Inventory or JIT delivery?

[Stonehenge]

How do you handle your hardscape materials?

Part of my still distant plans for a yard include some space for inventory. Part of the space will be for extras and leftovers, where the material was a little hard to come by, or the return fees are higher than I'd like to pay.

But I may also have some space for full skids of material - pavers and block. But it will also probably be the stuff that's harder to come by. No sense stocking the stuff that is always available. Do you folks keep inventory? If you do, do you follow the same idea?

I'll get to plants later.... ;)

[Paul]

We order it as we need it......... That said if I had 3 or 4 jobs that are on the books and close to doing I would order that material and have it delivered to my shop. Then again most of my jobs are truck loads or greater......

[Stonehenge]

The 3-4 jobs - TL each? If so, how would you get the materials to the site? Do you have a truck/trailer that size?

[diginahole]

With the exception of Paverbond, pave edge and spikes everything is JIT. In the past we have picked up direct from the factory, but this year a smaller truck will necessitate some deliveries to the job site. I try and keep as little product in the yard as possible. I find it more cost effective to return unused materials than to handbomb on and off the truck at the yard. I only have one skidsteer and it is always busy on site.

[Bexter]

We will order in around 10 pallets of stone that we use all the time but for the most part we order as we need it. Most times it is delivered right to the site. Our holding area for unused pavers/wall units is rather large and has accumulated over many years..Lots of stuff that's not even made any more. Hate to throw it out! We have found a use for some of it around the property. Need to have a yard sale!