These Coquitlam homes are only 8 years old. Now, they're being relocated to avoid demolition

Redevelopment has rendered four homes in Coquitlam that were built just eight years ago obsolete. Instead of being demolished, however, the houses have been saved from the wrecking ball, and will soon be floated up the Fraser River to a community in need.

Renewal Development, in partnership with Nickel Bros., stepped in to save the homes and move them to the Sts'ailes Nation, near Agassiz.

"Housing is an issue for most First Nations," said Sts'ailes Grand Chief Willie Charlie. "(It's) the same with us. We have lots of people that want to move home, but we don't have adequate housing for everybody. So this kind of helps meet some of those needs."

Renewal Development says roughly 700 "perfectly good" homes are demolished every year to make room for higher-density construction.

The four homes being relocated from Coquitlam are part of the company's efforts to reduce that waste.

When CTV News visited the homes on Tuesday, they resembled house-sized hats: Upper floors propped up on columns, with the lower floors missing.

Renewal Development owner Glyn Lewis said the lower floors will be reconstructed at the homes' new site.

"We actually saved a lot of the materials and the cabinets and the products from the basement suites that we couldn't rescue and moved them upstairs," Lewis said.

The houses are currently being prepped for their move. They're scheduled to make the trip up the Fraser to Agassiz in early July.