How do I get rid of unused supplies after a remodel?

The days of pouring paint down the gutter and tossing perfectly useful excess construction materials in a dumpster are over, and rightly so. The general rule in remodeling projects is to buy 10% more than you estimate that you need, in case of  overruns. What do you do with the leftover bits from a home improvement project that are brand new and perfectly useable? What about solvents and chemicals that you'll never use again? Do you store them in your garage for the next 20 years, taking up space and slowly going bad? You COULD, but there are better options. Let's talk about a few ways to dispose of leftovers from a remodeling project.

What can you do with extra construction material?

• Most cities have building material reuse donation centers. Quite often, it will be a Habitat For Humanity Restore, but there are often local options, Like Bud's Warehouse in Denver, as well. These places will often come to you to collect materials that they need the most, then they resell them to the public well below retail, and that money goes to charitable causes. Items accepted range from nails and screws to vanities and cabinets, both new and used. (Bonus tip: If you are slowly collecting parts for a project or you don't have a specific model or color in mind for a project, you could save a lot of money by shopping at a building material resale store.)
• In the event that there are items that a reuse store cannot accept because they already have too much or don't have customers that need those items, it's a good idea to check with a general donation center. Places like Goodwill and Savers will often take small amounts of supplies that the building supply resellers won't. A small box of a dozen tiles might not be useful for someone buying enough to retile even a backsplash, but it could be perfect for someone's mosaic craft project. 
• Solvents and chemicals require special care. Paints can be recycled. Yes, that's right. Recycled paint is growing in popularity. Quite often, a building material resale store can point you in the direction of a recycler. Some municipalities have chemical drop-off days. Everything from paint thinner to pesticides can be dropped off and are reused or disposed of appropriately. 
• Finally, if all else fails, you have two more options for those leftover building supplies. First, post them for free or cheap in a public forum like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. You'll reach a large audience and you might find that one person who needs three square feet of laminate flooring. Your second option is to hold onto some parts in case you need to patch something in the future, or, if you're like me, you don't expect this to be your last project. Leftover parts can be useful for smaller projects and repairs. Just keep them organized, or you may be calling Sustainable Junk Removal to clear out a mountain of jumbled building supplies so you can park in your garage!

As part of our commitment to being environmentally friendly, when we are called out to take these leftover building supplies in bulk, we do our best to ensure that useful items are distributed in responsible ways. Unfortunately, we cannot accept chemicals and solvents, but we can certainly take away remnants, removed vanities and cabinets, carpet, drywall, and much more. If items still have a useful life, we do our best to let it continue that life. If they are worn out, we will break them down and responsibly distribute them. Call to learn more. 

Here is a list of resources in the Denver area for building material reuse:

• www.habitatmetrodenver.org/restore/
• www.extrabuild.com
• www.budswarehouse.org

And a list of places for chemical and solvent disposal:

• ​www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/trash-and-recycling
• www.greensheenpaint.com

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