Do not overlook large retailers. While you may be tempted to think that large retailers such as Home Depot or Lowe's could not offer discounts on building materials you would be wrong. Like any other type of retail establishment these stores are looking to make a profit and that includes moving inventory that may be sitting to long on their floor, offering sales and offering deep discounts for large purchases. Large retailers usually have a person who is in charge of large real estate sales. Talk directly to this person to see what kind of discounts can be arranged do not be waylaid by a cashier or salesperson who may tell you that a discount is not possible. Only the person in charge of this type of inventory can make that final decision.
 Check out online sites. Just like nearly everything else there are online retailers who sell building materials. The web is really the shopping market of the future and you will find numerous sites that can offer you substantial discounts on everything from framing materials to plumbing supplies. One of the most surprising of these sites may be EBay. Do not hesitate to check out these online sites for discounts but be sure and do your homework so that you know you are dealing with a reputable site that will sell you quality material. In addition there are sites that deal specifically with certain types of building materials such as green building or alternative building materials. Other sites can offer an overview and comparison between building materials sites that allows you to compare a discount side by side which saves you time and money.
 Check out smaller retailers. While it may seem that smaller retailers could not possibly offer discounts on materials many are trying to find a niche in the home building market. Your local building supplier while small may be wanting to expand into the home building market and may be more willing to work with you and offer good discounts for some generous word of mouth advertising.
 Consider using a commercial supplier. This alternative may be a little trickier since commercial suppliers are generally only used by general contractors. If you know someone who has a general contractor's license they may be able to provide you with some buying power at one of these types of stores. The discounts may not be as substantial though since commercial suppliers tend to supply materials in large bulk to homebuilders. While this option may not seem as viable it is still one worth checking out.
 Talk to each subcontractor individually. This is one of the most time consuming options for getting discounts on home building materials but you may be able to find significant savings this way. Each subcontractor (plumbing, electrical, framing, etc.)may be able to find you a discount on the type of material they will be using on your house. This requires establishing a personal relationship with each of your subcontractors but can pay off with big dividends in the overall cost savings of your home.