Great and unique inventory, reasonable prices, doubles as quite an LA History tour for fans of architecture and materials

Tons of inventory for our historic home. Great prices. Solid communication. Must visit! Windows, sashes, doors, doorknobs, all hardware, lamps, tables, sinks. They have it all. Old school LA home inventory read more

Alejandro is a businessman who knows what he has, and he has a LOT. Most reviews I read about him concern his attitude. I've been going to FBM for over 30 years and have a great relationship with him! Not that he's all sugar and spice, mind you- He is who he is, but I go there for the materials, not friendship - I've never been disappointed with the purchases I've made, and have always come away with my needs met- His prices may be high at times, but any restorer who finds exactly what he or she is looking for will pay to get it read more

I'm an artist and have been searching for the perfect old windows and doors for some projects. After seeing a few photos on here and being on the hunt for a great salvage yard, I headed there yesterday. I was greeted by the funny, helpful, knowledgeable and talkative Alejandro and started to look around. I laughed that I had come to search for doors and windows... I swear there are thousands!!! No joke. Rows upon rows and stacks upon stacks. I was sooo excited! Bare in mind that this is not an "architectural" salvage yard so for those searching for mantels and doorknobs to fit your restored craftsmen, you may want to checkout a more expensive yard like the one in Pasadena. Unless you are willing to spend some time searching, digging and swatting away a few spiders here and there to find pieces you will need to refurbish as they have been exposed to the elements and collecting dust for years, head elsewhere. The cool thing is most of the pieces are pre-war, meaning the wooden windows are hand-made with "wavy" glass and come with latches enabling them to open in ways modern windows don't. There isn't much besides doors, windows and toilets, but if that's what you're looking for, this is definitely the place to check out. I got so excited when I'd find something only to turn a corner and "oooh!" find something else and then confuse myself. I got there an hour before he closed so I didn't have too much time to explore the nooks and crannies of the place, although I did find what I'd been looking for for the time being. I only gave it 4 stars for letting me down a bit on not having other items that could have been salvaged. There are very few old signs, etc. I loved it though. It is dirty and cluttered but organized in a chaotic way. And yes to other reviewers, that probably is urine in the toilets, so what, it's a salvage yard!! At least you aren't digging through a junk yard and everything is for the most part accessible. Prices are decent for the age of the items. I would have spent way more at any other salvage yard in LA. After a nice hosing down and some light sanding, my windows will be good to go!! read more

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So I decided to finally make it out to Freeway and when I got here it was closed. i called the number and a very dis-interested gentleman answers the phone and when I told him the hours of operation online said 8 am-4 pm, he tells me- "The internet says a lot of things, I am only open from 8 AM to 12 noon." The comedy of that statement notwithstanding, it was messed up. So, that's my story. Call before you come and visit this place. read more

Very unpleasant experience. Salesperson was very rude to my wife and I. WE are the customers. It's part of YOUR job as a salesperson to be at least somewhat pleasant. We WERE prepared to spend a bit of money. After all of the attitude we WON'T be returning. read more

This place is a must for Old House Restoration (or fixing old houses in general). Adding this to my Old House Restoration List. read more

Freeway Building Materials - The front door entrance is kind of hard to find. Once inside, the staff is friendly and helpful. - Building Supplies Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Me and my husband had been driving past this place for a while, and couldn't wait to go check it out. Well, what a total letdown. Seriously, shattered dreams. Where do I begin​ describing this horrible experience? My husband and I walk in through and are greeted by this friendly but creepy gentleman. Greets us, we ask if we can take a look around, get the go ahead and start scavenging. The owner is what kills the place. He is not very professional, lacking any type of customer service skills. He suddenly developed a cholo accent. BOTTOM LINE, this guy is a straight up creep. After showing us around the main areas, he asks us to follow him to the back room. K... After unlocking like 3 locks he leads us into a dark dingy room. So there was some cool stuff, but when we the prices on a couple of things, nothing was for sale or ridiculous prices. He then leads us into a darker smaller room, he kept giving me a weird vibe. After leaving, my husband told me he had caught him checking me out. Weird. read more

The "treasures" that you guys are finding here kind of scare me. Unless you guys grabbed it all before I came...? I came right after it rained and the puddles of dirty water were full. There was so much rust on everything. I saw a shelf that only held rusty bolts. So rusty that they looked orange...yay! I asked him for a crystal knob and he came out with 2 sets and asked for $40 and $50 depending on which set I wanted. They were okay but I wasn't looking to pay the price I can get for new knobs for the old dinky things covered in paint and whatnot. I guess I just don't appreciate the antiques like some do...? =T read more

Have used them when absolutely necessary over the years and I can see Alejandros attitude hasn't gotten any better. Just tried to call for the first time in a few years because he's so insufferable and he answered the phone "FREEWAY!" and I said "hello, how are you today?" and without hesitation just hung up the phone. Cool!! Last time I was there he just lectured me about it not being the 1990s anymore when movie studios used to come in and clear him out for any price he would name after quoting me ASTRONOMICALLY high prices, even for LA standards. Avoid! read more

I wanted to like this place. Was ruined by the grouch who runs the place. He needs tips on good customer service. I'm sure he's a decent guy but wow...calm down buddy. First off: You need to make an appointment to look at this stuff at the yard! Nowhere did I read that in the yelp reviews, so now you know. Your NOT allowed to really roam the ground without assistance nearby according to man running the place. Safety hazard he says. It's a little bit less of a treasure hunt when you feel like your being watched and rushed along. There are however Tons of doors and "stuff" laying about. Go here for the doors but forget about the customer service. read more

This place is a rip off! Either the guy is mentally ill or he does not need to be in business. The place is creepy in all the wrong ways. I actually felt unsafe as he let me in and padlocked the gate behind him. There was no else there. When I asked him for prices, his quotes were astronomical and he was rather insolent. Too bad because LA needs a good junk yard. read more

This is my favorite salvage yard. Alejandro is a gem and is always a welcome departure from the people at Santa Fe wrecking and some other the other snobbier salvage places in LA. I always go here first, his prices are rock bottom!! It's definitely worth asking to see some of the treasures- Alejandro has great hardware and fabulous faucets among the larger doors, windows and fixtures. A true green pioneer, that's what this place is. Before it was cool to be "green" Alejandro has been saving the treasures of Los Angeles a few at a time. I hope people will discover this little gem so that it stays in business forever. It has gotten me through so many projects I wanted to give the proper thank you, yelp review style. I should have written this years ago but was just in there a few days ago looking for doors for a project, it reminded me yet again why I always start there. Someday I'll use that spiral staircase.... someday! read more

I had not read any of the Yelp reviews before coming here. I found Freeway Building Materials online and my boyfriend and I had been trying to make it out here for a few weeks now. What a total let down. The doors are really not that great and the owner said we could buy one for $60. I don't think he has been to Home Depot lately but the door he was offering us for $60 can be purchased for about $90 in mint condition and does not come with cobwebs, rust and mystery water damage or stains. I could see why you'd want to come to this place for um, well, I'm sure there are a few treasures here but it's really hard to find anything decent under the piles of dirt and clutter. My boyfriend asked if the signs were for sale (there are a couple of really cool freeway signs or vintage lighted signs from storefronts) and he flatly said none of the signs were for sale. Which was totally weird. And my boyfriend asked "Why not?" And he said, "Because I use them." Like alright I can see you are using them - they are ever so usefully shoved up against a pile of doors over there by another pile of doors and piles of wood. Oh and what about that other sign - oh yeah that other one that's propped up against another pile of wood and the scary old dentist chair. My bad. Needless to say, we left disappointed and empty-handed. I have to say we saw some interesting light fixtures and a nice pedestal sink that would be good for someone who wanted those types of things. There was this cool looking metal thing that looked like it came from the tip of an airplane or something related. So he does have some cool things thus the 3 stars instead of 2 but you just have to look (REALLY HARD) and hope he's in a good mood to let you buy whatever it is you might like. After visiting this place and then reading some of the reviews here, I'm kind of glad we didn't really find anything that we wanted because it sounds like the owner was in one of his odd moods (saying the signs were not for sale) and I would not even be nice about it if he pulled that kind of crap with us. Oh well - too bad. I will not let this place discourage me from our vintage DIY project! I sure would love to know if there is a better place in Los Angeles though - they are hard to find online. read more

Hilarious. After watching the Season 2 Premier of Top Design, I just had to track this place down and check it out for myself! This crazy place specializes in doors, toilets, windows, lighting fixtures and other random stuff pre-1950 that the owner bought at demolition sales. It was just as much a museum as it was a junkyard! The owner sat at the entrance and was happy to show us around (and how to get around!). I mentioned to him that I had seen him on Top Design. "Yeah, haha. They always come and shoot stuff here. Next month TV Guide is showing a scene of some people buying my stuff" (whatever that means). He said that the studios are his largest type of client, though wishes the government wouldn't ban water cars (I know, wtf?). He showed us to his back trailer/space, which is also where his sister lives, and showed us his rarities there, Thought we didn't walk away with a toilet or old neon sign, we did score a huge gas lamp-shaped flower vase for our new beta fish :) By the way, parking in the little dead-end alley/street in front of the yard's unmarked facade. I asked the guy behind the store where to find parking, but he didn't speak English. Quite the LA adventure! read more

We've gone here several times now and 9 times out of 10, we always found what we were looking for, for our 1940's home. We keep coming here during our renovation to replace the cheap materials installed over the years with original doors, fireplace mantels, windows, fixtures, etc. Freeway's item require a little bit of sweat to refurbish them, but everything looks beautiful when complete. Our house has continuity now thanks to Freeway. We found that it helps to come prepared with measurements, design, color and preferred materials for the items you want. Alejandro knows exactly where everything is located and will take you straight there. He has a tremendous amount of knowledge about which items are appropriate for different time periods and home styles. The prices are better than buying new items and we've found that he will haggle. We're definitely going to return. Highly recommended. read more

Freeway Building Materials - Door purchased from Freeway - Building Supplies Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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**UPDATE: The owner took the time to directly message me and showed genuine concern about the employees behaviors. Any one who takes the time to address issues with their customers for the betterment of their business is A-OK with me. The thing that gets me about the reviews here are people who are complaining about A) The prices and B) The dirt A) Yea the prices are high..........because its Los Angeles. The cost of real-estate and taxes and insurance for a small business are insane, not to mention the overhead to salvage these materials and keep the place staffed. The biggest laugh I get is when people compare the prices here to Home Depot. If you want a brand new, generic, everyone and their mom has one item, then don't go here. B) IT'S A SALVAGE YARD. "Ew it's so dirty." Holy crap, sack up people. I know there is not an espresso bar and an organic hemp lulu lemon shopping cart here, but what were you expecting? It's an open lot in Boyle Heights. It's a storage place for crap people didn't want anymore. This place totally sucks, no doubt, but c'mon, let's be realistic about what we are reviewing. read more

Meh, I hate to bring the place down, but it isn't as great as the reviews made it out to be. Bonus points for the sorcerer that greets you on the roof of the building, but other than that it's a bunch of rusted junk. If I could visit this place 10 years ago I'm sure a lot of the stuff would be in better shape, but since it's all in the open, the weather's destroyed a lot of the jems. Also, is that urine in those old toilets? Ick. read more

I'm updating this review because the chick who works here said I was wrong. Talk about bias. The owner is literally the biggest swindler ever. Only come here if it's your last resort, because this owner will try to get every last penny out of the smallest stuff. I got a window here for a set piece on a short film, the guy tried to get $400 for it. A 3 by 5 window where the glass was shattered. Can't believe the nerve of the owner. read more

I called to ask if they buy wrought iron and he asked how old. I said the 70s maybe I have no idea. The person on the line said OH NO, thank you. Thought it was rude. How am I supposed to know? That's why I'm calling you Douche. I don't like attitude. If you own a business and work with the public and depend on their money to live you should be respectful. read more

Pretty much the exact same experience as a lot of the other reviewers. The owner is rude and bordering on aggressive. I haven't been there for several years based on how stupidly expensive they were last time and the fact that any time I drove past they were closed. But today I noticed the gates were open so I thought I would check them out. Walked in and started wandering around only to notice the owner stalking me. He was literally following me around and watching my every move but didn't say a word. No "hello" no "how can I help you?"......nothing - just standing and watching me. After about 5 very uncomfortable mins I headed towards the exit and said..."why are you following me?" He immediately got very defensive and aggressive and told me "if didnt like it I could get out". I explained that i work with a lot of interior designers and restaurants and I was looking for pieces for them.....but he didn't care at all. Essentially just marched me towards the door. What the hell was he so concerned about?....that I was going to steal a vintage toilet or a claw foot tub?? That's the LAST time I will ever go back and he'll not be getting a cent from any of my clients. No idea how this guy stays in business......he seriously needs an attitude check. PLUS 80-90% of the materials in there are are MASSIVELY overpriced and basically junk. Good luck to anyone who walks through the gate! read more

The owner is a LIAR. He tried to get me to purchase an interior door as an exterior door. And then he tried to tell me I didn't know anything even after my contractor confirmed it was an interior door. Don't believe anything this guy says read more

The old guy that runs this place is a JERK with no customer service manners AT ALL. The lady inside is no different. They act like they are the ROYALTY of junk! They mention a ridiculous price and if you say anything he instantly becomes rude and just walks away. It amazes me that they have this attitude because its JUNK, albeit maybe something someone might like to use, but still junk. Its rotting, full of cob webs and filthy dirty, obvious it hasn't been moved since the day it was placed there. THE WORST PART, he has 3 YARD DOGS, THAT ARE SKINNY, DIRTY AND HAVE NO REAL SHELTER. I mentioned to him they were VERY SKINNY and he said he doesn't feed them much to keep them from getting fat. The sweetest, friendliest dogs and he just uses them as his "alarm" because he's to cheap to install a real one. I also noticed it smelled like a dead animal as I walked near a trash bucket by the front gate. He said the dogs kill the cats that come onto the property. He didn't say the cat was tossed in the trash, but it sure smelled that way. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!!!!! Bottom line, this place is DISGUSTING, OVER PRICED, and contributes to the CRUELTY OF ANIMALS!!!! read more

PLEASE!! Do Not Shop Or Buy From This IDIOT! lol What an experience! I needed an old door ,antique hardware ,and maybe a few ideas for some small home projects.. yelping salvage yards brought me here but their are SO SO SO many better places to get these things.. Greeted at the entrance by a strange man very friendly at first..(beware) keep close watch on that guy... anyway, he sends me looking with his henchmen, who by the way does not know any prices and will only ask the strange entry man any questions you may ask him or any negotiating you attempt. So after awhile , this helper guy disappears and i am all alone wandering this place, and its kinda scary. Everything is covered in dust , dirt, cat poop, dirty rainwater, who knows what else.. given they do have some cool stuff , BUT i mean most of the yard is exposed to the elements so you can just imagine at one time this place was probably pretty cool but then i had my encounter with the owner... I found an old doorknob that i liked and proceeded to the front entrance where this man was sitting with mangy old cats.. How much for this? I asked.... Uhhh.. That ones not for sale he replied, thats one of a kind he says smirking at me.. Okay , i said , then do you have any like this for sale? I asked, right around that time , the other helper guy returned and starting talking spanish or some foreign language i didn't understand and i waited, looking thru another box of knobs sitting next to the owners chair. So the owner then says , where did you get this? i told him i found it back by all the old doors , he says " No you took this off one of the doors.. i paused in disbelief at what seemed like a 20 minute silence and confusion on my part. was he joking? senile and old or just mental idk ...but after not knowing how to respond.. things just got quiet and un comfortable at that point. Bottom line: This guy tried to accuse me of stealing a knob from a door and then trying to buy it?? wtf?? I tried to explain that i had picked it up off a table amongst piles and piles of stuff .. but he acted very strange and just kept making stupid jokes like he actually said to me" nothing is for sale here its just a museum". What!!!!? I was like WTF but didn't bother to argue with his crazy behavior, and left. as i was leaving the gates the helper guy shuts the gate behind me and locks it with padlock as if i was gonna rob them ! LMAO that was a strange experience. last time i step foot in there. just plain weird! read more

just be ready to expect the unexpected here. talk about a random mix of crazy ephemera. it's no walk down memory lane - all of memory lane is crammed into one salvage lot located in this triangular plot of land where the 10, 60 & 5 all meet in Boyle Heights. Feelings of nostalgia were stirred up as i meandered this outdoor - mostly uncovered (thus unprotected from the elements) dusty, dirty treasure trove. I was both repulsed and intrigued... ideas were spinning in my head - of what i can do with a leaded stained glass window while the thought of actually touching anything horrified & repulsed me. I was with my friend Ronnie, and she asked me "where would anyone put a mint green toilet?" I told her about the deco styled tiled bathrooms that were all the rage here in L.A. from the 30's thru the 50's... And of course, we found the appropriate matching mint green bathtub and sink in their respective sections. If I had a house in which to put them, I'd get black and green tiles and re-create one of those bathrooms if i didn't find a house that already had it. I've seen it - it exists. so there are doors - all sizes - all types of knobs (including the glass ones) windows - frame and all. stained glass windows. dentist chairs. most metal things are all rusted over... but i saw some ornamental metal stair railings, radio flyer wagons, claw foot tub feet (no tub - just the feet) and faucet fixtures. we didn't walk away with anything this time - but we got a good idea of what is out there - to be re-purposed... old brick, glass blocks, flagstones... as for prices... i have no idea... almost nothing was marked. i guess you just have to ask Alejandro. nice guy - i'm glad he saved these things. One man's trash is another man's treasure indeed. read more

Cool stuff, eclectic. Saw some gorgeous windows. Owner helpful. My friend scored a gorgeous wrought-iron style design with peacocks for good price. The ticket booth was very cool, wish I was in the market for balustrades, etc. I was a bit creeped out by the sheer # of toilets. Do people buy them? I prefer not to think about that. We will be back. read more

My husband and I came here hoping to find some unique objects to add to our home. The sales staff was incredibly rude and treated us like we were going to steal something. I don't know how anyone could because everything there is huge and weighs a million pounds. Their prices are incredibly inflated and the quality of the products they sell are awful. read more

Alejandro (the owner) is a cool old cat. He also has a shitload of cats. And a dog that farts really loud. If you want to repurpose items, go here. If you want amazing doors from the past, go here. If you want a water heater from the 1930s that is cast iron and inlaid with intricate patterns and weighs more than a house, go here. Love this place. It's not stupid cheap, but he'll haggle with yah. Bring him a Budweiser 40 to sweeten then deal. read more

Prices are extremely high. there are plenty of other salvage yards that are more than half the price than here. Great guy who runs the place, just asking too much. when he comes back down with prices or is more willing to negotiate, I'll be back. read more

I hate this place. The owner is a jerk and has flea-infested cats running around the property that are missing huge sections of their fur and have huge patches of exposed, bloody sores. Disgusting. He has a rabbit in a shopping cart with a cardboard "floor" that is filled with the rabbit's feces. Ugh. He encouraged me to look around in this one area that had a lot of great things in it, and then when I asked him about three different pieces, he said they weren't for sale - they were all gifts. Finally, I asked him about 2 crappy looking pots full of dirt and leaves and he said, "$1,100." REALLY? read more

Fantastic place! Good selection of old stuff, and the prices are fair. But please stay away. Go to Home Depot for some modern knock offs. That will leave more old good stuff rei the rest of us. read more

The owner this yard, Alejandro, is the typical angry antique dealer, furious at a world that has passed many of his treasured items by. He'll give you his Home Depot rant at the drop of a hat and, like every dealer whose business is slowly dying, he gets even angrier if you don't buy something. Make sure to go there if you like being followed around, glared at and then being tolder "you have 10 minutes left because I have things to do" and "stop handling my merchancise." What? A real dick and the prices aren't that great. And yeah-- I've spent hundreds of dollars at this place. read more

I cant help throwing a review into this turbulent mix :) Alejandro is old school architectural salvage. As a designer, I have found some of my best pieces here. Number one, you have to know how to negotiate. Number two, but more importantly, Alejandro has to love or like you to sell you anything. He really doesn't want to part with much, but once you are a customer, you are treated like gold. I have bought 2 houses worth of amazing wood flooring. Gorgeous roof tiles. Stone pieces that are mind blowing. Unique plumbing fixtures and urns. Go in with a good attitude, and you may find just the thing that you didn't know that you had to have :) read more

Plenty of salvaged materials to choose from. The prices are nearly triple of what other salvage yards ask for materials. The owner is not very nice, he practically threw me out when I told him he was asking to much for his merchandise. There are no price tags on anything and as I've been there on four separate occasions and only purchased once, my feeling is he sizes you up for what your worth and then throes out the number you can afford to pay, I'll go back for the next salvaged object I need as I'm not one to shy away of a business because of low expectations of the outcome, but I will dress down and not shave, maybe I'll get a quote that makes sense. read more

I love this place. Family owned with care and attention. It ain't pretty; it isn't trying to be. It's the real deal if you know what you need and even if you don't. I usually leave with something unexpected. They love cash so take it with you. They know they're stuff, they stock like a library does so if you know your measurements and what era or vintage you're looking for, they'll either shake their head nope, don't have it, or yep, follow me. Love that. Sure you can call ahead if you want. But in this day and age of digital items in our digital carts ... isn't it fun every now and then to shop with your eyes and let the past whisper it's stories into your imagination. AMAZING front door collection. DO NOT EVER BUY A NEW FRONT DOOR MADE IN CHINA FROM HOME DEPOT, when Freeway has your house era, your size, and all your problems solved. :) read more

A hunter's paradise in the middle of an industrial corridor. Walk into the gate and your eyes will be amazed at the steel-case windows of every size, wood mantles, funky garish light fixtures, doors, roman columns, toilets and other what-have-yous. Try not to go with a particular item in mind. Wear sensible shoes and clothes that you can get a little dusty. Alejandro will chat with you about the state of the world, or why old things last longer than newly made pieces. Could spend all day here. read more

Good customer service, cool stuff, good prices... 5 stars. Thanks Alejandro!

We've been shopping here for years.We have a vintage plumbing and lighting business in Anaheim for 35 years. Their stock changes constantly, but several of our high end sinks and toilets have come from here. You don't find something evertime, but they are certainly worth going back to and supporting. Vintage fixtures are disappearing and will eventually be gone. Expect to pay a little more, but unique items have always cost a little bit more, they are worth it. John Armstrong, Armstrongs Antique Plumbing and Lighting. read more

I dig this place. Good selection. Cute dog. Very nice woman helped me out. If it was more wander-able I probably would have bought more.

If money is no object and you have someone willing to clean up all the grime and cobwebs off the busted peeling rotting windows or rusty sink you paid a fortune for, Alejandro is your go-to guy. Plus he will explain the Tarahumara way of clearing your cobwebs from your own chakra-magnetic energy field at no extra charge. Seeing that I wanted a small clawfoot bathtub, he decided the price was 4x as much as the larger tubs due to their extreme rarity. Supply and demand obviously. Yes they have an incredible supply of treasures but even if he sold a hundred items an hour for the rest of his life, he wouldn't even make a dent in that enormous heap of salvage. He's cool to talk to, but do not make the assumption that he will cut you any deal. As in none- zero. Oh sorry, I got $5 off a pair of filthy but cool windows I still have to refurbish... But have fun looking and if you're lucky enough to be able to afford his prices, enjoy! He will have no problem selling to the masses of hipsters invading DT and vicinity. read more