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Best place to buy linear drain?

LE
10 years ago

We're using the tile-in Laticrete 60 inch and our GC wants it soon. Says if we buy it we can save his markup, etc. He hasn't made the final decision on the plumber, otherwise I guess he'd get it. I found several places I could get it online, but I'm not familiar with any of them.

Range was 614 @ stonetooling, 620 @ contractors direct, 669 @ tilestoreonline.

I also thought about seeing if the local plumbing supply place would match the best online price. Would that be weird? (I did the research online, I didn't use their showroom and then go bargain hunting.) It would add sales tax, but I honestly don't begrudge that.

Comments (29)

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    10 years ago

    Give the local plumbing supply house a shot a meeting your best price. You'd hardly be the first to do this and online competition is part of their cost of doing business.

  • MongoCT
    10 years ago

    Not saying that the other two are no good, but "stonetooling" is always online over at "another" forum.

    Print out the page from Stonetooling with the price and specs and hand it to the counterman at your local shop. Can I buy this here? Can you match that price?

    Sometimes they can or can't, or will or won't.

    I don't mind paying a few dollars more for high-ticket items that I can have in my hands before paying for them versus paying, waiting for delivery, then hoping they come off the UPS or FedEx truck with no dings or dents.

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks, guys-- I will take your advice and report back. I would prefer the local option as well, just wanted to see if that was something people do. I am sensitive to the "showrooming" issue, not that I've noticed one of these drains there, but I do get that brick-and-mortar places have costs that have to be supported. And there is a value to seeing what you're getting and not putting its fate in the hands of the delivery system!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Lori, we recently went to a fairly high-end plumbing supply place locally, and ended up getting two vanities from them at price that was less than anything I found online. All-in, including tax and shipping, the price was probably the same.

    We're using a linear drain too because we have a concrete floor issue, but need a side outlet one, so we're finding the choices are limited. But the local store (as well as the place I got my tile) had them on display.

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Update: three calls to local plumbing supply, first two people mystified by what I was asking for, third told me they don't carry Laticrete drains, just 2 other brands. Went to stonetooling.com, which had the best price and free shipping. Called customer service to ask when the free shipping option would arrive, was told 2-3 business days as they are also on the West Coast. Back to web site to order, but the free shipping option wasn't working, the software wanted me to pick an option, cheapest of which was 16 dollars and change. Called customer service again and they took the order over the phone. Both the people I talked to were so pleasant, I was not on hold for one second, they were competent and quick and I'm optimistic the rest of the transaction will go smoothly! Of course the box could get run over by a truck before it gets here... but I'm hoping for the best!

  • akshars_mom
    10 years ago

    sorry to side track the post.

    SjHockeyfan, I am assuming you are in San Jose (bay area) by your username. If so can you tell me the plumbing store you used? Is it Sartoga plumbing by any chance?

  • StoneTech
    10 years ago

    StoneTooling are good people. Why go anywhere else?

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Askshars, actually I'm in San Francisco, and the plumbing store is in San Carlos - Decorative Plumbing Supply. I worked with Christine, who was very responsive, and as I said, their prices were very competitive.

  • akshars_mom
    10 years ago

    Thanks Sjhockeyfan.

    We are closer to San Jose but will look into San Carlos decorative plumbing supply.

  • divotdiva2
    10 years ago

    I went to flooringsupplyshop dot com and they were very helpful and continued to email and assist after the sale. They sell Quartz brand linear drains.

  • Nancy in Mich
    10 years ago

    "our GC wants it soon. Says if we buy it we can save his markup, etc. "

    Wow. My contractor tells me to wait until he is contracted to do the job to order the supplies, so then I can get his 30% (or whatever the store gives) discount on my big ticket items, like windows and such. What a difference. I guess that is why he isn't living in a big house in a nicer suburb.

    So usually, the contractor pockets the difference between the list price and the discounted licensed professional price, then adds additional markup?

    My guy needs a business manager!

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I probably didn't articulate this well. This is only for one item, the drain. Same procedure here for big ticket items, windows, etc. Plumbing stuff generally would be bought by plumber, but he's not on board yet. Contractor says he can't get the same discount as the plumber, so it's better to order most fixtures through the plumber after we choose one. For some reason, he didn't think he could get the linear drain at any better price than we could. Then he'd apply his markup.

    Doesn't matter, since I got it online as the local guys I would usually go to don't carry Laticrete. Not that it matters, but we've had several instances in the project already that indicate our GC has our budget in mind. He's come up with many ways to help us out and has actually offered a lower markup to us in exchange for some scheduling flexibility since we are not in a hurry to move in. I don't believe he's taking advantage of us on this one item, if that's what you were thinking.

    I did get the plumbing supply place to match my best online price for a sink I bought several years ago. We were GCing that job, though. I tried to do that this time, but didn't want to start over and pick out another brand when I could just have the one I wanted sent in a couple of days.

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Meant to post the follow-up. The drain arrived in perfect condition on the day I was told. I ordered it on a holiday Monday and it arrived on Friday. I was impressed with both the customer service people I dealt with at stonetooling.

    (You probably know how it is when you are doing a lot of ordering and interacting with a lot of suppliers-- you get to the point where your expectations get kinda low, so it is nice when you talk to people who are helpful and reliable.) Anyway, just wanted to toss this out there, since it is always easier to remember to complain when things don't go well!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Lori, has your linear drain been installed yet? My Infinity drain should be installed early next week, yay! I'll take pictures.

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No such luck, but look forward to seeing your pix!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    They're starting the drain install today! (we are so far behind in our project, we could probably have just stayed with the backordered cast iron shower pan we started with at this point, but the linear drain and tile will be better (lower profile, which we need in this low ceiling bathroom) in the end). Actually, they started Friday, by lengthening the shower framing from 60" to 62" to accommodate the drain. I think the drain goes in today and then they build the pan and walls?

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Here it is November 21st, 10 days after my last post ---- the drain was set, and some of whatever it is that goes on the walls was installed and then, NOTHING! But today the contractor and plumber will be back to finish the next step before the first inspection, then the pan, then the 24 hours filled with water and the second inspection, then the finish work. At least it's moving again.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Make that tomorrow - the contractor's main guy screwed up and wasn't here to let the plumber and electrician in. Grrrrrr

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ours is still a hole in the slab. Not a hole, just a dropped area. Contractor wanted it way in advance in order to get the elevation set correctly. So I will be vicariously enjoying seeing your installation!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    We have a mud bed! (Unfortunately, I didn't see what went UNDER the mud bed, but the contractor is following the Infinity instructions, so it should be done correctly). And our tile has arrived. Things are looking up!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Is it possible - something actually got done ahead of schedule! First, the tile guy came both Saturday and Sunday to get something done (I have no idea what) in advance of today's first-step inspection. While he was there, he and my DH decided on the layout for the shower tile, which will be installed next week (can't be done this week because of floor refinishing in LR and DR).

    Then, I just found out that the floors (bedroom already done, step 2 was to start tomorrow) started today. On top of that, we had casually mentioned that we'd put new hardwood in a small area that we had expanded my daughter's bedroom into, and they did it!

    Like I said, things are looking up!

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Every project should have at least one thing that gets done SOONER than you expect! I can visualize our tile layout, but I know some modifications may be in order when we try to actually lay it out and reality gets in the way! I should have my graph paper out right now, but we are obsessing over the kitchen cabinets now instead...

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Lori, I took this picture for you - Courtyard by Marriott Woodland Hills, CA.

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks! Looking forward to seeing yours in place before long

    I hope to have some pix to show one of these days. We got the tiled-in version and it will be right at the wall. Actually at the front of the tub which is on the other side of the shower.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Ours is along the long back wall - not tiled-in though.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Lori, we got sign-off! Tiling starts today (good thing, too, because we moved in yesterday! Fortunately, the "other" bathroom is functional)

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Lori, it's finally done! The shower valve and head aren't, but at least the shower is! You can see the linear drain along the back long wall of the shower.

  • LE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well, doesn't that look great?! Actually, almost invisible. I can see that with that tile, it was clearly a necessity! (It will still be months before we have anything this finished to look at.)

  • Nancy in Mich
    10 years ago

    I have been watching your posts, too, waiting to see the shower done. Yay! Very modern-looking tiles! Is that a porcelain version of diamond plate? Very nice.

    I am still doing my planning. We are not ready to start buying yet. We are getting quite close, though. I have a concern about the linear drains that I do not see addressed anywhere. I am hoping that as you start to use your drain in the next few weeks, or as Lori starts using hers in the months ahead, the problem will come up. It has to do with hair. I lose a lot of hair each shampoo. I used to have a mesh bubble with a metal rim that went over the drain, but I would be ankle deep in water before my shower was over.

    Now I have a Lint Trapper, made for a laundry tub, stuck in the drain. It catches the hair, which tends to stay low, and the water can still go over the top and drain. I pull the hair off after every shower.

    The slots in all of the linear drain covers I have seen look like the hair could slide right down and go into the trough. From there, it is downhill into the actual drain. How does one stop the hair?