# Ferguson bids



## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Was at the supply house today and heard about something our local Ferguson has started doing. Guess a plumbing contractor had put together a bid with Ferguson and didn't end up getting the job. The sales rep from Ferguson went directly to the GC and gave them a materials bid. 

Just a heads up, if you're doing commercial quotes with Ferguson don't let them know where it's for.


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## Bendite (Jan 5, 2016)

*Wtf*

I do most my business there so that is concerning...we need a supplier that will only sell to licensed people the same way hvacr suppliers do with a good portion of their product.


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

Thats why I use my personal ferguson online account and work up my bid myself with my account listed prices...then I submit my bid to customer....if I get the job I'll submit my parts list to the bid department and I can typically get 5%-8% off which is more $ in my pocket


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## CT18 (Sep 18, 2012)

We use supplier price books, then call them later to work a cheaper price. They never know what job it is for.

When i first left the field to start in design i worked for a large mechanical that would bid large jobs then sub out the plumbing to another smaller mechanical shop. That went on for a few jobs then the smaller mechanical starting bidding against us on the larger jobs and getting them. I was drawing for the smaller guy a year later.

Dont let another cook in your kitchen.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Bendite said:


> I do most my business there so that is concerning...we need a supplier that will only sell to licensed people the same way hvacr suppliers do with a good portion of their product.



I can't stand the Ferguson here because there is always a Homeowner ahead of you in line that doesn't know what they need. In fact, every supply house here will sell to the homeowners. 


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## marc76075 (Nov 24, 2010)

plumberkc said:


> I can't stand the Ferguson here because there is always a Homeowner ahead of you in line that doesn't know what they need. In fact, every supply house here will sell to the homeowners.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


My local gormans is nice to shop at because if a homeowner comes in the are told directly that they need a license to shop there. No waiting in line for a counter guy to tell a H.O. how to plumb something in
And if they go into the showroom they get quoted list price.


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## PLUMB TIME (Feb 2, 2009)

First Supply in Wisconsin, plumbers only.


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

PLUMB TIME said:


> First Supply in Wisconsin, plumbers only.


not in sheboygan. the schools janitors are in there all the time getting parts.


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## stecar (Mar 18, 2012)

I have already made it known that I will not wait. If someone is there and waiting on a part thats fine, however there has been many times when I hear" oh what should I do to fix this" I walk out. 
20 min later they call and ask why I left.
They know now, and not that I am a big company-- only 3 plumbers, but I buy about 25-30 heaters a month plus all the misc stuff.
Each Ferguson needs to hit their goal every month. So I usually get taken care of now. 
There are 3 other suppliers in the area, so they arent the only one around


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## bct p&h (Jan 19, 2013)

Around here they'll sell to anyone but if there is a line with an obvious homeowner, the counter guy will skip them.
As far as them going behind your back to the GC if you don't get the job to sell them material, F- them! I'd tell them once to knock it off. Once.


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Shopping someone else's bid material list around is unethical and they should be called out on it. 

As for HOs and others outside the trade at the plumbing supply house - I was complaining about this today at LCR. Guy at counter didn't know what he was ordering, kept adding things after counter guy thought he was finished, and asking how to use parts he just purchased. 

It might help the supply house business to sell to the public, but it hurts the plumbers - the heart & soul of the supply house business - when people outside the trade do their own work and the supply house helps them in a major way by selling them parts.

Plumbing parts supply houses should only sell to people active in the plumbing trade. The public should stay in the showroom for fixtures only.


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

More than likely it wasn't material but the fixture package. All Fergusons are out to make money just like a normal business they don't care about you. Whenever I put a commercial bid together I call Fergusons and Morrisons to get a price on the fixture/drain package on the job, they always already have the job in their system. If you think for one minute you telling Ferguson to **** off will do anything other than make you feel better, you're full of it.


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## CT18 (Sep 18, 2012)

Why do they not just hang a sign for non contractors at one register. They could also post they are a contractor supply house and will get to homeowner when others are taken care of


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