Where do you shop for hardware when rehabbing?

Question

I'm trying to get a better idea where to go when rehabbing?  Do most people just hit the local Lowes, Home Depot, Ikea for hardware, floors, etc?

Any good online spots where I can get stuff cheaper?

Bryan Casteel · Answer

Definitely use local supply houses.  It helps if you can find a contractor that can show you the ropes.  One quick note about subcontractors.  Make sure that your subcontractors do not pick up the materials themselves and upcharge you.  Plumbers are the worst for this.  They will double or triple the price of the part that they use on top of their normal hourly rate.  If you can trust your subs, then have them purchase the materials, otherwise get the materials for them and just pay for the labor.

Jason Barnett · Answer

I'm with Rich on this one.  It definitely pays for you to contact local vendors and build a relationship with one of them.  (It's even better if you happen to know someone that knows someone that knows the owner!)  I can personally attest that doing this will save you BIG wads of cash.  You can easily cut project costs by 10% if you focus on the largest dollar expenses first (appliances, cabinetry, etc.).

Not only that, but for everything that you buy there is a "price" and there is a "cash price".  Just as in real estate, you can almost always get things cheaper if you're paying all cash instead of check / credit card / accounts payable.  I ask all of my suppliers to give me a discount for cash, or else I want revolving accounts with 60 day terms.

N/A N/A · Answer

Seems trivial but nails and screws are EXPENSIVE.  Around me I see HD delivering things like pallets of cinder blocks, etc.  Not sure if they deliver smaller goods or just the bulk that can't be moved w/o a forklift.

When you call these places like carpet stores etc you should tell them you do rehabs/rentals and plan to do X number a year, see if they'll hook you up to keep you as a long term client.  It's in their best interest to cut their prices and make you happy as you'll be using them regularly.  If they won't deal and drop their prices flip the page in the phonebook and call the next 10 places, someone will do it.  Even if the discount is only 5% you're still talking about $50 for every $1000 you spend, if you're spending $10k a year you'll save a ton.  What did it cost you?  A few minutes of your time on the phone.

Frank Adams · Answer

HD is CONVENIENT and that's the ONLY THING in their favor! AFAIK they never beat anyone on price! For carpet try someone that's in the trade, not necessarily with a fancy retail spot either, those places cost money. My best all-time carpet/flooring guy specialized in commercial work, apartments, hotels etc. I hooked up with him at an REI club meeting and used him for about 15 years.

I live in a town that's pretty small (we got a HD 3 years ago), but obviously we're large enough to have a "contractors supply" (side road location, not generally interested in doing business with the public) and a "lumber yard" (busy highway location-definitely interested in everyone's business). Last year I had a pretty major rehab (ppty cost $22K, final material cost $14K) and I "shopped" my major list at all three.

No suprise HD was the absolute highest, also they DON'T DELIVER at any price. The lumber yard does free delivery at $1,000, so I broke my job into smaller bits and made 3 orders. That way when I discovered large things after I was into the job I could still get them delivered.

Of particular note was 5# boxes of nails. HD was about 55%-65% higher on those babies, and I was doing a LOT of nailing.

Good luck.

all cash