SOME GOOD REASONS TO RENOVATE:

Construction and demolition waste constitutes about 40% of the total solid waste stream in the United States. Simply stated, the reuse of existing buildings versus building new structures is one of the most effective strategies for minimizing environmental impacts. Less transportation costs, fewer greenhouse gas emissions from those vehicles transporting materials, habitat preservation by preserving previously undeveloped land, limiting urban (and suburban) sprawl, all potentially place your project in an existing village fabric with an established infrastructure, making it more walkable and pedestrian oriented, thereby reducing parking needs and limiting automobile use.

And renovating an old building provides you with the opportunity to salvage materials in place of new materials which save costs and adds character. And these salvaged materials will also not emit harmful chemical compounds into the indoor atmosphere. It's more healthy for you. Let me give you an idea of some of the things that you can do with salvaged materials:

• remove old roof sheathing and attic floor ceiling where no longer needed and re-plane this material for cabinetry, wood interior walls, and flooring.

• reuse those weathered shingles for an exterior wall under a porch, where the shingles may take decades to weather

• save and recondition that period hardware for re-use. They don't make hardware today like they used to.

• save and re-condition the interior doors for re-use again as interior doors. Or, flip them on their sides and reuse as a interior wainscoting or, turn them into tables!

• renovating an old building also provides  the opportunity to 'gift' materials and resources that you will no longer need to charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or the Boston Materials Resource Center. No need to send to the landfill.

• remove those vintage almond-colored cabinets and re-install them in your basement workshop. And, if you decide to re-paint with a more appealing color, be sure to use paints that do not exceed the VOC content limits established in the Green Seal Standard.

And, by renovating an old building, you might just be preserving a part of your community's history for decades to come.

Set up an appointment with me to meet at our Cambridge office to discuss how Design Associates can outline the many benefits of renovation.

 

chris@design-associates.com