Home buyers with an eye on teardowns are discovering a secondary income stream reclaiming and selling everything from hardwood flooring to pedestal sinks.

  Outside Chicago, buyer Tim Carey decided to tear down the two-bedroom, one-bath home with a damaged foundation and water leaks. But by having a company deconstruct the home for reuse or recycling, he benefited from the nearly $135,000 in raw materials that were donated to a charitable organization.

  The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 40 percent of the country’s solid waste stream comes from construction waste and demolition debris. Nonprofit organizations that divert reusable materials and fixtures from that stream often offer both modern and vintage windows, doors, plumbing and lighting fixtures, and trim for a fraction of the retail price.