Building Demolition Costs

It is hard to provide a universal price that represents what the actual costs for building demolition will be as there are many variables and factors that need to be considered. This will include the size of the building as well as any additional services that should be factored in to building demolition costs. Even the region where your demolition project is, can have a bearing on the overall cost. Finally, you may decide to use different contractors for each stage, or you may opt for one who can offer a full range of services including the removal of hazardous materials, like AES. This will factor in to the costs as well.

Factors Affecting Building Demolition Costs

Here are some considerations you will need to make when trying to determine building demolition costs.

Project Size

You will need to get an accurate measurement of the area in square feet. Many building demolition costs and timing factors associated with demolition are directly linked to the square footage of the property.

Project Type

The type of project will also have a bearing on building demolition costs. For example, interior demolition will not be able to make use of large machinery, like complete building demolition would, and will be more labor intensive. Although it may take longer, workforce salary can sometimes be much cheaper than heavy equipment costs.

Hazardous Material Abatement

Many older buildings can contain asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials, and this needs to be handled before any demolition can commence. There are two options here: you can either hire a standalone asbestos abatement company, or your demolition contractor can carry out this service (if they offer it). Regardless, there is an additional cost associated with the testing, the paperwork, the removal, and the disposal of any asbestos containing materials.

How Long the Project will Take

The length of the project can have a major impact on overall building demolition costs. Without any additional work (asbestos removal ,etc.), a small to medium sized building can take 5 - 10 days until completion, while larger-scale projects can run for months.

Equipment Required

Although this will be included in the contractor’s building demolition costs, the type of equipment they will need to use can increase the costs by a large degree. For example, if it is a larger project and they require several Caterpillars or JCB’s, there will be a building demolition cost associated with these while they are on site, even if they are not currently being used.

Permits and Licenses

Although these are often included in your building demolition costs by your contractors, you should consider that there will be a charge for all permits and licenses that are required and processed.

Utility Companies

The utility companies will have to be informed of the required disconnection and removal of any meters or services, which are in the vicinity of the building. These can include electric, gas, water, and communication lines, and the utility companies will usually charge a disconnection and removal fee.

Materials Salvage

This may not add much against increasing your building demolition costs but depending on the type of building and materials contained, there could be a fair amount of materials that can be recycled or sold. Initially, there may be a cost for the removal and segregation for the recyclable materials, which must be done first and must generally be done by hand. There are many building materials that can be re-used or recycled. These can consist of:

• Bricks and Stones
• Flooring
• Doors and Windows
• Old WC and Sinks
• Granite and Marble

Waste Removal and Disposal

During demolition and after demolition has been completed there will be a lot of waste, even after everything that has a salvageable value has been removed.

All of this will need to be disposed of in the correct manner and hauled to a regulated landfill. There may be many truckloads required to dispose of everything. This and the permit and landfill charge should be factored in to your building demolition costs.

Contact AES for a Free Building Demolition Costs Quote in Missouri

To learn more about the factors affecting building demolition costs or to request a quote for building demolition in St. Louis, St. Charles, Columbia, or the surrounding Missouri areas, contact the environmental remediation experts at AES today! Our friendly representatives are always ready to help answer any questions you may have.