Recycling Building Materials

A Truck Arrives at the ReCONNstruction Center with our Kitchen CabinetsThe first step of a renovation project is to get rid of all the junk that you don’t want anymore. Maybe it’s a bathroom vanity and toilet, or some windows and doors. For us it was cabinets, counters and appliances. Our old kitchen wasn’t actually junk, since it was in good condition, it just did not fit into our plans for the new space. Although some homeowners make the effort to sell their stuff via CraigsList or through other channels, most times it ends up in a dumpster.

The team at The ReCONNstruction Center is a third option for unwanted building materials. They are in the salvage business and help your stuff find a new home through their New Britain store. As a non-profit, they accept donations of building materials in “good reusable condition” in exchange for tax deductions.

Our interaction with The ReCONNstruction Center went very smoothly. Amy found the organization through the Habitat for Humanity website and scheduled a time for them to collect our old kitchen. On the morning of our pickup, Tony was able to fit most of our cabinets in a single pickup truck bed. It didn’t all quite fit, so he came back later in the day to get the rest. When he returned that afternoon, he said that most of the first load had already sold.

Sinks in the Back Warehouse Area of the ReCONNstruction CenterWe had some time over the weekend, so we stopped in to the store to see the place for ourselves. They have just about everything imaginable. In addition to cabinets, we saw porcelain sinks, doors of all sizes, windows, light fixtures, and hardware, among other things. There was even one of those mechanical chair lifts that are mounted on staircases. Basically, they carry anything and everything that could be used in construction projects.

The ReCONNstruction Center store is open to the public and prices are very reasonable, though keep in mind everything is used and its condition varies greatly. Visit their website for more information on the organization and their hours of operation. They offer a terrific opportunity both to prevent construction materials from entering the waste stream and to help the community. Keep them in mind the next time you consider upgrading your home – maybe you’ll have something to donate, or maybe you’ll find the perfect piece in their store for your new space.