Getting prepared to build our home. Looking for any and all opinions on good locations where I can save some money on some materials. Open to closeouts, internet or other suggestions. Live in a small town so the local lumber yards are probably not as competitive on ALL materials…so looking to save where we can. Thanks for your suggestions!
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You may do well to get a "package" price from the local yard. Give them the plans to do a take-off.
Pricing materials seperately may cost you more in the long run
Sorry guys, forgot to give location live in se minnesota. so have some access to Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Chicago...
Minn E Sota!!
Try rousting Frenchy out of staying away (have not seen him post for awhile).
Frenchy had some great buys on oak and walnut from a local regional sawmill, such good prices I was tempted to have him ask his mill to ship me a carload!.
If you were a Boeing empolyee in Seattle area, the free wood lot in Renton had 8 (most I ever saw at one time since 9-11, tomorrows the anniversary, isnt it) rudder pallets with nobody takin em apart -- each has 6 sheets of 5 by 10 ft 13 ply baltic birch or luan sometimes on them.
You don't say where you're located.For kitchen cabinets there is a Kraftmaid returns warehouse in N.E. Ohio.They have >450 people buying there every Saturday morning.
Live in a small town
a small town in Alaska is different from a small town in eastern Massachusetts.
shipping costs could doble the price of something. bought some bamboo screening from a place in calif, i'm in ma. shipping was about the same cost as the material
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bobl Volo, non valeo
When I want to beat the local yards on certain materials (usually in unit quantities) I've been really happy with Allied Building Supply, Inc. They're all over the country, used to mostly supply roofing in my area, but now I go to them for FC siding, some windows and doors, and recently bought 3 units of plywood from them for a really good price.
They require that you set up an account with them and you may have to be a contractor...
Thanks to all! Great input!
If you ever get up to the cities and being from Mn. you know what I mean there is a place called Cannon Recovery . that doesn't have const. mater. but does have windows , doors, cab. millwork well youget the idea . Need more info drop my a line. Mike
Place sounds like what I may be looking for. We live in Winona so the cities is a stones throw away. Where is this Cannon Recovery..and what type of place is it?
Thanks
Bob
Bob,
I only know how to drive there so let me get the address and real directions ond I will get back to you soon. By the way they deal in display liquidation and returns and discountued items , over run etc. Just about anything you can think of short of building material although I have seen them have I joist once in a while. Catch up to you soon, Mon latest. Mike
Thanks appreciate the extra effort!!
Look for liquidators and/or outlets in your area.
For example, we have several liquidators/outlets in our area for different products. There is a Shrock outlet in Richmond... a Pease Door outlet in Cinci (that handles many more products than just doors)... the Kraftmaid place in Cleveland... and a hardwood wholesaler here in columbus that gets some truckload buys every once in a while that might yield 50% savings.
Once you find one... the rest is a matter of networking. Just ask at the first liquidator where there are other specialty liquidators in the area. The desk guys are normally very familiar with the other places and are happy to share the info.
Just as an example... Pease Doors are very high quality entry doors. A decent door would cost 1500-2k. I picked up a leaded-glass pease entry door for 150 at their outlet (it had one small scratch on the trim... which I will be replacing anyway). I pick up cabinets all of the time at the Shrock outlet at 25-30% of my contractor's pricing.
I have found that auctions are a waste of time... however, if you make nice with a few auctioneers that know what you are looking for... they will contact you for "pre-sale" of items when they come across them (if you are at least willing to be reasonable in your offers).
Watch for remodels of your local big-box. I lucked out on a total remodel of the appliance section at my local Lowes. Picked up a display stainless Jen-air for just under 25% of retail. Stainless dishwasher display model for 10%. Side-by-side stainless fridge for 40%. Again... this is a matter of networking. Talk to your local store manager and let him know what you are looking for... or what your project is. People are normally happy to help if you just ask (and tossing them a bone every once in a while certainly doesn't hurt)
Edit... one more...
The local Habitat for Humanity operates a warehouse to sell excess donated materials. You have to sift through a fair amount of junk... but every trip I make over there, I find a treasure or two. Picked up some great oak handrails that were excess stock for $2 each. Trim (if you aren't extremely picky) can be picked up for pennies on the dollar. Odd items... brass screws, mirrors (don't ask me?), odd plumbing supplies... are a pretty good bet at these places. Found a whole box of assorted brass screws for a buck... new, it would have been about 50-60 bucks worth.
Edited 9/12/2004 1:12 am ET by Rich from Columbus
Here's a link to an article I found that talks about building material salvage yards in Minnesota. http://www.thegreenguide.org/article/home/building
I think these places are more for people restoring old homes who need to find matching materials, but there's a lot of stuff that could be used in new construction as well - flooring, doors, light fixtures, etc.
I got some vintage Anderson windows for a reasonable price at Bauer Bros. to match the existing ones in my house one time, and I've bought miscellaneous stuff at the ReUse Center. Architectural Antiques is a pretty cool place to visit as well but they tend towards the high end stuff, fancy mantelpieces and clawfoot tubs, that sort of thing.
Check the classifieds in the paper under 'building materials'. You'll likely have better selection in the bigger city papers where contractors, HO's, and salvage outlet types can advertise. I've found deals on tile, specialty woods, underlayment, windows & doors, and too many other materials to recount here. It gets to where you look there first for good corner cutting on costs before reading the big box ads. But be aware, there are scam artists out there who run ads, then separate you from your money without giving you anything more than a headache or a homicidal impulse.
you really do not want to save money on material but pay more. Buy the cheap 2x and see how much more labor it takes to get a straight wall. You get what you pay for. Buy the high dollar 2x. It be cheaper. serious, buy cheap, get cheap quality.
I agree with your point about getting what you pay for. It's almost a mantra of mine. That however, doesn't negate the value of finding deals where someone is trying to get rid of extra materials, or changed their mind and couldn't return something. I'm all for quality and have no intention of using garbage materials on any of my work. The entire premise of my comments was that other options are available if one has the time and inclination to search for them...
Interestingly - I have purchased much of my materials from HD - used 10% off coupons and gift cards. Their regular prices are around what the local lumber yard charges in NH for contractors but with 25% off- they can't be touched which really mounts up on $40K worth of materials. I was concerned about the quality but discussed with my contact at the prodesk and was told not to worry - They would make sure that I got good stuff. The 20 foot 2x12s that I am using for rafters are the best quality that I have seen. Out of 70 - Only two that were not excellent quality and I will use most of those two. Just my 2 cents
I've read elsewhere that HD limits use of the 10% off deal (I thought this was only if you opened up a new charge account) to a maximum purchase of $200. True? Can you tell me where I can get a 10% off coupon? And how about the 25% off?...where can I get details on that? We're about to buy a whole bunch of stuff for our home. Thanks much!
- Rob
Our Lowes will have a contractors week a couple of times a year and give 10% off every purchase. As much as you want. Don't know about the coupons. DanT
http://www.thecouponchick.com/hd.html
Try this site. The lowes coupon is the easiest to get and you can download it fromthe internet. print out a few copies and use some of them at HomeDepot. Save one for Lowes. Remember, they will match each others' prices
I used one at lowes last week and saved $250. Used another Lowes coupon at home depot and saved $650 on appliances & decking product
So it sounds like you're saying there's no $ limit on the savings then? I thought you could only max out at ~$250 per coupon.
Thanks for the tip.
Go Pack.
- Rob
Lowes' coupon is for 10% of $10,000, (save up to $1000)
When I started to build my own house I took my plans to 6 different yards. Big box and local in So. Wisconsin. Material only, no kitchen cabs. or bath fixtures. Suprisingly, prices were competitive, so I bought from the local yard. Delivery was free and if I figured short on something, they would run it right out. The local yard needs your business and will try to keep you happy so you will buy there again. The big box( Menards, Home Depot And Lowes ) have so many customers that they figure if you don't come back someone else will buy.
Remember to take everything into account. The free delivery and followup service from a yard that knows you will be buying everything from them is invaluable, especially when I comes time to return some things or get refunded for a bad item.
I have seen especially good sales prices on something like 2x4s at HD and truned around to see that the nails or screws were half again as much as i pay local yard. Or the sheet rock looks like a cheap price, but no free delivery and the mud and tape is priced higher.
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Needless to say this subject has been pounded into the ground but.............again I say it simply depends on where you are and the quality of the local yard. Ours sucks unless you are building whole homes, re-roofing whole houses etc. And the attitude starts with the owner and permiates to the yard help.
The local small chain yard is inept but I hear getting better. At least when I go to the Lowes in my area I can look at the lumber before I buy it, not true at the others. DanT
We've got a building materials odd lots warehouse. They sell whatever they can get lots of for good deals. If you need what they happen to have, there are great deals to be found. This place doesn't seem to advertise other than the signs on the place. Ther are also several salvage yards within 80 miles of me. More hard to find stuff than great deals, but used glass block is less expensive than new glass block, etc. Just depends on what you're looking for. Vanities, plumbing fixtures, moldings, etc. can be found for good deals in these places. Don't scrimp on the foundation and frame.
Give tour local yard a chance . I saw an ad for 3/4ply for 16.00 at Menards (years ago) they are 35miles from me. Called the local yard asked for the owner . Told him that I needed four bunks of 3/4 ply what was his price. He said Ill call you right back , he did and beat the big yard by a dollar each.
It helps to buy in large quanity. have a hyster or other mecanical means to off load the delivery truck fast.
The local yard knows that I can off load there truck fast without them doing any work and they forget to charge the delivery fee.
Do you have a place to store your lumber? Inside , not under a tarp.
No place to store lumber as the lot is 9 acres and on a hillside .But potentially a pole bldg may make some sense!
As some have said before, you really want the lowest installed cost, not the cheapest material. Assuming you allow several yards to bid off your prints, you should receive a fair price. I think the cost savings is focusing on your priorities, insuring the money goes where you want it, and not where you don't care. For example, trim package and door selection can swing your budget thousands of dollars. Do you appreciate fine woodwork, then the money might be well spent there. If not, get cheaper stuff and paint it. Do you live in the north? Probably need really good windows to live comfortably and cheaply in the winter.
Good Luck - Jack
hello bob well here it is . go to the auction section and you will find a map. Let me know if you are coming up and when and we will treasure hunt togther . Good luck in Winona. by the way is Jacks by the Tracks still there? It might be Zacks I cant' remember for sure. http://www.cannonrecovery.com
No Zacks in no longer there about 3-4 businesses ago!! Good places never stick downtown!! Thanks for all your help I will definately keep track of this place! Good luck to you!