What A Deal!

I LOVE a great deal, especially when we are building, and I found several recently! I have been waiting to post on my finds until we had picked them up. Last Thursday, I loaded up the girls and we went to a town that is normally a little over an hour away. I NEEDED to look at sinks, tubs etc. Decisions had to be made. However, due to some construction, this trip took over two hours on a twisty, windy road. Actually, a gourgeous drive along the water, but we didn't have time to sightsee. We were on a mission :) The girls needed a shower unit before our framer framed it all up and we couldn't get one in. I had talked with a local shop who was willing to order a recommended one for me, but I am VERY visual and I wanted to SEE it, touch it, consider it etc. So, that was my first mission. My other was to find a tub so I could decide whether to go with a drop in one that would require framing, tiling, grout......OR a clawfoot, though simpler, perhaps more expensive for our master bath. Not as urgent, but necessary nonetheless. We set off rather early on a gourgeous day, taking schoolwork with us. First stop confirmed that the recommended shower would be just fine for us. My day would have been complete with just this decision, but God had other things in store for me :) Our second stop was a wholesale distributor place and I was uncertain that they would sell to a lowly owner builder. The girls were tired of looking at plumbing and opted to stay in the car. As I entered the building, I saw a sign on their door stating due to economic climate, they would be closing their doors at the end of the month. When I asked if they sold to the public, they replied not normally, but since they were closing, they were! Great! I asked if they had some tubs and he told me they had one soaker tub--a free standing, deep tub similar to clawfoot but with no feet. It does not require additional framing either. In their warehouse, it was on a shelf near the ceiling, but he was very gracious to get it down for me. I loved it. It's deep and just the right size for bubble baths! The price was just right too :) When he checked me out, he told me, I saved $700!! However, when I looked up the retail price on line, I actually saved $2600!!!!! I couldn't stop grinning all the way home. I just love bargain shopping. Here it is actually sitting in my laundry room for now.....If it didn't have a drain, I would take a bubble bath right now, filling it with hot water heated on the stove (in case you didn't know, we only have a shower in our current house) I SORELY miss baths when we are sore from building! I had to find out about other deals at this point and wished The Chef were there so I would know what to get. Harvey, the salesman, was so very helpful. He gave me a quick lesson on toilets. We hadn't even really considered what we were looking for in a toilet other than height (we wanted the higher units called ergonomic so they are easier to use when we are older....). He recommended a better unit than those most contractors were buying and told me, "it's all about the flush." Big Grin. After consulting with The Chef on the road, working hard, I was able to purchase three of those, saving about $120 on each of them which was over half! The last thing on my list-did they have the shower unit I wanted for the girls? They did and it was almost $200 cheaper! Not only that, it was on the lot and I wouldn't have to wait two weeks. I made my purchases, but couldn't take any of it home that day. The Chef and I returned a week later with a borrowed truck to pick it all up.....Not only did we pick them all up, but we made more purchases too. The Chef was able to pick up our hot water heater and miscellaneous connectors, adaptors, tubes, three self closing toilet seats (these are so cool, no more slamming seats) I also purchased a bathroom faucet set and the shower head for the girls bathroom. A little more than I had planned on spending, but they were nicer than I had planned. More importantly, I got a wonderful lesson on faucets, brands, adaptors, water flow, pressure etc. Both Harvey and Don were just wonderful teachers and very helpful. Another great thing, perhaps the best, was that we paid for it all with cash! I am just praying there are other great bargains out there to be found and had. (this is their shower in the grass, waiting placement. Remember it is upside down.....) What a deal!