A builders merchant collection goes well or badly long before you reach the yard. The order, the van and the timing all have to match. Get one wrong and you face timber poking out of the doors, or a pallet the forklift cannot reach. Merchant runs make up a big part of our van hire in Warrington. So this guide shares what we see working.
Matching the Van to Your Builders Merchant Collection
Start with the order, not the vehicle. Read down the list and sort it into three kinds of item. There are lengths, such as timber, pipe and guttering. There are sheets, such as ply and OSB. Then there are heavy items on pallets or in bags, such as blocks, cement and sand. The mix tells you which van to book.
For lengths and sheets, the extra long wheelbase van is the safe choice. Its 4.3 metre load length keeps long timber inside a closed, dry body. For pallets of blocks, bagged cement or anything on forks, the flatbed dropside van is the better fit. If the order is a mix, ring the depot and we will help you decide which matters more.
Check the Order Before Anything Is Loaded
Ask for the picking note at the counter and walk the yard with it. Count the lengths, check the grades and look for damage. Bowed timber, cracked blocks and split bags are easy to refuse at the merchant. However, once they are in your van and back on site, returning them costs you another trip.
Also check the order against the job, not just the paperwork. A missing box of fixings or the wrong size of joist hanger can stop the work for a day. So take a photo of the plan or the materials list with you. If something is out of stock, ask whether another branch has it. Then you can add it to the same run rather than coming back later in the week.
Forklift Loading Onto a Flatbed
Most merchant yards load pallets with a forklift. On our dropside, lower the side nearest the forklift. Let the driver set the pallet down close to the cab. That keeps the weight forward, where the truck carries it best. Then ask for the next pallet beside the first rather than behind it. That keeps the load even from side to side.
Before you leave the yard, lift the sides, check the catches and strap every pallet to the tie points. Bring your own ratchet straps, plus a tarpaulin if the order includes cement or plaster. The government guidance on securing loads is worth a read if you do this often. Finally, ask the yard for the weight of each pallet. Then check with us that the full load suits the truck.
Getting to the Yard at 8am
Trade counters are busiest early, when contractors pick up for the day. Our depot opens at 8am, Monday to Saturday, so you can be on the road just after eight. For an urgent job, ring the merchant the evening before and ask them to have the order picked. That way you drive into a ready load rather than queueing behind the regulars.
At the depot, show your photocard licence and a DVLA check code. If your own van is off the road, you can leave your car in our free secure car park. Most of our vans need no deposit, which helps when the job is sudden. Then plan to have the van back before 4pm, swept clean of sand and offcuts.
Combining Several Merchants in One Builders Merchant Collection
Large jobs rarely come from one supplier. You might need timber from one yard, plumbing parts from another and a pallet of blocks from a third. In that case, plan the route so the heaviest pick-up goes in first and sits at the front. Lighter items then go behind it. A good order of stops also avoids unloading half the van to fit the last item in.
Leave space for the awkward pieces, too. In a panel van, run long lengths along the floor on one side. Keep bagged goods beside them rather than underneath. On the flatbed, keep lengths low and strapped down at both ends. If a single item will not fit inside the body, it needs a different van rather than an open door.
Warrington’s industrial areas make this easier than it sounds. Many trade counters our customers use sit on estates around Birchwood and Winwick Quay, near the M62 and M6. So a run linking two or three yards can stay on main roads, away from the town centre. North of town, our page on van hire Winwick covers local access. Similarly, van hire Croft suits jobs out towards the villages.
Regular Runs and Specialist Trades
Some trades collect from the merchant several times a week. If that is you, ask us about short or long term hire so the same van suits the whole job. Roofers and gutter fitters often need long lengths of fascia and downpipe. Our guide to van hire for guttering and roofline work covers that trade in detail. Meanwhile, planned work leaves time to book ahead. For example, a kitchen fitter with three jobs in the diary can book a van for each at once.
Booking two weeks or more in advance brings 10% off selected vehicles. Our van hire special offers page lists which ones. In short, a good builders merchant collection needs three things. The van must fit the order, the load must pass your check and the straps must be tight.
Send us your materials list and the merchants you plan to visit, and we will suggest the right van. Call Warrington Van Hire on 01925 396 222 to book your next run, or use the contact us page.
