camelot-forum.co.uk

article about what (to me anyway) is obviously a good idea...
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... nd-garages

Kelly Sempels’ dad was a builder, most of her five brothers are builders, and, until leaving her last job, she too was a builder. Now, after a career fixing roofs and laying bricks Sempels is plying a new trade: “urban mining”. She and her crew of six still dress and talk like builders, but their focus now revolves less around construction than dismantling.

“I love it when I can go to work and learn something new,” says the 43-year-old, pointing to a pile of laminate floor tiles in the corner of the terrace house that she is helping to strip. “Like how to break wooden floors without actually breaking them.”

Sempels is one of hundreds of workers and volunteers across the historic Belgian city of Leuven involved in an ambitious project to cut waste and create a “circular economy”. The plan, encapsulated by the 28 “action points” in the city’s official circular strategy, aims to reduce material consumption and be “more mindful of the limits of the planet”.

etc.

AE-NMidlands wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 12:07 pm article about what (to me anyway) is obviously a good idea...
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... nd-garages

Kelly Sempels’ dad was a builder, most of her five brothers are builders, and, until leaving her last job, she too was a builder. Now, after a career fixing roofs and laying bricks Sempels is plying a new trade: “urban mining”. She and her crew of six still dress and talk like builders, but their focus now revolves less around construction than dismantling.

“I love it when I can go to work and learn something new,” says the 43-year-old, pointing to a pile of laminate floor tiles in the corner of the terrace house that she is helping to strip. “Like how to break wooden floors without actually breaking them.”

Sempels is one of hundreds of workers and volunteers across the historic Belgian city of Leuven involved in an ambitious project to cut waste and create a “circular economy”. The plan, encapsulated by the 28 “action points” in the city’s official circular strategy, aims to reduce material consumption and be “more mindful of the limits of the planet”.

etc.

I'm very much in favour of reclaiming building materials! Was tempted by a load of hardwood floorboards that'd come out of an old factory when I was building my garden office. If I had my time again I'd have gone for it but I wasn't as confident back then!

I recycled the engineered hardwood flooring from the living room when carpeting it and put it into the kitchen.
One of the cheapest but best quality moves I ever did in house repairs.

We go to the secondhand market all the time. In fact, we go there first. Vanport so far in used or deeply ex stock is

6x6 beams
2x2 slabs
3x2 slabs
Gate hinges
Roof sheeting

Upping threaded rod too instead of buying finished coach bolts. I'd far rather take the time to source/adjust myself

I won't buy used power hand tools as its an unknown and likely to be a false economy. Cement mixer or mini digger yes.

Joeboy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:47 am

I won't buy used power hand tools as its an unknown and likely to be a false economy. Cement mixer or mini digger yes.

or stolen from a trader

Seems a good idea, better than skip diving as at least the removal of the product will be thought about with the new owner/ project in mind.

Ken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 12:01 pm

Joeboy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:47 am

I won't buy used power hand tools as its an unknown and likely to be a false economy. Cement mixer or mini digger yes.

or stolen from a trader

While I like to sell old power tools that I no longer use, I'll never buy a used power tool from someone I don't know. Tool-theft is just too rampant and (to me at least) even more unethical than other crime. I refuse to take the risk of being involved in taking away someone's means to earn a living...

Stinsy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 12:56 pm

Ken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 12:01 pm

Joeboy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:47 am

I won't buy used power hand tools as its an unknown and likely to be a false economy. Cement mixer or mini digger yes.

or stolen from a trader

While I like to sell old power tools that I no longer use, I'll never buy a used power tool from someone I don't know. Tool-theft is just too rampant and (to me at least) even more unethical than other crime. I refuse to take the risk of being involved in taking away someone's means to earn a living...

Wouldn't even have thought of that scenario.

I just didn't want to buy gear with a short lifespan...

Stinsy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 12:56 pm

Ken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 12:01 pm

Joeboy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:47 am

I won't buy used power hand tools as its an unknown and likely to be a false economy. Cement mixer or mini digger yes.

or stolen from a trader

While I like to sell old power tools that I no longer use, I'll never buy a used power tool from someone I don't know. Tool-theft is just too rampant and (to me at least) even more unethical than other crime. I refuse to take the risk of being involved in taking away someone's means to earn a living...

Fully agree with all the above

Fantastic idea - what is good about it is the commitment/strategy being promoted by local leaders/politicians.

Along with others, while doing our house renovation we’ve always tried to recycle/reuse any of the building materials from the site or buying/sourcing used materials.

Reusing from the site is a triple whammy - environmentally friendly, and financially ‘friendly’ - you don’t pay for disposal of ‘waste’ and you’re saving buying new.

Managed to save materials from previous projects for our last paving project. Bought a load of block paving (250 for £30) to have enough to complete it a couple of weeks ago - the seller had 6000 to re-home

The finished project is going to be a bit of a jigsaw of materials, textures and colours, but we think it will look good.

The worst example we’ve encountered was the block paving we obtained for the veg/fruit garden paths.

A friend moved onto a new development and noticed a skip full of building materials, including block paving - she knew we were looking for some.

Asked the site manager who said we were welcome to them.

Thing is, the blocks were spare because when new owners moved into their house they noticed that some of the block paving had scratch marks.

The site couldn’t match the existing so had to replace the whole drive

Did us a favour, but, the potential waste is staggering.