Buying Discount Home Improvement Items Online

Searching for the best sites using the keywords "buying discount home improvement items" led me to local web sites, national web sites and a non-profit site. Why pay retail when it's possible to buy usable items at discount prices?

At the top of the list, beating out Lowe's in fact, for the keywords "buying discount home improvement items" is Big John's Closeouts in Elizabethton, Tennessee. They state they specialize in "Closeouts, Inventory Liquidations, Overruns, Bankruptcies and Transportation Damaged Building Materials" for retail and wholesale customers.

Next was Lowe's Moving Center which is a nicely organized web site designed for families who are moving. It has a five step process for moving from Step One: Get Started to Step Five: Get Settled. In the lower ¼ of the page, click on "Value Center" to find promotional prices on items ranging from rugs to ladders and refrigerators.

Build.com came up third and it bills itself as the "online supply house for professionals." Trades professionals can open a free account while there are different sites for consumers. There is also a video introduction on how to use Build.com for professionals.

eBay Canada was fourth. The items I saw were lacking in appeal or usefulness but that can change day to day.

Fifth, led me to an article on Digg.com that then led me to Habitat for Humanity ReStores. These are outlets that accept donated goods for resale. On the Habitat site it described the donated goods as "sold to the general public at a fraction of the retail price." This helps local organizational chapters partially fund the construction of Habitat's homes in local communities. A local handyman doing projects on our house bought items from the Restore in Pasadena, CA.

I was surprised to see Home Depot wasn't on the top 20 results in Google for the keyword phrase. However, Home Depot may allow contractors to bid on items at less than retail prices so do ask your contractor or check with your local Home Depot store to see if that's the case.

Check with local supply companies that aren't of the Big Box variety. See if they'll be able or willing to match or beat prices.

A totally free site to join and use is Freecycle.org. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving and getting free items in their own towns and keeping usable household items out of landfills. Local chapters are moderated by volunteers.

Sponsors listed on Freecycle's site include King & Spalding, Nokia and Waste Management.

Even for homes that have more contemporary designs and fixtures, it's still possible to buy home improvement items at discount prices. Do some research, plan projects accordingly and you can benefit from the savings.