Page 42 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 27

Chapter 2, Demolition

Nearly all home improvement projects require some breaking out and removing of existing materials and
disposal of debris. Most will require protection of adjacent surfaces, taking safety precautions (such as
setting up barricades), closing off doorways or windows, and normal cleanup. The demolition figures in
this chapter include these tasks and will apply on most home improvement jobs that don’t involve
unusual conditions or complications. Costs will be higher when access to the work is limited, when your
crew doesn’t have complete control of the construction site, or when debris must be moved longer
distances or around obstacles. All figures assume that debris is piled on site or in a bin. Add the cost of
hauling to the nearest disposal site and tippage charges, if required. No salvage value is assumed
except as noted.

Many of the following chapters include estimated costs to remove the old and replace with new
materials of a similar description. For example, you’ll find costs for removing shingles and replacing
shingles in the roofing chapter. That’s appropriate because they’re part of the same task and usually
performed by the same contractor. The estimates in this chapter are for demolition only and don’t
consider the cost of replacing what has been removed.

Of all construction tasks, demolition is probably the most difficult to estimate with any certainty. You’re
never sure what’s in a wall to be demolished until the job begins. That’s why it’s best to exclude from
your demolition bid what isn’t in your estimate. Use the checklist below to help identify potential
problems before they develop.

Demolition Checklist

[ ] Can you anticipate any problem getting a demolition permit for this job?
[ ] Is there a noise ordinance which will limit hours of operation or selection of equipment?
[ ] Can the debris box be located close to the work?
[ ] Can a trencher get to the job site?
[ ] Is the site accessible to wheeled equipment?
[ ] Will the debris have to be hand-carried to the roll-off box or gondola?
[ ] Is there a direct route from the demolition site to the debris box?
[ ] Will you need to re-route any plumbing, electrical, phone or gas lines?
[ ] Will you need to remove and replace lawn sprinklers?
[ ] Will you need to cut back or remove any bushes or trees?
[ ] Will you have to remove and re-install a fence or gate?
[ ] Does a septic tank or drain field extend into the site of construction?
[ ] Can (must) materials generated from your project be recycled or salvaged?