We are all seeking out our calling. It can be something that we get praised for worldwide or, more often, it’s a small act of kindness only acknowledged by your local area. With that in mind, if you’ve been looking for a way to give back to families and individuals in your community, then you should be interested in learning more about building deconstruction. Why not donate a building that you’re just going to demolish anyway?
That being said, you might want to consider talking to a property consultant in Maryland about the benefits of building deconstruction for donation.
What is deconstruction?
Deconstruction is just what it sounds like. It’s the act of taking something apart to reduce it back down to the individual pieces used to build it—in this case, a building such as a home or other structure. Deconstruction is different from demolition in that a building gets dismantled with care so materials can be salvaged with the intent of reusing them for a good purpose. In addition, the community-based benefits of such an undertaking range from economical to environmental.
Benefits of home deconstruction for donation
There are a number of benefits related to deconstruction for donation purposes. Here’s a closer look at four of the key upsides:
- Reusable materials: Not only does reusing building materials cut down on landfill waste, it’s also a great way to preserve parts of dilapidated historic or unique structures. Some older materials—either hard to find these days or still holding strong—hold a monetary value that can pass down to the new construction for which it’s used. Rest assured that repurposing all sorts of materials is not only going to do good in someone else’s life, but it is also without a doubt a fantastic contribution to our planet.
- Good for the environment: When a structure is properly deconstructed and most of its components removed for use in another construction project, you’ve done the environment a great service. There is less of an impact by more landfill clutter and gas emissions are not expended to demolish a building, since most deconstruction is done meticulously by hand.
- Economic advantages: While there are tax benefits associated with donating deconstructed materials, know that the Internal Revenue Service requires an appraisal from a property consultant in Maryland for donations over $5,000. Furthermore, unless the non-profit you represent has approval to dismantle buildings, you are also responsible for contracting a certified deconstruction company for dismantling services. But charities everywhere ask that you don’t let this dissuade you from donating your building to a good cause.
- Helps the community: While most charities collect monetary and material donations at a local level, they are also likely to accept your time, knowledge and offerings of physical labor. All these generous donations work together to provide much needed local support, maybe even to people in your community. Ultimately, donated materials can go to Habitat for Humanity or other charitable organizations, and your deconstructed home donation may even contribute to job creation and educational training.
For a smooth go at tax time, take counsel from a property consultant in Maryland to appraise your home deconstruction donation. For more information, get in touch with Jane Campbell-Chambliss & Associates, LLC today.