Interior demolition: what to expect from start to finish

With photos or a walkthrough. Text photos of each room from a few angles, including the floors and ceilings, and add a short note about what's coming out and what's staying. For larger jobs, a walkthrough lets us see access and conditions in person.

The more specific you are, the more accurate the quote. Useful details to include:

• Which rooms, and whether it's walls, ceilings, flooring, cabinets or everything
• What you're keeping or reusing, like cabinets, doors or fixtures
• What the floors are made of, especially tile set in mortar or several layers of old flooring
• Access: stairs, elevators, long hallways, condo or HOA rules
• When your contractor or installer needs the space

The quote spells out what's being demolished, what's being hauled, and what you're responsible for before work starts, such as utilities and permits. We agree in writing on what gets removed and what stays, so there are no surprises when you walk back in.

Things that usually stay unless you tell us otherwise: load-bearing walls, plumbing and electrical lines, HVAC equipment and ductwork, windows and exterior doors, and anything you've marked to keep. Structural changes, like removing a load-bearing wall, need to be planned by your contractor or engineer.

We don't publish fixed demolition prices, because the scope changes job to job. The things that move it most are how much material comes out, what it's made of, access, protection and salvage. See what affects demolition cost for more.

This is the part that's on you, and it's what keeps the job safe and on schedule:

• Utilities. Have water, electric and gas to the work area shut off and disconnected by the appropriate party: your utility provider, plumber or electrician. The demolition crew doesn't do this.
• Belongings. Clear personal items, furniture and valuables out of the rooms being demolished.
• Permits. Confirm whether a permit is needed by checking with your city's building department. Getting any required permit is the property owner's or their contractor's responsibility.
• HOA or condo rules. Get approval for work hours, elevator use and debris removal if your community requires it.
• Structure. Tell us which walls, if any, are load-bearing or have been flagged by your contractor or engineer.

Deal with it before demolition, not during. We don't accept or haul asbestos, chemicals, paints or other hazardous materials. If you suspect something in the space contains asbestos, have it tested by a qualified professional before demolition begins.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's asbestos page explains how the federal asbestos rules apply in Florida. According to that page:

• The federal asbestos rule (NESHAP) specifies work practices for demolitions and renovations of structures, installations and buildings, with an exemption for buildings that meet the residential exemption criteria.
• For projects that remove asbestos-containing material above the rule's thresholds, the owner of the building and/or the operator must submit a notice to the appropriate compliance office at least 10 working days before the project starts.
• Questions go to the appropriate DEP district or local program office. Broward County has a local program listed on the page.

Whether any of that applies to your project depends on the building and the scope, so read the DEP page or contact the office it lists before you schedule demolition.

1. Protect. We cover floors, cabinets and rooms that are staying before anything comes down.
2. Tear out. We remove drywall, flooring, cabinets and fixtures in the agreed areas only. If you're reusing items, we take them out carefully and set them aside.
3. Haul off. Debris is loaded as we work and hauled to approved disposal and recycling facilities. Clean concrete and tile can often be kept separate as clean fill.
4. Clean up. We sweep the space and leave it ready for framing, plumbing, electrical or your installer.

If anything unexpected turns up once walls or floors are open, such as water damage, mold or wiring you weren't expecting, we stop and talk to you before going further.

When we leave, the debris is gone and the floor is swept. What you'll see is open studs, subfloor or slab, depending on the scope, ready for your contractor to measure and start the next phase. If you're reusing cabinets or fixtures, they'll be where we agreed to set them.

Hire interior demolition when you want the tear-out, hauling and cleanup handled by one crew. Rent a dump trailer when the work is light and you or your contractor will do the tearing out.

A dump trailer rental includes 7 days and 1 ton, with $120 per ton over that. In general, the 18 yard ($395) or 21 yard ($440) trailer fits one to a few rooms of drywall, cabinets and flooring. Tile and plaster add weight quickly, so keep the included ton in mind. Some homeowners mix the two: we handle the heavy parts and they rent a trailer for lighter work they're doing themselves.