This article outlines how to find the best deals, what brands to avoid, how to decide what type of materials to use, and more!
Depending on the scope of your project, your contractor may handle sourcing some materials and they may expect you to buy some items directly as well. They may also require you to buy certain items from certain retailers When choosing a contractor be sure to discuss this process upfront. Check out my article on the timeline for shopping and decisions during a renovation project. It will help guide you on what to pick out and when.
I do not receive compensation from any of the brands or stores mentioned in this article. These are my raw, unbiased thoughts!
Jump Ahead to a Section Below:
Tips for Material Shopping
1. Sales
Mark your calendar for Labor Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Black Friday, and President’s Day. These weekends offer the best sales for home goods like appliances, faucets, security cameras, smart thermostats and light switches, toilets, light fixtures, and more. For my personal projects, I will create a design game plan ahead of these holidays and plan to buy as much as possible during the sales.
2. Returns
Returns policies are important when shopping for home renovations. You may buy the perfect faucet for your bathroom, but then when the contractor opens up the wall and the plumber starts running plumbing, they may realize you need a smaller vanity than initially planned for, and that faucet may not fit on the new smaller vanity. There are so many instances like this, where plans change and surprises arise that cause the need for returns. Long return policies are helpful. Also, keep in mind whether or not the retailer allows open-box returns or returns on items that have been used.
I prefer to buy from a retailer with a local store presence to avoid dealing with shipping returns and paying for return shipping.
For each retailer mentioned below, I included their return policy. Please check with the store directly before making purchases, as return policies are always apt to change.
3. Contractor and Designer Pricing
Ask your contractor which retailers they receive discounts at. Most of the retailers mentioned below (with the exception of Target and Ikea) will offer contractor or designer discounts, usually around 20% off. If you are working with a designer, ask them which outlets they have discounts for too. Contractor pricing is particularly important for cabinets, counters, and appliances. These are big-ticket items where a discount can save a lot of money. I will only ever buy cabinets where my contractor gets contractor pricing.
4. Design Services
If you want to avoid the costs of hiring a designer for your project, lean on the free design services offered by retailers. Many local cabinet and flooring shops provide free design services. Their associates can help you put together a complete vision for the whole project.
5. Google Lens
If you find an item you like on Pinterest or an item that is being sold through a higher-end retailer, use the Google lens app to see if there are any knockoffs or cheaper versions available. Target and Home Depot often re-create exact designs from West Elm and Rejuvenation. West Elm and Pottery Barn also sell items like bathroom vanities and mirrors that are sold on multiple other websites. Google Lens and Google Shopping can help you find the best price for identical items.
Notes on Choosing Materials:
Paint
Contractors typically have a source for contractor-grade paint that they will buy. They can usually match any Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, or Behr paint color that you choose. If you are buying paint yourself, or want an option that is higher quality than the contractor-grade paint, Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams tend to be the best quality. Behr is less expensive, but also lower quality. Flat paint is the cheapest, but it’s also the hardest to wipe clean. Some painters say flat paint is the easiest to do touch-ups on though. Eggshell, semi-gloss, and gloss are all easy to wipe down but are also all more expensive. For paint samples, Home Depot sells the smallest sample size I have found. I always buy my samples there and have them match the Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams paint color that I am interested in.
Plumbing Fixtures
Less common plumbing brands are more difficult for contractors to work with and harder to find parts for repairs down the line. So I avoid buying plumbing fixtures from West Elm, Rejuvenation, Schoolhouse, etc. I also avoid brands like Glacier Bay and American Standard. With plumbing fixtures especially, you get what you pay for. In my years of experience managing rental properties, I have seen firsthand that cheap toilets and faucets create more maintenance issues in the long run. Grohe is German-made and internationally considered some of the most reliable plumbing fixtures. Delta, Kohler, and Moen all have decent reputations as well. Toto is well-recognized as one of the best brands for toilets.
Bathroom Vanities
Again, avoid cheap brands like Glacier Bay. Check to see what material the vanity is made out of before buying it. In a full bathroom with a shower or tub, expect there to be some moisture that regularly lingers in the bathroom. Vinyl, particle board, and even MDF don’t hold up to regular moisture exposure as well as wood. I have seen many vanities where after only a year of use, the finish starts to come off, the vinyl starts to peel, etc.
Tiles
Porcelain tile is more durable and less likely to crack than ceramic tile. Avoid installing ceramic tile in high-traffic areas, basements, etc. Marble tile requires regular sealing and is more likely to stain. I advise all of my clients to avoid real marble tile. Cement tile also requires a different installation processing and additional sealing. Talk to your contractor to ensure their team is comfortable installing cement tile and check to see if it will add any labor costs. Cement tile is also taller than other standard tiles, so the floor area needs to be prepped and built differently to accommodate it.
Counters
I recommend avoiding marble and wood counters. Both require more maintenance and are at higher risk for staining and cracking. For quartz counters, I recommend choosing an option with a higher sheen, not a flat finish. I have found that flat finishes stain more easily.
Electrical Items
For smart thermostats, LED lights, lightbulbs, and even some appliances check to see if your local utility provider sells any of these items at a discounted rate or if they offer any rebates for these items. You can often find huge savings on lightbulbs, smart thermostats, and more.
Door Locks
Schlage and Kwikset are considered higher-quality brands. Defiant brand locks are usually less expensive, but also lower quality. During my years of managing apartments, I found Schlage to be the most reliable and require the least maintenance.
Wallpaper
My wallpaper installer recommends these brands for better quality papers that install nicely: Serena & Lily, Graham & Brown, Sanderson, A-Street Prints, and Spoonflower.
Notes on my Favorite Shops:
More Budget-Friendly Options
Ikea- They sell affordable cabinet and counter offerings as well as light fixtures and mirrors. Sometimes contractors will refuse to work with their cabinets and counters. Driving times to and from Ikea can add time to their workload. It can also be hard to find enough stock for a project. Ikea hardware and building systems can also be slightly different, and a contractor’s crew may be less accustomed to working with it. I would recommend using Ikea cabinets and counters only for DIY projects. Their lighting and mirrors can work for a project with a contractor where you are sourcing those items yourself.
Returns: Returns are allowed for up to 365 days only if the item is not opened. Open items must be returned within 180 days.
Free Design Assistance? No
Amazon- You can find many of the same brands sold at Home Depot and Lowe’s on Amazon (for example, Delta plumbing fixtures). Amazon is a useful option when there is limited stock at the other stores or when you need something last minute. Amazon also sells reasonably priced bathroom accessories, like towel bars, hooks, etc., that are often cheaper than what I can find anywhere else. I always use them for my rental units.
Returns: 30 days. I find it easier to make returns at Home Depot in person rather than worrying about boxing items up and figuring out where Amazon will accept the return. This is especially true for bulky and heavy items. I end up not buying as much from Amazon because of the shorter return time (30 days) and because there’s no guarantee for returns of open box or used items like Home Depot and Lowe’s offer.
Free Design Assistance? No
Target- I primarily use Target for bathroom mirrors, particularly for my rental projects. They usually aren’t the best quality but they are reasonably priced.
Returns: 90 days, 120 days if you have a Target credit card.
Free Design Assistance? No
Build.com- This website sells most of the same brands as Home Depot and Lowes, plus many additional ones. They generally have a wider selection and sometimes better stock.
Returns: There is a 90-day return period for most items. They will accept most open-box items as well. Returns have to be shipped back. The buyer has to pay for return shipping. While I appreciate the long return window, I don’t buy that much from here because I still find the returns more hassle than returning something to a local store, especially big items.
Free Design Assistance? No
Wayfair- This online store has a never-ending selection of vanities, mirrors, lighting, tile, and more. When you want more selection than many of the other retailers mentioned, it’s a good option.
Returns: 30 days. Return shipping is not free.
Free Design Assistance? No
Home Depot and Lowe’s- I group these two together because they carry many of the same brands, except for their own in-house brands. Their in-house brand items tend to be the most budget-conscious, but also are usually lower quality. I buy most of my plumbing fixtures at Home Depot or Lowe’s, primarily because I like to stick to name brands that plumbers are familiar with and because the returns are so easy if there are any issues. I also buy a lot of tile from these stores, so I don’t have to worry about shipping back extra unused tile; I can easily return it in-store. Their tile is also usually well-priced.
They both offer a good selection of door and cabinet hardware as well. It is priced better than some of the smaller brands mentioned below, and sometimes even better quality.
Returns: 90-day return period for most items. They will accept most open-box and used items as well. Returns can be made in-store. If you have a Home Depot credit card, you can make returns up to a year after purchasing an item.
Free Design Assistance? Yes for flooring and cabinets.
Less Budget-Friendly Options
West Elm and Pottery Barn- These stores sell reasonably priced lighting, bathroom mirrors, medicine cabinets, and bathroom accessories (toilet paper holders, towel bars, etc.). They also sell bathroom vanities, but they are not as reasonably priced. Use my Google Lens trick on their vanities to see if you can find the same model elsewhere for cheaper. Depending on the item, their quality can be slightly better than Home Depot and Lowe’s brands.
Returns: 30 days. Return shipping is not free. Returns can be made in-store as well.
Free Design Assistance? Yes
Etsy-I have found multiple hand-crafted light fixture retailers on Etsy that offer uniquely designed lighting at reasonable prices. DecoCreationStudio and IlluminateVintage are two of my favorite retailers.
Returns: Varies based on the seller. Many are final sales.
Free Design Assistance? No.
Rejuvenation- Their lighting is made in the US and is very high-quality. They have unique designs and allow you to customize metals and glass types for many of their fixtures. It seems that most of their cabinet and door hardware is made in China and, in my opinion, is not as high of quality. Also, because cabinet hardware is made in China and light fixtures are made in the US, the metals between the items won’t always match. Antique brass on a light fixture won’t match the antique brass on a coat hook or kitchen cabinet knob.
Returns: 30 days on some items. Beware that many items are final sale. Return shipping is not free. Returns can be made in-store as well.
Free Design Assistance? Yes. I have found their in-house design team is especially helpful, they will help with figuring out how low a pendant light fixture should be hung, etc.
Crate and Barrel and CB2- I occasionally use these brands for lighting purchases. I also really like CB’s line of exterior house numbers. They have unique fonts and styles that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
Returns: 90 days. Return shipping is not free. Returns can be made in-store as well.
Free Design Assistance? Yes
Schoolhouse- I love that they have unique lighting designs and door and cabinet hardware. Similar to Rejuvenation, many of their items are made in the States, but not all items are. When I ordered some cabinet hardware to try, I was very disappointed in the quality. The particular style I chose was made in China. If quality is important to you, I recommend sticking to items that they make in the States.
Returns: 30 days on some items. Many items are final sale. Return shipping is not free.
Free Design Assistance? No.
Floor and Decor- Floor and Decor is a great place to start for tile and flooring inspiration. They stock a large selection of tile and luxury vinyl plank flooring. It is nice to see tiles with grout on larger displays. That being said, their tile options tend to be priced higher than what you can find at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or even online. Stopping by one of their stores is usually a starting point in the design process, but I don’t always end up buying much there.
Returns: 90 days. Returns can be made in-store.
Free Design Assistance? Yes
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