Big Box Stores Aren't for Building Homes 

Hi. There is always an exception to the rule. I have been a framing Carpenter for 38 years. I am building the first house for myself ever. My Home Depot here (Johnson City, Tennessee), has by far, and it is not even close, the best studs, that I have ever seen in my life, and they have, for many, many, years! Where in the world, that they find this stuff, I wish I knew! Also, Bonus tip: I always try to use pretty good 2x4's (if you have enough available), for your braces. Those wall braces have to come off someday, and it is a whole lot easier to do sheetrock nailers, and miscellaneous final framing projects, with straight material. You can use crooked material for Attic braces, and I always do, if I already have junky material, that needed to be used, but there is usually, way more, wall braces, than attic braces, so I always try to put good 2x4's for braces. Thank you, very much, for your body of work, on the internet. You are a good man, and very, very, smart, and you have helped me a lot! Thank you.

As a current owner builder of a 1170 sq foot house this has been my exact opposite experience. Lumber from lumber yards was quoted at 36-38k. I shopped lumber hard and bought it in 3 separate orders from HD for 19k after having each bundle sent to bid room. The lumber was extremely nice and the experience was great from order to delivery. Out of 204 2x6x10 studs we exchanged 6 and my framing crew is as picky as I am. Owner builders should not give up on big box if the budget is of worrry

As a custom builder myself let me just say Michael’s explanation was spot on. Big box stores are helpful for the weekend and after hour emergencies however.

It's like God puts all the info in my hands before I even look for it. 🙏

I did owner builder and this info is spot-on. Thanks again.

In plumbing it’s the same. I’ve had a couple of customers buy fixture packages from lowes and it worked fine but they were out in the country so it may have been easier to shop online through a box store. I don’t know their reasoning but I can’t believe price was the motivation. As for everything that isn’t fixtures, you simply couldn’t do much remodeling or new construction with what’s available at box stores. I know Home Depot has more available online than in store but they don’t hold a candle to plumbing supply houses. Also, plumbing suppliers keep up with the newest technology and are much more likely to carry whatever the current best system is. For example the standard copper system is pro press. Some Home Depot’s have a handful of these fittings but not enough to do a whole job. The best pex system is pex a expansion. The box stores don’t even offer this. The other problem is quality. I know many quality brands like delta and kohler have a cheaper version of their fixtures that they sell at box stores. Basically these models have less brass, more plastic. It’s not always the case but sometimes it’s hard to convince customers of this. They think you’re just trying to upsell. Home Depot I think caters to professionals much more than lowes but neither are sufficient.

Enjoying your posts, considering your course. It’s time to move on the build plan!

Priceless information. I remember you did a video on this topic a while ago and this is still true. I am doing due diligence on a 4500sf home that we are going to build next year and checked out builders suppliers on our area (north of NYC) and not only they are willing to work with a home owner but the pricing is also better compared to Lowes and Home Depot. Also I have notice that a lot of material, especially drywalls and sheathing are quite beaten up at the Homedepot. Some suppliers, like roofing material, septic and plumbing dealers, are not willing to sell to homeowners and they are very strict about it, yet there are so many manufacturers, among the best ones, from whom I can buy directly.

Thanks Micheal. Great points, as always.

Thanks for this comparison. Makes perfect sense.

I agree fully. Even when I am paying a little more I don’t mind knowing that the quality, pre -culled lumber, and delivery will more than make up in cost, especially when I put a value on my time.

This information is locale specific. May be mostly true in big cities but I’m a builder in a more rural area ( 60 miles out from big city) and local lumber yard here (Texas) tend to keep dimensional lumber outside. The big box stores here order big loads from a wholesale lumber supplier and are much better priced and material usually better as long as you specifically stay away from hemlock fir . The big problem here with big box stores is the delivery system. Their way too far out on deliveries. As far as plumbing, electrical and other mechanical trades always use wholesalers. Same goes for windows and doors. The big box stores do cheapen their products to sell for less. You just have to know what’s a deal and what’s a steal.

I’ve been a big fan of your videos but think many, myself included, have had great experiences using big box stores for self builds. Your specific example of drywall was not my experience as many of the big box stores delivery top quality drywall and will stage with a boom as well.

Very helpful Thank you

2 major things i buy from box stores are cinder blocks and drywall, because they are much cheaper and they can deliver the drywall with a boom truck and cinder blocks all around the foundation. With contractor accounts you get an even bigger discount for the same thing. Ive had jame hardie siding and other things they dont stock sourced by them that was cheaper than lumber yards…One thing i will say is lumber yards can be easier to deal with and are more professional than the box stores.

I think this depends on what city you're in and the size of the home. While I agree with you on framing, recently got a drywall package from the Pro desk at a Big Box that destroyed the prices from other places for me. They had a boom truck as well, you just pay a little extra on delivery. However, I'm a big buyer at the focused supply houses - plumbing, electrical., lumber yard, etc.

Michael.....great video, thanks. I am interested in building an arched cabin. These are kits made in Texas by a company of the same name......arched cabins. They ship u a kt of metal ribs. These are attached on one end to your floor. The ribs are raised, forming an arch. They are joined at the top. The ribs are plumbed vertical. The ribs are covered with sheets of insulation and vapor barrier. Over this metal sheathing runs horizontally over the ribs giving them rigidity. Once all the sheating is screwed to the ribs u have two sides of a structure and the roof. To close the building u web site. They have structures as small as sheds,build the two end caps using conventional framing techniques. It's the ends that usually get the doors and windows. Now u finish the interior ......build your rooms, plumb and wire and u have a house! The arched cabin can be raised on your site and covered in the sheating in a few hours! I like this diy aspect. It saves time and time is money. U do loose some square footage due to the arched shape but not as much as an a frame. I like the metal roof and siding u get and the relative ease of assembly. Take a. look at their site. They have structures as small as 8 x 8 ft to 50 x ,40 ft houses. Let me know your thoughts.......thanks.....a. barbuto....... barbuto@optonline.net....

I will agree that lumber should be bought from a building supplier, and for that matter as much stuff as possible if they can closely match the price of Big Box. I stopped buying lumber from Big Box for the same reason...spend way too much time trying to find straight lumber. The supplier I use keeps their lumber indoors on racks (no sun warping the lumber), and they have staff that are in there all day loading too.

This was great!

About two years ago, I ordered 300’ of privacy fence from Menards and since the code in Michigan requires the posts to be planted 42” (I always go 48” for drainage stone in the bottom) I ordered 10’ treated posts. Well they sent 8’ treated 4x4’s and claimed the delivery guy was a subcontractor so the only way to exchange them was for me to bring them back, which I did but what a hassle. Just before the recent snow arrived, I ordered materials to build a good sized shed as well as enough materials to build a skid platform base to assemble a smaller Suncast Defender shed from a different Menards. Well instead of the 7 sheets of 3/4 x 4 x 8 Water Repellant Tongue & Groove Plywood Subfloor I ordered, they sent 3/4 x 4 x 8 T&G OSB. I had to build right away and couldn’t wait for an exchange so I just called and had Menards refund the overcharge. Now I’m sorry I did that because the edges of the OSB will always be exposed to the weather under that plastic shed. I sealed ‘em with black paint but I’m afraid it’s going to be a constant maintenance headache. I’ll probably have to go back and install flashing. The larger shed is next and but rather than 4x4 skids, it’s being built on 6x6x20’ skids so maybe the rising moisture won’t attack the underside of the OSB but I’m still contemplating rolling out some plastic sheeting between the treated framing and the OSB. Yep, Menards certainly complicated my life. I won’t even talk about the dozen or so crappy 6’ treated pickets for another 100’ of privacy fence that Lowes delivered last week. Same with a few of the 2x4x8 rails, which meant a slight delay to build but easier to exchange. Actually the Lowes pickets were a better quality than the pickets from Menards. The best pickets I’ve found were from Carter lumber, thicker and more stable.

That was so helpful.

I built a 24x36x10post frame garage last fall and purchased the lumber package from a local yard. Quality was outstanding but they were much more expensive than the box stores. I even had a couple of local building supply stores tell me that they would not sell to me. They preferred to serve the builders instead of a diy guy because of volume. I am located in western NC.

Your videos are great….but I’m a bit confused about this one. Menards sells whole house kits, and you’ve even referenced them in multiple videos as to their pricing (which includes everything but the labor, foundation and HVAC, everything else is included). Since you’ve referenced these packages multiple times in the past it would have been nice if you would have commented on them in this one. Otherwise, your videos are very helpful, and I’ll be taking your online class soon as I’m hoping to start my own build in the spring, assuming rates don’t climb much moire, and the sub market cools down a bit so they are more reasonable and available for owner builders.

I’ve always said this. They’re “home improvement stores” not building supply companies

Thanks & good job. What about sourcing materials for smaller jobs (replacing rotted floors)?

Nice summary of why big box stores would be a lot more work.

It’s true, I’m a landscaper and any landscaping materials I need from Home Depot or lowes just isn’t quality and it’s more expensive. How does that even add up? Home Depot and lowes are for home owners, not contractors.

Home Depot has it on a banner in front of all the cash registers that they'll beat any competitor by 10% though. So if I go to them with a lumber quote from a lumber yard, why not go there and get what I need for 10% less?

Is it possible to build a simple 1400sqft home with 3beds 2 bath no garage doing framing myself and plumbing myself as well as all the flooring hanging sheet rock myself and just paying a contractor for foundation roofing and hvac and electrical and finishing sheet rock and cabinets and countertops for under 100k in northern Alabama

With current supply and labor issues, how long would it take to build a house? My location is northeast Ohio.

Home Depot does exactly what you’re saying they don’t

Hey Michael, what advice do you have for potential owner builders who work full time? Do you think this is doable? This goes for both me and my wife. Thanks!

You’ve got me concerned, I went through and almost pulled the trigger on a Menards 2 story kit. Can you please elaborate on this video. Another thing I should mention is your the one who guided me to Menards

Sorry but I disagree. As someone who is getting a house built right now our local Menards is MUCH cheaper for materials than any other supplier

you keep saying building supply companies where do you find them. Either give me some names or direct of what to look for?

This is false. I am a home builder and I’d never buy a lumber package from a big box store but we’ve been buying drywall from big stores, no problem. They even stage it. This video should be modified or deleted.