"Ever tried online liquidation sites for bulk materials? Curious if anyone's had luck there..."
I've poked around a few liquidation platforms, mostly out of curiosity. Prices can be tempting, but have you found shipping costs eating into the savings? Sometimes that catches me off guard...
I've had some decent luck with liquidation sites, actually. When we were building our place, I snagged a pallet of flooring that was way cheaper than retail. But yeah, shipping can definitely sneak up on you. What I found helpful was sticking to sellers closer to my area—sometimes they let you filter by location or at least region. Also, if you're flexible on delivery times, freight shipping can be a lot cheaper than standard options.
One other thing: watch out for condition descriptions. I once got a batch of tiles labeled "open box," and let's just say a few more were chipped than I'd hoped. Still worked out okay since we had extras, but lesson learned there, haha. Overall though, if you're careful and patient, liquidation sites can really stretch your budget.
I gave liquidation sites a shot during our build too, but my experience was mixed. Ordered some lighting fixtures labeled "like new," and half arrived with scratches or missing hardware... Managed to salvage most, but I'd definitely recommend caution with descriptions and seller reviews.
I've been curious about liquidation sites too, but your experience makes me pause a bit. I usually try to verify condition through seller feedback, but it's still hit-or-miss sometimes. For those fixtures you salvaged, did you have to buy extra hardware separately or were you able to reuse parts from other items? I'm wondering if factoring in the cost and hassle of replacements actually made it cheaper or if it ended up breaking even.
Also, has anyone had better luck with other types of supplies from liquidation places—like flooring or bathroom vanities? I've been hesitant about bigger ticket items because returns seem like they'd be a nightmare...
I've had decent luck with flooring, actually... but I always factor in a little extra cost for missing trim or transitions. Vanities though—I wouldn't risk it unless it's local pickup and I can inspect thoroughly. Returns really can be a headache.
