One of the key principles of the circular economy is to circulate products and materials at their highest value, that is keeping materials in use in their original form. At the end of a building’s life, there is considerable value left in many of the materials, which can be reused or repurposed to maximise the retention of value in these assets. However, time and financial pressures often result in full demolition of the building, resulting in destruction of these materials in favour of quick removal. Whilst high recycling rates may be able to be attained, the lack of value preservation in downcycling is not aligned with the circular economy. One of the many hindrances to the reuse of materials is the lack of an available market for on-selling materials. In this research, we reviewed the state of the construction material reuse market in NSW, Australia. Through investigating current players and undertaking eleven interviews, we reviewed the processes, challenges and opportunities of the market. For this specific context, the salvage material industry was found to be mostly small family-based organistions which often operate in conjunction with a limited number of demolition companies to undertake pre-demolition salvage. Challenges faced by the industry included time pressures, lack of value or appreciation of value, and increasing safety requirements for site access. Opportunities to maximise the uptake of material salvage focus on legislation, construction design and quality, education and a proactive approach to demolition.