5 Ways to Reduce Waste during a Renovation
Renovations produce a significant amount of waste, creating additional expenses for the homeowner and sometimes difficulties in removal. By planning ahead, save money and reduce the waste output on any major home renovation.
Finding a Way to Reuse Materials
Repurposing old construction materials is highly sought after by some, for use in creating beams, rustic or unique furniture, shelving, and other purposes around the home. Let’s say you have an old door or window. Before you dump it, think of how it can be repurposed. There might be a way to hang onto it and make something really cool out of it.
Instead of Tearing it out, choose an Update Instead
Renovation is not only about tearing out the old and replacing it with the new. If there’s something solid in your home but its aesthetic is a little dated, there’s always ways to revamp it a little bit. Be it kitchen cupboards, a unique feature in the home, or something else, fresh paint, a little trimming, and/or new additions to existing shapes can make a lot of difference.
Donate it
Contacting an organization like Habitat for Humanity, they may be willing to take off your hands different construction and renovation items. Providing them to an organization like this and allowing them to sell it for profit can put a lot of good karma out there.
Place an Ad to Give it away
Selling old construction materials, for some, might seem like a good idea. If you need it done fast – and let’s face it, most of us would prefer it – giving it away for free can provide an easy way to remove waste.
Windows, vintage ceiling tiles, and materials in new and old homes all have a demand from some corner of the marketplace. Before you throw it out, put an ad on online classifieds. Before long, you may see messages from collectors and others willing to pick up your renovation waste for free.
Put it to the Curb
If you leave unusable materials where it is visible, such as out by the curb with a sign denoting it as ‘free’, someone may come along and pick it up as soon as today. Better yet, combine this with an ad on a site like Kijiji and you’re almost guaranteed to find someone who will be interested in coming along to grab it.
These are five easy ways to reduce waste output during a renovation. The important part to all of this is ensuring that as much of your renovation waste is put to use as is possible.
It also bears noting that cities across Ontario, such as Hamilton, are trying to find ways to reduce waste in general. In this effort, they are also seeking to divert more waste away from the landfills. Among some of the services recommended, these include high quality dumpster rental services, demolition services, transfer stations, and scrap metal recycling yards. These are some other places you may want to search prior to getting started on your renovation.
