By PAMELA J. MILLER

Medina Post editor

Just about everyone can agree that saving money is a good thing, however, it can be tough to do. With the economy in a downturn it can be tough to buy that dream home you've always wanted, so why not work with what you've already got?

You can give your house a face-lift with something as simple as a fresh coat of paint or a new light fixture. More intrepid do-it-yourselfers might want to install new kitchen cabinets or update an old bathroom with new fixtures. Whatever your home improvement plan, there's never been a better time to do it yourself and Building 9 is just the place to start.

"What is nice about our company is that we set ourselves apart from the big box stores," said Shane Haumesser, vice president of Building 9. "We're Ohio's largest discount building materials warehouse."

That's not just their motto, either. Building 9 has two huge stores that have just about everything you need for a home construction project.

"Within minutes of walking in, a customer is going to realize that they are looking at thousands of building materials all under one roof," said Shane.

With locations in Akron and Massillon, it may be worth the drive to get those deep discounts.

"Come here as your first stop before you even start anything. We can offer you a significant savings on the products we handle," he said, adding that Building 9 is always his own first stop for home improvement projects.

Stock up on savings

Shane explained that nearly all of their products are offered at substantial savings over what you might find at bigger chain stores.

"We are in contact with the manufacturers and buy directly from them. That's how we are able to offer such discounts," he said. "They have drop lines that we buy, which are old stock or inventory. There's nothing wrong with it, it just may be a year or two old. There are times when we buy 'B-grade' materials. It doesn't effect the structural quality, but it may have a cosmetic blemish."

Right now, Building 9 is running a great sale on composite decking. You can get 20-foot Weather Grey decking for only $1.19 a linear foot.

"That's at least 50 percent off the big box store prices," said Shane. "We also have other colors and lengths of decking at a tremendous savings and value."

The sale on decking is just the start of the savings you can find at Building 9. Just in time for spring, the store has brought in three new colors of vinyl siding to help spruce up your home's exterior. With the additions, they now carry D4.5 Dutch Lap siding in white at $42 per 100-square-foot; clay, beige and gray at $45 per 100-square-foot; and sage at $48 per 100-square- foot. According to Shane, some of their competitors carry similar products in the $60 to $70 range and don't always have the selection in stock, making Building 9 the clear choice for new siding.

You can also turn to Building 9 for items like kitchen and bathroom cabinetry. Shane said that their Schrock Custom Cabinetry is at 70 percent off the manufacturer's suggested retail price, and that they also stock two lines of oak and white kitchen cabinetry by Contractors Choice.

The other nice thing about shopping at Building 9 is that some of their products come with manufacturer warranties. You don't have to give up that security in exchange for savings.

Brand names at big discounts

While Building 9's prices may be different than the big box stores, they do have some things in common, such as the products they carry.

"We do offer a number of name brand products at a lower cost," said Shane.

He explained that because of marketing arrangements they can't advertise all of the manufacturers they carry, but they do offer many of the names brands you're looking for.

"Once the customer is here, they can make their own decision about the brands we carry," said Shane. "We offer quality home products at a great savings."

Not only does Building 9 offer quality products, they offer quality service as well.

"We have a number of experienced staff because we don't have a lot of turnover," said Shane. "Some have been with us since the day we opened."

Staff members are available during your shopping trip to answer any questions you may have about products or projects.

"We can advise you on do-it-yourself projects because we all have some degree of knowledge about doing-it-ourselves also," said Shane.

If you prefer to shop online, their Web site is open 24 hours a day at www.building9.biz. Most of their products are listed online. Buyers can choose to have items shipped to them or they can pick them up at either store location.

The Akron store is at 945 S. Main St. and their phone number is 800-931-3236 or 330-253-1013. The Massillon store is at 132 Walnut Road SW and can be reached at 800-978-3428 or 330-830-8389. Both stores are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed on Sunday.