Recyclean makes the old new again by incorporating old pieces into new homes

Recyclean makes the old new again by incorporating old pieces into new homes

When Gwen and Rob Medved were looking to build a new house on Beaver Lake in Hartland, Wisconsin, they found themselves stuck. While the idea of a new home sounded amazing, there were some pieces of their current house they just couldn’t bear to part with. That was when they connected with Recyclean, a deconstruction company in the Midwest, in hopes the business could solve the issue.

“We are a direct substitute for traditional demolition. Our intent is to completely remove the entire structure and salvage and donate on behalf of the client as much of the property as we can. What can't be donated, but can be recycled, we want to properly recycle, ultimately resulting in very little going to the landfill,” said Recyclean partner Joshua White.

Once White spoke with the Medveds over the phone, he went out in person to visit the property for an inspection. Upon meeting them, it was instantly clear White had a lot in common with the couple, the first sign a fun and exciting project was ahead.

“It was really fun for me because it was a really, really cold winter day when we went out there. I had my Purdue stocking cap on, and immediately when I walked up, she was like, ‘I went to Purdue!’ in the middle of Wisconsin. So immediately we had this connection,” White said.

While excited to get started, White knew this would also be a difficult process for the Medveds as well.

“I could tell this was a difficult decision for them. They were looking to replace the house that they were living in with a different home. They just had a lot of memories in this particular place, so the thought of just demolishing it and throwing it away, made them sick,” White said.

However, their nerves disappeared when White assured them their old house would be far from forgotten.

“We made certain that we were going to try to save and repurpose as much of that house as possible. I think that that made them feel much better about the reality of what demolishing the existing home would be,” White said. 

This is where Recyclean stepped in. The company works to preserve and reuse items from older homes and buildings. When newer structures are built, Recyclean finds a way to incorporate the old materials into the newer model. In the Medved’s case, Recyclean was able to preserve things such as wooden floors and antique cream city brick to be incorporated into their new home. 

The Beaver Lake deconstruction project began on November 24, 2020. Week by week, the Recyclean team began deconstructing the house. Every day, more and more items and structures were carefully removed from the house, including: appliances, cabinets, vanities, window and door frames, lighting fixtures and outlets, moldings, carpet, ducts, metal, plaster, wires, wood laith, ceiling, roof, chimneys, walls, bricks, the stairs, the garage, and more.

The project finished on February 15, 2021. 

White said there are many benefits to deconstructing as opposed to bulldozing. Not only will it allow you to preserve your favorite parts of your home, but it will also give you a tax deduction as well.

“Although taking a structure apart by hand effectively takes a little bit longer and costs a little bit more on the front end, the owners are rewarded with the income tax deduction, generally making it a more inexpensive option to deconstruct while still realizing the environmental and philanthropic benefits of our process,” White said.

Parts of the house that can’t be reused are donated on behalf of the owner. They are sent to warehouses or antique lumber companies that incorporate the pieces in the furniture and buildings of their own. 

White said these benefits are what makes working for Recyclean an amazing opportunity.

“If you get to the end of it, and they realize that they found a financially sensible way to assure that the materials don't go to the landfill, it’s a great feeling. They give other people the opportunity to acquire and reuse some of that. It was kind of like the icing on the cake to incorporate some nostalgia into their new design. I really feel like it's really an example of the circular economy,” White said. 

For more information on Recyclean, visit https://recyclean.net/