How to Purchase Reclaimed or Recycled Building Materials

In today's economy, homeowners are more challenged to remodel, add-on, or build. Some people find the cost of building materials can be prohibitive. An increasingly popular alternative to new materials is reclaimed or recycled building materials. By taking advantage of these materials, homeowners can save thousands of dollars on their remodels or additions, in addition to helping save thousands of tons of good building materials from or landfills every year.

Instructions

1. Develop a plan for your room, remodel, or building. If you have little or no experience with this type of plan, seek the help of a professional, either in your community or online. Sometimes you can find pre-made plans for a reasonable price, but remember, the information you put in determines the plan you get out.

2. Make a list of all of the building materials you will need, from the roof to the subfloor. Don't leave anything out. At this point, determine three things: 1) What you need for your project. 2) What you want for your project. 3) Where is the line between need and want? Clearly identify the areas that you are unwilling to budge on and the areas where you have some flexibility. This may include adjusting the size of your project if you have specific materials or finish work that you feel you absolutely have to have.

3. Develop a "New Materials" budget, using the price of new materials to determine your budget. Be realistic. Visit local building supply centers, measure accurately, and if it will be a while before you can make the budget, allow for price increases. Consider these points:- If you have to travel to purchase any of your items, be sure to include the price of gas in your budget.- If you have to hire someone to do the work, get a quote so you can have an accurate cost.- Never use sale prices when developing your budget. The item you are pricing may not be on sale when you are ready to buy!

4. Research buying reclaimed or recycled materials, using the same list. Here are some methods that will help you successfully identify the market for recycled or reclaimed materials in your area:1. Google these keywords: Recycled materials, reclaimed building materials, salvaged building materials. Look for other words that include restoration, rejuvenation and reuse.2. Habitat for Humanity Re-Store3. Salvation Army Re-Use stores4. Craig's List. You'll find individuals and contractors here who are looking to sell items that may be new or used. Go to the "For Sales" section, and from there click on "Materials."5. Check your local yellow page for stores such as Rejuvenation.

5. Develop a "Recycled Reclaimed" budget for the same materials list you used for your Step 2 budget. In this budget it is probably even more important that you factor in the price of gas, since you sometimes need to travel further to buy reclaimed or recycled materials.

6. Analyze the cost vs. benefits of using new vs. reclaimed or recycled materials. Here are some questions to help you in your analysis:1. How much actual savings can you anticipate? 2. How much sooner will you be able to achieve completion of your project by using new vs. reclaimed materials?3. Is there a local organization that you like to support who can also provide you with recycled or reclaimed materials? If so, how important is that to you in making your decision.4. Is it important to you that you help reduce the amount of materials that go into your local landfill? 5. Revisit your three area of 1) need 2) want 3) unwilling to budge. How can buying reclaimed or recycled materials help you move things around on that list? 6. Where are you willing to make sacrifices for the gain you'll see in the other areas on this list? For instance, if you have your heart set on a gray slate floor, would you be willing to live with a patterned tile floor instead. One made of three or four different tile patterns that you can turn into a creative design? Will that sacrifice help move you toward the thing you absolutely don't want to budge on?

Tips & Warnings

• Always know that there may be no warranty, and that there is no guaranty as to the warranty or quality of your goods if you purchase reclaimed materials.

• If you have allergies, or if being "green" is very important to you, be aware that the person or store selling the material may have no knowledge of the history of the materials (i.e. chemicals used).