Do You Need A Trade Card For A DIY Project?

We have all stood in a shop or store when you are given a chance to sign up for a loyalty card, trade card or new rewards scheme and politely declined, well maybe next time, it might be a good idea to stop and listen to what is being offered especially if you are about to undertake a do-it-yourself renovation at your home.

You may think your job is too small to be an advantage to you, but any chance to save money in this current climate should be accepted with glee. Even if it is a free paintbrush with every can of paint or a packet of nails with every hammer.

Any do-it-yourself project you undertake will have a budget, and being cost-effective is the key to success. If you have a chance to reduce costs on a renovation, then please take full advantage of trade cards as it is usually a free service.

Top Tip: If you are going to be fully renovating your house, then it may be an idea to register yourself as a tradesperson or sole trader Set up as a sole trader – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) as this will entitle you to use more suppliers. Even if you have a small fee to register, it may be worth it in order to save money.

Will I Be Bombarded With Sales Pitches?

In short, no, you won’t; as a statutory legal requirement for all companies here in the UK to have an opt-out tick box for all marketing so you will not open your inbox to find hundreds of spam emails from the merchant or affiliated trades trying to sell you their goods.

However, some of the best marketing is sent out via email; if you do not sign up, you could miss out.

What Are The Benefits To Me?

Each and every builder’s merchant and DIY or hardware store will have a different list of benefits available to you. Some will offer money off on purchases, free delivery, promotional prices on certain goods and even credit if you need it.

Anything you can do to reduce costs and increase your budget will help you to achieve the result that you want sounds like a benefit to me, so go ahead and sign up for as many as you can.

Who Is Offering What?

So, suppose you are just going down the do-it-yourself route. In that case, your options will be limited to the larger high street hardware stores like Homebase, B&Q and even Screwfix, which have various entry levels of trade cards and loyalty schemes that offer a range of benefits to the non-trade.

If you have decided to take the plunge and register yourself as a sole trader or tradesperson, then you have a plethora of suppliers to choose from, including those listed above and Wickes, Jewson, Travis Perkins and Tool Station, to mention a few. Again, these have benefits ranging from money off to free delivery.

Do-It-Yourself

B&Q: They have a loyalty card scheme named B&Q Club and can be applied for in-store or online at B&Q Club | DIY at B&Q, and they have a great range of benefits, including £5 off when you spend £30 or more on your first purchase as well as reward points every time you spend.

It is advisable for you to sign up for online marketing as you will receive money off vouchers occasionally. They do have a very easy-to-use mobile app available too.

Homebase: They have recently scrapped their loyalty scheme and are hoping to install a new trade card scheme soon, but you can, however, register online for a promotional newsletter and receive 10% off your first order.

They will also send unique offers to you on all products. Homebase is still affiliated with the Nectar Card Welcome to Nectar, so you can still earn points and rewards to use elsewhere.

The app is sometimes challenging to navigate but worth having, nonetheless. There is a scheme in which you can receive money off if you work for either the NHS, emergency services, social care sector and armed forces known as Blue Light Card, and it can be applied for via Welcome to Blue Light Card

Screwfix: Despite the name, they offer a vast array of products that cater to do-it-yourself enthusiasts and tradespersons and have a good reputation for value for money. To sign up for this card Screwfix Card | Help | Screwfix, you will have to go to a local outlet which is very easy to do.

The sheer amount of offers they have regularly makes this one of the best all-around trade card schemes out there at the moment. The app looks pretty user-friendly, as you expect from such a highly-regarded merchant.

Top Tip: Always ask about delivery costs, as most stores will offer free delivery once you have spent over £100.

Trades

You may only want to go through this route if you are a do-it-yourself enthusiast. Still, as before, if you are renovating over 50% of your house. The trade card offered will require some form of direct debit set up.

This may be a much more affordable option as the builder’s merchants will have a more extensive selection of materials than most high street retailers, and nearly all will offer free delivery which is highly advantageous if you are purchasing bulky, heavy items like sand, bricks and timber.

Travis Perkins: Have a trade card account Create a Trade Professional Account | Travis Perkins in which you can obtain credit or simply pay as you go and invariably offer huge discounts from the listed price.

One significant advantage merchants will have is that the staff are usually very knowledgeable about all products. Once you have confidence in a supplier, you can almost ensure you are buying the suitable materials for the job at hand.

Jewson: They are fast becoming one of the best trade card accounts to have and now offer a home builder expert to not just the trade but to non-trade customers too. To register Jewson Account Options, you need to have a business account, which may count some people out.

Still, it is worth visiting your local store to enquire, as many merchants may be able to offer some assistance during the duration of your building project.

Tool Station, Plumbase, City Plumbing and Alsford Timber offer a chance to save money via different schemes, some of which are online only, like Alsford Timber. Some will send out advertising to you when they have specific promotions.

It may be good practice to take advantage of these kinds of offers even if you are not necessarily in need of the products, as forward planning will save you time and money too.

Top Tip: If you don’t ask, you don’t get it.

You can hire tools you don’t have, like an angle grinder to polish concrete flooring in the kitchen

Tool Hire

Only the more prominent builder merchants will offer this, which is yet another reason to attempt to obtain some form of trade card, loyalty card or reward programme, as it will be cheaper to hire than to buy in many cases.

And Finally

One piece of great advice I can offer you from my 30 years of construction experience is to get to know the staff. Ask their names, find out their interests and, most notably, what their area of expertise is, as this will help you understand what you need and when you need it on site.

Building a great rapport with all of the employees, from counter staff to storeman to delivery driver, will be advantageous to you when you most need it.

There will be a time when you cannot find the item you want on the shelves, and that person who you have dealt with regularly may be more willing to go out to the stockroom and hunt it down for you or the driver who will go further when he delivers those items to you.

Saving money is the key to any good renovation, but good-quality materials and tools will really make your work stand out.