You keep asking yourself – Where to buy roofing materials? Here are the common places to check for.
DIY Superstores
Increasingly now, well-known DIY superstores are stocking more and more specialist products and can prove to be very handy for last-minute items and general materials. There will be sand, cement, timber battens and some of the more common materials aplenty, but the range and quantities of slates, tiles, fittings and fixings may be quite limited, as may be the advice and guidance that you need from time to time.
Builders’ Merchants
Many builders’ merchants have recently become increasingly knowledgeable about roofing products, with many of their staff attending courses provided by manufacturers to raise product awareness. The levels of stock and the depth of knowledge within branches varies widely, depending on how deeply they are involved in roofing materials, but, in general, their ranges should be greater than in the superstores.
Roofing Merchants
Some roofing contractors also operate as merchants and there are also specialist roofing merchants who cater for the trade. Not every town has one and so they are not always as accessible as the builders’ merchants, but, if you are lucky enough to have one in your area, this is where you will find the most stock and knowledge. But, if you require something which is not in stock, generally the staff will know what you are talking about and be able to get it for you fairly quickly.
Manufacturers
Some of the manufacturers will sell direct to the public and some small firms, but many will not, preferring to sell to a network of merchants and to particular customers only. Few manufacturers and suppliers are now without a web site and a quick search on the product name should soon lead you to stockists or appropriate sales departments.