The Best Places To Buy Budget-Friendly Pavers That's Not Home Depot Or Lowe's

There are so many good places to buy budget-friendly pavers that aren't Home Depot or Lowe's. Sure, these big-box corporate chains are great for convenience. They can be a one-stop shop when you need to grab both mulch and lightbulbs at the same time. But this doesn't mean they are always going to give you the best price. However, you could skip the middleman by purchasing from stores that specialize in these products. Or, scour the secondhand market for the best deals (yes, there is a thriving secondhand pavers market). 

Both landscaping and exterior home projects can be expensive. When you've already cut labor costs by DIYing the project, the next place to save is on materials. Purchasing from material-specific or secondhand stores doesn't mean you are going to get bad quality items. It just means that you'll likely pay significantly less for the ones you do come across. This way, you can funnel the savings into expanding the scope of your current project, or into some other easy reno projects that will increase the value of your home. 

It's easy to pop into places like Lowe's or Home Depot when looking for budget-friendly pavers, but sometimes the best option will be shopping a little bit more local and trying a landscape supply yard instead. These are landscaping supply businesses that typically service both retail and wholesale clients and specialize in materials for outdoor projects, including pavers. However, they might not have prices listed on their websites. Instead, you may need to contact them for a customized quote. To get the best deal, you might mention the price for the pavers you're after at the chain stores to see if they can match or beat it. Often, these suppliers even offer home delivery (sometimes same day!) as a perk to set themselves apart from the chains as well. 

Knowing how they price pavers at landscape supply yards can also help you get the most budget-friendly price. The measurements are pallet, half pallet, pound, and piece. Sometimes, if you buy more, the unit price ends up going down as an incentive to purchase larger numbers. To avoid overbuying, speak to the salesperson to understand their recommendations for the area you wish to pave, so they can give you the most accurate quote. 

Facebook Marketplace is one of the most unexpected places to get affordable patio pavers because many tend to overlook it. They think about the platform as a good place to score great furniture deals, or maybe resell a pair of shoes that they wore to a wedding. But it's actually a bustling place, full of great deals for garden projects, too. What tends to happen is that people have redone their own patio or created a new garden path, and they don't want to deal with disposing of the old materials. Now, their project is over, but they're still sitting on a pile of pavers that they can't wait to get rid of. Enter you, someone about to get a fantastic deal on these items because you're technically helping with waste removal. 

New listings are posted on Marketplace all the time, so be sure to check often to get the best deal on the exact shade and style of pavers that you want.  The price range will vary greatly, depending on the person selling. They might let the pavers go for just a few bucks, or you'll run into someone who is so keen to get rid of them that they will just let the pavers go for free. In other instances, you will see listings from folks who use Marketplace sales as their livelihoods, so this is more like buying from a traditional store, price-wise. 

Masonry suppliers are similar to smaller landscape supply yards in that they are typically locally owned and do both retail and wholesale business. But while landscaping companies might also sell things like mulch and grass, masons deal exclusively in things like pavers. You'll see bricks, concrete blocks, and the like. This specialization often means you can find better quality materials and a wider selection of finishes than you might at a big box store. You can pick up pavers to build firepits, retaining walls, and everything in between. These businesses also tend to work on a custom quote model. There can be room for negotiation here, depending on the size of the project you are undertaking. Once you confirm that the supplier you've chosen deals in retail/residential projects, give them a call to discuss options.  

If you don't want to DIY the installation of the project, you can also hire the contractors that these companies use. Knowing how to hire a contractor for your job is an important skill to have because if you get it wrong, it can cost you a lot of time and money in the long run. So, make sure you ask for referrals and check out any online reviews.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores are second-hand shops that use their proceeds to fund building homes in the community. However, they are a bit different from traditional thrift stores. While they sell housewares and furniture, they also accept donations of building supplies. This means that there's always a chance you could score some budget-friendly pavers while shopping here, and do your bit for the community, too. 

Bricks and blocks are specifically listed by the charity as accepted donations. These could come from a neighbor who has finished a project and has some pavers left over that they wish to get rid of, or even local businesses (like the landscape supply companies) supporting their community. Prices at these shops are usually lower than retail, so they remain highly trafficked and accessible to all shoppers. However, since inventory is donation-based, what's available at any given time can greatly vary. If you're looking for pavers in a specific size or color, it could be quite the hunt. However, if you live in an urban area, you are more likely to have luck because you can check multiple locations. Houston, for example, has two stores. Consider calling ahead to ask about stock levels to save yourself the drive. 

If being both budget-friendly and green is important to you, local contractor surplus/material reuse centers are other great places to find less expensive pavers for your home projects. If you live in an urban area, it's likely that your city or county has one of these recycling initiatives. Those living in more rural areas might not have access to a service like this, or will need to travel longer distances to reach them. That said, these places are great to consider because they specifically solicit bricks, pavers, concrete blocks, and stones for donation. Stock levels rely on the generosity of the public and local businesses, so you never know exactly what might be available. However, it's a good way to prevent waste because the pavers are not being thrown away, but rather passed on to the community instead. 

Donations made by community members may be inspected, so you can feel confident picking up items knowing that they will be in usable condition. Whether or not the pavers are free or require purchase depends on the policy of your local material reuse center. When you give them a call to ask about any pavers being available, you can ask about the financial side of things, too.