Deconstruction is exactly as the terms suggests, homes are taken apart piece by piece, just as they were built.
Deconstruction offers a great many advantages over demolition:
- Substantial tax benefits for most deconstructions
- Many materials can be reused (light fixtures, appliances, flooring, lumber, roofing tiles, etc.)
- Large cost savings in reduction of disposal of items
- Many items from the deconstruction are also recyclable (concrete, drywall, copper wiring, etc.)
- Dependant on the deconstruction company and their policies, most deconstructions are tax deductable.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles has partnered with The Deconstruction & Reuse Network Inc. here in southern California, to actually perform all deconstruction projects that have been offered to us. The Reuse Network is a fee for service deconstruction contractor that literally starts at the roof and works their way to the ground in deconstructing a building. The materials that can be salvaged are then sorted, loaded and sent to our Home Improvement Store here in Los Angeles. The materials we receive are sold to the general public and the funds generated by those sales assist Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles in its global mission of ending poverty housing.
In most instances all of the materials donated from a deconstruction are tax deductible as “In Kind Donations”. This may seem like a small thing, but it can have a huge fiscal impact on the overall cost of a building project. The initial cost of deconstruction is normally higher than a simple demolition (scrape with a bulldozer and dump in a landfill.) Because the “entire” house is being donated, it all falls under the criteria of an “In Kind Donation.” What this all translates into is this; While the initial cost of deconstruction is higher than conventional demolition, it is in most cases ultimately more cost effective to have a structure deconstructed and utilize the tax deductions tied to the materials that are donated.
If you would like more information about deconstruction and the Reuse Network, please contact:
Lorenz Schilling
Read ALL the ways you can make a difference with Habitat:
Tip #1: Go Shopping Tip #2: Have a Yard Sale Tip #3: Write a Check Tip #4: Donate a Vehicle Tip #5: Donate Building Materials Tip #6: A Brush with Kindness Tip #7: Donate to our Home Store Tip #8: Sell on eBay Tip#9: Creative Fundraising Tip #10: Corporate Community Relations Tip #11: Become a Family Mentor Tip #12: Donate Land Tip #13: Give Professional Skills Tip #14: Advocate & Speak Out Tip #15: Join a Committee Tip #16: Build With Us Tip: #17: Get Your Kids Involved Tip #18: Have a Party Tip #19: In Lieu of Gifts #20: Go HollywoodLabels: copper wiring, deconstruction, furniture donations, habitat greater los angeles, home remodeling, in kind donation, recycle your home, reuse network, tax write-off
