Deconstruction

Through the efforts The ReUse Deconstructon Company (a division of TRP) and those of our TRP-Certified Deconstruction Contractors, over 260,000 tons of reusable materials have been diverted from our landfills.

In the U.S. materials are shipped to a TRP retail warehouse, or the warehouse of a partnering organization, for sale and distribution to the public. Some are used as raw materials by furniture, cabinet and flooring manufacturers. Larger dimensional lumber is shipped to mills that resurface and cut the lumber for reuse in homes and commercial buildings.

Contractors and building owners who hire us are pleased with our safety programs and training. We have a nearly spotless record of starting and completing jobs on time and on budget.

Tax donation documentation is available for every private building 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 tax 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.

Below the chart is a comparison of deconstruction costs to those of traditional demolition on an actual project. To calculate the economic benefit you could receive when choosing The ReUse Solution™ click on this worksheet.

Actual Appraised Donation Values

The example below is a composite based on actual jobs and used here to make an economic comparison between 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 $10,100, but in the TRP deconstruction scenario, the homeowner receives $24,640 in after tax benefits - slightly more than the total deconstructon costs. Therefore, the owner would be financially better off to the tune of $10,402 ($302 received in tax benefits over the cost of deconstruction plus avoiding $10,100 in machine demolition costs).

Comparison Between Deconstruction and Demolition

Now for the disclaimers. Figures vary depending on location, age and condition of the home and materials, topography, type of siding and interior walls, distance from a TRP or partner retail-warehouse, landfill rates, etc. Still, the economics almost always favor TRP deconstruction over demolition.