Local Material Supplier Request!

[Jake Jaenicke]

Hello BP Community!

My girlfriend and I are in escrow on our first property! It is a SFR with a 700 SF guest house and a detached two-car garage. The guest house needs new flooring, entire kitchen, and a fresh coat of paint. We will be turning the two-car garage into a loft-studio with a kitchenette, and eventually updating the main 2b/2ba house that we will live in for now.

My question is for those rehabbing properties to rent in San Diego. I have heard over and over again that big box home stores are not the best bang for your buck. They are convenient but often overpriced. 

I am requesting some material supplier suggestions in the San Diego area for LVT flooring, kitchen appliances, paint, etc. These upgrades will all be mid-grade (not luxury), and rent hardened materials ideally.

Thank you in advance BP community!

[Dan H.]

Costco sells nice LVF. If you are going to have carpets, apartment grade carpet looks nice for around same length as tenants can manage to not damage it.  I have it even in one of our STRs (only the upstairs has carpet).

The issue with big box cabinets is not the price but the quality.  I have not used either of these since the pandemic but check out better cabinets and granite and H Cabinet.  

The big box have some good sales for appliances.  I have discount direct from GE yet the sales from big box stores sometimes beat the prices I can get direct from GE.  Sometimes scratch and dent work, but I have had one poor experience with a refrigerator that had a lot of internal damage (like it had been dropped). 

I agree with Bruce to use quality paint especially important for exterior

Good luck

[Bruce Woodruff]

The big box stores are fine price wise. Sometimes better than wholesalers depending on what you need....But I've used Lumber Liquidators for flooring and they can be very good. Consider engineered wood instead of crappy looking LVP.

Look for scratch and dent appliances or get a credit line at Lowes and they give you 5% off (nice for cabinets and appliances). 

Do not get cheap paint. The best pays for itself forever. I used Behr Marquee from Home Depot exclusively. Sherwyn Williams is good and a lot of painting contractors will use it.

[Dan H.]

Costco sells nice LVF. If you are going to have carpets, apartment grade carpet looks nice for around same length as tenants can manage to not damage it.  I have it even in one of our STRs (only the upstairs has carpet).

The issue with big box cabinets is not the price but the quality.  I have not used either of these since the pandemic but check out better cabinets and granite and H Cabinet.  

The big box have some good sales for appliances.  I have discount direct from GE yet the sales from big box stores sometimes beat the prices I can get direct from GE.  Sometimes scratch and dent work, but I have had one poor experience with a refrigerator that had a lot of internal damage (like it had been dropped). 

I agree with Bruce to use quality paint especially important for exterior

Good luck

[Maya Gorski]

Out of curiosity, are you guys doing the work yourselves?

[Laura Jayne Williams]

Thanks everybody we will be sure to invest in quality paint and will check out your suggestions. @Maya Gorski yes we are doing the work ourselves for the most part. We have a friend who is a plumber who will be assisting with moving the kitchen to a different location - but most of the reno will be done by us. 

[Bruce Woodruff]

Quote from @Laura Jayne Williams:

Thanks everybody we will be sure to invest in quality paint and will check out your suggestions. @Maya Gorski yes we are doing the work ourselves for the most part. We have a friend who is a plumber who will be assisting with moving the kitchen to a different location - but most of the reno will be done by us. 

That's great that you can do that! I see your boyfriend is a Contractor so that makes it easier.... just get all your permits. I'm sure he can draw his own plans as needed....Good luck from a former SD Contractor!

[Jake Jaenicke]

Quote from @Maya Gorski:

Out of curiosity, are you guys doing the work yourselves?

Maya we will be doing most of the work ourselves. I work for a large general contractor and either know how to do much of it, or have friends/contacts that can assist as needed.

[Jake Jaenicke]

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

The big box stores are fine price wise. Sometimes better than wholesalers depending on what you need....But I've used Lumber Liquidators for flooring and they can be very good. Consider engineered wood instead of crappy looking LVP.

Look for scratch and dent appliances or get a credit line at Lowes and they give you 5% off (nice for cabinets and appliances). 

Do not get cheap paint. The best pays for itself forever. I used Behr Marquee from Home Depot exclusively. Sherwyn Williams is good and a lot of painting contractors will use it.

 Bruce thank you for the suggestion on the flooring and paint, I agree good paint goes a long way. I will definitely look into the big box discounts on appliances (especially those with some cosmetic imperfections). 

[Jake Jaenicke]

Quote from @Dan H.:

Costco sells nice LVF. If you are going to have carpets, apartment grade carpet looks nice for around same length as tenants can manage to not damage it.  I have it even in one of our STRs (only the upstairs has carpet).

The issue with big box cabinets is not the price but the quality.  I have not used either of these since the pandemic but check out better cabinets and granite and H Cabinet.  

The big box have some good sales for appliances.  I have discount direct from GE yet the sales from big box stores sometimes beat the prices I can get direct from GE.  Sometimes scratch and dent work, but I have had one poor experience with a refrigerator that had a lot of internal damage (like it had been dropped). 

I agree with Bruce to use quality paint especially important for exterior

Good luck

 Dan thank you for confirming the big box has some good deals, that is helpful. I have a Costco membership so I will make sure to consider them when shopping for flooring. Do you feel LVT is better than laminate in most rental situations? @Bruce Woodruff  noted the engineered wood might also be a good option. I will need to look into the $/SF difference and see if it makes sense.

[Dan H.]

Quote from @Jake Jaenicke:

Quote from @Dan H.:

Costco sells nice LVF. If you are going to have carpets, apartment grade carpet looks nice for around same length as tenants can manage to not damage it.  I have it even in one of our STRs (only the upstairs has carpet).

The issue with big box cabinets is not the price but the quality.  I have not used either of these since the pandemic but check out better cabinets and granite and H Cabinet.  

The big box have some good sales for appliances.  I have discount direct from GE yet the sales from big box stores sometimes beat the prices I can get direct from GE.  Sometimes scratch and dent work, but I have had one poor experience with a refrigerator that had a lot of internal damage (like it had been dropped). 

I agree with Bruce to use quality paint especially important for exterior

Good luck

 Dan thank you for confirming the big box has some good deals, that is helpful. I have a Costco membership so I will make sure to consider them when shopping for flooring. Do you feel LVT is better than laminate in most rental situations? @Bruce Woodruff  noted the engineered wood might also be a good option. I will need to look into the $/SF difference and see if it makes sense.

LVF is not as indestructible as some people think. Tenants can be very hard on the units including the flooring. Outside of tenant damage, LTV looks great, is low maintenance, has only moderately cost, and is fairly easy to install.

I believe laminate is not as low maintenance and water can damage. That is the advantage of LVF.  I have the same belief for wood, but wood IMO is the best looking if taken care of (which I would not rely on tenants doing).  I have hardwood flooring in much of my personal home.  

[Wesley I.]

@Jake Jaenicke

Im currently undergoing a rehab myself and had the same questions.

For flooring, miramar road has a number of stores, ive purchased about 1600 sq ft of hardwood from california flooring design center back in 2012 and its holding up pretty well.

Appliances, i always go to big box stores and try to get the 24 month interest free financing. If you are or know a vet you can get the 10% discount

Kitchen cabinets - i go to better cabinets on market st off the 805 - hardwood and soft close hardwares

I was going to recommend a plumber but looks like you have that taken care of.

[Bruce Woodruff]

Quote from @Dan H.:

Laminate and engineered wood are 2 different things completely. Laminate has no real wood at all whereas engineered has a layer of real wood veneered on top of plywood.

[Jake Jaenicke]

Quote from @Wesley I.:

@Jake Jaenicke

Im currently undergoing a rehab myself and had the same questions.

For flooring, miramar road has a number of stores, ive purchased about 1600 sq ft of hardwood from california flooring design center back in 2012 and its holding up pretty well.

Appliances, i always go to big box stores and try to get the 24 month interest free financing. If you are or know a vet you can get the 10% discount

Kitchen cabinets - i go to better cabinets on market st off the 805 - hardwood and soft close hardwares

I was going to recommend a plumber but looks like you have that taken care of.

 Wesley those are great suggestions thank you. We found a cabinet supplier that was recommended by a friend off of Miramar near Ashley's furniture. I believe it was JD Cabinets. Have you heard of them? I will take a look at the flooring as well. Would you put hardwood in a short or medium term rental?

[Wesley I.]

@Jake Jaenicke

No hardwood on rentals for me. I vote for LVF