Most jobs require a site visit for an accurate bid. This is free of charge AND NOT A WASTE OF MY TIME! Even if you are just shopping/calling around, it is good for me to discuss and learn the needs and wants of the people I want to service, and it’s good for you to learn as much as you can about your project so you know what to look for when you decide who will work in your space. Price can vary depending on the type of flooring needing to be removed, what it’s installed on (subfloor, extra particle board, concrete) and material used for flooring layers (glue, screws, staples, gypsum concrete, mesh w/thinset). Other variables may include logistics of your space, moving appliances/furniture, multiple trips to the landfill, etc. Non-dustless/partial dustless options are also options for cost variables. Availability and time of season may also affect the price. I do my best to match competitive bids. Pricing for non-flooring demolition (walls, cabinets, showers, etc) will also be different based on things like the size and material of what needs to be removed.
Decide what your priorities are. Timeline? Budget? How much of the project are you willing to and are capable of completing yourself? What short-cuts can you take that might help your budget (finding dump trailer yourself, moving furniture/appliances, removing base-board). What else in your project needs to happen before/after the demo process (do not paint before your demo or install new cabinets!). How many layers are there under your flooring? How old is the material needing to be removed?
For the best estimate I will come to your home for an accurate measure and assess all variables for your project. I want to see your project and help in any way I can, even if that is just educating you in your options. When it comes to flooring I am very lucky to have several contacts I can refer you to for finishing your project, as well as construction contractors if your project goes beyond basic demolition. However, I understand if your schedule does not allow a site-visit, or if you’d simply like to limit the number of people going through your home. Measuring yourself, sending pictures and communicating over email/phone/text is also possible. I’ve had customers contact me several months in advance of their planned project without scheduling. I will keep your bid on file so you can properly budget and coordinate the many sub-contractors and schedules that usually go along with remodeling.
Most residential jobs take about a day, sometimes two for larger homes or more stubborn materials. I really enjoy seeing homes and all the different styles that go with them, as well as witnessing the process a family goes through when making a fresh start in their space. For one job I worked almost a week at a Park City resort removing high-end materials (hard-wood, stone, glass showers, jetted tubs). It was so beautiful and a fresh change from the heat of the Valley. It was grueling work and a little intimidating to work in such a high profile space, but very rewarding to see the extra care and service I strive for be appreciated.
I am a licensed Contractor with LRF (commonly called sub-contractor) in Wrecking and Demolition. I also have experience installing flooring and have knowledge and contacts in that area, as well as other construction contacts that may be helpful for your project.
A few years after getting married my wife and I decided to upgrade our flooring. After calling around for bids we went with the cheapest and readily available option. Our project was finished and looked great, but even though plastic barriers were set up over furniture and cabinets, we spent months cleaning dust out of cupboards, drawers, closets, and vents. We had to throw away food, clean all our clothes and wipe down or wash every toy. On top of this the house needed frequent dusting (every time the AC/heater turned on my wife would point out a new layer of dust on surfaces) and on humid/rainy days we could smell the dust. A real nightmare. The extra cost and time could have gone toward a dustless service. We didn’t even know it existed. A few years later I helped my in-laws demo their entire house for their remodel and found I really enjoyed it. And later when I worked in flooring I heard about dustless systems and decided to invest in the best equipment, which lead me to start my own business.
I have worked with everyone, from contractors to neighbors. My most common customers are flooring and general contractors. My business has mostly come from word-of-mouth and I am just beginning to reach out to home-owners directly.
Educate yourself! Read blogs of people who either have a lot of experience or had to learn the hard way. Talk to others who are willing to go into the unpleasant details of their process and not just the positives meant to impress. There’s a reason why marriages suffer during remodels! Ask all the questions! Know exactly what you will be paying for and avoid miscommunication. Understand that while we strive to provide a white-glove service, demolition will always be a dirty job. Know beforehand what is possible to salvage and what is not. Re-using base-board to save money? Do you want it off or kept on during the demo? Expect to sand, re-paint, caulk and replace some pieces. Label and store in a safe place. There are pros and cons to everything. The more you try to save by doing it yourself or hiring someone not specialized, the more you need to be knowledgeable, handy and possibly willing to face the consequences of damages, unfinished work and/or “good-enough” quality. Truthfully, some people are just fine with those consequences.
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Well, a common outcome is that you give up and call a professional. And because you weren’t booked in advance with a properly negotiated bid, you end up paying a lot more than you budgeted and your timeline is ruined.
It looks like a lot of fun to go in swinging, and it is. Your first hit into something will give you a little rush and sense of toughness and pride for following through with an idea. The problem is that you might be making too many “first hits” into all the areas of your project, when they should be grouped into different steps. Real life example: a homeowner started to remove the tile in his kitchen himself. A few minutes in he saw there was more than one layer of flooring. Seeing this he started to take that out as well, but realized the baseboard would have a gap even with the new flooring being put in, so he began to take off the baseboard, knowing that should have been done anyway. Then he saw the flooring went under the cabinets. After running to Home Depot for a tool he removed the toe kicks and tried to cut around the cabinets. Before long he looked around and decided he was in over his head. There were too many mini-projects started, he was already tired and it wasn’t even noon. It’s not that this homeowner didn’t have a plan, there were just variables he didn’t account for. Even the best of professionals run into unexpected factors that throw everything off. That’s just construction. The difference is professionals have the experience, the tools and the manpower to have a procedure for almost every event.
So here are a few tips:
It makes a world of difference when you have somewhere to put debris right away. Having a deadline for when the dumpster will be leaving will motivate you to be more efficient as well.
Almost every tool a professional has can be rented. Some basics are a chipping hammer with a tile chisel attachment, a surface grinder for remaining thin-set removal, angled grinder for doorways or room separation, crowbars, and a vacuum. Specialized dustless systems can be sort of mimicked by holding a Shop-vac up to your chippers. This would automatically make it a two-person job. Without the real thing you should also purchase barriers and microfiber cloths for stuffing vents and cleanup. Be sure to have gloves.
In general, start with the easiest task, which would be cabinets if you’re doing a kitchen/laundry/bathroom area. It’s fast and will give you a clean slate for the rest of the project. If you plan to keep cabinets, remove the toe kicks. Then do baseboards. Depending on how many layers of flooring you have, you may need to remove the baseboard, unless you plan on re-installing layers to maintain the same level. To see this, pull up an air vent and inspect the cross section. Normal material to look for is the tile, thin-set, wire mesh, backer board, concrete board like Hardie Backer and then the sub-floor. For radiant heating floors expect to see a product like Gypsum concrete. Remove one layer at a time.
Even if you start more than one project you can prevent becoming overwhelmed by controlling the debris. You’ll be able to move around easily and better see what needs to happen next. Have a (really good) friend help you, their sole job being picking up debris and moving it outside. You can also hire a neighborhood kids to do this.
Barrier off your working area to isolate the dust. Stuff air vents with microfiber cloths. Be sure to wear safety goggles, masks and create an airflow to the outside by leaving windows or direct doors open. Take breaks often and drink plenty of water/electrolyte drinks.
Expect your demo to take more than one day, especially if it’s flooring. Plan on a stopping point if your day is quickly running out, or decide on a goal for each day. You can do this by room, by layer or you can use an angled grinder to create a clean line for your stopping point. If you are living in the space, clean any debris, thoroughly vacuum and put away your tools in a safe place. You can place a tarp or moving blankets on the line you cut to keep family members safe. Keep in mind, you will be more productive the next day seeing as much organization as possible.
Still undecided if you can really tackle the unknown? If all else fails you can budget to hire someone. Before you do, at the very least you should request bids from contractors that come to your space. You will be able to ask them about their tools, their route of action, and pick their brain about anything you can think of for your particular job. Here’s to your project. Wishing good luck and safety always.
]]>If you’re here then you’ve already started your search for knowledge, whether it’s about dustless equipment or DIY tips on various projects. But let’s get to the moral of the story: In my opinion, the fastest way to learn about a process is getting someone who does it for a living to talk to you IN PERSON. Here are a few reasons why:
Have you ever used a service based on their website? I have. A lot. Usually what happens is I’ll look up “something” and compare the top 10 or so sites that provide that “something.” Whichever one has the most impressive website seems to win every time. For me, I like the ones that are sleek, well-informed, professional and easy to navigate. This method doesn’t really work with all the talented and well-priced sub contractors you’d like to hire. Sometimes they don’t even have a website. Maybe you got someone’s number through a friend of a friend. It doesn’t mean they’re not going to be the best fit for you. Heck, even the biggest company with the best website might be your best fit. The only way to find out is to get them into your home and talk to them face to face. We’re all pitching our services, and we all want the job, but you should feel like you trust the person you hire. If you get the impression the contractor doesn’t seem to care about your home or project, isn’t listening, or just has an attitude that rubs you the wrong way, trust your instincts. Find someone you’re more likely to have a good interaction with, especially if it comes down to having to negotiate price or rectify unmet services later on.
This past year I was asked to remove tile of a homeowner who already had a flooring company in place. The company did not offer dustless services so I was hired on. To my surprise he was charged $3000 for a new sub-floor. According to them there was no wire mesh under the tile so the thin-set was adhered directly to the sub-floor and could not be saved. When I visited the home I saw why the company made that assessment; the wire mesh was difficult to see, but it was there. All it took was pulling up a few extra vents to find it. Long story short, we were able to save the existing sub-floor, provide a dustless service and save the homeowner a lot of money. It was the difference between relying on the flooring company’s assessment and finding a second opinion from us. Even if the homeowner had gone with another demo company he would have been able to point out the mesh to save his sub-floor.
Several years back I decided to get some bids to finish my basement. I mostly called remodel and construction companies and, as you can expect, I was given several very high-priced estimates to complete the entire project. Much later I met sub-contractors that gave me more realistic and doable price ranges, some of them friends, who offered valuable information that convinced me I was capable of doing some of the work myself.
There are a lot of people who have at least some experience in DIY projects. YouTube is one of my favorite resources for simple tasks. But when it comes to a large-scale job there’s nothing more informative than picking the brain of someone with a lot of experience. This is especially helpful when considering what area you live in and how old your building is. It’s common for houses and buildings to be built similarly based on what company developed your area. Knowledge about an unknown variable in your neighborhood may be the deciding factor in attempting the project yourself.
Every once in a while I’ll accept a job site-unseen, where the contractor or home owner tells me everything I can think to ask and all their questions are answered over the phone. Later on an issue comes up that could have been addressed at the time of an on-site bid. It’s not really a big issue, but there is an amount of miscommunication that always needs to be resolved, which can be frustrating on both ends. When someone is at your place you can take the time to discuss all aspects of a project, explore options and understand the process that will take place. This will also help you understand how tasks will be itemized and give you the ability to better monitor the services agreed on.
Convinced to go ahead and take a few more days to schedule on-site bids? If anything, the meetings will help you feel more prepared to start. Here’s to your project. Wishing good luck and safety always.
]]>When you call we will ask basic questions about your project:
Flooring type: is it tile (ceramic, Saltillo (quarry), natural stone), wood, laminate, carpet, etc? Is there more than one layer of flooring? What is the flooring laid on, sub-floor or concrete?
Demolition areas and details: If the demo is in the kitchen or bathroom, does the flooring go under the cabinets? Are you including vertical tile such as back-splash or shower/bathroom walls?
Other interior demo: What other demo do you need: non-load-bearing walls, showers, tubs and surrounds, toilets, sinks, etc? Do your appliances need to be moved?
We will then set up a time to visit for an accurate bid. When possible I always recommend an on-site visit to avoid complications or unexpected costs. If you live out of the area or prefer to limit the amount of people coming into your home we will accept your own measurements but ask that you provide pictures if possible. We will verify measurements if hired for the job.
You will usually receive your estimate the same day as your on-site visit. Your pricing will depend on the services you need and the equipment you’d like us to use. We understand that having a dustless service is not always a priority for homeowners. Opting for non-dustless will save you money as it’s easier on our equipment. Even with that option we still do our best to contain the dust of your project.
Our equipment is specialized to contain dust for flooring removal and we are always looking at the best ways to isolate dust for other interior demo. We use vacuums that attach to rakes, chippers, grinders and specialized attachments to prevent dust with debris transportation. We also use other methods of dust control such as the BuildClean HEPA Filtration system and ZipWall.
Understand that while we strive to provide the cleanest service, demolition will always be a dirty job. The larger your project is, the more dust there will be that may escape, especially for non-flooring demolition. We do our best to ensure top practices for containing dust, as well as protect your home from collateral damage.
Most of the time we get scheduled without any hitches. Always, always, always schedule your demo first. We run into homeowners, and sometimes general contractors, who try to do everything all at once. If it so happens that someone else is scheduled the same day as demo we can usually work and move around them. We’ve rarely had to reschedule, but it has happened. The main people you should consider are the painters and the flooring installers.
Cabinets and baseboards: If you’d like to keep your existing cabinets expect to see minor scratches at the base. This is usually covered by a quarter-round anyway, unless you are installing new tile, which can be grouted up to the cabinet. In some cases your flooring company will be able to slide the flooring under the edges of the cabinets. The same applies to baseboards. If you remove your baseboards yourself you will save a little money and may even be able to salvage them. It’s just a matter of how much time and know-how you have.
Flooring under your appliances: Stoves and fridges are usually easy to move, but some homeowners decide to leave the dishwasher and use the existing flooring underneath. This saves a few dollars in demolition, the appliance removal fee and the new flooring price.
Banisters: If you’re flooring goes underneath your banister, plan to have it removed or replaced by a professional. You will be able to save your banister if the flooring doesn’t run under the trim.
After your demolition has been completed you will be provided a final invoice. Payment is expected at the time your project is completed or when a walk-through can be done. If you cannot review the project in person we can accommodate a phone evaluation. We always want to make sure you are satisfied with our services and show you that we value your business! As always, good luck with your project and stay safe.
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