We are always on the lookout for ways to save money as you know. We also enjoy thrift store shopping and have been known to stop and pick up nice items being disposed of by others on their weekly trash pick up. (Read about our amazing shower shelf rack we picked up for free here.).
Mr TCC is one of those guys that is always in the midst of projects. He loves to build things and he has a great knack for seeing the potential in things that others would otherwise deem useless. He is also willing to load up bulky items that he can score for free and store at home until he needs them. We have a whole storage area that is pieces of wood, metal, pallets and etc just waiting for new life. (Read about the free pallet walkway we created here).
Check out what he scored for free this week:
and
That is right, this new lumber was 100% free!
How to Get Lumber For Free
It is coming in super handy because he is in the midst of a major remodel for his sister at her new home.
How did he get this for free? He asked – plain and simple. Nearby there is a house undergoing renovations and the work is being performed by a contractor. On job sites like this there is often a high amount of products that end up in the trash dumpster because the contractor does not take the time to save scraps/cut pieces to repurpose later on in the project. It’s easier for them to just throw them out and start the cuts on a fresh piece of lumber. Wood, tile and bricks are often victims.
Mr TCC knows this, and he also knows that contractors have to pay to dispose of the rubbish in the dumpsters. He simply asks if he can take what he wants out of the dumpster or the trailer (in this case it was on an open bed trailer). 99% of the time the answer is yes. This results in a win/win situation because we get free lumber and the contractor has less he has to pay to dispose of.
All the wood you see in this photo has now made it’s way to an attic and is part of the new walking planks in the storage area. We estimate we saved at least $100 with this salvage score.
