Summer often means home improvements and, depending on the project, there may be excess building materials once the project has been completed. The City of Portland works with the ReBuilding Center to cycle them back into the community.
Low-income homeowners and business owners can receive materials for free to help make their properties safe. Additionally, reusable, affordable materials are available for purchase to anyone who wants them. By donating excess building materials, they are kept out of the landfill.
The ReBuilding Center has a full list of items they accept on their website, rebuildingcenter.org, that includes things like lumber, windows, sinks, cabinets, roofing and more. They also list things that they are not currently accepting, like toilets (due to overstock), and they can never accept materials containing hazardous substances (PCBs, toxic or flammable products, batteries, etc.). All donations are accepted at the discretion of staff. All donors receive donation receipts.
The ReBuilding Center has also compiled a community resource list for places to contact with items they can’t accept.
Anyone working on deconstruction or remodeling projects can donate new and reusable building materials to the ReBuilding Center. Donations are accepted by dropping them off at the ReBuilding Center, 3625 N Mississippi Ave., Tuesday-Sunday, 11 am-6 pm.
Another option is to have materials picked up at a home or business. Priority pick ups may be available in as little as two business days (Tuesday-Saturday) with the pick up fee depending on the operating costs to pick it up.
Standard pick ups usually occur within five business days and have a $40 flat pick up fee for residential donors. Businesses should call the Procurement Manager at 503.310.7701.