Retail HVAC Stuff

Married2Allis

Well-known Member
What is all of the fuss about HVAC items not being available to the public? Needed some duct work pieces, (ELs, boxes, flexible duct) to do some remodeling. Was told by 'sales person' at one supply outlet that they don't sell to the public. How can they get away with that crap? With all of the big stink these days about 'discrimination'. You would think that for what they're paying to employ someone at the counter, they would sell to anyone. Are they afraid that someone not trained will install ductwork improperly ... with all of the so-called professionals out there doing shoddy work that has to be corrected?
 
IF you have a 'sales tax number' you could have purchased whatever was being sold. That business is protecting their wholesale customers; that's all. I discovered this when I tried to buy vinyl siding from a local supplier and was 'forced' to buy from Menard's. Menard's siding is a lower grade-similar to Home Depot or Lowes. I chose to NOT bid the job.
 
Some contractor supply houses do business as Waldo said others will sell to anyone. My experience is that most who sell to anyone have two price structures and the non-pros pay good bit more than those with contractor accounts.

We had an entire new HVAC system installed in our house by the best in the business in our area and the they had to leave a small amount of duct work undone because the contractor hadn't finished some work ahead of him. I used a combination of what the installer left me and some new pieces from the big box store to finish the job and there was no discernible difference in quality, same gauge, same quality of folds.
 
That's fine, I'll gladly pay more. Just sell it to me. Pricing different to contactors is a common practice for all types of supplies including paint, electrical components. I find this nonsense going on only with HVAC suppliers. Same thing happened when I tried to buy a refill tool/pressure gauge for my geo-thermal loop. Ended up just getting one off of fleabay.
 
No difference than in any other wholesale only business. Some will sell to the general public even though they state otherwise. You won't like the prices if they do cause
retail is a big jump.

The supply house I use most will sell to anyone that walks in the door but will tell you on the phone they don't sell to the general public. There is a large spread
between what a professional pays and that walk in they don't know. Part of this is to discourage them from coming back cause they don't want to fool with folks who don't
know what they need or what to do with it when they leave the store. They will fry a part and bring it back saying it is no good. Just isn't worth the hassle to the
store.
 
they are afraid that the contractor down the counter will notice the sale to you and feel that he is being cut out of the loop by them and take his business to a supplier that will not sell to "outsiders". Plain and simple.
 
I set up an account with a wholesaler thru the farm, but we buy alot thru work there so i know them well.
 
A little tip that works many times! I wear my work uniform almost all of the time cause I am on the swing shift. When I walk in they don't even bat an eye. Give it a try.
 
I've run into that a few times. usually when I'm the next town over and need something to finish a job. It is very aggravating, especially when they have to serve up a helping of attitude along with the refused sale!

What I've found helps is to go in with a readable list, complete with trade names, part numbers if possible, quantities, etc. Be as professional as possible, make the sale as easy as possible.

HVAC suppliers are the worst! The one I used to use went out of business, there is a new one right down the road, but their days are numbered, limited stock, incompetent employees...

I did discover Johnstone Supply will now sell to anyone, didn't used to be that way!
 
Sometimes in life it's who you know that important. My sister and her husband has a HVAC business in N Indiana. I can call her for a special part and the can call her supplier and have it dropped shipped to my house.

I also have a friend in Terre Haute in the HVAC business that can get me anything I want. There have been a few times I've saved his butt when he ran into a few electrical issues.

I worked my way through college working on Commercial furnaces and AC's for Bethlehem Steel Burns Harbor, In. I worked my butt off during the extremely cold and extremely hot days. That's when I decided to finish my degree and work in a climate controlled environment.
geo.
 
That's the way it is in the Phoenix area. When I needed a new AC/heat pump I went to a lot of different places, I finally found a place in the low rent district that would sell me whatever I wanted. I picked up a new unit, hauled it home and had a young guy help me hook it up. Save a couple grand doing that; one neighbor went to the same place and bought the same unit that I bought.
 
I see this with a lot of trades. Years ago I tried getting a concrete company to pour on a Saturday, now you would think it would not matter who I was if they were working, but they flat refused me and said
their loyalty was to their contractors, not an individual. Called a few others, and they were also territorial, refusing to even go into a neighboring area. Finally someone referred me to a company about an
hour away, and said he is in business to sell concrete, and would not have a problem helping me out. Gave him a call, and he only had two requirements which I gladly agreed to......a few $$ extra due to
mileage, and he be on site at 7 AM. I finally asked why 7 AM, and he said the load I wanted was overweight, and he was also running local plates on his truck, so he wanted out of the area before 8 AM. I di
get curious and if he cared about passing the local company, and he said "nope, as a matter of fact I will tell driver to toot his horn as he goes by!". My kind of guy, and got my business two Saturdays. I
always like helping the type businesses that are in business for everyone, not trying to corner the market or drive up prices locally. It pays to shop.
 
Want some more "fun" try and buy parts for an LP system ! The LP suppliers near me won't sell you anything. Went to the supplier down in Amish country he not only sold to me he trusted me with a whole 300 foot roll of underground bury plastic tubing. I told him I think I needed around 150 feet. He gave me the roll and said use want you need and then bring back what's left and we will settle up. I got some regulators and some other items too.
 
Similar if you try to purchase LP gas for a tank you purchased/set that does not have a tag/nameplate. I purchased a tank without knowing they must have a tag, then found out that very few suppliers will touch them. Supposedly due to the fact they have no idea what was previously in the tank, but what would the tag have to do with it? Finally found a supplier that simply tested and filled it, and has been filling since. Sooner or later I will find a tag off a tank being scrapped, or my supplier will sell out, and I will not be able to get it filled. No idea where the tag went or if the tank was stolen at one time and tag removed, but I can tell it had been lost or removed many years ago. I simply got lucky in that I found a supplier that wants to sell gas, and does not care about a tag.
 
It has been my experience that most HVAC suppliers will tell a homeowner to take a hike if you call them on the phone, but will be happy to sell you just about anything if you walk in the door. I assume they don't want to tick off the contractors who give them most of their business.
 
(quoted from post at 10:21:04 10/03/16) If I walked into Walmart and wanted to buy a bra could they refuse to sell it to me? LOL

You are still confused about the differences between wholesalers and retailers. OTOH, yes, Walmart doesn't have to sell you anything at all unless you are a member of a protected class.
 
I trade with a couple of big
plumbing/heating supply outfits. They won't
sell to the public.
I just set up a cash account with them.
It was rather painless. Took a day or two
for the paperwork to go through their office
then they called me and said I was approved.
 

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