What Would You Build If You Had All The Free Brick You Wanted?
How many times have you admired a graceful brick lined driveway or a brick porch?. Weathered brick just gives off warm feeling of permanence, solidness and sophistication that no other building material can. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a little brick to set off your home?
Working in brick, particularly if you’re thinking brick wall, takes some skill. However, the typical amateur can figure it out with a little trial and error so brick projects can be a do it yourself job. And here’s a big plus. What if you could get the brick for free?
Back in the late 60s the good people of Storm Lake Iowa decided to tear down the god ugly county seat building and build a new one. After about a month of demolition there were huge piles of 120 year old brick from the three story building laying all over the site. In order to save the cost of disposal, the city let it be known the brick was free for anyone who would cart it away.
Shortly thereafter, over a hundred homes suddenly were sporting brick walkways, driveways, patios, garden planters and porches. This lovely little town on a lake was even more lovely thanks to a load of free brick.
That same story is repeated everyday all over the country. You just have to look for it. You can start by checking classifieds or CraigsList.com looking for contractors who have finished a project and have brick left over. Hauling that stuff off is expensive and contractors will give it away if you’ll haul it away.
Typically contractors will purchase about 20% more brick that a job will call for. They do this to allow for breakage and bad cuts. If the amount left over after the job is done, many contractors will simply bury it on the site. Good for the contractor, bad for the homeowner who decides he wants to plant a try in the brick burial ground.
Probably the best way to get free brick is to scout out construction sites. When the’re getting close to completion, ask for the foreman and explain you’d be happy to haul whatever brick he has left over. If you make the deal make sure you live up to it and clear it out on the agreed upon time. Actually if you can make one deal you can probably make more with the same company so you may end up with an endless supply.
Brick is a great building material and it’s even more attractive when it’s free. Keep your eyes peeled and you could have that brick patio for a lot less than you planned.
About the Author
How to free brick is just one of the tips that Jessica Boyd enjoys passing on. However she also has some great ideas about Miter Saw Accessories that you can find on MiterSawAccessories.Com. Visit there today and get her latest information on Makita Sliding Miter Saw
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