Building materials

Hi All


Newbie here, a couple of questions if I may,


1,Why is plasterboard sooooo expensive here?


2,Am I looking in the wrong places, Bricomarche, Mr Bricolage, Bricoman, Leroy Merlin etc etc?

I use four etai à écrou, put it on as a 'table top' then lift it up with them - if the ceiling structure is heavy oak beams like us, it is slow but not difficult.

By the way, if you buy any Fermacell again, ask me for where to get it considerably cheaper than Leroy Merlin and an excellent range of insulation materials there too.

I prefer it too Brian, available in our Leroy Merlin but can be a bit too heavy for ceilings, ok for the walls.

I don't use plasterboard. I prefer Fermacell.It is more expensive, but I order batches on line and it works out less than conventional plasterboard from brico stores. Buy by the batch or palette and save money, even if you find yourself with a few boards left over which you can inevitably sell on on the cheap and still stay ahead.

Plenty of French "artisans" fall into the same category, here today gone tomorrow.

You can only get a discount in French builders merchants if you have a SIRET no, otherwise, yes more than the Brico's Bigmat our way are still more than Brico Depot or Leroy Merlin who compete against each other but with the exchange rate your pound should go further anyway.

Prices aren't bad.

http://www.bricodepot.fr/nanterre/search/node/;jsessionid=A5A9C54CD5C493495CFC28C1427C58B7.node21Plaque%20de%20platre?query=Plaque+de+platre&pageSize=20&categoryId=navCatalogRootCategory

Maybe what you have to do is approach a supplier and ask them to quote for the square metrage of boarding you require . Unlike the UK the French market is aimed at the pro and the pro will look for a deal. Problem is that the average UK "artisan" "will be here today gone tomorrow so why offer a discount.

Often the main stores have sales, it’s worth looking at their website and mags that come through the post, it can make a big difference on the prices.

Thanks all for your replies, the expensive part of this particular equation comes from being used to UK prices ( and the discount you can get for bulk buys) I have tried builders suppliers (tout faire) and bizzarely they seem more expensive. But thanks for the big mat idea I will have a look.

Same here I have not found it that expensive in general and believe me I have bought enough of the stuff. The only one that was a bit pricey was the special board I bought for rooms with humidity like bathrooms. Yes bit more than the UK but bought nearly all mine from brick or lemony merlin

Maybe you should not buy in the DIY-shops but in the shops where professionals buy their materials. Like 'Big Mat'.

I don't generally find it expensive, please explain?