Answers (4)
Best Answer
- Lucy Armentrout, "Lucy Armentrout"
- Contributions:72
I'm not going to be able to give you any more precise an answer than the previous post, but maybe some more food for thought. The cost of tearing a house down will have a lot to do with regional labor costs and issues like the following:
* Is the house on a slope with a massive concrete foundation or substructure? Demolition of concrete and deep foundations can be costly - jack-hammers and other intensive demolition techniques may be required. Working on a slope is another hassle that makes demolition more expensive than if your crews are working on a flat lot.
* Are there local regulations that control the management of toxic materials and dust during demolition? Some cities will require that you set up special mitigations to keep the dust down (e.g., water the materials down every x hours and/or install fine mesh netting around the lot's perimeter, and/or install rip-rap to capture any run-off that might otherwise enter the city's sewer system). Some cities also require that you remove potentially toxic materials first (separate from the rest of the demo) to keep them from being released into the neighborhood air - so the asbestos-coated ductwork may need to be pulled out of the walls before your crew can come in and do the full knock-down and haul-away of the rest of the house. Check with your local Planning department (City Hall) to get this type of information.
* Some areas also have minimum recycling requirements - x% of all materials that come out of a demolition project must be sent to a recycling facility rather than the local dump. This can push costs up: time to separate the recyclable materials, separate truck trips to the recycler vs. the dump.
To get some hard numbers, I'd call one of your local demolition firms and just ask them for a very soft and loose ballpark estimate on demolishing a house of the size you have. They'll probably balk, and very likely underbid your job until they've actually got to put pen to paper and issue a firm proposal, but it'll give you a starting point. Then keep in mind the above three factors as a reference point for potential price variances.
One other related thought: If you're planning to demo one structure in order to build another, be sure that the local planning regulations allow this. If your structure is deemed to have historic merit, you may not be allowed to demolish it. And even with a regular house, there can be extra rules. I've worked in cities in which it takes several months and complex approvals to receive permission to demolish a structure. They require that you submit and secure approval for the replacement structure, and the demolition will only be approved if you are going to immediately replace the demolished structure with an appropriate new structure.
Knocking down a house and starting from scratch is such fun (most of the time!), if you're able to do so. I wish you the best of luck and hope you enjoy the process.
* Is the house on a slope with a massive concrete foundation or substructure? Demolition of concrete and deep foundations can be costly - jack-hammers and other intensive demolition techniques may be required. Working on a slope is another hassle that makes demolition more expensive than if your crews are working on a flat lot.
* Are there local regulations that control the management of toxic materials and dust during demolition? Some cities will require that you set up special mitigations to keep the dust down (e.g., water the materials down every x hours and/or install fine mesh netting around the lot's perimeter, and/or install rip-rap to capture any run-off that might otherwise enter the city's sewer system). Some cities also require that you remove potentially toxic materials first (separate from the rest of the demo) to keep them from being released into the neighborhood air - so the asbestos-coated ductwork may need to be pulled out of the walls before your crew can come in and do the full knock-down and haul-away of the rest of the house. Check with your local Planning department (City Hall) to get this type of information.
* Some areas also have minimum recycling requirements - x% of all materials that come out of a demolition project must be sent to a recycling facility rather than the local dump. This can push costs up: time to separate the recyclable materials, separate truck trips to the recycler vs. the dump.
To get some hard numbers, I'd call one of your local demolition firms and just ask them for a very soft and loose ballpark estimate on demolishing a house of the size you have. They'll probably balk, and very likely underbid your job until they've actually got to put pen to paper and issue a firm proposal, but it'll give you a starting point. Then keep in mind the above three factors as a reference point for potential price variances.
One other related thought: If you're planning to demo one structure in order to build another, be sure that the local planning regulations allow this. If your structure is deemed to have historic merit, you may not be allowed to demolish it. And even with a regular house, there can be extra rules. I've worked in cities in which it takes several months and complex approvals to receive permission to demolish a structure. They require that you submit and secure approval for the replacement structure, and the demolition will only be approved if you are going to immediately replace the demolished structure with an appropriate new structure.
Knocking down a house and starting from scratch is such fun (most of the time!), if you're able to do so. I wish you the best of luck and hope you enjoy the process.
- Los Angeles General Contractors, "LAGeneralContractors"
- Contributions:9
Between $10000 and 15000
- Steve Leitzke, "steve.leitzke"
- Contributions:1
About $10 persf of structure plus dump fees. I just finished a selective ddemo on a house under construction. It is a second floor additon 1300 sf.
We had two Bids. One was three times more than the other. Both subs came highly recommended. We used the lower Bid and they did a great job, but they did not recycle, whereas the other bidder did. So, if you want to be socially responsible, do your part, and don't mind paying a potentially higher price to make the house disappear the choice is yours. Sustainability/ Green building usually comes at a higher price. The fact is that only 25% of the buyers are willing to pay a premium of only 5%. But this is another subject altogether. Good luck.
Steve
We had two Bids. One was three times more than the other. Both subs came highly recommended. We used the lower Bid and they did a great job, but they did not recycle, whereas the other bidder did. So, if you want to be socially responsible, do your part, and don't mind paying a potentially higher price to make the house disappear the choice is yours. Sustainability/ Green building usually comes at a higher price. The fact is that only 25% of the buyers are willing to pay a premium of only 5%. But this is another subject altogether. Good luck.
Steve
- John Hurlbut, "jhurlbut"
- Contributions:117
I know it's costs about $3,500 - $5,000 to have a mobile home removed from a property and "disposed" of . . . not that that has any bearing on your question . . . but maybe call some local salvage shops? Places that recycle building products and see what they know? Also I know some fire departments like to do controlled burns on homes to practice. That may be an option . . . just have the fire department come in and set fire to the place and then you're done.
Anyone know approximately how much it would cost to tear down a house? Say, 2,200-sq ft.
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