How To Get Beautiful, High-Quality Brick At The Lowest Price? Buy Acme Surplus Brick

At the conclusion of every business year, despite the most meticulous planning, market analysis, and day-to-day monitoring of sales, manufacturers such as Acme Brick discover there is a small number of brick still waiting to find a home…or patio, or fireplace, or outdoor entertainment space. There are many reasons this might occur.

Acme frequently works on developing new brick blends in a variety of sizes and colors, and each new brick blend is run at least three times before it is approved as a standard product. There’s nothing wrong with test runs, but the color may vary somewhat from the standardized version. Other times runs of brick exceed the need, especially in making large runs of brick for a commercial building. Sometimes brick become surplus when a standard product is discontinued. And sometimes, brick becomes surplus when an estimator simply over-estimates.

In any event, some of the brick that were scheduled to be shipped to customers instead end up in a brickyard, waiting for a home, or fireplace. Sadly, they become “surplus inventory.” But wait. There’s a silver lining around these dark clouds.

What This Means for You: For professional builders, renovation contractors, and Do-It-Yourselfers, the same top-quality Acme Brick that has been found in homes, commercial buildings, and backyards for over 130 years is available at a sweet price. This surplus brick is a year-end bonus you deserve!

If your project—whether a new home, small patio, or fire feature—needs brick, click here to see the complete inventory of surplus brick from Acme.

How Does Surplus Inventory Occur? 

Jason Hamilton is the commercial sales manager for Acme Brick DFW, and when he sleeps at night, he dreams of piles and piles of neatly stacked surplus brick. As such, he is the perfect person to explain how this whole surplus brick situation occurs.

The term “surplus” may suggest a product that is irregular or damaged. This is not the case with this Acme excess inventory. Hamilton explains, “They are certainly not ‘damaged.’ In most cases, surplus brick are overruns of an order of brick where the color differed from the standard, not the quality. Also, with this surplus product, there is no style or color that has more inventory than others.”

Both builders and DIYers often ask if the quantity of these brick is a function of style or color?

Hamilton notes, “Quantity varies by location. A sales office may have 10-20,000 brick, while a plant could have numbers in the millions. The discount offered for this surplus brick can vary depending on style and color, but the most important criterion for customers to consider is shipping. Freight is a large component of brick costs, so it is best that the consumer discusses with their local sales office to determine what savings could be achieved.

“We have a surplus brick link on our website that shows the style, color, quantity, and location of this product. I recommend that anyone interested should review the page and then consult their local sales office to determine if that brick is a good fit for them from an availability and pricing standpoint.”

Builder or DIYer: Who Can Benefit from Surplus Brick?

Hamilton and the entire Acme Brick sales team are all about “equal opportunities” for great pricing on surplus inventory. “The Acme sales team does not simply wait for buyers,” he said. “We aggressively target all opportunities, big or small, and welcome all buyers!”

While the number of brick necessary to build the exterior of a home depends on many factors, this source suggests that a 2,000 square foot home will usually require about 12,000 to 15,000 brick to complete.

This quantity of brick is available in most Acme plants and some sales offices. With a quick click on the Acme Brick surplus brick page, builders and contractors can match style, color, and quantity of brick, to ascertain the savings on this inventory.

For those with the construction skills (and a strong back) to do-it-themselves, there are a wealth of places where less-expensive, surplus brick can be utilized. These include:

• Brick patios
  
• Brick planters
  
• A brick “living wall” for the porch or patio
  
• Outdoor entertainment and kitchen spaces
  
• A fire feature conversation pit
  
• Brick-framed greenhouse with removable glass or plastic walls
  
• One-of-a-kind fire features
  
• Indoor or outdoor fireplaces
  
• A brick fence for the garden
  
• Water features with a brick foundation
  
• An outdoor shower base and privacy wall
  
• Brick accessory dwelling units (ADUs) such as a “she-shed “or “mother-in-law” space

The Best Strategy for Buying Surplus Brick

This brick will all be discounted from their original price, but it is important to remember that costs for freight will also be included in the total cost for the transaction. Here are some tips on the best strategy for taking advantage of these savings.

• Estimate the approximate number of brick needed to build the project and add a small percentage of extra “just in case” brick. For example, a brick fire feature or pizza oven will require fewer brick than an outdoor kitchen and entertainment nook.
  
• After researching online or with a professional contractor, use the design or other specifications of the project to discuss with an Acme Brick specialist the approximate number of brick needed to complete it.
  
• After checking the Acme Brick Surplus Brick inventory page, check the location of the Acme plant or sales office and find the one nearest you. Shipping costs impact the cost of these discounted brick, so it is important to see how far the brick are from you. Is the location across the country or just across town from where you want the brick delivered? Talking with an Acme associate will help to clarify this process.
  
• Review the styles and colors of surplus brick in the Acme inventory and decide which style or color works best for your project.
  
• After determining the quantity, style, product costs, and freight costs, the order can be placed and the delivery schedule confirmed.

For almost any project, using premium-quality surplus brick from Acme can result in substantial savings. The current surplus page is a great place to start and the types of projects you complete are only limited by your imagination.