1500 New Homes

[davemhughes]

I live in a area where we will be getting about 8k more active duty soldiers being re-deployed from Germany to here over the next 4 years. So we are have a huge building boom right now with housing additions going up everywhere. Outside every new home is one of the big trash containers and a big piles of dirt and limestone rock.

I stopped today and asked who I needed to talk to about getting some of that limestone/dirt/scap building material of all sorts. They are taking it to the landfill and dumping it. Many many pieces of lumber/plastic roll tubing/ sheets of OSB just being thrown away because of slight imperfections or one end is split or some other reason. They said no one can have any of it. The trash company is under contract to haul out so many containers per week and the over all gen contractor wats his money worth from them plus afraid someone would get hurt. They also said no to any dirt and rock even though they are trucking it out to be dumped in old quarry pits.

So went down to the land fill and watched as their dozer just spreads it out and runs over it and keeps piling it up. Asked them about getting some of it....you guessed it, No.

What a waste, i have not doubt there is some much usable stuff being thrown away I could easily build several small storage buildings and rock my entire 1900ft of road i have to build plus build a really nice limestone retaining walls and such with many many more uses also.

Kind of of mad at the stupidity of the waste and I do understand the liability issue but I had no idea exactly the level of waste.

 

[cp1969]

It's too bad you already talked to the dump. Sometimes, the way a question is posed makes all the difference in the answer.

A question like "Do you let people salvage any of this left-over rock?" might get a whole different answer than "I'm comin' over to get some of that construction rubble. When's the best time?"

I'm not saying it works every time, but it has worked in the past.

 

[davemhughes]

"I'm comin' over to get some of that construction rubble. When's the best time?"

Next time I'll try that one as "any chance of getting some of your scraps?" didn't work.

 

[plowking]

That's happened up here as well, years ago I had a friend who drove demolishion containers.He saw cement blocks get thrown away. On some of the bigger jobs, they would throw away air compressors, tools, etc. because it would cost more to store them for another job or they wanted new tools for each job. He got enough T111 siding to finish his garage. plowking

 

[Jstpssng]

That's happened up here as well, years ago I had a friend who drove demolishion containers.He saw cement blocks get thrown away. On some of the bigger jobs, they would throw away air compressors, tools, etc. because it would cost more to store them for another job or they wanted new tools for each job. He got enough T111 siding to finish his garage. plowking

The amount of waste on any major project is scary. I guess it's just an economy of scale, but I still hate to see it.

 

[LarryD]

I have two friends who've both taken the max limit without permit (<500yrds ) of fill from a nearby highway project. Both times they just found the project super and asked what it would cost. Since one site was about the same distance as the pit they were dumping at, he just got charged $25 a load. The other site was right off the highway less than 2 blocks drive, that was free. "And if you spread it fast enough, I can bring more"

There is a major housing renovation going on at NAS Whidbey and they were just loading the old houses in dumpsters as fast as they could. I stopped by the site one day and asked the super if we could have some of the 4x12 beams from the carports. He said there would be some stacked the next day for one day only. So I got 5 good ones @ 22' and my friend got the same number.

I guess you have to find the right person but normally the super just wants the stuff gone. Of course his insurance would probably cancel him if they knew what was going on, really don't like non-employees getting hurt on the site.

 

[deereguy]

I did some "dumpster diving" at a subdivision site that backed up to our farm. I went on Sunday's and evening in the summer time. I was able to get some nice stuff (2x4's, etc, and odd pieces of OSB) but it had nails in it. I would take it home and pounded the nails out and used it to make shelves in the barn. I found out that a neighbor was doing the same thing. The only time police would say anything is if it appeared like I was adding to the dumpsters- it was tempting but never did.

 

[davemhughes]

Plan on asking later in the week but from someone who looks like a foreman/supervisor instead of just some guys working the site. Figure it can not hurt. I asked my neighbor about it as he works for the city inspecting the sites and he said the waste is figured in on the total cost of project and it costs more in time to correct a blemished piece of material than it does to just get a new piece and toss the other one. Maybe ask the dump drivers how much to detour a few loads of rock would be.

 

[WayneB]

Plan on asking later in the week but from someone who looks like a foreman/supervisor instead of just some guys working the site. Figure it can not hurt. I asked my neighbor about it as he works for the city inspecting the sites and he said the waste is figured in on the total cost of project and it costs more in time to correct a blemished piece of material than it does to just get a new piece and toss the other one. Maybe ask the dump drivers how much to detour a few loads of rock would be.

Find the right person and normally a little greese in the palm will make a major difference.

 

[riptides]

Couple of things:

What a waste.

Next, an enterprising soul would make a deal for the imperfect stuff and fill on these big projects. The company would reduce their dump runs, the dump would reduce their material fill and fuel times.

Also, our county actually has a sort of give-away point at our dump centers. Somewhat good ,to "I just don't need it material", end up here. Needless to say, a lot of people make a difference in this, and it doesn't turn into the landfill. Heck, I have seen people trade off their vehicles waiting in line. I say good for them.

-Mike Z.

 

[cp1969]

I acted as the GC when I built my house and there really doesn't need to be all that much waste.

First, unused lumber, the lumber yard will take back. Anything such as lumber that had been cut or nailed, shingles, sheetrock, etc. that I didn't see fit to keep, I donated to Habitat for Humanity. You get a tax deduction for that. I burned the worst lumber, cardboard, etc. The junk like unusable shingles, and other generally worthless stuff went to the landfill but it was only one partially-full sixteen foot trailer load that I hauled myself.

 

[Ductape]

Well..... you tried both ends, now go to the middle. Catch the truck driver picking up the waste. A little payola can go a long way. Six pack of soda... or suds if he'll take it. Or grease the palm of the guys at the landfill with something that would make their life easier. I'm not saying cash..... but bottled water, or something that would make them appreciate it. I know that when i ran my business...... i found the trash guys to be very important to keep happy. I couple cold sodas fresh out of the machine every now and then.... and they would literally take ANYTHING ! Old oil drums to you-name-it. Just be a little more persistant..... and keep a couple gifts handy !

 

[texasjohn]

I cannot tell a lie.... I dive in the construction dumpster stuff after 5PM and the only folks still working are the Mexican laborers. I don't ask anyone, just take whatever seems to fit my current needs. I chat in Spanish with the laborers and they sometimes point me to additonal good stuff that is on the way to the dumpster but hasn't been placed there yet. I've gotten extension cords, lumber of various lengths from 2X4 to 2X16, 4X4, plastic pipe, air duct insulation, hand tools. I've found numerous doors complete with hardware, double pane glass, full and dry sacks of concrete, molding, etc. Oh, yes, lots of new carpet as well. Well worth the effort. I understand the liability issue, but I figure that if somebody gets upset then I'll plead ignorance and beg forgiveness.

 

[MarEng]

I was GC for about 6 months while taking a break from the 'real' world. Built 20+ houses. The best bonus was the after hours dumpster diving. My work benches are all topped with laminate flooring. I traded unopened bags of flexduct with a local AC shop for AC repairs and upgrades to my house. I'm still using up the OSB and framing material.

For each job the crews were sent out with a certain amount of material. If they didn't use it they either had to haul it off or abandon it. Most left it. Every month or so I had to pay someone to haul it to the dump. Tried talking to the sub's bosses and they said they would rather send too much than have an inexperienced crew have to come back for a second day. They offered their guys no incentive to bring the extras back so they didn't. Makes ya sick doesn't it.

The framing crews used to brace walls with clear 16' 2x4s and then throw them away. They often had to break them to get them in the dumpster.