Claim it as Your Own ? Reclaimed Building Supply

One of the newest trends in home renovation, restoration and building isn?t actually new.  Just an old idea whose time has come back around. 

The salvage and junk yards of our grandparents have become slicker and hipper for the eco conscious and the thrifty alike.  Reclaimed building supply and deconstruction companies now use words like architectural, sustainable, reclaimed and even reincarnation to describe the junkyards of yesteryear.

You can find reclaimed building supply companies in every state and almost every larger city.  Some specialize in period antiques, others in just bathroom fixtures, some carry everything including kitchen sinks.  All it took was a two minute internet search for me to find my nearest reclaimed building supply store.  Who knew one of these gems was hiding in the next town over?

The ReCONNstruction Center of New Britain, Connecticut is different from the rest of the pack.  It is a non-profit group whose mission includes not only salvaging building materials in the name of mother earth, but it also aims to support the local area by providing reasonable prices for the residents and providing a livable wage for it?s employees. 

Driving into the parking lot of the ReCONNstruction Center I spied a neighbor.  Coincidence or a sign of a real tend?  This neighbor has been slowly renovating his 1885 Victorian home with mostly reclaimed fixtures.  My unnamed neighbor allegedly plays hookey from work every couple of weeks to check out what is new in the store.  And it is always changing.

On the day I visited the store, an antique door from the 1700?s ($300) was prominently displayed alongside a new and modern glass sink ($350).   Antique fireplace tiles (25 cents) caught my eye and made me wish for a fireplace of my own.  Full paint cans stacked to the ceiling and priced for pennies almost made me want to repaint the house.  Kerry Ann Kowar, The ReCONNstruction Center?s friendly volunteer coordinator with the displaying skills of one of the Barker?s Beauties in jeans, eloquently described the store?s endless tile samples, bathroom vanities, doorknobs, kitchen cabinets, windows, doors and bins of hardware.

Kerry Ann explained that all of their materials are donated by homeowners, builders and companies going out of business.  Since The ReCONNstruction Center is a non-profit, each donation is completely tax-deductable.

When deciding to make a purchase at a home restoration store, there are a few dangers to consider.  For example, the paint on those beautiful wooden pieces made prior to 1978 can contain lead.  Light fixtures should also to be purchased with caution.  Old wiring may not be up to code and can pose a dangerous fire risk.  Unless you are an electrical whiz, factor in the price of an electrician to bring your new find up to code. 

Whether you are looking to save a few dollars, want to find period fixtures or are looking to save building materials from the landfill, a field trip to your local building materials salvage store is a worthwhile trip.

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