About Us

The Building Materials Exchange was launched in 1989 as a project of the Cumberland County Affordable Housing Venture (CCAHV), the precursor to the Maine Housing and Building Materials Exchange. The mission of the Maine Housing and Building Materials Exchange (BME) is to: Benefit low-income homeowners and the environment by providing new and re-usable building materials at an affordable price, and by educating people about home repairs. BME is a private 501(c3) not for profit organization.

The goal of the BME is “to keep people in their homes” through the use and reuse of good quality building materials. This is accomplished through education, collaboration, and a working knowledge of our clients needs. Home ownership is the largest investment most will ever make. The costs of maintaining or making necessary improvements to their asset can be prohibitively expensive. The BME is here to help low income homeowners thru those hurdles.


BME Success

• June 2006 the BME purchased its first warehouse located at 102 Lisbon Rd, Lisbon ME. The 14,400 sq ft building has provided the potential for new material, and the capability to considerably improve the services provided to its clients.
• The implementation of racking, a new POS system, and a heated warehouse.
• Membership is steadily increasing, at the rate of 60-80 new and supporting members a month.
• BME is growing its Collaborations with Maine Community Action Programs and other not for profits.
• New vendors have come on board providing high quality materials. The BME’s inventory is now 95% new materials.
• BME has implemented a Materials Swap “BLOG” for supporting organizations and other not for profits. The program will ensure the distribution of materials around the state and beyond.