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As a D.A.D. many of us take on the role as stay at home handy man as well.
I can’t go a day without looking at something that needs to be fixed, changed out or updated; from a light bulb to the mailbox, there is always something that I am tinkering with. It’s how I fill nap time #2(nap time #1 is cleaning, making beds and if I am lucky, a workout).
Even before I was a D.A.D. I let my wife handle all of our money. She has a business background and is better at it. If I was in charge of the money, the kids would all have bounce houses for beds and our walls would be covered in 100 inch flat screens.
That being said, my updates and our budget don’t always meet eye to eye. Our kids closets all need updating, there is no place for storage, toys, etc. The closet organizers I have been eyeballing are upwards of $1000 each, times three kids and boom, we are back to square one.
Instead of having yet another “budget talk,” that goes something like “if we don’t eat out for the next 6 months, we give up our gym membership and you balance on one foot for a month, then we can get them.” I discovered the demolition sale.
The uber D.A.D. solution is the Demolition Sale! The demolition sale is what happens after the “estate sale,” and a house is basically an empty shell. Demolition companies sell everything else. It’s guy heaven, saves hundreds of dollars on things and is good for the environment, since you are recycling.
Refrigerators, hard wood floors, gutters, electric outlets, doors, shelving, windows, kitchen cabinets, garage door openers and yes closet organizers are all a part of the glory that is a demolition sale.
You bring your tools, get a price (which are almost always negotiable) and take the thing you need right off the wall! It’s awesome. Not only are you saving money, but you get to play a little Bob the Builder, or destroyer.
I was able to find a complete California Closet set for our sons closet for $70. Recently at a demolition sale there was a Viking refrigerator on sale for $400 and a 8×10 shed for $250, there are deals everywhere, from trim to bath tubs.
Here are the things you need to know.
- Bring a buddy- you are responsible for all of the removing and if you are buying an appliance or cabinets, it’s always good to have another person to help.
- Get there early. The good stuff goes fast. The two main demolition sale companies in Chicago are Murco Recycling and Demolition Promotions, they both post pictures on their web sites, so people come ready to “hunt.”
- Once you buy it, it’s yours. This isn’t Lowes, there are no returns. Make sure to test everything, measure and be sure this is what you want.
- Understand that nothing is new. You are recycling. The Viking fridge was 6 years old, but still in better shape than our POS. We had to pass on it, because it was too big for the space we had.
- Be ready to transport what you buy. Most places will hold something for you, but you have to get it from point A to your house. The shed we were looking at was in perfect shape, but in the city. We had no ide how to move a shed, so again had to pass. The people who ended up buying it had 6 guys lift in onto a flat bed, strap it down and take it away.
- Bring your tools. Again you have to get the stuff down on your own. So you need to bring the tools. The cool part is the houses are usually being torn down, so you don’t have to be super careful, a hole in the dry wall here and there is no biggie.
- Sign up for their e-mail lists. Both send out reminders and addresses of the homes with pictures. This is a great way to see what is coming up and make a plan
The two main companies in Chicago are Murco Recycling. and Demolition Promotions. Both operate much in the same way, Murco has “powerhouse” projects where you can buy an entire kitchen or bathroom in one swoop. Demo- Pros is very hands on and has after the sale sales, where they sell off the stuff that wasn’t bought.
The demolition sale is a great way to upgrade whatever it is in your house that needs upgrading and keep your budget in line. Just stay away from the garage door opener I have been eyeing!
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