I purchased cabinets (plywood boxes, real wood drawers with dovetail) from our local building supplier and had our GC install them for $500. 

Could any Chicago investors recommend an affordable tile supplier? 

Also got to meet some really cool suppliers and builders as well as other industry experts.

Find your supplier, ebay provides the market.

I was hoping to pull from the vast knowledge of BP to help explain.I received the following:Notice of Commencement   [ date work began]Notice of furnishing              [ materials/suppliers]Sworn Statement                  [facts attesting to your work to file a claim]Partial Conditional WaiverPartial Unconditional WaiverFull Conditional WaiverFull Unconditional WaiverClaim of Lien                        [amount and accounting of the money owed]I think I understand the Partial/Full Conditional/Unconditional Waiver, but I am a bit confused on the rest.  

You buy your products from your supplier and put them on your shelf for double the price (without doing anything to the product but putting it on the shelf)--and people happily pay it.

Now we distribute cabinets and work mainly with investors/contractors since we understand both worlds as a home developing business/investor and a cabinet supplier.

Kent here is the difference in your analogy: I don't have access to Walmart's suppliers.

Your GC will have accounts at the lumber yards and suppliers and get significantly discounted materials as well.  

Construction costs have always been based on my contractors and suppliers then current rates + factoring in their feedback on cost trends anticipated over the next 12ish months, depending on the rehab timeline.