Finding supplies at bargain prices

Whether you are building a house from scratch or doing some remodeling you are going to need supplies.   If you plan your projects carefully you can save a ton of money.  Our goal was always to bring the project at hand under budget.

Get to know the managers of your large chain hardware stores.  Find out when they put out sale and clearance items.  Even on the sale and clearance merchandise you can negotiate a better price with a manager.  Basically they want to get rid of the stuff.  In the spring and fall they have major sidewalk sales. Be sure to take advantage of these.   Always keep a list in your purse or wallet of what you need with the sizes so you can be ready to pounce on a deal when you see it. 

If you find a great deal on something and you think you might be able to use it go ahead and take the chance.  Some deals are just too good to pass up.  I ended up with several extra items like that but when a $90 bathroom faucet is $5 you gotta figure if you can’t use it you can get at least that (or more) for it on Ebay.

Every year the Lowe’s and Home Depot stores around here tear down the display kitchens.  If you can find out the dates of this sale you can save a bundle on cabinets and fixtures.  They do the same with display lighting. 

The fancy kitchen stores do the same because new styles are coming out.  This usually happens in the spring but don’t be afraid to ask. 

Be sure to check the higher end plumbing and fixtures shops as they almost always have a clearance corner of last year’s models or display units. I got some beautiful Swan Stone sinks for my bath and kitchen for a fraction of their retail value. 

Design centers do the same thing.  They are very style oriented and always clear out last year’s models.

One of the main purchases we made before we even closed on the property was the kitchen cabinets. Dave heard an ad that Kitchen World was moving and selling their display kitchens. We were there bright and early the morning of the sale.  I got a beautiful solid maple kitchen with a cherry wine stain. Since it was the display kitchen it has all the bells and whistles. It's a significantly better kitchen that we could have bought at retail. $18,000 worth of cabinets for $3500!!  We had to take it apart and haul it but it was worth it.

Another source is the internet.  Ebay for one is a place to check and I can’t tell you how many deals we found at overstock.com.  If you are lucky to be in an area with Craig’s list, this is also a good source.

Another great resource for new, used and salvaged building materials is restore.  Google it, there are many across the country. They may not be called restore in all areas or countries so look for salvage or used building materials.

We saved a ton of money by buying recycled appliances.  I got a kitchen aid built in fridge that originally sold for $6000.  We paid $1000 for that and a gas washer dryer.   Check your phone book for a recycled appliance center in your area.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.  Here is a link to a photo album of a lot of the deals I got over the last two years just to give you an idea of how a little planning; flexibility and some extra trips out can pay off in a big way.  http://wrightideas.typepad.com/photos/bargins/index.html