Salvaging Houses & Buildings For Valuable Stuff

Here is my updated guide on scrapping houses for wood and other valuable items. I made a post like this a long time ago, but it seems to have gone missing.

There is a lot of valuable wood and other goodies that folks just leave in old buildings that are going to be torn down. In my own experience, there can be a lot of money if you are willing to do the work.
Real wood is one of the most over-looked things in old buildings that can be worth anywhere from $0.05 to $4.50+ per linear foot ( depending on species ).
Next time you see an old house or building that is about to be torn down, here are a few things to look for that are worth some $

Wooden siding ( hardwoods )
Wooden vertical walls in good condition ( found in old 'box houses' )
Real hardwood floors
Real wood trim work/chair rail/baseboard/frames/e.t.c.
Wooden banisters
Wooden railing
Wooden pillars/ends
Wooden windows in-frame ( with window weights and pulleys )
Decorative vents / cast-iron vents ( not as scrap )
Cast-iron radiators that are decorative ( not as scrap )
Free-standing cast-iron tubs in good condition ( not as scrap )
Stainless steel sinks ( not as scrap )
Slop sinks
Real wood cabinets with doors
Real wood furniture ( depending on species and age of wood used )
Old style wood/coal burners ( not as scrap )
Vintage outlet & switch covers ( especially 2-holed switch plates and 2-button switches !!! )
Old door knobs and leaver-locks ( classic key holes )
Glass/porcelain/lead-crystal/brass door knobs with mechanisms ( not as scrap )
Vintage light fixtures ( not as scrap )
Vintage hinges with original screws - also door pivots ( not as scrap )
Solid wood doors
Heavy metal/wood institutional doors in good condition - frames are a bonus
Bedroom doors & closet doors
Storm doors in good condition ( not as scrap )
Decorative shower doors with runners & tracks ( not as scrap )
Mirrors
Certain types of ceramic/stone tiles
Stone counter tops ( not worth a lot, but still worth a few $ )
Marble/stone thresholds & window sills ( not worth a lot, but still worth a few $ )
Glass bricks without mortar in good condition
Old rough-cut beams & lumber ( folks love 'barn wood' )
Large 'cut stone' foundation stones ( 5+ ton rectangle blocks )
Good condition bricks/cinder blocks that are mortar-free ( Warning: lot of work ! )
Corrugated glass
Metal catwalk/grating in good condition ( industrial grade - not as scrap )
Corrugated sheet metal in very good condition ( not as scrap )
Long sections of I-beams/channel iron/angle iron/square stock/round stock/flat iron/u-channel/uni-strut in good condition ( not as scrap )

What I have noticed in old houses though is that alot of the nice red oak trims and mouldings are covered in lead paint.
I've been tossing them out just because it's not worth the health risks to sand the lead paint off. Do you keep the stuff covered in lead paint?

Mmmmmmmm.....lead!

I think we're in a different age now. Pre recession, there was all kinds of crazy money floating around and old house restoration was " In " . Do you remember the the charm of Bob Villa & This Old House ? Rich people were really into that kind of thing.

That all changed when the recession of 2007 - 2008 hit. I was talking with one rich guy back then and he was saying that his family wealth lost half of it's net worth in a span of two weeks when the stock market went sideways.

That * Ahem * market correction really sobered people up.

Nowadays, it's more about practicality and cost in the building industry. Even the rich folks can't afford the sentimentality of restoring an old house to original condition with original antique materials. That has gone out of style and they're into building new these days.

Oftentimes the whole reason they're tearing down "that old house" is to make way for the new.

Point being: There used to be a demand for salvaged materials but the times changed.You have to change and adapt accordingly.