BUILDINGSURPLUS

While building my first house just west of Boulder, Colorado, I was astounded at how quickly the costs were mounting. Not being afraid to ask, I checked in regularly with all the supply houses I dealt with for deals on discontinued items, returns or rejects (amazing what gets rejected!). Often, I met with success. Most of the doors and windows in that home were bought at discount: The wood-burning fireplace, the slate floors, even the carpet was a bargain. By my second and third projects, I had figured out that buying surplus materials saved me a substantial amount of money. A new cast-iron Kohler Steeping Tub sells for around $2,000. I bought the very model used, but clean for $35.00. Most of us like a bargain, and with the abundance of surplus material out there, there are plenty to be had. On the flip side, most suppliers have what's called a "Boneyard", an area within their warehouses where they store their returns, mis-orders, or otherwise rejected materials they would love to..

Also known as: BuildingSurplus.com

Primary location: Arapahoe United States