Eco-Friendly Demolition Practices for Your Home Project

If you are renovating rooms, removing a dilapidated garage or demolishing that eyesore on your rural property, you are likely interested in “greener” disposal options from a demolition company in Jeffersonville, IN. There are ways to demolish and deconstruct that are friendlier to the environment and reduce waste. You can even use your salvage items to support a favorite non-profit. Here are four ways to approach demolition with reuse and recycling in mind:

• Starting small: Ecological deconstruction is a lot like building a house backwards. Contractors start with what was installed last, and work to the foundation. This allows for windows, plumbing fixtures, cabinets, light fixtures and other small parts to be salvaged. Stores selling deconstruction scraps often have aisles full of used cabinet pulls and roof shingles that may be purchased for new homes. These high-demand items then end up in someone else’s house rather than a landfill. There is plenty of potential for these items—it is estimated that 85 percent of items in a home can be reused or recycled.
• Finding useful parts: That eyesore on your property may not be as bad as you first thought. Many old barns and shops have great bones and could easily be converted into a garage. An older home may have a mold problem, but it may only be limited to one or two rooms. Many contractors take a look and suggest partial deconstruction. This allows the dangerous or useless parts of a building to be removed so the rest of it can be restored to something else. Many people who want a new garage are often pleasantly surprised that an old barn offers the same function with a few adjustments at a lower cost. The greenest building is one that is already here—do not dismiss your demolition targets too quickly.
• Saving time: Complete demolition projects are time consuming. This is especially true if the building contains any toxic substances (like asbestos) that require containment as well as deconstruction. If you can limit demolition to a small area, you pay for less time and end the project with fewer disposable materials. This makes it easier to save useful items for salvage or donation. Rather than rush through to demolish a large structure, a contractor can take the time to find good candidates for reuse or recycling.
• Donating: Buildings may be classic but too far gone. If there is vertical-grain pine flooring, a stained-glass door or other unique features, remove them carefully and donate them. There are nonprofits on hand that accept salvaged goods for fixing up houses. Also, some contractors take the best features of deconstruction jobs and either sell them or use them for new projects. People have repurposed barn doors into tables or turned dangerous light fixtures into planters. Consider donating unique items to nonprofits, salvage stores or your favorite artist and keep them out of the landfill.

Estes Excavating Inc. is an experienced provider of demolition services in Jeffersonville, IN. Call us today to schedule a consultation regarding your upcoming project!

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