The removal of construction materials from both commercial and residential buildings is called deconstruction or more simply salvage. Both terms describe the careful removal of quality materials with the explicit purpose of reuse.

The use of reclaimed materials has become quite popular in commercial redevelopment. Examples of reclaimed materials used in new designs can be seen in WNY at Canalside, Five Points Bakery on the West Side; the new Thin Man Brewery in the Elmwood Village; and Aroma Cafe on North Forest in Amherst, to name just a few. Almost every new project is hoping to achieve a unique and authentic look, while not compromising quality. Reclaimed materials always deliver.

A Question of Timing

In construction project management, timing is everything.

The biggest challenge in the reuse industry is capturing construction materials before they enter the waste stream. The demands of general contractors and developers are high, and the timelines are typically very tight, so the emphasis is always on fast and efficient.

Many times, this drive towards project completion can limit a project manager’s willingness to entertain reuse through salvage or deconstruction.

What builders and developers may not be considering is the fact that more often than not, when a reuse contractor is involved in the planning stages of the project, salvage can be performed within existing construction time lines and in a way that significantly reduces the overall cost of the project.

A Real-World Example

This Summer, our company ReUse Action contacted the operations staff at LeMoyne College in Syracuse about the possibility of reclaiming the flooring and bleachers from their Athletic Complex. The 23,000 square foot complex had been the primary venue for LeMoyne’s volleyball and basketball teams for over half a century, and the college had embarked on a complete overhaul of the structure’s interior.

Our team removed all of the flooring and bleachers from the facility in a week, at no cost to the college. We dismantled the bleachers, salvaging all of the Douglas Fir/Yellow Pine bleacher planks, recycled the metal structural steel, and cut the maple floor into 4’x16′ panels that we carefully removed, stacked, banded, and shipped.

Benefits

This project diverted just over 70 tons of reusable maple flooring and bleacher boards from the landfill saving our client nearly $6,500 in disposal and hauling expenses. In addition, we subsidized our labor cost through the sale of the material. Through this approach, our client saved an additional $11,200 in removal costs.

So, by making a commitment to the reuse of their gym flooring and bleachers, LeMoyne College saved nearly $18,000 by choosing deconstruction as an option for their sports complex remodel.

Further benefits include the availability of nearly 23,000 square foot of reclaimed maple flooring, 6,300 board feet of yellow pine bleacher boards, and an additional 7,500 board feet of DouglasFir bleacher boards. In many cases, this type of material goes tothe landfill and not to the market.

These high quality materials will now be dedicated to rebuilding projects across the state and in fact the world. Our work curbs demand for virgin raw materials, protects soil and water supplies, improves the air we breathe each day, and creates jobs in our local communities.

Summary

• Diverted over 70 tons of material from the landfill
• Saved $6,500 in trucking and tipping costs
• Saved $11,200 in labor costs for removal of materials
• Total direct savings of nearly $18,000
• Made available thousands of board feet of high quality, unique lumber
• Good publicity for the client – the always popular Green Option

An Opportunity For You

All too often, the potential of building material reuse is overlooked. We welcome the opportunity to work with you on an upcoming project. We can bring our years of experience to you, to evaluate your construction project for saving money and time, or to supply your project with high quality, unique, durable reclaimed materials.

You can reach us via email at sales@reuseaction.com, on our website at www.reuseaction.com or by calling our store at 716-894-3366.