Deconstruction
What is Deconstruction?
Deconstruction is an environmentally-friendly alternative to demolition. Trained deconstruction crews carefully deconstruct the building to salvage as many of the reusable materials as possible, diverting them from local landfills. Salvaged items typically include doors, windows, cabinets, lighting and plumbing fixtures, framing lumber, roofing materials and flooring.
Materials are shipped to TRP retail warehouses, or to the warehouses of partnering organizations, for sale and distribution to the public. Salvaged lumber is sometimes used as raw material by furniture, cabinet and flooring manufacturers.

What Are the Steps for Building Deconstruction?
1
Get a Salvage Survey from TRP
A TRP representative will visit your project and write a salvage survey with photographs identifying the type, quality and quantity of all salvageable materials.
2
Receive an Appraisal Consultation
The survey and photos will be sent to qualified building materials appraisers who will give you a preliminary value of your donation for $150 plus GST. If you choose to go ahead with the project, the appraiser you hire will complete a full appraisal report.
3
Get a Free Deconstruction Bid
A TRP-Certified Deconstruction Contractor will submit a bid to carefully deconstruct your building to TRP specifications.
4
Donate
TRP takes it from there.
What are the benefits to the owner?
The value of used building material donations can often be substantial – large enough to pay for the costs of deconstruction. The following chart shows actual deconstruction jobs and the donation value received by their respective homeowners. The amounts listed are dependent upon several variables and should not be used to assess your specific situation. For additional information, see the Canadian Homeowner’s Guide to Donations..

Actual Appraised Donation Values
Below this chart is a comparison of deconstruction costs to those of traditional demolition on actual projects. To calculate the economic benefit you could receive when choosing The ReUse Solution™.
City | Sq. Feet | Appraised Value |
---|---|---|
Surrey | 910 | $55,510 |
Burnaby | 1224 | $44,270 |
North Vancouver | 1112 | $43,615 |
Vancouver | 2550 | $70,805 |
North Vancouver | 2728 | $167,765 |
Delta | 3122 | $90,030 |
Victoria | 2303 | $148,103 |
Vancouver | 1418 | $56,255 |
Difference Between Deconstruction and Demolition
This chart is a composite based on actual jobs and is used here to make an economic comparison of deconstruction and demolition. This composite is a single-story, 2200 square foot house plus garage, with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, raised foundation, composite shingles, single-paned windows, carpeting, hardwood floors, and a 12 x 40 wood deck.
In the machine demolition scenario, the owner pays $31,500, but in the TRP deconstruction scenario, the homeowner receives $65,000 in tax credits reducing total deconstruction costs to $16,730 and saving $14,770.
Deconstruction | Demolition | |
---|---|---|
Strip out | $11,500 | $8,500 |
House removal & disposal | 28,000 | 17,500 |
Foundation removal | 5,500 | 5,500 |
Appraisal cost | 1,500 | - |
-------------------- | -------------------- | |
Total costs | 46,500 | 31,500 |
-------------------- | -------------------- | |
Appraised value | 65,000 | - |
Total costs (from above) | 46,500 | 31,500 |
- Tax credis (29% & 16.8%)* | 29,770 | - |
-------------------- | -------------------- | |
Net Total Costs | $16,730 | $31,500 |
After-Tax Benefit $14,770
* 29% federal & 16.8% BC
Get Started
Ready to get started with deconstruction? Contact your local TRP location for more information: