Don’t Demolish Homes. Deconstruct Homes to Preserve Materials

Community growth is good. It’s typically a sign of positive change. More business, more friendly neighbors, more opportunities. As communities grow, there will inevitably be significant changes over time. Change can be good. But the characteristics of that change are very important to pay attention to. 

As new neighborhoods pop up and new commercial spaces develop, considerable attention must be applied to the quality of change. That’s because, all too often, structures are demolished to make room for new buildings. Many argue that these demolitions are necessary to enhance the intrinsic value of neighborhoods and communities. 

But it requires a much longer view to see beyond the immediate value new buildings bring. We need to look not at immediate property value increases but at the true cost of increasing demolitions. Each demolition contributes to compounding economic, environmental, and social costs, which result from sending demolished materials to landfills. We need more care and planning.

Deconstruction Reduces Waste

A much better option is available for managing construction and demolition waste material. Deconstruction. Instead of demolishing residential homes and commercial structures, we must take them apart to preserve materials and reduce waste. This is the significantly more economical, environmental, and socially positive alternative. When a residence is to be removed, communities should promote deconstruction rather than demolition.

The tricky part is that while most would agree with the importance of decreasing the volume of materials that go into our landfills, they fail to find sufficient justification for the immediate costs. 

Deconstruction typically takes longer than straight demolition. And can cost approximately double what a standard demolition would. Compared to mechanical demolition, there’s no debate that deconstruction is more labor-intensive. For example, the Delta Institute, which solves legacy environmental and economic issues in urban and rural communities, found that mechanical demolition of a 1,400-square-foot house requires a crew of two to three workers versus the six to eight needed to deconstruct that same structure.

However, homeowners and business owners have excellent opportunities to offset deconstruction costs through tax-deductible donations of salvaged building materials to certified donation organizations.

The deconstruction process will require more time. But when you work with the proper deconstruction experts, they’ll help you create a solid deconstruction plan to aid in a smooth and efficient process. Strategic deconstruction planning allows you to plan for a greener, significantly more sustainable future.
Would you like to do your part to preserve building materials and reduce waste? Need help determining what kind of tax benefits you could qualify for by deconstructing instead of demolishing? Contact Green Donation Consultants today at 540-786-8220 to speak with our team.