Call a demolition contractor to bring down the house
If you’re ready to tear it all down—literally—a demolition professional or deconstruction contractor can help you demolish your home. This step may be necessary after a natural disaster or if you’ve purchased a “tear-down” property. Here’s what you need to know about hiring a demolition professional.
If home improvement is a big project, home disassembly is an even bigger one. It’s not as simple as taking a sledgehammer to the walls and hoping for the best.
Depending on where you live, you may need permits for a demolition project. Demolition professionals will know more about the process of obtaining these permits, and the pros may be able to expedite the process. No matter where you live, your local demolition professional can turn an overwhelming and (seriously) physically laborious project into a much more straightforward job. They’ll also help you dispose of any hazardous building materials that are discovered during the demolition.
In some places, especially major urban centers, your city may legally require you to work with a certified deconstruction contractor. In rural areas, you may be able to demolish your own house legally, but that doesn’t mean that you should do it. This job comes with serious potential health and safety hazards, including the risk of death if you don’t know what you’re doing, so always rely on a pro to handle it for you.
You shouldn’t hire a general contractor for large-scale demolition work. The best professionals for home demolition are those who specialize in demolition and deconstruction (as opposed to contractors who usually build things up). A demolition pro can also help you calculate the costs of the demolition and explain ways that you can save money on the project.
There are two main ways to demolish a building: Taking it apart by hand (deconstruction) or mechanical demolition (the kind that uses heavy machinery). Mechanical demolition is much more effective for fully tearing down a home. The pros will ensure all your utilities are turned off and disconnected. Then, they’ll secure the entire property, cave in the roof, and knock down each wall one by one with machinery.
In either case, the pros may be able to help you salvage building materials that you can use in the future. They can also cart away the trash and hazardous materials the process is likely to yield.
If you’re considering demolishing a house that you don’t yet own free and clear, be sure to contact your mortgage lender for permission first. Get all the necessary legal permits beforehand, too.
Demolition is a project that involves heavy machinery, skilled labor, and hazardous waste removal. It can also take multiple weeks to complete. Plus, it’s a dangerous job. The machinery itself costs a lot of money, as does the time of the people who are operating that machinery (and the training they receive to do so safely). Certain hazardous materials, like asbestos, can cost up to $25 per foot for removal.
In most urban and suburban areas, you’re legally required to work with a professional to demolish a building to ensure you minimize the dangers of the project. In addition, you’ll likely need permits to complete the project legally, as well as permission from the mortgage lender if you don’t yet own the building free and clear.
Home demolition may take anywhere from two to four weeks. The process of debris removal may take additional time after that, and, of course, any rebuilding could take months. Your demolition professional can give you a better estimate for a demolition timeline, and the specifics will depend on your home and the complexity of the project.
