You might see prices like this in the upcoming liquidation sales at the largest warehouses of their kind in Texas. After decades in mothballs, collections of hard-to-find lumber, windows, and doors, as well as stunning trim, hardware, and glass, are nearly all going to be sold by July 4th, when the second warehouse sale comes to its climax and ends.
If I could find the wood to build such doors and have a $5-10 profit margin each, what would the labor cost be? On this day of 1910, one could work 6 – 10 to 12-hour days a week every week, rarely a vacation, and only a few holidays. The dollar bought a day’s work from a man who was skilled, but less if not.
If the parts are here to create quality, it is clear that true craftsmen and artists will use them if they can afford them. Now, for a brief moment, the most amazing stuff ever collected is being made available to the public to build many tiny houses across the USA. Come with the trailer, a list, and a plan to carry stuff off to the houses again.
What does that translate into for a modern house in 2026? $2,000-$3,000 sounds like a lot, but it buys imported, modern copies that do not last a lifetime. Why not get the real, good stuff at the liquidation sale? Remodel your classic Sears cottage with classic parts or build a house from scratch with them.
Otherwise, you can find lower-quality plastic or veneer at big-box stores that lack longevity, are imported, outgas, and are likely built to last for 15 years or less. That is what the system offers at big-box stores and is used to build houses today.
Who knows? On the last day of the sale in Gonzales, Texas, Memorial Day Weekend could be the time to see some doors, window sashes, and more go for prices no one has seen in at least 50 years.