As discussed in a previous blog post, out of the box thinking can be highly beneficial for your budget build. You will find that sometimes life throws you all sorts of pleasant surprises if you are open minded and your eyes are peeled.  Great deals come your way, but if you think only in the traditional sense, you may miss your best opportunity.  This is a list put together of some ideas we have used or encountered to help inspire you.  I will try to post as many pictures as I can on these items.  

Rebar

Not just for foundations anymore!  Yes, my husband works for a rebar producer, so it is highly lucrative for us to utilize the prices he can get on the rebar, but it still can be an inexpensive option for things like handrails, brackets and other accents. 

Laminate Waterproof Flooring

Flooring doesn’t just have to go under your feet.  We were able to utilize the flooring on the wall for a unique, more water-resistant look of wood without tile (husband hates tile for many reasons) but for a really good price.  

Roofing Tin 

The house we lived in before we built our barndominium had unique features we loved that were implemented by the sellers when they built the home themselves.  They had recycled old rusty roofing tin from the property’s old torn down cabin and used it for the walls.  It had such a unique look to the walls and the bonus for kid rooms was that it was magnetic!  The kids loved putting up pictures or posters temporarily on the walls with magnets and I loved that there was no wall damage and no permanency to them.  We discussed using the material again and may still add it as a wainscotting to my son’s room (he really loved the walls) but maybe in shiny metal gray instead of the rust since it would match his room better.  Look around for old building or barn falling down and someone may be happy to donate or cheaply sell the goods to you.  You can also use flat sheet metal to make some interesting walls if you have access as well.  

Concrete 

When it came to our fireplace, we were debating between stone tiles, rocks, brick, sheet metal, etc.  We finally decided to attempt a technique involving carving stones out of concrete and then staining the concrete to add dimension.  It was extremely cost affective, mildly frustrating, but overall a win for look and costs.  We also used concrete slabs (atop rebar brackets) for a more fireproof mantel.  More on this process will follow. 

 Plexiglass

 It isn’t perfect stuff because it scratches easily, hazes and breaks down, but potentially, even for temporary use, it can make great picture windows with a few additional advantages.  They are cheaper often, they don’t shatter, they are stronger, they are easier to cut yourselves, and they are lighter.     

Glass Doors 

A friend building a barndominium was showing me some glass French doors that they purchased at a salvage store for $50 each.  The low-e glass alone was certainly worth what they paid for.  As we were walking around her house, she showed me their newest dilemma, a large framed opening for a pretty good size picture window in their loft.  They were being told the glass companies didn’t want to put a piece that size and they also had safety concerns with it being at child height for leaning and playing.  I made a suggestion to get one more of those $50 doors and close the window opening a little to get a really cheap picture window.  They did so and it turned out fantastic (picture included).  

Various Types of Wood

This is a great one to get resourceful on and add beauty with what you have or can get your hands on cheap.  One house we lived in came across a furniture manufacturer that had piles and piles of smaller planks of high-grade wood.  They asked if they could purchase some and was told they could take as much as they wanted.  Despite the fact that the boards were not long like shiplap typically is, the walls turned out beautiful and gave a higher end look for cheap.  We also got a deal on rough cut in bulk that we used for our ceilings that we absolutely love.  I have seen plywood walls turned into a work of art, log rounds or cordwood cut into tiles, pallet plank walls (be careful with certain types that contain bad chemicals) and gorgeous reclaimed wood walls.  Some of this can be pricy, but if you really look around and get resourceful, you may find you have an ideal source for some material right in your own back yard.  

Black Metal Pipe

This may not be a cheaper route unless you have a pipe threader or know someone who does while finding a cheap source for fittings, but black pipe and standard boards can make beautiful shelving for kitchens, closets, pantries and more.  We used them in 2 locations in our house and while the pipe wasn’t cheap for us, we saved tons by not having upper cabinets.   

So, in reality, the possibilities are endless, limited only by your creativity and resources.  That is why it is very important to expand your available resources by finding locations for salvaged or recycled material.  Get friendly with manufactures and very familiar with craigslist, freecycle and FB Marketplace.  Visit the clearance aisles often at the hardware store, with a completely open mind.  Don’t forget to utilize negotiation when you are buying something you could buy a lot of, even if you use it several different ways.  Also, if you make yourself a great asset (coming and hauling things away for free while leaving it tidy and costing someone no labor), you may find generosity and blessings abound.