The Original Eco Friendly & Sustainable Living Portal (since 2009)
24012014
Subscribe via RSSSecond hand building materials
10:53pm 24th January 2014
Second hand building materials offer an excellent way to reduce environmental impact, we show you how.
Houses and buildings are constantly being demolished and rebuilt all the time. This creates a large amount of second hand building materials, that with a bit of careful planning and thinking can be used to not only reduce environmental impact but reduce the costs of a build as well.
1. Know what can reuse and what you cannot
Some materials from old building are not suitable for reuse, either due to legislation or known health effects. Asbestos is the best know of these, but there are a whole range of 'old' building materials which cannot be used. We suggest if in doubt do not use.
2. Prepare to be flexible
If you are buying second hand, its unlikely you will exactly what you need. So do not wait around for the perfect door or window, rather have a minimal set of requirements and shop to those. This will also make searching for such materials easier online.
3. Take your time
You need to plan to make use of second hand building materials; it won't all come together over night. Plus you carry the responsibility to locate and move anything you find, this all takes time to plan.
4. Have somewhere to store it
Yes, you can store what you buy on your building site, although unless you are regularly onsite and have secure storage - its not ideal. Plus this rather limits your ability to store smaller but higher value items (think door and window fittings, lights, etc).
Conclusion
Buying second hand building materials can be very rewarding. With a bit of planning and time, you can save money and help save the environment at the same time. Have fun!
Follow us on Facebook, click here!
- Older: Climate Council, represents who?
- Newer: Dueling Climate Reports