A box of plumbing supplies - Part 2 - Sweating the small stuff

You have no doubt heard the phrase, "don't sweat the small stuff."  But if you have ever attempted a plumbing project, then you have indeed sweated the small stuff.  Between the various sizes, ends, and materials, it is easy to buy the wrong part.  And after thirteen trips to the store, if you are like me, you just buy one of everything and return the rest later.  The parts you tried, but didn't fit?  Well, no wonder your box of pluming supplies is so full!  Seriously, the plumbing supplies alone can nickel and dime any project way over budget.

In my last post, I wrote about the box of plumbing supplies.  I already highlighted the closet flange.  But there was more. Much more. And while I won't be able to use it all, I already know I can use a bunch of the items.  But just what is the value of a box of plumbing items?  Well, in this post I want to attempt to calculate it.  Here goes.

First, a few pictures of the items: 

Before I start pricing all of these items, take a quick guess at what all this stuff might cost.

Several bathtub items.

Lots of drain pipe, down pipes, etc.

Check out the toilet bolts and bolt covers.  I know I will use those!

Item:                                                              Online Price at Home Depot or Lowes:
PVC Closet flange                                             $5.32
Delta shower arm and flange                              14.38
Plastic shower arm                                              3.88
Bathtub spout                                                      5.33
Lift & Turn tub drain kit                                     22.96
Set of Danco faucet handles                                 9.99
Pop-up drain assembly                                        8.68
Sink trap assembly                                              3.39
Garbage disposal elbow (1)                                 2.96
Garbage disposal elbow (2)                                 2.96
Flexible slip joint extension tube                           5.62
Toilet bolts                                                          3.18
Toilet bolt cover (1st pack)                                 2.68
Toilet bolt cover (2nd pack)                                2.68
Check vent                                                         3.00
Delta seats and springs kit                                   3.97
Total:                                                           $100.98

I bet you didn't guess over one hundred dollars!  Now to some people, a Benjamin might not be much, but we are talking small plumbing parts here!  In an upcoming series of posts, I will write about the true costs of home remodeling.  But the lesson here- the small stuff adds up- and quickly!

A box of plumbing supplies - and a closet flange!

As I started collecting the materials for this project, I realized I would need to find some very specific items.  In fact, I remember thinking to myself, "where am I going to find a toilet flange?"  Now, the technical term, if you are going to search for one on a home improvement store's website is a "closet flange."  As in Water Closet.  (I guess that flange was designed by a British guy).  My first experience with a PVC closet flange was during my main bathroom remodel.  I installed tile, complete with a backerboard, and subsequently raised the floor by one inch.  I realized that the toilet would never fit the drain, and it was then that I discovered the closet flange and the cheater spacer kit. 

Now, back to the basement, there is a four inch drain pipe protruding from the floor, but I knew it would need a closet flange.  And that is not really something you find used.  Nor does Lowes or Home Depot give them away.  Even Menards wouldn't offer a Black Friday rebate on one.  You just have to buy them- for about $10 each.  And that is a problem when you are trying to build a free bathroom.  In fact, as I wondered where I might find one, I seriously began to doubt if this "free bathroom" crazy idea would be successful.

Then I saw the magic Craigslist ad.  A family in Peculiar, Missouri, was moving and getting rid of stuff.  Among the spoils- a box of plumbing stuff.  I knew I needed plumbing stuff, so I made the drive that night, somehow found the house in the dark, and gratefully received the box of plumbing stuff.  And guess what was in it?  A PVC closet flange!!!! 

I scored a better vanity and sink!

This vanity needed some work!

It has been a crazy 3 weeks since I last posted an update.  I have had family in town, and things have been busy, but mostly there have been very few great items given away on Craigslist.  I have a couple of recent scores to share, though.


I previously wrote about the free vanity I scored.  It needed a ton of work, however, including fabrication of a door.  Then I bought the sink, just in case I couldn't find a free one manufactured in one of the last three decades.

I never really liked this sink.

I guess I underestimated the possibility of a great find, though.  One Wednesday morning I saw a listing on the Craigslist free page for a vanity and sink.  The owners were updating the bathroom in their ten year old house.  To my surprise, the sink was still available, even after sitting on the free page for a few hours.  Later that night I packed the kids in the van, drove a short 6 miles to Peculiar, and loaded the sink and vanity in my van.

This sink and vanity are in great shape!  No scratches on either.  No blemishes, really.  This is a great find and will look great in the new bathroom.  Check it out!

I also have a new theory about making the most of Craigslist.  Remember the 3 most important rules in real estate?  Location, location, and location.  It turns out the same might be true about Craigslist.  If an item is listed in a town on the edge of the metro area, or maybe a small and rather unknown city, people will be less likely to travel and retrieve the item.  In my case, I have found great items in the city of Peculiar.  And while Peculiar is only 6 miles from Raymore, it is rather unknown, or at least it is perceived as "far away" from the KC metro area.  As a result, people are more likely to ignore items there.  So now I know- the farther out, the more likely an item will remain available.

I Think I Will Pass On The Free Pink Tile

I just saw this listing on craigslist today:  "Free Pink Tile"  Yep, just like you remember it from your grandma's bathroom.  While I do need more tile for the floor, I think I will pass on this one.  A more cynical person might say, "why would you even put something like that on craigslist?"  But I bet the pink tile will be gone before Tom Brady completes his first pass.  There is amazing creativity out there.  People construct the coolest items from the junk most of us toss into our trash.  Yes, this is a post in favor of re-purposing.

No, re-purposing is not some liberal inconvenient truth rhetoric, nor is it a government conspiracy designed to distract the proletariat while politicians empty the public coffers.  No, re-purposing is what your grandma did when she cut the top off the the plastic milk carton and put it around her young tomato plants.  Add a few sequins and some ribbon and it might get pinned to your Pinterest account.  Re-purposing is just common sense.  Why throw away what you or someone else might use for another purpose?  No one said building materials can only be used for construction projects.  The options are endless! 

 And that is what the pink tile donor did.  This is what he/she described:"Free Pink tile squares 4x4, some whole, some pieces. Great for crafting or any other DIY! Please email for location, it's either your home or the trash for it all! Taking it off the bathroom walls as we speak! I will remove this posting when it's gone!" 

 I can see it now, a gathering football loving-men huddled around a big screen television in the man.  Meanwhile, their wives are sitting around a large table upstairs, crafting in wait for the next commercial break, saying, "where did you find this great pink tile?"

So next time you are throwing away, well, almost anything, you might ask yourself, "could someone else use this?"  If you think so, put it out on your curb, take a quick picture, and list in on craigslist.  You don't even have to include your phone number or email address.  Just list it first-come, first-served.

If, however, your item is a shower enclosure, would you give me a call first?  I am kind of looking for one of those.  But if it's pink, I'll pass.

Postcript: If we really did this, it would, after all, reduce the amount of junk in our landfills, reduce the amount of emissions produced by the manufacturing of stuff we buy that we could just get for free, and reduce our dependence on foreign manufacturing and child labor.  In the end, we all win.  Now that is bipartisanship!

I broke down and bought some stuff

When I tell people about my project, I can see their eyes widen as they imagine a hodgepodge of mixed-and-matched tiles, boards, lights and fixtures.  After all, how do you get nice stuff for completely free?  I know, I know!  And I got little nervous a couple weeks ago, especially as I drove too many miles with too little success.  I found an online surplus auction at www.equip-bid.com with lots of building materials!

Does this look like 3" X 5" tile?

One lot featured "Approximately 200 3in X 5in white ceramic tile."  It looked appealing until I did the math and discovered that 200 tiles of this size would cover only 20 square feet!  That is not much.  But then I looked at the picture again and realized that either the picture was very distorted, or they measured incorrectly, because the tiles were square.  And in comparison to a standard-sized pallet, they looked bigger than even 5in X 5in.  So I took a chance- figuring I could re-sell white ceramic tile, and bought the lot for $10!

When I got it home I measured the tile- 8in X 8in!  And there were about 300 pieces in the lot.  Lowes sells this kind of tile for $30 for a box of 25.  I scored $350 worth of tile for only $10!

I also bought a sink.  I remembered thinking that most of the sinks featured on the craigslist free page featured old cultured marble or clamshell stylings. The surplus auction was offering a nice, white sink.  Granted, the sink was offset, so I might have to cut it or do something creative, but I took a chance on it and won it for $10!

I am starting to regret my third purchase at this same auction.  The listing showed a "Lot Of Misc Corian Like Sheets"  I like Corian, as it looks just like granite, and I would love to have granite countertops.  Plus I thought I might be able to re-sell it. Apparently someone else wanted it, too, and I had to bid up to $17.50 to win the auction. 

I was able to pick up the items the next day while driving back home from another appointment, so it didn't require an extra trip or extra gas.  I didn't know, however, that the sheets of corian were 12 feet long.  It made for an interesting ride home in my Honda minivan!

At this point, my free bathroom is no longer free.  I have spent $23.00 on tile and a sink (the corian was for other uses, so it doesn't count).  What am I going to sell to bring me back to $0 net cost????

Auctions are a great way to get building materials for not a lot of money.  And many of the auction houses are putting their auctions online, making it easier for you and me to bid.  If you live in the Kansas City area, check out equip-bid.com and auctionbymayo.com