# Need advice!



## healthyhomes (Mar 14, 2008)

Howdy all,

I have been offered a contract to build a small "Green" home. The problem is there is a home on the lot now which must be completely de-constructed.. not demolished. I am used to going into a demolition with hammers swining lol, not carefully de-constructing.

Windows, doors, millwork etc will all be saved keeping with the green theme. As I have never done this before, I am wonderring if anyone has? I am having a difficult time in my estimation for cost, and the developer wants a solid number, no cost plus. Normally I might shy away from this one, but I really want to build the house.

The existing home is stick frame on concrete grade beam. Approx 900 square foot bungalow.

If anyone has carefully deconstructed a small building like this I would love to know details on how long it took you, how many labourers sub trades etc....? I just want to get a general idea. Thanks


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

What is the status of the windows/doors? Being 'green' is not just recycling old materials, it also involves energy efficiency. Old windows and doors may not meet this criteria.


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## healthyhomes (Mar 14, 2008)

I realize this, I should clarify: All of the old materials being salvaged are not to be re-used on this green built house, they are being donated to habitat. Any material not re-useable will be recycled, and no recyclables will of course go to the landfill.

The developer wants the entire project to be as environmentally friendly as possible, not just the new building.


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## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

figure on twice as long as you think it will take and call everyone about their pickup costs. If he wants to be green, i imagine he realizes it is a costly choice. Make sure you arent losing money to help ease his conscience.


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## odellconstruct (Mar 27, 2008)

just consider it as labor only, invest in some wonder bars and cats paws , good putty knife and utlilit blade, keep the edges sharp . of what is salvageable


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

There is a fine line in the green building movement.

Moving forward from today we can learn from the past and make buildings better, stronger, more energy efficient, less carbon footprint, etc.

Is the cost of all this recycling beneficial to the builder? I understand the need for it, but the costs involved in you de-constructing carefully will most likely outwiegh the cost to build new.

Perhaps the people who want/need this recycled materials should start to help with the deconstruction and offset the costs. Drywall and shingles are for the dump, fine, doors can be salvaged and resold, along with cabinets, plumbing fixtures, etc.

Chances are the stuff is in such bad shape no one will want it anyways. Why else would the guy be willing to tear down the house and build new? I have noticed recently even Habitat for Humanities Re-Store is refusing items, what does that tell you?

Before you agree to a hard number I would have made sure each and every item has a home or cost associated with it in regards to removal, tipping fees or pick up/delivery fees of items.


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## skylands (Dec 10, 2005)

I've done this.

I think we will see more and more of this as time goes on. Why, I don't know. Nobody wants the windows, the millwork is all lead based paint and the lumber is rock hard and loaded with nails. 

It looks like you're either leaving out a lot of information or you need to get into the guts of this project a little more.

Recycle what? Reuse where?

When you take out the windows, what will you be doing with them? Do you have to haul them somewhere? Is Habitat going to be standing at the bottom of the ladder for you to hand them to? Are the interior doors and millwork all painted with lead based paint? If so, who's going to take them? 

What's the roof decking? Plywood, 1X's, How many lifts of roofing? Is the developer expecting you to pull the nails from the lumber or can you sawzall them off?

Anyway, I've de-constructed a church, barn and a house. I think that trying to develope a bottom line price is a dangerous thing for you. You could set some parameters, but there's going to be damage and overruns. 

Best of luck but monitor your daily work sheets.


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## AustinDB (Sep 11, 2006)

This Old House has a current episode detailing the deconstruction of a shotgun house in a New Orleans parish and the home buliding shop where the saved materials are stored and later sold. 

I've considered the lead based paint problem-that rules out windows and architectural trim unless someone wants to suck up the price of manually removing the paint, which I'm sure would be expensive.


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## skymaster (Oct 23, 2006)

Healthy: IMHO be careful sounds like this builder is going to use the deconstruction as a club against whoever builds the new house. Sounds like he wants somebody to eat a bunch of the cost to remove this old place. Who is going to pay for ASBESTOS Testing? BEFORE you can remove anything. If there is asbestos found WHO is going to pay for the abatement? Hard cost sounds like a really really bad idea.


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## A.T.H.I. (Feb 8, 2008)

skymaster said:


> Healthy: IMHO be careful sounds like this builder is going to use the deconstruction as a club against whoever builds the new house. Sounds like he wants somebody to eat a bunch of the cost to remove this old place. Who is going to pay for ASBESTOS Testing? BEFORE you can remove anything. If there is asbestos found WHO is going to pay for the abatement? Hard cost sounds like a really really bad idea.


Exactly what I was thinking.

There is also the potential for lead pipes, paint, widow glass etc. 

There could be Asbestos in just about everything from floor tiles, insulation, ceiling tiles etc.

I would at best give them a very broad price range with a clause about extras being applied as required.

You can spend 10 minutes taking out a 10' section of oak baseboard and another 60 minutes taking out the next 10' section. It's not a thing you can put hard numbers or time limits to.

They want you to stick to a hard price because they know that you will screw yourself because of all the veriables you can't predict.


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## healthyhomes (Mar 14, 2008)

I really appreciate all the feedback. I have to carefully consider this. I think a couple of you guys are right. There are just too many unknowns in order to give a solid price. I will give a hard price which stipulates a certain amount of time and responsibility. Anything over will have to be at their cost. I have only been in business for myself for about 6 months now. I know the work well, but it seems I am learning something new every which way I turn, and usually end up losing money because of it.


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## A.T.H.I. (Feb 8, 2008)

healthyhomes said:


> I really appreciate all the feedback. I have to carefully consider this. I think a couple of you guys are right. There are just too many unknowns in order to give a solid price. I will give a hard price which stipulates a certain amount of time and responsibility. Anything over will have to be at their cost. I have only been in business for myself for about 6 months now. I know the work well, but it seems I am learning something new every which way I turn, and usually end up losing money because of it.


 
Any contractor that is honest will tell you that they have lost money on jobs. Hopefully the amount you lost was worth the experience and knowledge you gained. It's hard when you start out and it remains hard even when you've been doing it for years. There is just so much to learn and not enough time. I know that the more I learn the more I realize that I really don't know anything and I've been doing this for over 20 years. When I stop learning then it will be time for me to retire because I don't want to be a "Know It All".


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

where is this located at?


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## WilsonRMDL (Sep 4, 2007)

I agree with everyone else that theres way to many variables. I too have lost money on jobs that I tried to stick a hard number too. If they want a bottom line number with no extras I'd say thank them for their time and move on. I'd look into all the potential hazards which were mentioned before such as asbestos, lead paint, etc. Wheres this house located? I know in my area theres students at local colleges that help out these "green" causes. Maybe you can get them to volunteer to come help haha. Good luck.


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## bob_cntrctr (Jan 30, 2008)

Older post, but in case anyone is still reading or in a similar situation:

Talk to a fire remediation contractor. Contractors specialized in restoring fire damaged buildings do this kind of detailed and highly exact quotation all the time. They have a lengthy list of standard tear-out rates for everything from baseboard to ceiling lights. $x per liniear foot of baseboard, $y per square foot of lathe & plaster wall, z$ per plumbing fixture, etc. A professional estimator will spend an entire day measuring and classifying everything, then punch it into his spreadsheet with the industry standard rates. There's even online software for this - one of the leading providers of such things is symbilitysolutions.com


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