Demolition Costs for Investors: What to Budget Before You Buy
Budget an estimated $8,000 to $28,000 to tear down most single-family homes in Broward County, or about $6 to $15 per square foot, and roughly $8 to $15 per square foot for a standard office or retail building. Then add the costs that depend on the property: asbestos, a post-tension slab, permits and utility letters, […]
Does Insurance Cover Demolition After a Hurricane in Florida
Often, but only through the right part of the right policy. Your homeowners policy pays for wind damage, and in Florida it usually includes ordinance or law coverage, which pays to tear down and haul away what the building code forces you to remove. If flood water caused the damage, only a flood policy pays, […]
How Do You Safely Demolish a Hurricane-Damaged Home in Broward County?
Demolish a hurricane-damaged home in this order: stay out until the power, gas, and structure are made safe, document the damage and notify your insurer, find out whether the city will call it substantially damaged, then hire a licensed demolition contractor to handle the asbestos filing, utility letters, and permits before any equipment arrives. The […]
Asbestos Survey Before Demolition in Broward County: What to Know
In Broward County, every demolition needs a Statement of Responsibilities Regarding Asbestos filed with the county at least 10 working days before work starts, and commercial and larger residential buildings need an asbestos survey before demolition by a Florida-licensed asbestos consultant. If the survey finds regulated asbestos, a licensed asbestos contractor removes it before the […]
How to Tear Down an Inherited House in Broward County
You can tear down an inherited house in Broward County once the person with legal authority over the property approves it. That is usually the heirs who now hold title, or the estate’s personal representative if the house is still in probate. Settle who can sign first, then follow the same steps for any house […]
Top 12 Questions to Ask a Demolition Contractor Before You Hire
Before you hire a demolition contractor in Florida, ask whether they are licensed for demolition in your county, whether they will pull the permit under their own license, and whether their insurance and workers’ compensation are current. Then ask what the written price includes: the asbestos survey, utility disconnects, debris disposal and the condition of […]
Should You Renovate or Demolish Your House in Broward County?
Renovate if the house is structurally sound and the work stays under FEMA’s 50 percent rule. Demolish and rebuild if the structure has serious problems, or if the renovation would cost half or more of the building’s value in a flood zone, because then the whole house must meet current flood rules anyway. Price both […]
How Do You Verify a Demolition Contractor in Broward County?
To verify a demolition contractor in Broward County, get their license number in writing, then look it up. Check a state license in the Florida DBPR “Verify a License” search, and verify a Broward County certificate of competency with the Broward County Building Code Division. Then confirm the company is active on Sunbiz, check its […]
How Do You Demolish a House If There Is No Running Water on the Property?
You can demolish a house with no running water on the property. The demolition contractor brings water to the site, usually in a portable storage tank or by water delivery, and uses it to keep dust down while the house comes apart. In Fort Lauderdale, the contractor also has to state in a notarized letter […]