Building Materials
Building Materials Inc. is a privately held, two-location independent retailer in Fort Madison and West Point, Iowa, selling lumber, hardware, cabinets, windows, roofing, and related building supplies to homeowners and contractors in Southeast Iowa, supplemented by free professional design services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersFort Madison, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Building Materials does
Building Materials Inc. is a privately held, two-location independent retailer of construction and home-improvement supplies headquartered in Fort Madison, Iowa, with a secondary location in West Point, Iowa operating under the West Point Lumber and Hardware trade name. The company sells a broad inventory spanning the full project lifecycle — lumber, hardware and tools, insulation, cabinets, countertops, paint and stains, windows, doors, siding, roofing, decking, sheetrock, flooring, trim, and shelving — and complements these goods with four free professional design services: Complete Home Design, Kitchen and Bath Design, a Window and Door Specialist, and Roofing/Siding/Decking expertise consultation.
The business primarily serves two customer segments in Southeast Iowa: individual homeowners undertaking new construction, remodeling, or DIY projects, and professional contractors requiring reliable material supply and trade pricing. Customer acquisition is driven by physical storefront walk-in traffic, word-of-mouth referrals through long-standing contractor relationships, and a Facebook presence; the company does not operate e-commerce, mobile apps, or third-party marketplace channels. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
The underlying operating model is a traditional building-materials distributor: inventory-based retail with on-site expert staff, bundling design consultation at no charge to lift average ticket size and create switching friction. The firm employs between 1 and 10 people across both locations, generating revenue that is not publicly disclosed. Strategic posture is defensive and stewardship-oriented — the Fort Madison location has operated since 1946 and the West Point location for over 120 years — with recent activity limited to a refreshed website and logo (2024), the second-location integration, and the formalization of free design services. There are no disclosed funding rounds, M&A activity, R&D investment, technology partnerships, or outside investors, consistent with a closely held, cash-generative small business.
Building Materials firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Building Materials
- Legal name
- Building Materials Inc.
- Website
- https://buildingmaterialsfm.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Building Materials Inc. is a privately held, two-location independent retailer in Fort Madison and West Point, Iowa, selling lumber, hardware, cabinets, windows, roofing, and related building supplies to homeowners and contractors in Southeast Iowa, supplemented by free professional design services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Building Materials industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Materials Retail
- SIC
- Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Building Materials & Lumber Distribution (CRAOAFAD)
Keywords
Where Building Materials is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Building Materials business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Building Materials product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Building Materials Inc. is a Southeast Iowa building materials retailer that supplies construction and home improvement products such as lumber, hardware, insulation, cabinets, windows, doors, roofing, siding, and decking, and provides professional design services for contractors and homeowners.
Product overview
Building Materials Inc. is a single-location building materials distributor serving Southeast Iowa since 1946. The company operates as a unified offering combining construction material supply with professional design services. Its product portfolio centers on 15 core building material categories (Lumber, Hardware/Tools, Insulation, Cabinets, Countertops, Paint/Stains, Windows, Doors, Siding, Roofing, Decking, Sheetrock, Flooring, Trim, and Shelving), complemented by 4 integrated service offerings (Complete Home Design, Kitchen and Bath Design, Window and Door Specialist, and Roofing/Siding/Decking Expertise). The company serves both contractors and homeowners through 2 locations (Fort Madison and West Point, Iowa), providing materials and expert guidance for new construction and remodeling projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lumber Premium grade lumber sourced and supplied for construction and home improvement projects.
- Hardware/Tools Broad selection of hardware and tools for completing home improvement projects.
- Insulation Top quality insulation products for energy efficiency and year-round comfort.
- Cabinets Cabinetry options for every budget with reliable craftsmanship, including kitchen cabinets.
- Countertops Countertop surfaces designed for beauty, durability and performance.
- Paint/Stains Trusted brands of paints and stains providing long-lasting color and protection for every surface.
- Windows High performance windows offering energy efficiency, security and timeless style.
- Doors Strong, secure and stylish doors balancing style and function.
- Siding Top rated siding options providing unmatched protection and curb appeal.
- Roofing Trusted brands of roofing materials that withstand weather and wear.
- Decking Wide range of decking options from classic wood to modern composite materials with expert advice.
- Sheetrock Full inventory of sheetrock and accessories for projects of any size.
- Flooring Hard surface flooring options selected for style, durability and ease of maintenance.
- Trim Full line of trims for interior and exterior projects.
- Shelving Multiple shelving options for closets to pantries.
- Complete Home Design Fully customized residential home design services combining experience with creativity and precision from concept to final blueprint.
- Kitchen and Bath Design Expert kitchen and bath design services from consultation through product selection, provided at no extra cost with material purchases.
- Window and Door Specialist Product specialist consultation for selecting windows and doors based on energy efficiency, security, and style requirements.
- Roofing, Siding & Decking Expertise Expert guidance on exterior products including roofing, siding and decking materials for durability and aesthetic appeal.
Companies that use Building Materials
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Building Materials technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Building Materials partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Building Materials competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 84 Lumber: Specialty lumber and building materials retailer serving professional builders and DIY customers. Comparable as a lumber-and-building-materials dealer focused on contractor relationships and project-oriented supply.
- Menards: Midwest-based home improvement retailer with strong Iowa presence, offering lumber, building materials, and design services to homeowners and contractors. Directly comparable in product mix and customer base, though at vastly larger scale.
- True Value: Hardware cooperative supplying independent local retailers across rural and small-town US markets. Comparable in serving community-level demand for hardware, tools, paint, and basic building materials.
- Builders FirstSource: Large US distributor and retailer of lumber and building materials serving professional builders and contractors. Comparable in core product lines and contractor-customer focus, though at vastly larger scale.
- Ace Hardware: Cooperative hardware retailer with neighborhood store presence serving homeowners and small contractors. Overlaps in tools, hardware, paint, and select building materials, with a comparable community-store service model.
- Carter Lumber: Family-operated regional lumber and building materials dealer with multiple locations across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Closely comparable business model, customer mix, and store-level service orientation.
- Do it Best: Member-owned hardware and building products cooperative serving small-town America with a similar small-business retail footprint. Comparable in serving independent local markets with broad home-improvement assortments.
- McCoy's Building Supply: Employee-owned building materials retailer serving small-town markets across the South and Midwest, with strong contractor relationships and project-based selling. Comparable in scale and dealer-to-builder focus.
Broad incumbents
- Lowe's: National home improvement chain with overlapping product categories (lumber, doors, windows, roofing, flooring, paint) and a contractor pro program. Competes for the same homeowner and contractor customers in broader geographies.
- Home Depot: Largest US home improvement retailer, offering the full building-materials range Building Materials Inc. carries, plus installation services and pro-contractor programs. Represents the dominant competitive threat on price, SKU depth, and convenience.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Building Materials social profiles
Digital presenceBuilding Materials financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Building Materials leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Building Materials funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Building Materials M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Building Materials
What does Building Materials do?
Building Materials Inc. is a Southeast Iowa building materials retailer that supplies construction and home improvement products such as lumber, hardware, insulation, cabinets, windows, doors, roofing, siding, and decking, and provides professional design services for contractors and homeowners.
Is Building Materials a public or private company?
Building Materials is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Building Materials founded?
Building Materials was founded in 1946. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Building Materials based?
Building Materials is headquartered in Fort Madison, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Building Materials's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 84 Lumber, Menards, True Value, Builders FirstSource, Ace Hardware, Carter Lumber, Do it Best and McCoy's Building Supply. Broad incumbents are Lowe's and Home Depot.
Does Building Materials have an API?
No public API is recorded for Building Materials.
What industry is Building Materials in?
Building Materials's product category is Building Materials Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAFAD, Building Materials & Lumber Distribution. Its SIC code is 5211.