House demolition - what to pay attention to with companies?

Hello everyone,

I received my permit yesterday for the demolition of a house + extension. The goal is to build new there.
Although it is not a classic terraced house, the houses on the street are basically built right next to each other.

I now want to commission companies for a cost estimate.

What should be considered, of course, if you set the price aside.

Are there any special certificates that the companies should have?

What about insurance, do I have to have anything shown/confirmed? (In case the neighbors later complain about something)

Is there anything else I should consider?

Thank you very much

Best regards

Hello, you should generally choose companies that have references there, demolition in existing buildings is not without challenges. Documentation is very important! There are engineering firms that do evidence preservation (on an hourly basis). Financially, it is not that bad and worth every cent. May I ask, in which state?

If there is a risk, check the relevant certificates for asbestos disposal and (if likely) that this is also included in the offer and contract. Also tar (e.g. used for sealing the floor slab or basement). Otherwise, it can get expensive. Important, if asbestos is present, also make sure the rules are followed during demolition. Our demolition company didn’t do this (because it was 35° and they didn’t want to wear protective clothing) and then the police showed up and stopped the demolition. Fortunately, everything was contractually regulated, but it caused a 2-week delay initially.

In the existing building, I would only use a reputable demolition company that does this daily. They are more expensive than janitorial services and the like. Some construction companies also offer demolition services, which would be too risky for me in your case. Moreover, they cost about the same as proper demolition companies.

Insist on disposal records (weighing slips).

Get several quotes. For us, the price range was from 40k up to 100k. We ended up at around 50k all-in. However, it was more than one house. The price went down because we did not say the demolition had to be done in March, but that everything had to be gone by June. Then the company scheduled their teams for asbestos, stripping, and demolition as it fit. Disposal based on the actual quantity and hazard class.

The builders’ insurance was included with our general contractor and started from the beginning of demolition. The expert was also there for the first time before the demolition.