www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Looking for a bit of a steer ...

Got a real mismatch of door handles and want to refit all the doors with a common style to suit a modenised 1930's house (Decor is picture rails, coving, wooden floors, but compempory wall colours and general look)

Years ago I bought a load of handles from Wickes which looked fine but within a few years the handles started to lose their lacquer, get rough, etc and I want to avoid making the same mistake again.

With the much greater experience you guys have of the various products out there, any recommendations of reasonably priced handle sets that will last?

Hoovie.

hoovie, if the customer wants something special i go to a local ironmongers and tool stockists. they have a large number of stuff in stock and seem to be the best for advice and ordering.
for any standard application i tend to use Howdens stuff. they do a cheap 'latch pack' and a dear one.
the cheap one is not good and feels really cheap.
i dont really use any of the sheds but when you see these multi packs im pretty sure they will be crap.

you get what you pay for

in the south east hinges and brakets are a relativly small chain of stores that sell good quality ironmongery

im dont know about up north because the york branch of hinges and brackets has closed down (or moved)

they charge like wounded rhinos BUT............. the range of stuff they can supply and the quality.

you pay for quality like panlid says

i am impressed with magnets range these days

Hi Hoovie,

As dirtydeeds and panlid have said you really get what you pay i have used urfic in our house and had no problems with them.

tim'll fix it wrote:i am impressed with magnets range these days

magnet mithered me the other week, 'new management' ' massive stock influx' etc.
phoned them the other day for 2 doors. they havnt got them but birkenhead have if i want to go and get them....eeerrr no!

and they were 50 quid more than howdens

panlid wrote:

tim'll fix it wrote:i am impressed with magnets range these days

magnet mithered me the other week, 'new management' ' massive stock influx' etc.
phoned them the other day for 2 doors. they havnt got them but birkenhead have if i want to go and get them....eeerrr no!

and they were 50 quid more than howdens

magnet is lboro was crap, but they have a new guy on the trade side and its much better now. They are dearer than howdens but the quality is better and they have a bigger range

tim i was after white hlaf glazed 4 panel doors which i had to cut down to make 2 bi fold doors.
the doors looked identicle and that is what the customer sees. they may have a bit more egg box inside but the customer wouldnt know this.
just out of curiosity, i havnt seen alot of the stock so what should i know is better quality?

the stuff I get from howdens is normally smashed up

tim'll fix it wrote:the stuff I get from howdens is normally smashed up

i understand.
whenever i get something slightly out of the ordinary, ie. a 2'9 half glazed door and they say they have 2 in, i have to ask them to check them before i come in. stuff that can sit in there for ages tends to be abused. though i think they happens everywhere.