Renoback – Reclaiming Construction Waste

• Sponsor: Renoback
• Author: Sam Fordham

Building construction and renovation produces waste. On average, for every 1,000 sq foot of standard home built, 4,000 lbs of waste is generated. You would think that some of this would be diverted to other projects, but no, it’s all destined for landfill with only a small proportion that waste breaking down in this century. It needs to stop.

Renoback is pioneering a new way to recycle reclaimed building materials and keep them out of landfill. Their site, www.Renoback.com is way to list your leftover building materials, tools and items taken out of houses during renovations so that they can be given away or sold to those who are looking for them. There is a tremendous market out there for anything related to reclaimed building materials – and on Renoback, listings are free!

Here are ideas on what reclaimed building materials are being used for:

• Industrial décor is very much ‘in’ and anything from old pulley’s to piping is sought after in any quality. It doesn’t take much pipe to craft a bench, so it’s worth listing anything you have left over. There is an upcycling need for just about anything you have on a construction site, so don’t be afraid to share. Old wood is particularly sought after as the patina it has gained cannot be manufacture. Many old floors and woodwork is of a quality not found these days so will be desired by artists and builders alike.
• Often an item on a home becomes broken after a while and replacements cannot be bought. You may be taking fitments out of your home to renovate, but someone may just want what you had to replace their own. The same goes for leftover grout, cement and other building materials.
• Finish Off. Have you ever been in the situation where you only need a trowel full of mortar to finish a job, but you then have to buy the ingredients in 5kg bags? Well, so have others, and they want your leftovers to finish the job. Nothing is too small to list.
• Something like a backsplash or powder room floor takes very little in the way of materials. IF you have more than you need left, then why not list it so someone else can have a change and keep your leftovers out of landfill.

Learn how to deconstruct your home and save it from landfill – and maybe earn a little cash for your next project too!