Replies

1. 
   dtown | Jan 25, 2006 05:33am | #1

   We have a local non profit here in Detroit that deconstructs homes such as yours.  I operate a nonprofit housing development organization and they are a partner of ours.  The way it works is instead of bringing in a demo crew and paying them to haul the material to a landfill you pay the nonprofit salvage organization to deconstruct it.  This is one of those true win-win-win situations.  The salvagers operate a jobs training program to teach workers about deconstruction, how buildings are constructed and building materials in general.  That allows you as the home owner to take your deconstruction costs as a donation to this nonprofit.  Really a great program.  Anyhow, I looked in a green building book I have laying here and it shows:

   http://www.caldwell-bldg-salvage.com/

   http://www.driftwoodsalvage.com/salvable.html

   http://www.urbanore.citysearch.com

    

   Driftwood is right down the street in E. Palo Alto the others are Berkley and SF.  Good luck!

    

   BTW, I was in Menlo Park in October visiting family and really enjoyed it.  What's a knockdown cost for acquisistion?   

1. 
   Romero | Jan 25, 2006 06:08am | #7

   I hope we can get some of these guys intersted.

   I have tried Whole House before and they got some stuff but mostly wanted more recent stuff.  They didn't really want lumber.

   I will be talking with the Reuse People this week to see if we can create some interest.

   Other salvagers in the area are great but like to cherry pick certain items.

   I really need to find someone who loves old wood.

   Aquisition cost was ridiculous $ over 1.  But not at liberty to discuss.

   House sits on 2 lots in a great area and great schools. So hopefully we will come out OK.

   Thanks again for the ideas.

1. 
   james | Jan 25, 2006 07:47am | #8

   Aquisition cost was ridiculous $ over 1.  But not at liberty to discuss.

   House sits on 2 lots in a great area and great schools. So hopefully we will come out OK.

   Thanks again for the ideas.

    

   I bet it was.. i live just north in the city and am astounded at what property in that area is going for.

   you also may want to ring up Caldwells on Bayshore Blvd here in SF

    

   james

    

1. 
   Romero | Jan 25, 2006 08:21am | #9

   Thanks James I have a call in to them as well. Usually they like the doors and windows and other commodities. But I am hoping that someone will love the wood.

   I love my job, but sometimes it is not compatible with my environmental beliefs.

   I am trying to get greener, but I have a ways to go.

1. 
   razzman | Jan 25, 2006 07:59pm | #12

   I'm not surprised at the lack of interest in that what should be prized materials from old homes are chewed up everyday. Sad but true.

   They'd rather just vinyl side it and be done with it so they can move in and watch tv.

   The old growth redwood clapboards, are they 10s with a 3/4 inch thick bevel at the base?

    

    

    

   'Nemo me impune lacesset'No one will provoke me with impunity

2. 
   Romero | Jan 25, 2006 08:05pm | #14

   8's 3/4 at the bottom

2. 
   dtown | Jan 25, 2006 05:54pm | #10

   I have some more contacts back at my home office that I will post tonight.  Mostly flooring operations.  Good luck.  Keep those old materials out of the landfills. 

1. 
   Romero | Jan 25, 2006 08:03pm | #13

   Thanks Guys-

   I am hoping for reuse more than recycle. One thing about Northern California Though is that most of the materials are required to be recycled in order to get the building permit. We have to document where the materials end up. So we use a tranfer station that seperates evrything out. Concrete, wood....

   Thanks again for the tips

2. 
   madmadscientist | Jan 25, 2006 10:53pm | #15

   Have you talked to these folks yet?

   http://www.thereusepeople.org/ContactUs/

   They are based in Alameda and do deconstruction work.  I think you even get some kind of tax write off also.

    Daniel Neuman

   Oakland CA

   Crazy Home Owner

2. 
   skip555 | Jan 25, 2006 05:39am | #2

   heres a thread here from a while back
   http://forums.taunton.com

   we go to the local sales all the time , never know what your going to find .

   (we wont talk about the 200 worth of built ins I couldnt get out last week , did get 24 nice cabinet doors though and 8' granite countertop )

3. 
   skip555 | Jan 25, 2006 05:44am | #3

   lets try the links again

   article here http://www.sfgate.com

   thread here
   http://forums.taunton.com

1. 
   Romero | Jan 25, 2006 05:58am | #5

   Thanks for that.  I may go the sale route but the home is pretty much worthless except for the wood.  The redwood is beautiful old growth.  But alas I am not in the lumber storage business. And the wife threatens divorce if on more thing comes to the house.

1. 
   skip555 | Jan 25, 2006 06:06am | #6

   there are sources at the bottom of the SF gate article that run the sales and demo the houses if I read it right , some of the local sales are just that , flooring or siding (heart pine and cypress in this part of the country )

4. 
   wrudiger | Jan 25, 2006 05:57am | #4

   Google pulled up these guys:

   Whole House Building Supply & Deconstruction
   (650) 856-0634
   Palo Alto, CA 94301

   Whole House Building Supply
   Check out our fabulous building materials reclaimed from demolished properties. Located in Palo Alto, California with sales at our warehouse and on site at current tear-down properties. Materials available include used shutters, stoves, bricks, chandeliers, flooring, mantels, french doors, wood cabinets, plumbing fixtures and much more. We do not carry furniture, fans, paints, glass or bags of anything (stucco, concrete) or particleboard cabinets. 650-473-9876

   A little further afield (Berkeley):

   Ohmega Salvage
   We have two stores located in Northern California. One is for high quality antique fixtures and building materials sometimes repaired or still in original top condition. The other supplies an array of materials in various condition, including tile, hardware, doors and windows, plumbing fixtures, stone and much more.  510-843-7368

   Urban Ore
   We have a Northern California warehouse full of salvaged building materials. Our primary purpose is to keep reusable things in circulation and out of landfills. We offer a pickup service, a discard management center and general store. We consult and design systems and facilities for reuse and complete recycling. We accept donations. 510-559-4460

5. 
   Dave45 | Jan 25, 2006 06:15pm | #11

   I don't know if they're still around, but Sanger Sales here in San Jose carried lots of salvaged stuff. (I once scored a tank top for an old toilet and avoided having to replace the whole thing - lol.)

   As I understand it, salvaging building materials is an "iffy" situation.  Labor costs can quickly exceed the market value.

6. 
   JohnSprung | Jan 25, 2006 10:53pm | #16

   Back in 1978, when the place I was living got sold and torn down, they made a deal with a Mexican contractor.  They came up with trucks and a crew, took it all apart, and went back South of the border with it all.  There's not much forest land there, so they need to import wood.  Perhaps the Mexican gov't can give you a lead on that kind of deal. 

    

    

   -- J.S.

    

1. 
   Romero | Jan 25, 2006 11:10pm | #17

   That is creative solution. I will look into it.