Live Green & Save Green by Reusing Salvaged Building Materials
It's almost the weekend. Are you holding off on that home improvement project (or projects) because you don't have the money? I know I am.
Have you ever thought of heading down to your local building materials salvage shop and buying some reclaimed materials?
This is part of a practice known as "sustainable building".
Chances are great that you'll get higher quality products at a fraction of the cost! Weekend warriors, strap on the tool belts and wait no longer on those home improvement projects.
But where do you find a salvage store?
Meredith, who writes The Fun Times Guide to Brentwood, TN, one of my sister sites here in The Fun Times Guide network, turned me on to this idea with a post she wrote yesterday.
In her post she shares some incredible finds unearthed at the Habitat for Humanity HomeStore near her home. Did you know that there is most likely a Habitat for Humanity HomeStore near you?
Meredith says,
Savaged building materials save money; salvaged building materials means more quality for the money; go green by reusing items which are still good; Habitat HomeStore uses its profits to build new homes for people in our community--your building material donations AND purchases directly help local families.
On her trip to the HomeStore she found:
- a granite counter top and sink (pictured right) for $30
- a salvaged door for $30 (which was priced $175 at Home Depot)
- leftover paint for $5/gallon
- and more
Where can you purchase salvaged goods near you?
If you don't have a Habitat HomeStore in your area (see store locater above), try checking the directory at the Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA).
Their directory lists all known salvage lumber, building materials, antique, and hardware stores by state. How many stores are near you that you never knew existed?
7 salvage stores are near me...and I've never paid any attention to a single one.
So who's off to their local construction/building materials salvage store this weekend for some sustainable building bargains?
*Be warned, not all finds are necessarily good deals. Check Meredith's info on how to pick and choose wisely.
where can i get a deal on some stainless steel or granite to use for an island and counter tops in my kitchen?
Thanks for the link, Jeffrey!
I've been shopping salvaged building materials ever since the first ReUse Center opened waaaaay down off North 1st St. (now closed).
We have also had luck at Hailey's Salvage on Dickerson Road.