What is the Cheapest Way to Demolish a House?

When it comes to buying a new house, many people are confused if to buy a pre-built property or go for a plot and build a house from scratch. However, there is a third alternative too which is increasingly becoming popular, that is, demolishing an old construction to build a new house on it. Sometimes, people even consider demolishing their own home as sometimes cost of renovating an old house exceeds that of building a new one from scratch. If you are considering different options to get a new home, you may be interested in discovering how much it costs to demolish a house.

Nothing is set in stone about the cost to demolish a house. Demolishing a house is a large-scale work, so you must not only take into account the price, but it is also necessary to know the requirements that must be met according to current regulations.

As far as cost is concerned, costs differ depending on various factors, but there are some standard figures and you will roughly pay about $15,000 – $18,000 to demolish a free-standing house.

Mechanical demolition is the cheapest way to demolish a house and the fastest solution. you will pay $1,000 – $3,000 for an interior demolition. Totally demolishing a free-standing house costs between $3,000 – $35,000. A contractor will bill the customer for any out-of-pocket costs involved in the job. Whether you are doing an interior or exterior demolition, or a total or partial demolition, the price will change per square foot.

If the house you own is to be demolished there are ways to ensure it turns out cheaper. The cheapest way to demolish a house is to do it the legal way. If you undertake your house demolition without the necessary permits for instance you may face fines and then you are already facing a demolition that is more costly than it should be.

What are the Cheapest Ways to Demolish a House?

Sometimes it just makes sense to demolish a house that has reached its sell-by-date. Maybe it is been costing a lot lately to repair it and everything just points to the fact that it needs to be demolished. Home demolition is when you break down the existing house.

The cheapest way to demolish a house is when people hire a few workers and they all work together and do it by hand, while others prefer to rather call in a licensed demolition contractor. Whatever way you choose, you wil want to know what is the cheapest way to demolish a house and also what factors go into the demolition.

The overall cost to demolish a home will vary. A lot depends on the location of the property to be demolished, the size of the home to be demolished and also the method of demolition.

House Demolition Cost Calculator

The average cost to demolish a house is $5 – $15 per square foot, but you can do your own house demolition calculations with an online house demolition cost calculator. The cheapest way to demolish a house is to always get information on the size of your home – all the dimensions, you can calculate roughly how much the demolition project will cost. You will find that some of the simpler calculators take your home’s square footage and it then estimates the cost to demolish the house by using the median cost of $9.50 per square foot.

Do I Need a Demolition Permit?

You will need a demolition permit for any primary structure that will be removed from the property. You will also need a permit for structures that have hazardous materials or a basement type foundation. You are not going to need a permit if you are demolishing small structures such as a garden shed or minor interior demolition projects.

Demolition Estimate Template

If you are battling to create a cost estimate for a demolition project, the cheapest way to demolish a house is to look at several demolition estimate templates that can make the job easier.

It is important to get the estimates right if you want to avoid cost problems later on. You can use demolition management software with cost estimation functions when you want a simple idea of your demolition project,.Fortunately, there are a good number of free demolition estimate templates available online.

Things to Consider for a House Demolition

Demolishing a house is no easy task, and of course, you want the cheapest way to demolish a house. There are always lots of things to consider and safety is a top priority. Then there is also the aspect of clearing everything once the demolition is complete. There is the cost itself.

You may want the cheapest way to demolish a house, but did you know that the bigger your home is the costlier it becomes. Factored into the cost is also whether there are harmful elements present in the structure. A typical example is asbestos. The removal of asbestos must be done by trained professionals.

The presence of asbestos can complicate the demolition project. Also, not all building materials are easy to demolish and you want to consider if some of the materials will be able to be salvaged. As mentioned above, obtaining permits will also come with a price. All these things can add up to the cost of the demolition project.

Can you Tear Down a House with a Mortgage?

No, not actually. Most people when they buy a house they need a mortgage loan. The house is collateral for the loan, so you can’t do anything to the house that reduces its value, such as demolishing it. If you want to go ahead, the borrower would have to get approval from the lender to take down the house – the collateral. Destroying collateral without approval is a violation of the mortgage contract.

Interior Demolition Cost Calculator

Interior demolition takes place within a building, in preparation for upgrading the space. The cheapest way to demolish a house can be calculated on an interior demolition cost calculator.

It will include the likes of costs for ceilings, interior walls, staircases, flooring and mezzanines as examples as well as utilities such as ductwork, electrical and plumbing aspects. There are many interior demolition cost calculators online that will give you the estimated per-square-foot interior demolition costs.

Interior demolition project budgets include the cost of an insured, licensed contractor. These demolition calculators provide a budgetary starting-point for an interior demolition project.

Is my House a Total Tear Down?

Tearing down a house is thought to be the cheapest way to demolish a house  and it is thought to be an easier alternative to fixing up a run-down home. It is always a wise choice to get advice from a consultant who can guide you as to whether it actually makes financial sense to tear down the house.

Not only that, if you have an old home, it is a good idea to check with your city building department to see if the house is not on the historical preservation list. Then your house is not a total tear down as some old house can’t be destroyed, even if the foundations are floundering.

Financing a Teardown and Rebuild

You may have found a home in a good location but its dilapidated. The cheapest way to demolish a house will still require financing if you use professional demolishers.  Financing a teardown house involves a destroying part of the loan collateral.

A lender will want to look at your plans for the new place you have in mind. To get financing, the value of the property and the new home will have to meet the lender’s standards. Because a teardown and rebuild is not eligible for government mortgage programs, you may have to get a construction loan from another source.

Demolition Estimating Spreadsheet and Formula

It can be difficult tallying up all the costs of a demolition, and the best way to avoid omissions in your estimate of a demolition is to download and print the many free spreadsheets with formula from various building sites. You can then do your demolition with this checklist as your guide. Download the Excel version of the estimating and budgeting spreadsheet because it is faster to use as it has the formulas built in already. Of course, for those who are not easy with Excel, there is also the MS Word version and a calculator.

How to Demolish a House Yourself by Hand

Yes, you can do this as there are many comprehensive guides on the Internet on how to demolish a house by hand.  These guides will tell you about the assortment of tools you will need for the job. It will tell you how to even move all the times in your home before proceeding and how to shut off all utilities.

Deconstruction is also known as ‘demolition by hand’. This is where you literally strip and deconstruct the house by hand with the intent of salvaging as many of the materials inside the property as possible.

How to Demolish a House with an Excavator

Mechanical demolition is the most popular simply because its the ease. The house is demolished with the help of hydraulic excavators. The reason for this is also the safety aspect of getting professionals in and the excavators have large boom cylinders and hydraulically extendable tracks, giving operators a larger working range.

Can the City Demolish my House if it is Condemned?

A lot depends on the state you are in, but in Florida, for instance, the city commission is authorized to condemn a place and order it be demolished and removed. Buildings found to be in a dilapidated, unsafe and unsanitary state so that they are regarded as uninhabitable can be demolished.

How to Get a Permit to Demolish a House

Requesting a house to be demolished is an involved process and a number of requirements have to be satisfied before the permit can be applied for. The cheapest way to demolish a house is to do things properly as stipulated. To get a permit will require you completing a residential building permit application.  You can get a  permit from your local authority offices or on their website.

How Long Does it Take to Demolish a House?

It is one of those questions that does not have a definite answer. The cheapest way to demolish a house is most times the quickest – done and dusted.  Some people will say between 4 to 8 days but every house is different in size and materials and there are other factors that come into play.  If a house was built before 1980 then an asbestos inspection will be conducted so you can add extra time on with that. Houses built on slopes and houses built closely together can all determine demolition time.

Steps to Demolish a House

For starters get the right contractor to do the demolition – one that is licensed and insured as this will be the cheapest way to demolish a house. There are always fines involved with a fly-by-night company.  Homes need to be inspected before to determine the presence of hazardous materials. Get the relevant permits. The contractor will disconnect all exiting service, making the entire area safe. The house will be torn down and all the debris removed.

Conclusion

If you want to save money on demolishing a house, the cheapest way to demolish a house is to do it yourself to avoid financial strains. The cheapest way to demolish a house will be determined by the number of materials that can be considered reusable because then you can get some money back. The calculators and templates online do a good job of allowing you to find the cheapest way to demolish your house.