Foundation cost comparison

[Angry_Mob]

Something I was doing anyway so thought I'd upload if of any use.

Excel spreadsheet containing various vendors, quality, size (choice of B.S shallow, deep 14x12) wired/unwired and the actual cost per unit. Choose filter along the top row to compare relevant criteria.

STBK is doing a sale on foundation and the prices look quite attractive. Interestingly the only vendor which sells in packs of 11.

C. Wynne Jones has decent prices for those after premium foundation.


http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=00908844704466196719

Caveats are that I only done minimum quantities, most retailers offer discounts when buying in bulk and delivery is not included.

 

[Millet]

Wax is roughly a quid a sheet where ever it comes from... the way i am running i cannot be bothered with go compare carp.. i just order what i need or go buy it as and when..this planning ahead lark is in the land of the fairies..

 

[Angry_Mob]

As a comparison between the cheapest supplier and let's say maybe the biggest, if I wanted to order 110 sheets of normal wired B.S deep the difference in cost is £39.

Ordering in bigger quantities there is decent savings to be made.

 

[Eyeman]

Something I was doing anyway so thought I'd upload if of any use.

Excel spreadsheet containing various vendors, quality, size (choice of B.S shallow, deep 14x12) wired/unwired and the actual cost per unit. Choose filter along the top row to compare relevant criteria.

STBK is doing a sale on foundation and the prices look quite attractive. Interestingly the only vendor which sells in packs of 11.

C. Wynne Jones has decent prices for those after premium foundation.


http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=00908844704466196719

Caveats are that I only done minimum quantities, most retailers offer discounts when buying in bulk and delivery is not included.

Thanks
Always useful to see where bargains can be had

 

[For want of a better word]

Thanks
Always useful to see where bargains can be had

Ordered over £1000.00 of foundation (wired) from Maisemore
Quality is good* and they assure me that only English beeswax is used.

*Badly cut and wonkey foundation is a p... some of the stuff once got from another supplier was greasy and had a taint of cats pee... made nice rolled candles.. the wires fortunately just fell out... was Chinese in origin

Maisies price was 49p per sheet super, 78p per sheet for standard deep National.

bulk discount at 25% Free delivery and ex VAT

We make our own thins and Rose hive foundation as only involves small quantities...

 

[Angry_Mob]

Made this up again, removed the unwired foundation. Prices have risen since last year although STBK are still the cheapest. Usual caveat is check delivery prices as well. I've added the 110 qty from STBK which offers even greater savings.

https://ufile.io/t7fs5wlr

I am tempted by the black plastic deep foundation by "Bee Equipment", however the website is useless for delivering to NI.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Made this up again for as it seems quite topical currently, all prices are for wired worker foundation.
http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=03061431159666144860


To make it easy once you have it opened in excel you can choose the drop down menu along the orange top row and add filters for what you want. You can then sort the cost per unit from small to largest to easily see the cheapest.

I have included the sale prices as that's what's currently available.

For a summary:

Cheapest B.S Shallow is STBK again followed by C. Wynne Jones. The premium option of C. Wynne is cheaper that quite a few other supplies standard quality.

Cheapest B.S Deep is STBK again followed by Bee Equipment "premium" which is currently on sale.

Cheapest B.S 14x12 is STBK again followed by C. Wynne Jones.




This year I went for Bee Equipment as it was their premium wax as price was reasonable and available.

 

[Antipodes]

Is it important (or how important is it?), to get thick foundation, as the bees apparently use the extra thickness to work the foundation upwards to form cell walls?
I'm going by what Finman has said and also the photos by Understanding Bees.

 

[Fiona in South View]

Made this up again for as it seems quite topical currently, all prices are for wired worker foundation.
http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=03061431159666144860


To make it easy once you have it opened in excel you can choose the drop down menu along the orange top row and add filters for what you want. You can then sort the cost per unit from small to largest to easily see the cheapest.

I have included the sale prices as that's what's currently available.

For a summary:

Cheapest B.S Shallow is STBK again followed by C. Wynne Jones. The premium option of C. Wynne is cheaper that quite a few other supplies standard quality.

Cheapest B.S Deep is STBK again followed by Bee Equipment "premium" which is currently on sale.

Cheapest B.S 14x12 is STBK again followed by C. Wynne Jones.




This year I went for Bee Equipment as it was their premium wax as price was reasonable and available.

feeling stupid this morning, but who is STBK?

 

[E&MBees]

feeling stupid this morning, but who is STBK?

Simon the Bee Keeper.

 

[Apple]

feeling stupid this morning, but who is STBK?

Simon The Bee Keeper
I do not know where he gets his foundation from... I always have our own manufactured from our own beeswax or buy from Maisemore

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Can't download - my computer says no.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Retailer	Quality	Size	Pack qty	Cost	Cost per unit	Note
Abelo	Standard	B.S. Shallow	10	£7.43	£0.74	*sale price
Abelo	Standard	B.S. Deep	10	£11.68	£1.17	*sale price
Abelo	Standard	B.S. 14 X 12	10	£21.00	£2.10
Bee Equipment	Premium	B.S. Shallow	100	71.44	£0.71
Bee Equipment	Premium	B.S. Shallow	10	7.44	£0.74	*sale price
Bee Equipment	Premium	B.S. Deep	10	10.72	£1.07	*sale price
Bee Equipment	Premium	B.S. Deep	100	100.36	£1.00
Bee Equipment	Premium	B.S. 14 X 12	10	19.84	£1.98
C. Wynne Jones	Standard	B.S. Shallow	10	£6.76	£0.68
C. Wynne Jones	Premium	B.S. Shallow	10	£7.40	£0.74
C. Wynne Jones	Standard	B.S. Deep	10	£11.16	£1.12
C. Wynne Jones	Premium	B.S. Deep	10	£11.90	£1.19
C. Wynne Jones	Standard	B.S. 14 X 12	10	£18.17	£1.82
C. Wynne Jones	Premium	B.S. 14 X 12	10	£21.70	£2.17
Kemble Bees	Premium	B.S. Shallow	10	£9.00	£0.90	*Bulk discount
Kemble Bees	Premium	B.S. Deep	10	£14.35	£1.44	*Bulk discount
Kemble Bees	Premium	B.S. 14 X 12	10	£24.25	£2.43	*Bulk discount
Maisemore Apiaries	Standard	B.S. Shallow	10	£7.89	£0.79	*Bulk discount
Maisemore Apiaries	Standard	B.S. Deep	10	£12.48	£1.25	*Bulk discount
Maisemore Apiaries	Standard	B.S. 14 X 12	10	£21.23	£2.12	*Bulk discount
Paynes Bee Farm	Standard	B.S. Shallow	10	£7.78	£0.78	*sale price
Paynes Bee Farm	Standard	B.S. Deep	10	£11.88	£1.19	*sale price
Paynes Bee Farm	Standard	B.S. 14 X 12	10	£19.44	£1.94	*sale price
Simon The Bee Keeper	Standard	B.S. Shallow	11	£6.30	£0.57
Simon The Bee Keeper	Standard	B.S. Shallow	110	£54.99	£0.50
Simon The Bee Keeper	Standard	B.S. Deep	11	£10.99	£1.00
Simon The Bee Keeper	Standard	B.S. Deep	110	£94.99	£0.86
Simon The Bee Keeper	Standard	B.S. 14 X 12	110	£132.99	£1.21
Simon The Bee Keeper	Standard	B.S. 14 X 12	11	£15.50	£1.41
Thorne	Standard	B.S. Shallow	10	£7.10	£0.71
Thorne	Premium	B.S. Shallow	10	£8.45	£0.85
Thorne	Standard	B.S. Deep	10	£11.50	£1.15
Thorne	Premium	B.S. Deep	10	£13.85	£1.39
Thorne	Standard	B.S. 14 X 12	10	£19.40	£1.94
Thorne	Premium	B.S. 14 X 12	10	23.15	£2.32

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

big issue with this spreadsheet. Paul @ Modern Beekeeping missing. The foundation he supplies is far superior to a lot of premium that others sell, good thickness, smells nice & our bees seem to like it. we have had over 4000 sheets unwired, mostly commercial and are very pleased with it. 300 sheets of 14x12 were cast which are a bit brittle when cold but ok at room temp, wired would probably be stronger.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Added that in, don't see a price for the 14x12 however. Also updated Abelo and Bee Equipments non-sale prices.

*see latest post for link

 

[Into the lions den]

Simply shakes head at the prices you guys have to pay.......................savage.

This could be a long post that would make me enemies in the trade..some of whom buy bees from me.....so will leave it at that. Anything else by PM only.

Might post some pics and a little challenge to readers next week...have several makers samples here and more due to arrive on DHL and day now. Interestingly up to now NOBODY here at home base, very experienced people, has correctly picked the cheapest and the dearest...and that is in their hands and able to smell it......so thickness..colour..smell...all are not a reliable guide to quality or price.

 

[Arfermo]

feeling stupid this morning, but who is STBK?

Download the xlsx and you could have seen for yourself. Quite useful tabulation for those that want it.

 

[Arfermo]

Can't download - my computer says no.

You may need an update or even an 'Office' package?

 

[Niv]

Very handy. I came here to ask about foundation prices as i need to buy some ready for the new season!

 

[thorn]

Two years ago I bought some cheap foundation. It was badly cut and too thin. I had to trim quite a few sheets, and some folded as I tried to fit them into the frames and had to be junked. Last year I followed a recommendation from someone in this forum, and paid a bit more. It went into the frames easily. No waste, and it took half the time.