me B&Q it? - or leave it to hubby? (B&Q)

Member Name: freud

Product:	B&Q
Date:	06/05/09 (124 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: seems to have everything under 1 roof

Disadvantages: too confusing for non DIYers like me

We are lucky enough to be a just a few minutes drive from 2 B&Q stores - 1 'normal' size & 1 superstore but it's half a day gone browsing or searching for exactly what I'm looking for & more often than not, I come away emptyhanded.

Although I'm not sexist & I may be grossly exaggerating here (excuse me) I find B&Q very much a male-dominated place. The only areas of the stores where I feel comfortable are around the wallpapers, paints & plants & garden parts I'm afraid to say.

Firstly I must point out that I'm not a DIYer (just painter & decorator) & haven't a clue when it comes to sealants, screws, pipes, nails & tools etc & the like.

I went with hubby to look for a new bathroom suite & although I was initially fairly excited I ended up being totally confused by the vast number for sale & how the prices worked eg. were the bath panels/ taps included in the total price, could you mix & match etc? Luckily we found a really helpful member of staff who worked everything out for us - but what should have been a £799 suite actually worked out at £950.

Another time we went to look for a new kitchen mixer tap - once again I was totall confused by the dozens for sale - I stupidly though a tap was just ... a tap! Obviously (as Manuel said in Fawlty Towers so many times) 'I know nothing'.

I also needed some metallic paint to re-vamp our chiminea - what a choice - but once again was totally overwhelmed by the choice as I was with the weedkillers....

I can see why hubby loves going to B&Q (on his own!) & sees it as an Aladdin's cave but I'm afraid the stores are too big, there's so much walking & too much choice or maybe I'm just too old as I can still remember family-run hardware shops & good old-fashioned timber merchants & plumbers.

summary
~ great if you know what you're looking for.
- a good place to browse if you're looking for new ideas.
- very helpful & knowledgable staff.
- queues can be long.
- everything under one roof?
- good prices.
- too confusing for me though lol!

Summary: a well-established & well known store with helpful friendly staff