NORWICH DIY OUTLET BANK HOLIDAY PREVIEW

Note: I won't be including Thorns in this review, as its imho the go-to store for niche components and items when on the move and in a hurry, you wouldn't purchase all your matierials for a full project there. Logistically, its not a player in the Bank Holiday DIY game, imho.

Wickes - once the golden boy of Norwich DIY stores, since it relocated to its fancy new premisis off the ring road its a crock of s**t imho. Part of its soul died in that crazy move, and its a t**t to get to at any time of day unless you are a freak like me and love nothing more than a 0755 trip to a DIY shop on a Saturday morning. Anyone wanting to nip in and get bits over the BHW will be fuming at traffic before they even deal with the poorly laid out, staffed, and equipped store.
1/10

B&Q - Hall Road store is alright but they don't carry the full range the flagship Boundary Road store does. So I'd head there. Pricewise there isn't ever much of a deal on and their new partnership with USA chicken chlorinators (probably) Valspar paints is resolutely f**k. Their policy of hiding the decent tools like Makita in favour of their own brand s**t also burns my piss. Don't get me started on their in store radio channel too. Took their eye off the ball by having the f**king Paw Patrol in store last Saturday, net result a sixty (60) minute queue of kids and n00b parents snaking around the store making it impossible to access 50% of their aisles. Brats running amok in the demo showers and everthing. I bet someone took a deuce in a WC. Who sanctioned that event ffs? Terrible management imho symptomatic of a giant who has lost its way.
3/10

Homebase
I think there is still one on Hall Road. Quite like this gaff, it has a nice ambience and usually a few bargains to be had, unfortunately they tuck all these gems away in the post-till corridor of uncertainty which means humming and harring over a slightly warped length of 150x75x2400 (treated) for £3 is problematic if you've brought your kids and/or have a s**tload of s**t to haul out. That said, I'm lead to believe their gardening section is head and shoulders above its peers.
6/10

Bunnings
These new Aussie cats have the Sprowston Homebase store. Early days but ther paint selection and mixing service (good old Crown and Dulux on tap) appears top of the range, and the little trolleys for kids is a nice touch. Excellent power tool aisle and decent building materials as well. Far cry from the Argos/Habitat/Costa shoehorned in demise of Homebase. I got a load of decorating bargains for £6 (4x rollers, dust sheet, tape, stirrer, tray) and I get a good vibe about their antipodean staff (over for 3 weeks to train up the UK lads and lasses). Sausage sizzle this Sunday, these cats mean business.
8/10

Good luck everybody.

Posted By: MIKEWALKER, Mar 28, 20:10:39