I am looking for EVERYTHING, bathtubs, sinks, cabinets (probably get that one locally), fixtures, hardware, windows, doors, flooring, lighting and anything else that I could possible get a deal on!

We don't actually start building until December, however I'm 7 months pregnant, so I'm trying to come up with a list of resources and ideas now so that I'm not searching around for all of this with a newborn on my lap! ;)

We also like Amazon.

They are in CA so you will pay sales tax (sometimes you can find stuff cheaper out of state). However I found that they generally had pretty good prices, and were the best price on some items like emtek handlesets.

If you are ordering a lot from them you should actually call in and ask for additional discount pricing above and beyond what they show on the website. I worked with a rep there and was able to save quite a lot. The other great thing about them is their dispatch is in Chico, so you can place an order for a toilet in the late afternoon one day and it'll be on your doorstep the next morning.

One that I have used previously is http://ebuilderdirect.com

We bought replacement door handles there for our current house for 11.99 each!

faucetsdirect.com - for comparison, specs PDF's, & some pricing advantage

amazon.com - pricing & delivery

bathsofdistinction.com - clawfoot tub pricing

overstockdeals.com - pricing

I know that FaucetDirect will match prices but it was easier to get it cheaper at HomePerfect.

I also found a few special deals via Amazon.

Another source which I found via GW was dealyard.com where they have discontinued Hansgrohe and Grohe fixtures among other things. I used dealyard for more than half of my plumbing fixtures. Most of the specs can still be found on faucetdirect and on the Hansgrohe website in order to clarify sizes etc since the dealyard website only gives basic info on what you're buying.

Sign up for newsletters, facebook etc on various sites and you'll get special coupons on a regular basis. Also don't forget to maximize your credit card "points", miles or whatever you're using when you select which card to pay with.

I looked recently and they no longer seemed to have as much of a pricing edge. I guess they've become a bigger player and don't feel the need to be as scrappy on pricing. Still no sales tax though, which is enticing.

In general I find the UI on the build set of websites easier to use (though still not perfect), and the customer service has been pretty good, so I figured I'd reward them.

Also, homeclick.com. They seem to have the best prices on a lot of things.

You might try the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Get on their e-mail list. I got an e-mail from them yesterday regarding 19 pallets of brand new lighting they received from Progress Lighting. They priced it about 75-80% off retail or more.

Some of the used items they get are kind of gross & dirty, but there are definitely diamonds in the rough. They also seem to have a lot of new items, too. They practically give away brand new cabinet hardware. I will plan to get my garage sink from there. Most of the stuff that is donated needs a good scrubbing, that is all. The dirtier it is, the cheaper it is. I don't mind some elbow grease to save some $$$. They are always running various specials, too. When they have a particularly good item, they will send an e-mail. Recently they had a Wolf or Viking range for next to nothing. It was grimy but worked. It just needed a whole lot of cleaning.

In addition to some brand new bath lighting for my son's room for a whopping $6, I got 2 of these babies, brand new for (drumroll......) $126 total (retail is $1220). I could not pay & get out of there fast enough!

Overstock.com

IraWoods.com

eFaucets.com

wayfair.com

ebay.com

For your toilets, tubs, sinks, faucets, etc. I definitely recommend going to your local kitchen/bath/plumbing showrooms and inquire about what they may have in the back or in a bargain bin. Sometimes you will have to listen to a spiel about the great deals they have out front and ask again about closeouts or things that were ordered wrong, overstocks, etc that they may have in the back before they get the message that you know those pieces exist and you are only interested in those items. We got a top of the line Kohler tub with all the bells and whistles that was a floor model for 10% of retail (yes, 10% so we got a 90% discount). Our kitchen sink was 50% off, our bathroom sinks were purchased for 5-10% of retail (some were 5% and the others were 10%--so a 90-95% discount) & our custom shower fixture setup was 55% off. These deals were all gotten in the showrooms with no haggling at all. The only item that was discounted because it was discontinued was the shower fixture setup, everything else is still current and available today at full retail.

Don't forget to check your area Habitat for Humanity Restores too. CEFreeman on the kitchen forums has found some totally awesome deals on brand new current style items in her local store that she posts for everyone to see.

Hope this helps!

Over on the kitchen forum several people have suggested http://www.environmentallights.com/ for LED under cabinet lights.

Plan to watch for the coordinating lights to go on sale. Saw them on another website yesterday on-sale and build.com will match 110%, but unfortunately, they are not on sale today online when I planned to order.

Also found all our door hardware we plan to purchase on ebay for great prices.

Since we are trying to make cuts on our build, all of these purchases will definitely help.

Joss & Main (I recently got some stellar lighting prices here - same lights at Horchow were more than twice as much), Fab, BULX, LuxeYard, & The Foundary, to name a few. The only downside is the number of e-mails you get. For me, it is worth it.

I will also have to suggest ebay and amazon.com as well. I have had great experiences. (I got a fridge and oven from ebay)

That's what a contractor would do and he has access to more reliable suppliers at lower prices who are willing to take back defective materials so your contingency will need to larger than his.

I know a woman in New York who just supplied a white tub and a white toilet to her contractor and after they were installed she realized they did not match and the suppliers won't take either of them back. A routine problem for a contractor can become a very expensive problem for a homeowner.