Construction Junction — Local services in Pittsburgh

Construction Junction is sadly not what it once was. It’s no secret at this point that they are experiencing severe financial hardship, and it’s very sad to see but easy to tell why. They have prioritized profit and image over affordability and customer service.

Though their mission has stayed the same, inventory has dwindled, prices have risen significantly, and the quality of customer service has decreased.

An example of the steep price increases: I bought a hardware storage container full of hardware for $5 a few months ago, and there are identical containers (without any hardware inside) marked $15 on the shelf there right now. That’s a 3x price increase for less product in just a few months.

Some of the cashiers, particularly the women that work there, are as nice and helpful as can be. Others (like an employee that rang me out a while back and was more interested in his Rice Krispy treat than interacting, or a different employee who prioritized an extended phone call over helping folks in line) are a different story.

It’s clear that they do not profit enough from the store despite exceedingly high new pricing, so they have expanded into more events, vintage goods, outside vendors, and what seem on the surface like community-building efforts.

This would be great if handled properly, but recent events with the co-opting of a local entrepreneur’s clothing resale concept and their poor response to community backlash (including a tepid and dismissive social media statement that misspelled said entrepreneur’s name) are proving that they care more about staying afloat financially than making good decisions.

This is a sad review to write as someone who has loved the store for so long. But I know I’m far from the only one who feels this way. Many people are choosing to stop shopping here because of the issues I’ve mentioned in this review, and as a result, I don’t expect Construction Junction to stay open much longer.

This was unfortunately a largely preventable situation, but CJ has missed the mark too many times to keep believing in them. I won’t be back, and I know...

I used to love coming here 2 years ago to find cheap kitchen sets and appliances for rental properties but I sadly have to change my review after visiting today. It seems like these prices have dramatically increased and considering its a donation center that seems a bit out of taste for me. The first thing I noticed was a kitchen base set that measured 72 inches with broken shelves and doors that couldn't even open properly with no counter top and they wanted 225 dollars? Went to habitat for humanity and found 96 inches of oak base cabinets in working order for 100 dollars with a countertop in very clean condition(highly recommend them) The second thing that I found odd was how they were selling old deconstructed 2×8 pieces of lumbar that were splintered and covered in plaster dust for 20 dollars and even higher. If you think spirituality gives old splintered wood any actual value then you're not living in reality. 3rd thing I seen was a 7 cubic foot refrigerator that clearly wasnt new and had dents and scrachtes on it with a broken rack in the freezer with a tag for 200 dollars?!. Bought a brand new one 8.1 cubic ft at world of values for $250 with a 2 year warranty. The only thing you can buy here worth the money are the old beat up sinks,some trim and maybe the toilets and varoius niknacks that you can find at garage sales for 25 cents. Unfortunately Until the prices come back to fair market rates I will most certainly never come here again. Management needs to work on the percentage...

This place allows cardboard drop off and is easy to access.

Mostly very good deals on everything especially replacements for your home. A "must go" place for any home owner who is fixing up their place on a budget or considering a renovation.

I feel some of the pricing is a little off on these items (about 15-30% more than one would expect for drop off items) but still far cheaper than buying something new.

Example: I saw $12,000 (msrp) real wood kitchen cabinets, which are often sold new at $9000 sold here for $7000. Which I feel is reasonable and fair (but not "amazing" per say)

Keep in mind they don't have a backup inventory, this is a drop off so "what you see is what you get"

Noticed a $500 real wood table being sold at $400. Which was ok, but not such a good deal considering it's a drop off... (so there is a bit of that going on for "nicer looking - hot ticket" items)

Real wood doors from $75 to $250.

They allow price negotiation (I would advise buying at least $500 in stuff before negotiating, make it worth their time)

Their inventory of course is constantly changing but I check in here once every 3 months to keep an eye in what's available.

Almost everything here would be useful in my opinion they have a good eye for separating between junk and usable parts, which is important for a...