Scrap Recycling

The value of unwanted building materials

If you have ever wondered what happens to all of the materials which end up in your skips when you are doing a renovation project, you might be very surprised. The chances are that the skip company or one of their partners, is going through your waste products and selling a large proportion off. They might even be making the costs of collection. But if you have the time and the energy you can make plenty of money from those items which you no longer want in your home. They might be exactly what someone else is looking for.

While your building job at home might be a small scale affair, the principles of reclamation or recycling still remain the same. Even with small quantities of scrap you can still make a little money to help you through your building work. Many building companies are now buying and reusing building products such as bricks, steel and other metals and this is saving the construction industry money, time and is making big changes to the CO2 emissions from their industry.

The following items can be taken to your local reclamation yard for recycling and resale:

• All timber materials including beams, trusses, sleepers, decking and floorboards.
• Old insulation
• Pipes, in particular copper piping.
• Roof slates.
• All flooring
• Anything ornamental such as old fireplaces, door handles, light fittings or old radiators.
• Kitchens and bathrooms
• Rubble and soil can be used for infill in larger quantities.

To find out the best place to take your items for sale or to arrange for collection you can contact Salvo. They have a comprehensive list of companies which deal in reclaimed goods of different types.

If you just have a few item you can sell them yourself. Ebay is an excellent way of selling off items such as old cookers, sinks, worktops, kitchens, bathrooms and even floor tiles. If they come from an older style home you may find they are very easy to sell, as people often want traditional items when they are renovating.

If you still have some items which you do not want to send to landfill but cannot sell, it is always worthwhile trying to put them on Freecycle. This service brings together people who have things they want to give away with those who want those items. This will save you on skip costs and will also help out other DIYers in your area who are looking for items such as paving slabs or some topsoil.

If you are at all worried about the environmental impact of your building work, then ensuring that your waste is reused will go a long way towards adding something back.