Question:
How much material is typically wasted in the construction of a home?
Answer:
The amount of waste produced during home construction depends on the size of the home, the type of construction, and the techniques used by the builder and the trade contractors. However, in an average 2,000-square-foot home, it is estimated that the following materials are wasted where roughly 80 percent of the waste is recyclable. For example, on average, a single-family house contains 13,127 feet of lumber boards, 14 tons of concrete, 2,085 square feet of flooring material, and 2,427 square feet of roofing material. Reducing material waste can increase profits for a builder by reducing tipping fees, reducing labor costs associated with hauling waste (estimated to be 2.4 hours per ton), and by reducing the amount of raw materials that need to be purchased. See below:
- Solid Sawn Lumber: 1,600 lbs - 6 cubic yards
- Engineered Wood: 1,400 lbs - 5 cubic yards
- Drywall: 2,000 lbs - 6 cubic yards
- Cardboard: 600 lbs - 20 cubic yards
- Metals: 150 lbs - 1 cubic yard
- Vinyl: 150 lbs - 1 cubic yard
- Masonry: 1,000 lbs - 1 cubic yard
- Hazardous Materials: 50 lbs
- Other: 1,050 lbs - 11 cubic yards
For more information, the NAHB Research Center developed a Deconstruction Series is available for $10 at www.nahbrc.com/bookstore, which includes four brochures about various facets of the deconstruction industry.