# Keeping building costs down or free



## CreepyCanmore (Mar 27, 2007)

So I've read a few threads here about the cheapest materials for building haunts. My budget is getting tapped so I had to start getting creative this year to expand the garage haunt. Here's some suggestions that have worked for me:

1. There's always a lot of development here as I live in a resort style town. I just went around and asked people and developers if I could dig through their materials dumpsters and old piles. When I explain why I want it, they go out of their way to get me lots of slightly beat up 2X4's, plywood and insulation foam.

2. I go to the toxic round up our town holds and ask for the half used paint cans that get turned in. I get lots of greys, black and greens. (I did buy a $10 can of tint to help blacken some stuff up, but that's all I've spent on paint) 

3. Similar to #1, I go to old houses about to be torn down and ask to pilfer what I can use.

4. Garage sales at the end of the day when they give away things like old spot lights and beat up candleabras.

5. Freecycle - it's a e-mail group that people post unwanted local stuff for free. I've picked up rolls of tar paper (for ambience), wood from an old fence, and other bits and pieces. See if there is one in your area.

I'm sure others have some just as good ways to get free stuff, so let's hear what works for you. After all, cheap is good, free is better!


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## ScareRookie (Aug 1, 2008)

*Great Idea*

I am the same boat. I think the point of home hauntings is in fact to find ways of creating realistic and scary props using scraps and OPJ's (other peopls junk). Thats the challenge. These are great suggestions that I will definately look into. Thanks for taking the time


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## Freakboro (Aug 1, 2008)

So, I feel it be appropriate that my first post be useful, lol...

In my 2005 haunted trail, I scraped up old barnwood, 2x4's, plywood...anything I could find around my dad's house to use. In the end, I ended up with something that I didn't even know I was creating. Of course, I had a vision in my head but what I built turned out so much better!

In my opinion, new materials, such as clean cut lumber and fresh-pressed plywood can actually have an adverse effect on a haunted trail (not a "house" per se). The old wood made my "graveyard shack" much more effective...my only regret is not taking pictures of the build.

It was basically a 25' X 8' ramshackle building that served as a graveyard house. Patrons walked through the hanging plastic, beside a "not-so-dead" corpse (me) and then out. I only wish I had pics...or even a better video. The vid I've got is of a group at night...barely legible.

I doubt anyone will have a care, or that anyone really needs this info (it's pretty basic) but if someone wants me to email them a detailed plan on how to build this, and wire up the lights with a switch, let me know.

BTW, nice forum.:smoking:


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## Ironside (Aug 1, 2008)

Yes!

Mooching can be very effective! I spent a few hours hitting up some local paint stores as well as the local Home Depot and scored 9 full cans of paint, new brushes, rollers, pans, the whole deal... totally FREE!

They seem to respond well when you tell them you are raising money for charity! (which we ARE.. by the way, in case you thought I was lying)


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## Freakboro (Aug 1, 2008)

Ironside said:


> Yes!
> 
> Mooching can be very effective! I spent a few hours hitting up some local paint stores as well as the local Home Depot and scored 9 full cans of paint, new brushes, rollers, pans, the whole deal... totally FREE!
> 
> They seem to respond well when you tell them you are raising money for charity! (which we ARE.. by the way, in case you thought I was lying)


Beautiful! I'll take note of that. Can't beat scratch-n-dents.


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## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

I second Freecycle, just tonight I scored 5 pieces of 1" diameter PVC all at least 5 feet in length. I've also found 50 AA batteries, which always come in handy. It's hit or miss but worth looking.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I have no problems curbside shopping on garbage day. I also only use old, weathered wood. I have found that ripping the veneer off the top or back of an old dresser makes wood that is great for old looking signage. I will take any scrap of wood that looks really weathered, and eventually find a use for it. I used an old chair seat that looked like driftwood...tied some jute twine to it, pencilled in my house number, glued some quarter sized skulls in the shape of the numbers, stuck on some moss and made a house number (our front yard haunt involves covering up the house in so much crap, that the house number wasn't visible. ) Now, the house number can still be seen, but fits in with the run-down, overgrown theme. Since my daughter was 2 years old (she is now four) I would go out every morning on garbage day and scavenge....I'd give her a baggie full of Cheerios and a sippy cup & off we'd go. I managed to score huge sections of old, weathered stockade and wood fencing to enclose my cemetery to discourage vandalism (it works). I also hit up church rummage sales (I only go to the biggest ones) and have gotten yards & yards of fabric that I distressed and used for costumes and to "age" and creepify our house. The local snowmobile/ lawnmower dealer has pallets for free...we used that wood to make "boarded up windows" that attach to our regular windows. Most wood can be aged very well with a light coating of black matte spray paint, grey primer and the amazing camoflage paints from Krylon, and white for highlights. The Krylon paints are more expensive, but worth every penny. They make my fence support posts disappear, and make my wood look weathered and old. Hit some onto a store bought gravestone (spray lightly at an angle) for an instant weathered look. I also find hideous, large fake plants or awful fake floral arrangements in the garbage. I take the Spanish moss from the bottom, and use the fake roses or bigger flowers for my evil flower bed (I glue fake eyes into the center of the flowers, and goop the glue around to make the eyes looks juicy.) I hit the flowers with some khaki and olive drab cammo paint to make them look dead, and stick them in with my garden. What else??...the local party store usually has a big sale every few months on rolls of plastic tablecloth. I like that they come in a black color which is very matte, and while it's not too thick, it is sturdy enough to withstand outdoor winds. I use this to wrap my front porch to look ominous. I go to an abandoned parking lot & pull 4-5 foot tall weeds and cut sumac branches to stick into my graveyard lawn. I gathered swaths of grapevine, cut all the greenery away & tied them to my porch columns. I invested in a roll of beef netting, and found that to be a great look, too. I bought a lot of green, battery operated glowsticks 90% off after St. Patty's day last year. They have a solid glow, or the lights can flash or chase. I rely on glowsticks, both battery operated and chemical to provide the low, creepy ambience lighting I need. I found that my mouth is my best asset in getting a good price or item I need; if I see people ripping down their fencing, I have no problems hopping out of my car, explaining I have a charity yard haunt and asking if I can have dibs on the fencing. Even at sales, most people will cut you a great deal if you mention why you need the supplies. I got king & queen sized sheets for 25 cents each. I scavenged one of those Xmas, wire lawn deer, ripped off the lights, wrapped the deer in sheet strips & some scavenged fake fur & real rabbit fur, glued on some drippy eyeballs and I now have Mummy Deerest. While it's a challenge trying to make & improve a haunt each year for under $30, it's fun. I am the Queen of Clearance Sales and Repurposing!! LOL. But I look all at sales year, and think about Hallowen pretty much 365. I have to, to save money!


d5


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I forgot to mention: every once in a while, Lowe's will have a sale on some specific brand of paint they carry....I think it's called American Tradition?? If you buy a gallon, they will give you a $5 rebate. Well, I discovered that even if you buy an "Oops!" paint (which is only $5 to begin with) YOU STILL GET THE REBATE! Ugly paint, zero cost. YAY!!


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## pennywise (Aug 5, 2008)

Ahh. This post makes me feel right at home. I have huge ambitions for haunting and a low budget. My haunt this year is for my daughter who is now 16 months old and has been in and out of the hospital. She was in for 2 months starting in Feb. Anyway, I have found that pallet wood is almost indispensible. I designed our haunt to use only 80 4X8 foot wall panels, all of which are being framed with pallet wood and then covered with free plywood scrounged from the same place as the pallets. I have gotten a few things from my local Freecycle as well. Thanks for the tip on the toxic round up. I don't know if there is anything like that around here or not, but I can call the local dumps and ask where I can get some paint. I also love the glow-stick idea! I was wondering how I may go about lighting...this may work


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## CreepyCanmore (Mar 27, 2007)

Great ideas all, and good scavenging Debbie5. Pennywise, try calling local recycling centres or even your town office to see if they do a similar toxic round up. The recycling centre might even have a non-dry paint drop off. Good luck with the hunt.
And don't underestimate Freecycle. You can even post things you want and people will respond with old stuff they have laying around that you can have for free. Search it on-line for a local group.


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## NoahFentz (May 13, 2007)

We began renovating our first floor of our house in 2005. I made an attempt to put items aside before it went into the dumpster. I piled it in my backyard where it got rained on and aged until i was ready to sift thru it and begin projects. I saved alot of the old slats that I will be using to recreate the old walls. saved old 2 x 4 and the flooring from the proch area. Its already nice and grey. I had enough to make a whole small room. I plan to make a Sandlot type dog house too. I have put aside some of the old BX cable but dont know what to do with that yet.

I work in NYC so it was very easy to grab alot of different thickness of bluefoam. Its easy pickins when its garbage day in the City. You would be surprised at what New Yorkers throw out. I yet to strike it gold and come across a complete manikan.

Other ideas are always watch for local theatre companies performances. Notice the dates and hang out on the last day to see what they throw out. High schools always do their shows at the end of the year.


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