Recently, DeCiantis Construction was hired to complete a $50,000 master bathroom remodel by a homeowner who has acute allergies to dust. The Stonington, Conn., company went above and beyond the standard route of putting up a plastic barrier. Crews brought in a room air filter, placed dust collectors on all the saws and routers, and placed exhaust fans in the window.
Company owner John DeCiantis says it was lead carpenter Dale Brown's idea to use the type of filter that typically hangs from the ceiling in wood shops. The Delta unit circulates air in the room and has a filter that collects dust.
The firm paid $200 for the filter and less than $500 total to create this dust-free project. "It impressed the client and their cleaning lady immensely," DeCiantis says. "The house was filled with framed photos and collectibles that didn't get dusty." He is now teaching his crews how to set up the equipment and using dust-free remodeling as a selling point to potential clients.
