Topps...

[Rich]

Last week I was saying how much I dislike topps and that I never use them. Then at the end of last week I was left with no choice as I had missed my local supplier the night before (I was working away from home) and there was a topps at the end of the road. So I thought that It cant be that bad, Its prob not as bad as I make out as I havnt been in there for so long, besides I only needed 4 lengths of stainless steel trim, one bag of rapid, 2 tubes of Silicon and 2 Silicon guns...

The guy behind the desk forgot to put the bag of rapid on the bill so it was just 2 x white Silicon 2 x cheap plastic Silicon guns and 4 x trim... £110!!!!! This is with my trade discount or so he said. I took them as I had little choice and went off to work. I broke the 2 guns before I had got through the first tube of Silicon.

The next day I took back the 4 trim as I was a bit unhappy at the price and would rather spend my money somewhere else, need one more bag of rapid... £32.48 for a bag of toppfix!!! I laughed soooo hard and told him where to put it. I said "I can get keraquick cheaper than that and thats Mapei!" so he told me that this stuff was made by palace and is far better than Mapei. I was still laughing as I walked out the door.

 

[Stef]

They probably work on commission & just talk too everyone the same way. its a hit or a miss when you go in thats why i try & keep with ctd & send customers up to them, far better to deal with. saying that though that manager i dealt with at topps was spot on.

 

[One Day]

I use Topps pretty exclusively, mainly historically as they are 5 mins from home, keep BAL stock specifically for me and price match where needed.
I've always had good prices and service. Sure their knowledge isn't as good as independents some times, but that's a failing of the directors in not investing in training the staff.

Prices are recently "scaled" so that the more you spend, the better your discount.
I admit, it is laughable if you aren't established with them. And I cringe when a customer has paid £55 for BAL RSF or £70+ for FastFlex! :yikes:

Peronally though I've no complaints.

Oh, and Palace (read: Toppfix) is cack!

 

[Spud]

I use Topps pretty exclusively, mainly historically as they are 5 mins from home, keep BAL stock specifically for me and price match where needed.
I've always had good prices and service. Sure their knowledge isn't as good as independents some times, but that's a failing of the directors in not investing in training the staff.

Prices are recently "scaled" so that the more you spend, the better your discount.
I admit, it is laughable if you aren't established with them. And I cringe when a customer has paid £55 for BAL RSF or £70+ for FastFlex! :yikes:

Peronally though I've no complaints.

Oh, and Palace (read: Toppfix) is cack!

Is that a technical term "cack" can you explain what you dont like about it and what are you comparing it to ? I found that Palace make some really good products

 

[One Day]

Is that a technical term "cack" can you explain what you dont like about it and what are you comparing it to ? I found that Palace make some really good products

No. Not tonight I'm too tired.
In my opinion - it's cack. Make of that what you will.

 

[Spud]

No offence intended Impish, its seems a shame that you dont want to explain the reasons why you dont like it ,I know we all tend to favour a certain brand and all the manufacturers are weak in certain areas and stronger in others ,whats your favourite brand ?

 

[Stef]

I have only used palace once on a job to fix travertine on walls & floors, the client supplied it & we told him that we werent sure what it would be like, but it was ok, prob just like any other white adhesive we have used, cant complain really.

 

[One Day]

No offence intended Impish, its seems a shame that you dont want to explain the reasons why you dont like it ,I know we all tend to favour a certain brand and all the manufacturers are weak in certain areas and stronger in others ,whats your favourite brand ?

Sorry Gary mate. I'd had a massive blow-out with the wife and put my neck out too! I was in a BAD mood!

I don't like Palace gear as I find it inconsistent. The set times seem to vary too much for my liking.
I had a big problem two years ago with a job I did for Topps using Toppfix. Basically it took nearly a week to set and when it did, the bond on the porcelain was rubbish.
Palace couldn't have cared less. Topps even more so. In my eyes, it's cack. I appreciate that many may like it, but not me. Once bitten - twice shy.
On a positive note though, the two-part S2 they make for Topps is indistinguishable from FastFlex, and it comes in a handy mixing tub.

 

[Rich]

I dont mind there single part, I dont think that it is a patch on others on the market but that reflects in the price. Iv used it a hand full of times and havnt had any problems with it. Iv also used their grout once and found that it took an age to go off but I am used to using Ultracolor (rapid setting). The 2-part that they do for topps on the other hand I really cant stand, I couldnt compare it to BAL as I havnt used it but I didnt like it one bit. Horses for courses, dont they say? :smilewinkgrin: