(4-min read)
So, you’ve found a great location to start to begin your new house construction project. There’s only one problem — there’s already a house there. After eyeballing it, you figure that you can rent a bulldozer and have the old house that sits on the property demolished. Then there’s the old foundation, the cleanup, the disposal, etc. Ok, maybe you’re starting to bite off more than you can chew. Fortunately, there are a variety of home demolition companies who would love to take a crack at your project — pardon the pun. But your real question stands: How much does home demolition cost? Well, there are various issues to consider that will affect the price.
The End Cost of “Well, I’ll Just Do It Myself.”
So, you’ve knocked down a few walls, or ripped out some kitchen cabinets in your day — how much harder would it be to demolish a house yourself? As it turns out, DIY home demolition may end up being even more expensive than merely letting an experienced professional handle it. Knowing the proper procedures, which tools and equipment to use for specific tasks, and the potentially back-breaking (sometimes literally) labor required to level and remove a home may be more than you bargained for — and that’s assuming there are no surprises. Throw in some hazardous materials, improperly capped utilities, and damaged neighboring properties, and you’re in for an extremely costly endeavor.
Foundational Preservation or Complete Demolition
Let’s say that you went out to examine the house that sits on the property where you would like to build. It still has plumbing running through the foundation and you could almost see yourself living with the layout, but the house that sits on it is beyond repair. Reusing an existing foundation isn’t unheard of and may save you quite a bit in demolition and construction costs. If you keep the foundation, you may save yourself the cost of crushing the concrete slab and having it carried away. If you have the entire home demolished, slab and all, that will have an impact on the total cost of demolition. Full disclosure, though — reusing home foundations isn’t all that common.
Demolishing and Disposing of Hazardous Material
Most demolished home debris can be hoisted into a dump truck and taken to a landfill without issue. If a home contains hazardous materials, however, this can make a simple demolition much more complicated. Disposing of materials such as lead paint and asbestos requires compliance with specific regulations. Handling, moving, and disposing of such materials may significantly impact the price of standard home demolition. For this reason, it’s crucial to have a location carefully inspected before demolition to save yourself from unwanted surprises.
Location, Location, Location
If a professional demolition company needs to knock down a house, the location of the house will also impact the price. If the home is located in a densely populated neighborhood, this can make demolition trickier than it would be for a home in a more expansive, rural location. Preserving the surrounding houses from damage, moving heavy equipment between the front and back yards, maneuvering dump trucks and dumpsters — all of these tasks are significantly more time-consuming in a neighborhood where houses are packed in like sardines. A home on a larger plot that allows for heavy equipment access on all sides may be reasonably straightforward for a demolition specialist.
Ok, Ok, How Much Does a Home Demolition Cost?
As of the publishing of this article, the typical cost of home demolition can run anywhere from $5,000 and $25,000. The magnitude, number of variables, and complexity of a project will change the price. Keep these numbers in mind before buying a property containing a house you intend to demolish to make way for a new home construction project.