What is the cost of interior demolition?

Question

I just bought a 600 square foot property and I got a quote for $8500 to completely gut the interior and basement (Plaster walls/ceilings, cabinets, bathroom, trim, some carpet, and a few rotten walls, bathroom, and drywall in basement). Does this seem a bit pricey or about right?

Account Closed · Answer

I've worked on dozens of houses that were built between 1900 and 1950 with asbestos and mold ad dead rats and spiders and snakes and dirt and a lot of unidentifiable "stuff".

1st, asbestos is not a problem. I was buying a crack house and had a "Contamination Specialist" certified by the state (who use to work in their department doing asbestos inspections) tell me that " if you worked in ship building or mining for decades, you could have a problem with your health. But, he went on "if you wear a respirator and had the windows open, the likelihood of a problem is near zero". The Big Mac you had for lunch today is more damaging to your health than cleaning up a pile of asbesto laden plaster. The statue of limitations exposure to an unhealthy substance is 3 years so if they have a problem in 45 years (yes, it takes long term exposure and then decades for it to become a problem) the statute of limitations is long past. ;-) Seriously, long term exposure (decades) is the concern here, not intermittent exposure over a lifetime.

2nd there is lead in paint prior to 1978. So, if your paint is older than 1978, don't eat your paint.

3rd There are serveral types of mold. Some toxic to eat and some just "yucky" to eat.

“Despite the commonly held belief that black mold exposure is a serious health concern, no convincing research suggests that exposure to this type of mold causes conditions such as cancer or lung disease.”

https://www.medicalnewstoday.c...

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that exposure to S. chartarum is more dangerous than exposure to any other type of mold.It looks horrible so don't eat it, but it is perfectly safe to drop into the dumpster. I've dumped more moldy bathroom walls into dumpsters than I can remember.

Account Closed · Answer

Two high school kids, 40 hours at 2@$25 each (total $50 per hour) is $2,000 plus $500 for a dumpster and a couple of pizzas a day.

Make sure you record it, they'll love showing it to their friends.

Account Closed · Answer

Yawn! Are you serious???? Where are you from , California? Whar lawsuits are you afraid of?

Brandon Coleman · Answer

@Scott Mac Permits and dumpsters in my area would be $2-$2,500 for this job, on the high end. This would be a tough DIY job, especially due to the lack of available help.

Mackenzie Grate · Answer

Yeah, like stated before, we need more info. Initial reaction is yes, that is high.

But second thought is where are you located? Which contractor did you approach? A licensed GC or a handyman? Does that include the dumpster and removal? Do you need a permit to do this? Are there mold or asbestos issues? Did they put this into writing and if so, how did they break up the costs? Are they licensed and insured or no?

There are definitely ways to cut corners here and get it for cheaper, I would imagine. But remember that comes with risks too. If you use someone uninsured and they get hurt...do you have insurance to cover them?

Food for thought. But need more clarifying information to be of more help.

Good luck :)

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

I usually agree with you but here we differ. You are correct that asbestos is not a problem - in reality. But the way it is handled nowadays by the Govt. is different. IF you get caught in at least some states removing asbestos by yourself, the initial fine is $30,000 and possible jail time.

To the original point, $8500 sounds high, but using a licensed Contr and getting appropriate permits can cost a lot. I'd certainly get some other bids...

Brandon Coleman · Answer

@Christopher McCarthy This was great thank you!

Christopher McCarthy · Answer

@Brandon Coleman

That does seem very high.

I am a licensed contractor in Virginia, and a property that small shouldn't cost that much to gut. 3-5k would be more reasonable.

What kind of Demo company is it? Where did you find them? If they have billboards around town, wrapped vehicles, salesman,  then you are just paying premium prices because they have a lot of overhead.

My advice if you don't want to DIY is this:

1st. Get confirmation from someone you trust if there is abestos on the property and how much. If your going to hire someone to properly remove it, you need as many details as possible on quantity etc.

2nd. Ask some other investors in area for recommendations on demo guys. There are bound to be guys around who would do it way cheaper. If you know a few contractors who 'don't do demo', ask them if they know anyone who needs filler work. Ive put my crew on demo before just because I need some filler work between jobs.

Hope that helps!

Dustin P. · Answer

$3-4k tops

Brandon Coleman · Answer

@Mackenzie Grate I’m located in St. Louis County, MO. This quote is from a demo company that is licensed and insured.

The house was built in 1927 and I’m sure has asbestos and mold. One contractor wouldn’t even do it because of the plaster walls, which is new to me. So yes it’s a small house, but apparently it’s a week long job for a crew.

I haven’t received an itemized bid, but was told this would be a full gut demo, and everything would be cleaned and disposed of. I’m burnt out on the DIY side of this, and it would be nice for someone to clean the place out from floor to ceiling.

What is the cost of interior demolition?

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