Every tradie, owner-builder and renovator in Melbourne knows the game: the difference between a job that runs smooth as silk and one that turns into a six-month nightmare usually comes down to who supplied the gear. Get your timber from a proper hardwood yard instead of the big green shed and your frames stay straight.
Grab bricks from a reputable salvage yard or direct from the kiln and the colour match is perfect. Buy cement that’s been sitting in a hot tin shed since last summer and your concrete goes off like soup. Building materials aren’t just commodities, mate – they’re the bones of your house and picking the right supplier is half the battle.
Timber & Hardwood Suppliers – The Real Ones Still Exist
The old-school timber yards are still alive and kicking in 2025, and the serious builders wouldn’t dream of getting their framing timber or decking anywhere else. Places like Cahill Timber in Sunshine, Geelong Hardwoods down at Breakwater, and Dromana Timber on the Peninsula still mill their own stuff and grade it properly.
You walk in, tell them you want F17 or better for wall frames, and they pull it off the rack dry and straight. Same deal with merbau decking – the proper yards kiln-dry it to 14% so it doesn’t twist like a pretzel six months later. The big hardware chains? Half their packs are wet off the boat and full of wane and bow.
Bricks, Blocks & Pavers – Don’t Get Stuck with Factory Seconds
Brick prices might have settled a bit since the crazy 2022–23 shortage, but quality still varies like night and day. Selkirk in Ballarat and Nubrik in Scoresby are still pumping out the classics – smooth reds, clinkers, hawthorn blends that every brickie knows how to lay. If you’re after recycled or second-hand bricks for that extension match, Melbourne Brick out in Dandenong and the salvage yards in Brooklyn have mountains of cleaned commons and creams. Just don’t buy new bricks off Facebook Marketplace unless you want a wall that looks like a patchwork quilt.
Building Materials. Cement, Lime & Render – Fresh Is Everything
Cement has a shelf life, full stop. The big concrete plants like Boral, Holcim and Hanson turn their silos every week, so you’re getting product that was bagged last month, not last year. Same with off-white cement and brickies lime – the good landscape yards and masonry suppliers keep, like Werribee Sand & Soil or Hoppers Building Supplies, keep it under cover and dry. Buy a pallet that’s been sitting outside Mitre 10 for six months and you’ll be scratching your head why the mix won’t go off properly.
Steel, Reinforcing & Lintels – The Unsung Heroes
Every sparkie and chippy knows Steel & Stuff in Laverton, Mesh & Bar in Sunshine and OneSteel out at Brooklyn are the go-to for anything from gal lintels to Y12 reo bar. They cut and bend while you wait, and if you’re a regular they’ll hold stock for your job so you’re never stuck waiting three days for a special angle. The big merchants are fine for standard house lots, but the independent steel yards still smash them on price for odd sizes and quick turnaround.
Roofing – Colorbond, Tiles & Everything Between
Colorbond is still king, but the colour range in 2025 is mental – matte finishes, ultra steel, even double-sided for carports. Midland Roofing Supplies in Thomastown and All Roofing in Geelong have every profile in stock and will fold flashings on site. If you’re going old-school with concrete tiles, Bristile and Boral outlets still have seconds yards where you can grab a full roof for half price, just check for chips first.
Plaster, Villaboard & Blueboard – The Finishing Game
Gyprock from CSR is still the benchmark, but the Knauf boys have caught up hard and the tradies are split 50/50 now. Places like Plaster Supplies in Altona and Melbourne Plaster Centre in Clayton do same-day delivery of 10mm, 13mm, moisture-resistant, fire-rated, whatever you need. And if you’re rendering Hebel or blueboard, the acrylic render suppliers like Rockcote and Dulux Acratex have depots in Dandy, Campbellfield and Geelong now – no more driving across town for a pail of texture.
Concrete & Pre-Mix – When You Need It Yesterday
Mini-mix trucks are everywhere now – 0.5m³ to 3m³ loads for the little backyard jobs. Independent concrete plants like Metro Mix, Quick Mix and Westkon still beat the big boys on price and they’ll pump it if you’re polite. Need exposed aggregate or coloured oxide? They’ve got every pebble and colour under the sun and the drivers actually know how to place it without wrecking your driveway.
The Dodgy Suppliers You Still See in 2025
The cowboys are still out there flogging “imported hardwood” that’s actually radiata pine dyed brown, bricks with lime blowouts hidden under dirt, and steel that’s been sitting in the rain so long it’s already rusty. If the yard looks like a bomb hit it, the bloke won’t let you check the packs, and he only takes cash, run.
FAQs
Where do most Melbourne brickies get their timber and steel these days?
Still the independents – Cahill Timber, Steel & Stuff Laverton, Geelong Hardwoods, and Dromana Timber for the Peninsula boys.
Who has the best range of bricks for extensions and matching old houses?
Melbourne Brick salvage yards in Brooklyn and Dandenong, plus direct from Selkirk or Nubrik factory shops.
Where can I get cement and lime same-day that isn’t six months old?
Any proper masonry or landscape yard – Werribee Sand & Soil, Hoppers Building Supplies, or direct from Boral/Holcim depots.
Are the big hardware chains actually cheaper anymore?
Only if you’re buying one sheet of plaster on a Saturday. For anything over a house lot the independent building suppliers still smash them.
Who bends reinforcing bar and lintels while you wait?
Mesh & Bar Sunshine, OneSteel Brooklyn, or Steel & Stuff Laverton – ring ahead and they’ll have it ready in an hour.
