whether you have time to use the productpossesses the necessary qualities.
The seller must give a receipt - it is, in which case, it will be needed for registration of the return.
