Deconstructing An Old Kitchen So That it Can Be Recycled

A few years ago, we remodeled the master bathroom, recycling as much as possible of what came out, using recycled or reclaimed materials for nearly all of the interior finishes, choosing tile & counters from carbon-responsible sources, and using energy-conserving fixtures.

Now it was time for the big project, the kitchen! This project presented a number of challenges, sustainability-wise. With the project completed not too long ago, here's what we were able to do and what we learned about sustainability in kitchen remodeling. In this post, I will start with the demolition.

The house is over 50 years old, so the cabinets, while solid wood, were not up to today's standards. Countertops were laminate. Some of the appliances were older (none were original), but several were nearly new. All were quite servicable, and it was evident that the existing kitchen, which functioned fine, should be made available for reuse. We made sure our contract with the contractor doing the renovation/remodeling included a statement that we intended to save as much as possible of the existing kitchen and construction materials. They had to instruct their staff to be careful in removal so that items were not damaged.

At the suggestion of our designer, we contacted Second Chance, Inc., a non-profit building materials recycler in Baltimore, as well as an independent deconstruction appraisal company from Virginia, NoVaStar Appraisals.

NoVaStar sent an appraiser to the house, took detailed information on all of the contents of the kitchen and building parts that would be donated, along with photos.

Second Chance, Inc. scheduled a pickup, and our contractor removed the entire kitchen, putting it on tarps on the front lawn and covering it all with huge sheets of plastic until the pickup date. This included not only the cabinets and appliances, but windows, back door, storm door, lighting fixtures, wood flooring, and anything else that came out of the space being renovated.

The company receiving the donations, Second Chance, coordinated with the appraiser so that the appraiser had the complete inventory of what had been donated. During the next few months, they worked up a professional appraisal of all of the items that had been donated. This is required, if you want a tax deduction for the donation. NoVaStar emailed the full appraisal document along with a signed tax form 8283.

There is a substantial cost for the appraisal, but it is compensated by the deduction, and, there is more value in keeping the removed items out of a landfill and knowing that it can all be repurposed for someone else.

Next post, I'll discuss eco-friendly materials for the new kitchen.

It's Possible to Buy a House that Needs Complete Renovation When You Don't Have the Cash to Renovate

Many houses are on the market that need major updating (usually kitchens and baths) or haven't been maintained in years. I come across properties that have structural issues, have needed a roof for a long time, the cosmetics are not up to date, and innumerable other issues. Most buyers can finance their purchase, but then don't have the funds left over to do the repairs and updates.

A renovation loan can be the answer to this dilemma. The interest rate may be slightly higher than a standard purchase loan, and there are hoops to jump through, but it may mean the difference between a transaction or none. The basics are:

• Start with your real estate agent, who can help you coordinate and navigate through the process
• Find a property that needs a lot of work and start setting up the financing
• Get a renovation coordinator
• Obtain construction proposals from reputable contractors
• A specialized appraiser prepares an appraisal of the current value and the value after approved contruction is completed
• The coordinator assists in finalizing a construction contract and approving a loan that includes the original purchase cost and the construction cost.
• Settlement can occur with the unrenovated value, according to the sales contract with the seller
• Additional funds are released from the lender to the contractor as the work is completed and inspected for approval

You are left with a loan that is larger than the original purchase price, but includes your renovation costs. Your house is now a home with the updates and repairs that you want. 

This is a specialized area of the lending field. I have a licensed loan officer at Prosperity Home Mortgage who handles these loans exclusively. Let me know if you want to be connected with him.