Reclaimed Material Advice

KyloJen · 09-09-2020, 06:23 PM

I was just wondering, if anyone here is using reclaimed material in their build, how did you find it? Did you have connections that hooked you up? Where did you find your source?

Thanks!

musigenesis · 09-09-2020, 07:02 PM

I'm using a bunch of reclaimed material, all stuff found on Craigslist. I got lucky and found 4 full sheets and 7 half-sheets of 2" XPS foam board for $75, and 25 4'x4' sheets of 3/4" plywood for $125, which saved a good $300-$400 on the cost of my subfloor. Also found all of my appliances on CL. So my only connection is Craig.

EastCoastCB · 09-09-2020, 07:25 PM

Guy I sold a bus to used an old basketball court floor as his ceiling.

KyloJen · 09-09-2020, 10:30 PM

I've definitely been keeping an eye on FB marketplace and kijiji. Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it!

JackE · 09-10-2020, 07:12 AM

I have a long list of parts I scavenged from an old class A motor home. I haven't priced everything but I'm guessing I have saved at least $5000 in usable stuff. And that's just hardware stuff, I'm not using any of that nasty furniture junk. Defunct RV's are a great source for parts, and often you can get them for next to nothing, or free. Mine was free and I drove it into my yard.

RolesvilleMarina · 09-10-2020, 07:47 AM

FB marketplace is where I find most things.

I also have a habit of buying entire things, taking a part, and reselling.

for example, the galley in my short bus is made from pop up camper parts.

I bought a pop up camper in bad condition for $150 on FB. I wanted the stove, and other things. Then due to the algorithms another pop up came up for $100, so I went and bought that too.

This is what I bagged out of the campers

1. 2 stoves (gave one to a fellow skoolie)
2. the cabinets and drawers from the one pop up became my galley... looks smart.
3. the thick shore power cables, and one pop up had a thick extenstion cable for it. (these are expensive to have to buy)
4. The AC/DC inverter chargers were removed, and one is in the bus, the other sold
5. two roof top Air Con units
6. A ton of "misc camping things" scattered throughout each camper
7. other small misc but handy things for the build, like the table.

When I was finished gutting the campers and taking what I wanted I re-listed them as "utility trailers" for $150 each and made some profit at the same time acquiring what I need.

Then I decided NOT to use the used air con's in my build and bought a new one, so I sold them each for $100

all this profit of course goes back into the build. But doing things this way you often can get what you need and sell what you don't

to buy or make the galley and buy a stove a la carte I would just simply be out the $

I also bought a $500 sailboat, took the bbq grill was mounted on it, and a few things and then sold it for $500

Also we took old house screens, cut them to the right size and put them back together (is easy) and now the bus has screened windows for free

think outside the box

cheers

KyloJen · 09-10-2020, 12:03 PM

I will have to keep an eye out for campers around here. It's getting to be the end of the season, so hopefully people will be looking to ditch old ones they don't want to store. Unfortunately, the salvage place here doesn't part out RVs. You have to buy the entire thing and they are ridiculously expensive.

RolesvilleMarina · 09-10-2020, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyloJen

I will have to keep an eye out for campers around here. It's getting to be the end of the season, so hopefully people will be looking to ditch old ones they don't want to store. Unfortunately, the salvage place here doesn't part out RVs. You have to buy the entire thing and they are ridiculously expensive.

I wouldn't worry about RV's as you yanks call it
those are the driving style correct?

A caravan is where you can find the better deals...the trailers, as you don't need the motor bits

look for bad roofs and damage that you can still harvest what you need

and possibly pass the leftovers for profit, break even, or just anything

Drew Bru · 09-10-2020, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

I wouldn't worry about RV's as you yanks call it
those are the driving style correct?

A caravan is where you can find the better deals...the trailers, as you don't need the motor bits

Eh, the word RV is kind of generic and interchangeable AFAIK, used for both motor homes and trailers. I've only heard the term caravan used by Europeans and Kiwis.
As far as reclaimed materials, we found a couple of architectural salvage places for some interesting and unique materials (tin ceiling, barnwood, and the like). We also bought a kitchen sink and some flooring at Habitat for Humanity REstore, which is a pretty great source for cabinets, lighting, plumbing, etc. Flea markets are good too. Many things on our bus were repurposed/recycled and are items that are being used for something other than their intended purpose.

RolesvilleMarina · 09-10-2020, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew Bru

Eh, the word RV is kind of generic and interchangeable AFAIK, used for both motor homes and trailers. I've only heard the term caravan used by Europeans and Kiwis.
As far as reclaimed materials, we found a couple of architectural salvage places for some interesting and unique materials (tin ceiling, barnwood, and the like). We also bought a kitchen sink and some flooring at Habitat for Humanity REstore, which is a pretty great source for cabinets, lighting, plumbing, etc. Many things on our bus were repurposed/recycled and are items that are being used for something other than their intended purpose.

Well I am from ruislip UK originally

so guilty

JackE · 09-10-2020, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

Well I am from ruislip UK originally

so guilty

Ya, this side of the pond when you refer to a caravan, we all envision a soccer mom mini-van with stick on wood grain paneling built by Dodge.

KyloJen · 09-10-2020, 03:43 PM

Also, I'm Canadian.

BeNimble · 09-10-2020, 03:51 PM

If you want Free, Craigslist Free is about all you got, but you can go to garage sales and they typically give away free stuff that isn't sold by the end of the day.

To pay minimally, garage sales or Craigslist. I don't do facebook et al.

There is also Habitat for Humanity ReStore, went there today, man that place is pretty much empty compared to years past. Then Goodwill Stores, was there 2 days ago (next to fiberglass distributer), beds, tables, etc, small appliances, you can get big shoulder mount VHS cameras for $5..lol There are some other donations stores like Salvation Army, have not been. There are flea markets, was not worth the time IMO.

For building materials sometimes you can find scraps at construction sites, I have not tried.

We used to have "clean up day" where you put junk out front to get hauled to dump, and people come pick through it, but because of that they changed it to by appointment only, so the streets not full of junk everywhere for a week. Don't know about your city.

musigenesis · 09-10-2020, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyloJen

Also, I'm Canadian.

"Kijiji" was the giveaway there.

SMMTX · 09-10-2020, 04:32 PM

Got a bunch of #1 and #2 lumber, some short 6x6 cedar posts, cabinet wood scraps most 3 or more feet, t in g paneling pieces, 50 ft PEX, trim, bunch of 2x12 pieces one 10 ft, and a compressor needed carburetor free dumpster diving. Actually leaning upside down... I don't get in there.
Bought nine 16 foot 1x6 pine t in g paneling for $40 on NextDoor. Also brand new never started duel fuel 3500/4000 Champion generator $350.
I think it is best to look for your own ways to find materials instead of following the beaten trail that others have already trod. Ask around your area... stop by that old welding shop, see if the owner will let you find pieces in his trash pile. Maybe end up helping you with a roof rack or something. Having a welder not required, but very helpful. Fabricate your own stuff. I just took an aluminum ATV rack I paid $60 for on ND and cut it in to a 12 ft. ramp for my dogs for the bus. Steel door cover folds down into little porch.

KyloJen · 09-10-2020, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMMTX

Got a bunch of #1 and #2 lumber, some short 6x6 cedar posts, cabinet wood scraps most 3 or more feet, t in g paneling pieces, 50 ft PEX, trim, bunch of 2x12 pieces one 10 ft, and a compressor needed carburetor free dumpster diving. Actually leaning upside down... I don't get in there.
Bought nine 16 foot 1x6 pine t in g paneling for $40 on NextDoor. Also brand new never started duel fuel 3500/4000 Champion generator $350.
I think it is best to look for your own ways to find materials instead of following the beaten trail that others have already trod. Ask around your area... stop by that old welding shop, see if the owner will let you find pieces in his trash pile. Maybe end up helping you with a roof rack or something. Having a welder not required, but very helpful. Fabricate your own stuff. I just took an aluminum ATV rack I paid $60 for on ND and cut it in to a 12 ft. ramp for my dogs for the bus. Steel door cover folds down into little porch.

it's mostly the raw matierials I'm trying to find. It seems like lots of people talk about getting things from construction sites, but like... how do you even find out where those are? I can literally see the ReStore from my window, so hitting them up is easy. And pallets are pretty simple to find.

KyloJen · 09-10-2020, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musigenesis

"Kijiji" was the giveaway there.

LOL Right?

SMMTX · 09-11-2020, 07:38 PM

I live in the country, but the city is coming out here. Large 2 to 10 acre lots with homes low end 500k and up to 3 million, covers a ten by five mile area. so there are always two or three dozen builds going on. I can watch the progress and see when the framing in happening and when the finish out guys are in there. I always ask someone during the day when the boss is there, but I ask to go back when the workers leave late afternoon. Sometimes they will say anything on the ground that is cut or has nails is okay to take, but make sure about that. Technically trespassing, so ask permission even though...
I have also asked about rock and been turned loose to pick up what they call trash pieces.

MedicineBus · 09-13-2020, 06:52 PM

Majority of my Build is all pallets. I buy screws, goop, paint from hardware store and dig around for broken pallets. They love for me to take them. Also these things called stickers. Heavy duty wood blocks they use and throw away as well. Probably taken apart 50 pallets so far. Every one is unique and cool once sanded and linseed oil. Quilt patch bus. Also built the floor out of old shelves.

Mudhutwarrior · 09-16-2020, 04:03 PM

Hunt everywhere for your build. I was in Maine for my first build so I relied heavily on Marine junkyards along with craigslist type outfits and ebay. Was lucky to hook up with a reclaimed construction materiel's outfit too. They had lots of old barn boards and such that ripped down nicely. On the marine side I used a lot of fittings and fasteners and my first genny was a marine diesel I converted to air cooled by adding a racing radiator and electric water pump. Heating came by way of a newport heater, diesel also. Just be imaginative in your search. No offense but most RV stuff is crap out of the box and the marine stuff is just all sorts of better.

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