Make a good first impression with building site

Make a good first impression with building site
Tags: Building Green
January 30, 2012 - Heather Ferrier Laminack

On our new home construction sites, we are recycling or reusing 80 percent of the construction waste, all of which is diverted from landfills. But as we've learned, it takes a good measure of proactiveness and thoroughness to realize this diversion from typical job sites. Here are a few tips that we've learned along the way:

Educate everyone involved. Contractors are used to one huge dumpster for everything, and by asking them to slow down and sort their waste, it requires a certain level of attentiveness that requires dedication from everyone that steps onto the jobsite. So first and foremost, you have to create buy-in from everyone that may generate waste during the course of the job. Explain your recycling/reuse/waster procedures before a trade's scope of work begins and make sure everyone's on the same page as to what is expected.

Clearly mark recycling and trash bins. Having clear signage is key to effectively maintaining a clean, sorted building site.

Provide ample bins across your building site. The closer the bins are to where the work is being performed, the more likely the recyclables/waste will wind up in them.

Make sure recycling and trash bins are emptied on a regular basis. Nothing junks up a site faster than overflowing bins. Maintaining your bins will also save you time in the long run from picking up overflowing materials that have scattered across your site (and often into the neighbor's yard!)

Remember the neighbors. When building, first impressions are often made by the way your site is maintained. Do everything you can to prevent debris from finding its way into neighboring houses. A good proactive measure is before construction/remodeling begins, knock the doors of the neighbors and give them the heads up on what is about to take place, and give them your contact number in case any issues arise. This act will go a long way, trust me.