The house was built in 1963 ...so not old. It was well built and has a brick exterior. Very few houses here have any brick on them. Brick is very expensive here. Wood is very cheap so our houses are mostly built of wood.
The house next door was sold on Oct. 31. The buyers were reported to be planning to spend $100000.00 on renovations. The next day two women showed up and started taking things out of the house... kitchen cupboards and anything that would move. It's just gone on. Attic insulation was removed. Then gyproc went out to the dumpster. The last two days all the interior studding was hauled out. Now the studding is perfectly good wood. It is a crying shame to throw good would into the landfill site.
I'm afraid more of this house will go into the garbage before they are finished. and start rebuilding. So all electrical and plumbing will be ripped out and thrown away.
Now I admit that this house needed some work on it. The people who lived in it did not do regular up keep and it was not very clean. However, a little elbow grease and cleaning would have made a big difference. Then a good paint job. I think the windows may be rotten so they need to be replaced.
So I think we are very wasteful. Where I live there's lots of good wood so why not throw good would away? I think it's a shame to throw usable material away.
Why destroy a perfectly habitable building away?
I understand how you feel Red. I was raised by parents that grew up during the depression and I was taught to not waste anything. Around here we have some building material stores called ReStore and you can donate usable building materials to them to be sold at a discount or used in Habitat for Humanity homes. It keeps usable material out of the landfill and helps others at the same time. However, I would have some concerns about older electrical or plumbing items unless they were in good condition. I guess you will be getting new neighbors once they are done!
ReplyDeleteWe have habitat for humanity and they would appreciate some of the stuff. The house is the same age as mine.I think my house is in great shape but someone may think it should be gutted and renovated.
DeleteMy house is a timber 1963 model. It needs some work but it would be perfectly habitable for decades to come. Unfortunately it is considered a "knock down" and would be sold for barely over land value. People these days don't want anything so humble
ReplyDeleteKnock down is a familiar term here.
DeleteI agree...renovation waste always bothers me. When I lived in New York, I used to read about people who would buy new high-end condos with brand-new fixtures and appliances, and they'd rip everything out so they could customize it to their own style. So basically they were throwing away new ovens and stoves and refrigerators that had never even been turned on. Made me nuts!
ReplyDeleteSome people have far too much money for the brains they have.
DeleteHello, that is a shame and a waste. Some times I watch a show on HGTV called Rehab Addict, Nicole is the main character, she renovates old houses and saves as much as she can while doing a lot of the work herself. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day. Have a great new week ahead!
ReplyDeleteThe show sounds like it's a good example.
DeleteIt is a disease to change a good house so drastically. Have seen it here too. It has to become a palace for some people.
ReplyDeleteI think some people have too much money for their own good.
DeleteIt's always a shame to waste things like wood although the practicalities usually mean it's more work therefore more expensive to reclaim. I can understanding someone completely renovating a 55 year old not-well-maintained house though.
ReplyDeleteSometimes our work and money don't make sense.
DeleteIt does seem wasteful. People want a different style interior than they did a generation ago. At least they aren't tearing the whole thing down and building a McMansion on the spot.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. we have some of those here. They are ugly.
DeleteMaybe it doesn't stand up to code? Did you see my deconstruction photos, of the old antique store?! They couldn't dump enough money into it to meet code. These are old homes. They had no insulation.
ReplyDeleteA 1963 model house should be up to code.
DeleteHi Red, It does sound wasteful. I wonder how much they paid for the house? Maybe a bargain if they are going to put 100K into renovation. I would have been temped to go over and get the wood out of the dumpster if I had a woodstove. As time goes by what is going to happen in this world when all the landfills are full? Thanks for the post and keeping us up-to-date with happening on Spencer Street.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what they paid for the house. I think they have some time before they would flip it.
DeleteI wonder if it had a problem like mold. That would make it hard to keep a lot of it. I hope they keep the brick siding!
ReplyDeleteI don't think mold was a problem.
DeleteThe mindset you describe is a widespread problem, and it drives me nuts. On the other hand, maybe as Bonnie said, there were problems with the wiring or plumbing. Or maybe there was mold between the gyproc and the frame. It's hard to say. But when folks throw away serviceable items just to update the look, that is hard on the environment.
ReplyDeleteThe plumbing and wiring would have been up to date.
DeleteHere they knock down smaller homes in the city, century old places, and replace them with giant modern style box style crap that sticks out like a sore thumb from its neighbours.
ReplyDeleteI know the ugly houses you're talking about.
DeleteWe are such terrible wasters. We waste food, my grandchildren waste toys, we all waste gas, I waste time...we will sow what we reap.
ReplyDeleteYes some day we will run out of material. I think climate change will get us first.
DeleteMaybe they could give away what's good. There are always people who will use recycled reused wood. In some places there are stores who sell those type of goods.
ReplyDeleteWe have habitat for humanity and they could take a lot of material.
DeleteI asked a carpenter why there was so much waste...he said it is cheaper to have his men get a new 2 X4 and cut it to length versus getting out a tape measure and seeing if one already cut could be used. unreal :(
ReplyDeleteThat is one specific example but I wonder if in the overall scheme of things this really makes sense.
DeleteThere might be more to this story. Or not. Perhaps you'll find out in time when they get settled.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there's more to this story. I think they know the ropes.
DeleteI agree. What a waste. I wonder too if there was some problem that was not visible to the eye. But probably just wanted to start over from scratch. :-(
ReplyDeleteI think they have a plan to change the inside floor plan.
DeleteWe are all responsible for trying to conserve the world's resources and the house renovation you are talking about demonstrates that many people simply do not give a damn!
ReplyDeleteYou're right. they don't care.
DeleteOur Habitat for Humanity Restore will take loads of things... windows, cupboards, johns, tubs etc..... but not lumber . Especially not lumber that hasn't been cleaned up.. ie nails removed etc. So what do you suggest? How would you "recycle" it? My husband says this is all a money issue. It is cheaper to use new unless it is of architectural value! It has gotten to the point where recycling costs money!!
ReplyDeletePeople can be so wasteful all in the name of renovating a place. It's too bad that some of the wood and other items couldn't have gone to a salvage place that might have found a re-use even if I am not exactly sure if one is available in your area, Keith.
ReplyDelete