I Want to Know: Where Do You Shop?

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I Want to Know: Where Do You Shop?

BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes

Most investors need supplies of some sort. (I shop at Home Depot because I can literally see it from my front yard.)

But unfortunately, Home Depot doesn't carry everything.

Where do you shop?

What dumpster company are you using? Do you fly or rent cars to go view out of state properties? Do you rent moving trucks - or provide your tenants/clients with moving trucks for a day?

Aside from software, what companies/products do you use on a regular basis to help you with your investing?

[email protected]Podcast Guest on Show #261

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Karl B.

Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes

If your city has a Habitat For Humanity Restore, go there! It's so awesome! A friend recommended them to me.

I bought a few doors for $11.95 (instead of buying the same-sized door for $80 with frame at Lowe's - plus this vintage door isn't going to break if some angry tenant punches it).

I also buy vintage glass light shades there - they look freaking amazing in a rental - often better than the newer ones available at Lowe's.

Of course, they also sell things I would never buy (used toilets, for example), but they are definitely worth checking out! And if you want vintage light fixtures, definitely check them out. They have some amazing ones!

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Samantha Klein
Investor · Monroe, WI · Member since 2015 · 691 posts · 610 votes
9y
Home depot and Menards are basically everything I use for my rental rehabs. I use 15% movers coupons at HD when I plan on spending over $1,000. It usually saves me alot of money.
2 Reply
James Barnhart
Rental Property Investor · Ocala, FL · Member since 2016 · 226 posts · 140 votes
9y
I buy mostly from Lowes. I like the 10% discount, and returns are MUCH easier to do than with Home Depot. My wife and I also check out Floors and Decors, and my GC sometimes gets me his prices on some things.
The Habitat store has prices that are almost as high as new, such as doors.
Amazon is another great source for us. We use it often.
We special ordered an 18" dishwasher from walmart.com. It was very nice, and by far was the best price.
We have a great local old time hardware store that has stuff that no one else has. They have 8,000 sq. ft. of items stuffed into in a 5,000 sq. ft. store. And, they do plumbing service too.
0 Reply
Anthony D.
Lakeland, FL · Member since 2017 · 44 posts · 25 votes
9y
Cant say i'm an investor yet but I love this thread..lot of info!!
0 Reply
Karen O.
NYC, NY · Member since 2016 · 619 posts · 456 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Linda S.:

@Mindy Jensen,
Floor and Decor is amazing!!!! Absolutely the best prices (hello-- wood looking tile for 0.59/sq ft!!!), best selection, you really can't go wrong! I need to be on their commercial-- love them!!!   That's the only store I swear by, other than.. Lowes and HD for majority of other stuff!
@Linda D., I'd never heard of this store till I saw your post. Gotta give a huge thanks since I found it today and I think I went to heaven for just a few minutes.
The selection was remarkable and the pricing was awesome. The facility was well laid out and well lit and the staff was accommodating without being pushy. I think I asked if I could come work there. Thanks again for the referral.
PS NYC area folks should know the store i visited is 15 min away in Paramus, NJ and was worth the trip.
3 Reply
Joseph Moore Jr
Rental Property Investor · Gilberton, PA · Member since 2017 · 36 posts · 10 votes
9y
Like most other I use the big box retailers. HD has been getting more of my business since I have a business line of credit with them. Prefer local stores if close and prices are comparable. One local store I was shopping at said they would match HD and Lowes pricing since I was spending decent money there.
When looking for materials I check craigslist, local ads in the area and now finding things on apps like Letgo. I have a storage place so I can stock up on things I find for later use. All my homes are very old so the vintage materials are a life saver to match whats in the home now. Example my newest home was built in 1905.
0 Reply
Brian Ploszay
Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
As a landlord, 90% of what I need can be bought at Home Depot. I don't like their paints, so I go to Sherwin Williams. Benjamin Moore is a great brand as well. Furnaces and AC units are usually supplied by my contractors. For new windows, I use a local company. It is very rare that stock windows from Home Depot would fit anything. If I am doing a "flip," then I shop around many places to find the right tile, cabinetry, lighting, moldings, countertops, fixtures, etc..
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Account Closed
Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2016 · 736 posts · 582 votes
9y
The Home Depot (big box hardware)
Lowe's (big box hardware)
Ace Hardware (middle market hardware)
Plumbing Supply.com (hard to find plumbing stuff including short risers for clawfoot tubs in bathrooms with low ceilings)
Murdoch's (tools & clothes)
Tractor Supply Company (tools)
MFS Supply (REI Stuff - really like these folks)
Amazon (just about everything)
Xero (Accounting Software)
Ring Central (phone system)
Wix (web hosting)
First Bank (banking)
Wells Fargo (banking - not lending)
REI Guard (insurance)
Allstate (insurance)
With relation to dumping and cars and such - I have an old used Ford Super Duty.
2 Reply
Mary Quinones
Asbury Park, NJ · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 4 votes
9y
We often buy tile, lighting fixtures and other reno items in Craigslist. Ex. Just picked up 200 sqft of high end glass tile (currently selling for $20 sqft) for $3 sqft. We’ll use some for a backsplash and a fireplace surround in a house we are working on right now, and store the remainder for another rental reno in the future. It is amazing how many people order way too much when they are renovating and then put the leftovers up for sale on Craigslist.
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Jean BolgerPro Member
Aurora, CO · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
Surprised that no one has mention Houzz. They have some awesome deals on fashionable finishings. My shower door installer was gobsmacked at the low price I'd gotten on the fancy shower door for my last flip.
Best thing is, they have an algorithm that matches what you look at. So if you see a cool $200 light fixture, and it brings up a $100 light fixture that is almost the same design.
4 Reply
Christian Wathne
Investor · San Jose, CA, Bellevue, WA · Member since 2016 · 327 posts · 257 votes
9y
Amazon for lighting / door and cabinet handles / plumbing fixtures / so much misc Local door store (frank lumber the door store) for doors Local lumber supply store for all interior & exterior trim and nicer wood (i.e. Decking) Chinese cabinet store (Pius in Seattle) for cabinets and counters Costco for tile and laminate flooring Home Depot for cheap framing wood, drywall, paint and other misc. I try to avoid this place
0 Reply
Rachel N.
Orlando, FL · Member since 2017 · 147 posts · 92 votes
9y
Floor & Decor is our absolute favorite for all types of flooring. It's fun just to walk around there. Local hardware stores for small things, trying to support local businesses. Harbor Freight for tools. Home Depot is closer to us, but for bigger purchases I prefer Lowe's, using 10% off coupons purchased on EBay (trick I learned from Bigger Pockets). At Lowe's yesterday we were getting appliances for a rental and managed to find a stainless steel fridge in great condition that had been used as a loaner for %50 off the sale price.
2 Reply
Richard Carlton
Real Estate Agent · Charlotte Hall, MD · Member since 2015 · 90 posts · 28 votes
9y
Lowe's for building materials, toilets, paint, landscape materials, odds and ends. I do not like being able to spot Lowe's or HD vanities on TV or in comparable listings nearby so I hunt for the vanities online and buy tile and anything tile related at Floor and Decor even if it is a haul for 1.5-2 hours to get there for a look not found at Lowe's. I hunt different builder auctions for different items to add something different to my flips. Amazon for door pulls, light fixtures and I do check their price on things before I buy some items. RTA Cabinet for kitchen cabinetry, really surprised with the finished product and its solidness and it usually saves 40-50% compared to local cabinet suppliers.
0 Reply
Mike ReynoldsPro Member
construction · Nacogdoches, TX · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
8y
I know that tile and/or flooring is something that many first timers like to do themselves. I use a local company that does mostly large commercial jobs but also houses too. I use them exclusively for all the floors. By doing this I have access to their "extras" from the large jobs they do. A few times they even just give me the tile to get it out of their way and they install it a regular price. Other times half price on commercial grade flooring. If I am in no hurry I just give them a slot to do it in and they use it for fill in work. It keeps their guys busy. I do the same with granite also.
1 Reply
Ryan L Grinstead
Realtor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 27 posts · 10 votes
8y
I've stuck to Lowe's mainly because I went with porter cable for power tools and HD doesn't have them. Where do you guys go for appliances for rentals?
0 Reply
Jerry W.Pro Member
Moderator
Investor · Thermopolis, WY · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
8y
Hey @Mindy Jensen,
I buy small stuff locally, and have a paint color listed on Veldspar paint. Due to the paint falling off of my house in spots after 2 years I have switched paints to Walmart's brands. They have Glidden, and KilZ who makes tinted paint now. Paint is half the price at Walmart as the local hardware store. For big purchases I buy at Menard's a lot and some at Home Depot. Once in a blue moon I get to a Lowes in Billings MY, but it is a 5 hour round trip to Menards or Home Depot, and almost 6 and half to Lowes. I buy appliances online mostly from Sears. I get online flyers from all of the big box stores, but Sears runs specials about 3 or 4 times a year and their prices are hard to beat and the delivery cost is reasonable. I was buying 3 to 5 appliances a year but that has slowed down lately. I try to keep an extra water heater in my warehouse for the surprises. I also have extra used fridges and stoves as well.
For dumpsters I have a dump trailer and a truck. For the hard to find parts for a boiler, or even a full furnace I order online. Amazon for things like fan motors for the bathroom exhaust. Oddly enough I have gotten the best prices on roofing shingles from Menards. I have probably bought 100 to 150 squares of shingles there. When they have a really good sale I stock up and get 20 or 30 squares and use them as I need them.
1 Reply
Christine Johnson-Sundby
Rental Property Investor · Vancouver, WA · Member since 2014 · 73 posts · 15 votes
8y
I shop at HD and Lowe's, along with a local plumbing store, Amazon, habitat for humanity and an amazing store in Portland called The ReBuilding center. I got a cart full of floor/ceiling registers, shower heads, hinges, etc for 20 bucks! I could spend hours and hours there.
0 Reply
Joe SplitrockPro Member
Moderator
Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
8y
@Mindy Jensen they are not in every market, but I use Menards whenever possible. Prices are less than Home Depot and Lowes. I will go to Ace Harware and pay more for small stuff just for convenience since there is one close to my rentals. Time is money.
If I am doing a project, I always buy extra parts that I may need. For example in a plumbing project, then I just return what I don't use. It is easier to buy twice as much up front than to go to the store multiple times.
1 Reply
Mindy JensenPro Member
OP
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
8y
I miss Menard's. Although not that awful Christmas song they play every 5 minutes during the entire Christmas season.
[email protected]Podcast Guest on Show #261
2 Reply
Kevin Wyn
Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2015 · 36 posts · 19 votes
8y
FloorsToYourHome has 4 locations in Indy. I just picked up nice click together vinyl plank for .99/sf on sale.
Amazon has proven to have some good pricing for misc. items that can't be found in store at HD or Lowes.
1 Reply
Dave Ramirez
Rental Property Investor · Ashburn, VA · Member since 2016 · 239 posts · 119 votes
8y
I’m a wholesaler or I rent out pretty homes using rent to own strategies. I use Office Depot because I get a redunculous (spelled correctly) discount for printing out all types of marketing. I use Wal-Mart for special envelopes. I use the $1 store for envelopes too. Starbucks for my contract signings and gift cards and caffeine. All Apple products. Can I shout cozy.co too. Just awesome. Replaced the U.S. post office box for my company. I go to Home De Pot and Blowe’s for putting out flyers and my son likes making things with PVC pipe for fun. A Rehabber in Johnstowne, PA I know drives to the Baltimore Habitat because it is also redunculous. He’ll have three to four projects he needs to work and drive a moving truck he owns to buy supplies for that month. My quick virtual services list: CallRail (and the app) Expensify ( and the app) Pipedrive ( and the app) Upwork ($1.11 per hour workers) HostGator (best customer service) PhonePower (Most bang for my buck) Cozy.co (10 out of 10) Meetup (Ca$$$h buyers) G Suite (Gmail plus everything)
4 Reply
Dennise Miguel
new south wales, australia · Member since 2017 · 6 posts · 0 votes
8y
I prefer online sites because it's hassle free and very convenient.
0 Reply
Karen MargraveBusiness Member
Moderator
Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
8y
I shop everywhere! I bought handles for cabinets from Houzz (huge savings), Lighting from lightology and Lamps Plus, medicine cabinets from Wayfair, Lighting and various other things from Amazon, Lots of stuff from Home Depot. Many people don't realize that there are a lot of items that Home Depot sells that you don't see on the site, but if you look at the brands they carry and look at the manufacturers site, you can order through H.D. It's amazing the price differences if you shop around. Some of the sites require that you sign up, others that you are a licensed contractor, or have a business license.
2 Reply
Achi Adamit
Residential Real Estate Broker · Teaneck, NJ · Member since 2015 · 61 posts · 15 votes
8y
I use a combo of local stores where the properties are located where we have relationships with, though they are a bit old school, but super friendly. I use Home Depot as well.
Buildium is the best for everything property management in my opinion. I've gone through several software companies and I'm currently managing $200mm worth of office buildings in manhattan using this software. Needs a bit of tweaking since its not wholly designed for commercial but the benefits outweigh the negatives.
2 Reply
Keith Weigand
Rental Property Investor · Cleveland, TN · Member since 2015 · 176 posts · 58 votes
8y
We get some stuff from Home Depo and Lowes (obvious). We use some local stores which everytown has as well. We have been ordering more from Amazon recently for several reasons. First, it's integrated in our software but it's also great for our out of town properties. We simply one-click order and selected the property address and it ships in 2 days. Vendor is there waiting to install/repair.
1 Reply
Lou Metore
Wholesaler · New Orleans, LA · Member since 2016 · 13 posts · 4 votes
8y
An outstanding source for laminate floors is bestlaminate.com. Their prices are excellent & they will ship right to your door. The quality for both the laminate floors & underlayment is outstanding. My guys like using floors from there because they said that the floors are easy to install.
Their prices for underlayment are very reasonable. I use the Sound Muffler underlayment which is only $36 per 100 sq. ft. roll. It's comparable to what you would spend $60 for at Home Depot.
The shipping fee is $100, but if you order enough & ask very nicely they might waive it for you. If you want to see the quality of their floors or underlayment, just go to their website or call them & you can order free samples.
The best person I have dealt with over there is Brittany. I really like her. More than once, she has gone out of her way to help me with things. Very good person to deal with there.
Now if I could just find a good place to order porcelain floors from that is reasonable & delivers, I'd be all set.
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