Recyled Rolling Hills Home Will Help Build Nearly Six Affordable Homes

Deconstruction & ReUse Network recently completed a deconstruction project in Rolling Hills, CA - a private community just south of Los Angeles.

The process took just over 2 weeks to complete and as you can see this 2,500 square foot home produced a lot of reusable materials!

What is most impressive when you think about it, is that the lumber we recycled (33,600 feet in all) will help our partner Corazon frame 4 to 6 affordable homes in Baja, Mexico. Corazon homes are 320 square feet (16' x 20'.)

In total, we saved over 15 tons of this Rolling Hills home's rough framing lumber, in addition to the other finished materials (sinks, cabinets, etc.) which were donated to Habitat for Humanity's Home Improvement Store in Gardena.

If you have questions about your home's recycling value - please take our FREE Easy Assesment at our website or email us.

Santa Monica Homeowners Deconstruct & Get Noticed

Check out some recent media coverage we received thanks to some great homeowners in Santa Monica and their builder:

Santa Monica Daily Press - Page 3:

Los Angeles Chronicle

Kelly Wood - An Inspiration To Our Team

Kelly Wood is a student at Stanford University and a valuable asset to the Deconstruction and ReUse Network. Kelly works in the Northern California region and we have all been inspired by her endless commitment to helping others.

Currently Kelly is on a cross-country bike ride to benefit Habitat for Humanity called Bike & Build. She is riding from Florida to California to raise money and awareness and she's building homes along the way. We support her, we miss her and we know she is changing lives with every mile.

You can read her bio here.

YOUR HOUSE, YOUR RULES! Ten Ways To Ensure Your Home Is Properly Recycled & Your Construction Project Doesn’t Generate Needless Waste

Last week I posted 10 tips for building professionals to reuse and recycle materials. This week I have tips for homeowners who are looking to remodel and reduce waste.

1. Plan ahead to save (ReUse and Recycle). Failure to plan could needlessly cost you.
2. Do the Research & Take the Lead Yourself: don’t rely on the professionals to find out what can and cannot be recycled and reused – Industry professionals are ultimately their to service your needs.
3. As part of your hiring criteria, interview and hire general contractors you know to have a permanent and well developed waste management plan for all their project sites.
4. Be Assertive. State your preference clearly where diversion practices are concerned.
5. Check contractor references: Ask about his/her “service” in addition to time and cost of work performed; how orderly did the contractor keep their project site? Does the reference or did the referral witness or otherwise have familiarity with this aspect of the contractor’s service?
6. Have recycle bins available for your contractor. Keep in mind that you will have extra bodies eating and drinking daily for a long period of time. Can your bins handle it? If not, take steps to prepare and insist they be utilized, such as posting simple signs saying what waste goes where and get the commitment of your contractor to take up the lead and follow through with the plan.\
7. Consider a Deconstruction Solution for your project. It’s not appropriate for every project – just the majority. A Deconstruction Solution could be your single biggest opportunity to save financial assets for your project and physical assets for others.
8. Take advantage of tax breaks available to those that donate to organizations such as Deconstruction & Reuse Network, and/or Habitat for Humanity.
9. Stay involved. This doesn’t mean micro managing your contractor. But remember – its your project and therefore your rules.
10. Be A Community Leader – tell your friends about your recycling initiatives and encourage the same – Help your neighbors to Think Outside the Roll-Off!