Questions and answers
How the brokerage works, for commercial buyers and for anyone holding surplus material. Not answered here? Call 1-844-352-6277 or tell us what you need.
Buying materials
What is MaterialsBroker.com?
MaterialsBroker.com is a commercial building-materials brokerage based in Columbus, Ohio, serving Ohio and the Midwest. We connect contractors, fabricators, manufacturers and distributors holding surplus, overstock, canceled-order and jobsite material with the buyers who need it. We are a broker, not a dealer: we hold no inventory, own no warehouse or trucks, and do not buy material for resale.
Do you sell to homeowners or for residential projects?
Yes. Most of what we move goes to the trade, and the lots are usually large, but we will look for material for a homeowner or a residential job the same way. Tell us what you need and we go out to our network for it. If it is not something we can reach, we say so and tell you where else to try rather than leave you waiting.
Do you stock the materials in the catalog?
No. The catalog lists common commercial materials in their standard sizes so you can tell us exactly what you need. When you click Check availability we go and source that material through contractors, supplier yards, canceled orders and our own listings, then quote you on what we actually locate.
How do your prices compare to market?
Catalog prices are target prices about 20 percent below typical market for that material and size. A target price is not an offer. The price you pay is confirmed in a written quote once we have located the material, because the real number depends on what is available, its condition and where it is. Some items, such as transformers, switchgear and rooftop units, are quote-only and show no price at all: for those the value is availability now instead of a factory lead time measured in months.
How fast do I get a quote?
Usually within one business day of your request. If the material is hard to find we will tell you that rather than leave the request open.
Is there a minimum order?
We target lots of $5,000 or more. Smaller requests are not refused automatically, but they may be combined with other requests or declined, and the site tells you when an estimated request value falls below that figure.
What condition is the material in?
It varies by lot and is always stated. Most of what we broker is new and unused surplus: overstock, canceled orders and material left over at the end of a job. Some lots are remnants or drops. The quote names the condition of the specific material we found for you.
What does "verified" mean on a listing?
A verified listing is one where the broker desk has confirmed the stock, the quantity and the price directly with the seller, and the page shows the date that happened. A listing marked "not verified" has not been confirmed yet: its quantity, condition and price are as reported and are subject to confirmation. Listings that nobody has confirmed for 14 days are flagged so you know to ask.
Delivery, pickup and coverage
Do you deliver?
We do not run trucks. Every quote covers either pickup at the material location or freight we arrange on your behalf, and the cost of that freight is shown in the quote so you can compare it against collecting the material yourself.
Where do you operate?
We are based in Columbus, Ohio and work across Ohio and the surrounding Midwest, including the Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Detroit and Louisville markets. Material further out is worth asking about: for a full truckload the distance often still works.
What materials do you broker?
Unused, identifiable material with real commercial value. The catalog covers electrical gear, critical power and data centre equipment, wire, cable and conduit, mechanical, plumbing and fire protection, HVAC equipment, solar and storage, structural steel, roofing and envelope, flooring and ceilings, site and utility, framing and deck, doors and interiors, and masonry and concrete. We do not handle demolition debris.
Selling surplus
I have surplus material. How do I list it?
Send the material, quantity, location and a few photos through the sell form and the broker desk takes it from there. If you have a yard or a warehouse with a lot of it, we will come to you: the broker walks the yard, photographs and measures each piece himself and lists it, so nobody on your side does data entry.
Do you buy my material outright?
No. We broker it. We find the buyer, agree the price and coordinate pickup or freight. Because we are not buying it for resale, you are not selling into a dealer margin.
Will my company name be published?
No. Seller identity and exact address are never shown publicly. A listing shows the material, the city and the state only, and who you are is released once a deal is agreed. Listings can show a label such as "Verified supplier, Columbus OH" instead of your name.
What does it cost a seller to list?
Nothing to list. Sending material to the broker desk, having it listed and having us look for a buyer costs you nothing up front.
Ready to ask for something specific? Browse the catalog, send a material request, or list surplus you are holding.