Become a Certified Deconstruction Contractor

To be added to the City of Portland's list of Certified Deconstruction Contractors, your business must do the following:

Prerequisites

Your business must be actively licensed with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB). 

For deconstruction projects, your business must dismantle buildings by hand to salvage materials for reuse. Using heavy machinery to remove salvageable materials is not allowed.

Required steps

At least one employee must:

1. Read the City’s deconstruction rules

• The requirements for deconstruction are outlined in Chapter 17.106 Deconstruction of Buildings Law.
• The Deconstruction Administrative Rules explain how to meet reporting requirements for documenting materials.

2. Complete Build Reuse Project Management training course 

• This training takes three days and includes both online and in-person training.
• Contact Dave Bennink or another trainer from the National Registry of Deconstruction Trainers to request the "Build Reuse three-day Project Management training course."
• You will need to purchase the Introduction to Deconstruction - Textbook (Oregon State Edition).

3. Pass a skills assessment conducted by your trainer.

• This is an in-person assessment of your knowledge and skills in deconstruction.
• The assessment is conducted at a job site, where you can demonstrate proficiency in salvaging certain materials to maximize their reuse value.

4. Pass a written exam taken online through Build Reuse. 

• Contact info@buildreuse.org to register and identify when you plan to complete the exam.
• We recommend contacting Build Reuse early since it may take some time to schedule. 

5. Obtain lead-based paint RRP certification. 

• Oregon Health Authority maintains a list of resources for this training.

6. Obtain AHERA Asbestos Inspector (min) certification.

• APEX (formerly PBS) and Asbestos Training Project both provide training locally, but any AHERA trainer is allowed.

7. Submit documentation to the City

• Submit copies of the training certificates to the City's Deconstruction Program lead.

Once we have reviewed and approved your submission, we will add your business to the list of Certified Deconstruction Contractors.

Time and Cost

As of January 2025, it takes two to three months to schedule and complete the training and certifications needed to meet these requirements. 

If you are planning to obtain certification ahead of a specific project, please contact the City's Deconstruction Program lead for guidance on how to navigate the requirements efficiently. 

Feel free to contact the program lead if you would like a rough estimate of the costs for completing the certification.