Must Have Stockpiled Items
25 Must Have Stockpiled Items
Here is a list of items that you will never regret having around your home. Some items are inexpensive and some may set you back $100 or more. But when you need them, they will be invaluable. Try to store these items in a cool, dry place. If in a basement, make sure that they are on shelves above any flooding possibility.
Plans and Specifications - Save two sets of these! I can't begin to tell you how valuable plans are for future reference. These will save you thousands of dollars in the future!
Owner's Manuals, Parts Manuals & Instructions - Every appliance, fixture, and building material often comes with these printed materials. SAVE them! They will help you if you need a part, or if you hire an expert witness like me to defend you in court.
Circuit Breakers - I never thought that the Wadsworth company would go belly up. They did and I had to change panels because I couldn't get their breakers!
Roofing Material - Save any and all extra materials. Make sure you have at least 2 squares worth of material.
Window Hardware - Window hardware, springs, or weatherstripping pieces are easy to get now!
Central Vacuum - The parts for the wall outlets and other accessories may not be made in 10 years. Plan ahead now.
Exterio r Trim Parts - Some parts of your exterior trim may be specialty items. Those items that will get the most wear and tear should be kept in stock. Railings, pickets, handrails, etc.
Brick - This is a must. Save several hundred or an entire cube if you can.
Brick Sand and a Mortar Bag - Save 3 or 4 five gallon buckets of the sand that was used for the brick mortar. The sand is a vital component to get a future color match if you need to tuckpoint! Save an empty mortar bag to help you get a future match.
Door Hardware - An extra lockset may come in handy one day, especially for those doors that get heavily used.
Light Fixtures - Some have special colored pieces of glass. Think you will find one when you accidentally break one? Think again!
Specialty Electrical Switches - If you have fancy dimmers and switches, what happens when the heavily used one breaks? These don't go bad sitting in a box.
Medicine Cabinet Light Hoods - That decorative piece of glass will not be found in 5 years!
Toilet Tank Lids - How many have you cracked because you tilted it up against a wall?
Cabinet Knobs - These will be harder to find than a needle in a haystack.
Ceramic Tile - It can change within a few months! Have plenty of tile and numerous pieces of each type of trim.
Faucet Parts - Faucet cartridges are inexpensive. Staple them to the inside of the cabinet.
Hardwood Flooring - Keep two or three extra bundles with assorted lengths. The grain will match perfectly.
Interior Wood Trim - Keep 100 lineal feet of each type.
Stair Parts - Stair railing spindles are maybe $5 each now. If you have to have two or three custom milled, it will cost you $150.
Vinyl Siding - It goes out of style! The siding on the house may fade so take a piece from the back to replace the cracked piece and then use the new stuff where it is least visible.
Built-In Appliance Parts - The clock/timer on my built-in oven is bad. I can't get the parts now! I wish I had a clock since I keep on burning things.
Sliding Door Hardware - Those rollers are not going to last forever. People constantly ask me where to get these parts.
Pocket Door and Shower Door Hardware - Any moving parts must be stockpiled. You will go crazy trying to find these in 15 years.
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Tim built custom homes and did ultra-custom remodeling for 20+ years before launching his Ask the Builder media presence. He was selected as one of the Big 50 by Remodeling magazine in 1993. This award gave birth to Ask the Builder in October 1993. Tim also operates https://DrawPlumbingPlans.com. His @askthebuilder YouTube channel was the first home improvement channel on YouTube.