The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Americans are spending more each year on remodeling than building new since the recession. It made me wonder if the amount of trash generated these projects is increasing too. Or are they taking advantage of the financial benefit of building deconstruction? While demolition moves things forward quickly, the economic "road to recovery" is better paved through responsible building material salvage and reuse, rather than filling dumpsters. So how can this growing trend be a boon for Americans beyond increasing property values?
Remodeling projects tend to improve on areas in the home that give the biggest "bang" for the buck: kitchens, bathrooms, an addition, or a backyard. But there's a shrewd financial option available you should know about before hammers swing. Since remodeling involves tearing out old flooring, cabinets, and fixtures to make room for the latest and greatest, those unwanted items can actually lower your project costs. Having them carefully removed instead of demolishing them, they can be donated and reused. This could mean thousands of dollars in your pocket via tax deduction and lower disposal costs.
Take this recent scenario for example:
Bob & Judy from Murray, Utah were updating their home; a new kitchen, master bath, living room, and flooring. Rather than demolish the old fixtures, they hired Material Resourcers to responsibly remove the old cabinets, appliances, wood flooring, carpet, and bath fixtures. The materials were then donated through The ReUse People of America and sold at the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Salt Lake City. It took 1/2 a day longer to carefully remove these items instead of demolish them. However, the appraised value of their donation was around $15,000, which meant a $4500 tax deduction for this couple come April. Although the initial cost was $1500 higher than without it, Bob & Judy will actually save over $3000 on their remodeling project because they did the responsible thing. Without deconstruction, they would not realize these savings, nor would the community benefit by the availability of quality, discounted building materials.
Every situation is different, but the one I just described is quite typical. While we advocate for complete deconstruction when an entire house is to be razed, remodels are the perfect scenario for realizing the financial benefits of deconstruction too. There's minimal additional cost in money and time, yet you could realize a tax savings that substantially lowers your overall costs. If you have a remodel, home renovation, or demolition planned, start your project green! Contact us for a no-cost, no-obligation assessment to see if deconstruction can benefit you. By choosing Material Resourcers, you'll also have peace of mind knowing we are the most experienced "green" demolition & deconstruction company in Utah.
Daniel Salmon
Author