How to save money on building materials - by Erik The Craftsman March 21 2021

I had to write this article to inform customers of what is really happening when they try to save money and shop for building materials on their own!   A lot of times it just causes me a head ache and when it comes to the home owners who are stuck in very tight budgets the worst thing is more costs coming from saving money.

99.9% of the time you save money by spending a little more money in the beginning.  Planning, and then getting good building material, and then having a qualified professional contractor like myself and my time going back 28 years in building construction and wood / steal manufacturing and coatings in 2021.  Buying piles of crap that are on sale, and some supplier sales guy/gal is playing your friend to un load crap that no other pro wants and then having me come in and deal with it doesn't work.
I like Copps Buildall a building material supplier in London, Ontario because the quality of lumber is always very good -
although the prices are seemingly a little  little higher then other places, but with my volume I
get it very close - the quality of lumber makes a big differences on the
quality of the finish product.  So this is one place where you buy good stuff and it saves in the long run.

A lot of times problems will occur because customers with out wood and building material experience will get sales on low quality products not realizing that although I am very good craftsman if I get "pigs
ears" I can't make "silk purses" , we need silk for silk purses don't buy pigs ears!  PLEASE!

So if you are getting into real estate developing and want to use me we have to be intelligent and get good deals but at the same time - a good deal isn't getting cheap deal on low quality and crappy materials that the supplier couldn't sell and is selling on sale to any one
who is't paying attention and taking advantage of you when you are on this buzz of your own real estate dream, and you get ripped off and I can't deal with garbage!  It is a skill of its own being able to grade and purchase materials.  Trust me, leave it to me, for 90% of the job. 

When it comes to colors or vanities go ahead, or tiles!  But at the same time quality lasts very quickly in Canada if things are not well made, give them two years under kids feet with winter boots on!  Or 10 showers a day with your big family sharing a washroom!  If you spend more in the beginning - you are saving in the long run.   My biggest thing is when people try to save money, it horrifies me, to know that in Canada we have deadly dark moulds and building products purchased with mold in them before we even build the home - OMG!  I want to cry right now.  A poor father whom doesn't understand the dynamics of very dangerous stuff hiring a guy who is desperate!   Spent the money to save the money!  Its the only way to go in Canada! 

Especially with home evaluations and professional real estate agents who have an eye for good work!  Your going to loose even if you are a home flipper!  Good quality work done right always pays off.

A lot of times new home flippers and guys wanting to up grade rental property or other developers will cost money by trying to save money.
Usually when customers buy their own hard wood and lumber or floor material its a head ache for me because if you buy hard wood that is very poor quality even with all my stregth and tricks it shows on the finish so don't just take deals to save money.
I can buy garbage, but I don't - I don't want to be working with low quality materials that you purchased at a discount sale rate that really are already starting to mold from being in a warehouse, or sitting on a train in a railway tunnel long before we even start building your dreams with them.

Building material suppliers will give you a bad load of wood when they understand that you are making a final purchase with out the experience to know exactly what you are buying. So don't save money by getting a deal on garbage materials.
This is an old story to me - people think they are going to save money over me and my product volume discounts?  How do you think that is possible people?  I am a dedicated trades man and constant home builder - how do you think you are getting better deals then me?

You are not going to get a better deal then me, more then likely someone will be your friend and cost you and I a head ache buy giving you the crap no one else would purchase.

Again it will cost you in the long run and you can't blame your carpenter or contractor for you making uneducated purchases in a tough industry. Buying through my supplier, I use the local name brands like Copps Buildall in some parts of Ontario - I have a net work of carpenters nation wide - we even harvest our own materials - you can't beet my prices and have the quality and finish I have!

My suppliers give me very good quality lumber and supplies and you can tell the difference in the final product of;

new decks, kitchens, bathrooms, dens and new homes that I do.

Good material makes a big difference and when the bank wants to evaluate your real estate you loose
when that happens, and I need to get paid for installing good or bad material, to work with bad material is way harder then with good straight nice material trust me.

I really need to educate my customers -off course we all want the best price
but like I said there is balance we need to be intelligent and work
together. 

To conclude any body;  builders, newbies that are trolling me to learn from me and most importantly my customers -

SAVE MONEY BY SPENDING MONEY - AND GETTING GOOD QUALITY LUMBER AND MATERIALS AND A GOOD CONTRACTOR THAT WILL DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME WITH LASTING QUALITY!

Contact me any time for a free builder quote on your next construction project!  Erik the Craftsman 2021