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Residential Deconstruction

What is Residential 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.

The ReUse People Deconstruction Worker

What Are the Steps for Building Deconstruction?

1

Receive an Appraisal Consultation

TRP will have independent, IRS qualified appraisers assist you in determining the preliminary value of your donation at no obligation to you. If you choose to move ahead with the project, the appraiser you hire will complete the full evaluation and all necessary documentation.
2

Get a Free Deconstruction Bid

A TRP-Certified Deconstruction Contractor will submit a bid to carefully deconstruct your building to TRP specifications.
3

Donate

Email or fax the Donation Letter to TRP. This letter states that you intend to make the donation and identifies your appraiser and TRP-Certified Deconstruction Contractor.
TRP will take it from there!

What are the benefits to the homeowner?

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 Homeowner’s Guide to Donations.

residential deconstruction

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™ click on this worksheet.

CitySq. FeetAppraised Donation Value
California
Atherton5,523$182,346
Carmel3,342$137,712
Hillsborough4,330$166,500
Larkspur2,304$129,425
Los Gatos2,450$128,000
Newport Beach6,771$333,000
Oakland1,400$74,144
Palo Alto1,249$57,600
Palo Alto4,500$166,100
Orinda4,275$137,940
Santa Monica1,400$46,694
Woodside8,600$326,863
Connecticut
Madison2,997$177,450
Idaho
Boise1,325$68,550
Kansas
Fairway2,204$77,474
Mission Hills2,996$145,297
Texas
Austin (house move, in-tact donation)2,136$162,000
Austin1,272$88,750
Austin (house move, in-tact donation)1,600$91,750
Austin1,008$34,500
Dallas3,200$129,000
Houston2,156$78,843
Utah
Park City5,070$314,225
Park City3,569$116,700
Draper1,201$71,400
Park City4,798$225,850
Washington
Bellevue3,800$175,600
Redmond800$38,302
Seattle1,600$40,000

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. The costs due not include removal of concrete slabs, sidewalks, foundations, or asphalt, but do include the site being left in a rake clean condition (no debris).

In the machine demolition scenario, the owner pays $19,900, but in the TRP deconstruction scenario, the homeowner receives $32,340 in after-tax benefits reducing total deconstruction costs to $11,960 and saving $7,840. 

DeconstructionDemolition
Physical lowering of house$37,700$15,700
Disposal of trash & debris4,1004,100
Appraisal of salvaged materials2,5000
Total Costs44,30019,800
Donation Value*92,4000
Tax Savings** (After-tax value of donated materials)32,3400
Total Costs (from above)44,30019,800
After-tax net costs$11,960$19,800
Net cash savings of $7,940. (a savings of 39.6%)

*Total materials (lumber, plywood, cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures, doors, windows, etc.) would generally appraise at $75,000 to $112,000 in good reusable condition.

**Assumes a federal tax bracket of 35% – this will be greater in states with income tax.

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