Demolition Cost Calculator
Residential demolition runs about $4–$15 per square foot in the US, but the spread is driven by what is under the building and what is in it — not by square footage alone. Enter your project below for a low, typical and high estimate with the labor, disposal, permit and hazard allowances broken out.
How much does demolition cost?
Most residential demolition costs $4–$15 per square foot. A 2,000 sq ft wood-frame house on a slab typically runs $12,000–$22,000 all-in. A full basement, masonry construction or confirmed asbestos can double that. Foundation removal and abatement are frequently quoted separately — always confirm what is included.
Demolition Cost Calculator
Demolition project details
Every field updates the estimate immediately. Nothing is saved unless you ask us to.
Your estimate
Take this range to two or three licensed demolition contractors and ask each to price the same scope, including disposal and permits.
What this estimate covers
Included
- Standard weekday working hours with normal site access
- Debris hauled to a licensed landfill or recycling facility
- Demolition permit obtained by the contractor
- Utilities disconnected and capped as part of the scope
Not included
- Asbestos or lead abatement beyond the allowance shown
- Contaminated soil remediation
- Tree removal and landscaping restoration
- Underground storage tank removal
- New construction, foundations or utility reconnection
This is an estimate, not a contractor quote. Figures come from national average material and labor costs adjusted for your inputs.
Demolition cost by project type
These are take-down and disposal ranges only. Foundation removal, hazardous material abatement and site restoration are priced separately below, because they are the items most often missing from a low quote.
| Project | Typical range | Cost per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Interior strip-out (gut to studs) | $3,000 – $12,000 | $3 – $7 |
| Detached garage or shed | $2,500 – $8,000 | $4 – $9 |
| Single-storey house, wood frame, slab | $10,000 – $22,000 | $5 – $11 |
| Two-storey house with basement | $18,000 – $45,000 | $8 – $18 |
| Masonry or concrete structure | $20,000 – $60,000+ | $10 – $20 |
| Concrete slab, patio or driveway removal | $1,200 – $5,000 | $3 – $6 |
What actually drives the price
Hazardous materials
Asbestos in floor tile, pipe lagging, siding and roofing, and lead in paint, are routine in buildings put up before 1980. A survey is cheap and is usually a permit condition. Abatement is not cheap, and it must happen before demolition starts. This is the biggest source of demolition budget overruns.
What is below grade
A slab breaks out quickly. A full basement means breaking walls, hauling the rubble, then importing and compacting fill to bring the lot back to grade. Backfill alone can be $5,000–$20,000 depending on how much material is needed and how far it has to come.
Site access
A contractor who can park a 20-ton excavator next to the building works far faster than one working through a narrow driveway with a mini machine. Tight urban sites also mean more, smaller haulage trips and sometimes street-closure permits.
Disposal and tipping fees
Landfill charges vary enormously by region and by material. Concrete and clean wood are often recyclable at lower cost than mixed debris, which is why separating material on site can reduce the total even though it takes longer.
How this calculator works
The estimate starts from a base rate per square foot for the project type you choose, then applies multipliers for construction material, number of storeys and site access. Foundation work, disposal, utility disconnection, site clearing and permits are added as separate line items so the breakdown reconciles with the total.
A regional labour adjustment is applied once, based on your ZIP code: high-cost metropolitan areas are adjusted up by about 22 %, low-cost regions down by about 15 %. We use three broad bands rather than per-ZIP pricing, because we do not hold licensed per-ZIP labour rate data and will not present invented figures as local pricing.
The low and high figures are 18 % below and 28 % above the typical estimate, widened further for demolition because hidden conditions are discovered on site more often than in almost any other trade. Hazardous material figures are shown as allowances, not prices — real abatement is quoted only after a survey.
How to compare demolition bids
- Ask each contractor whether foundation removal and backfill to grade are in scope. This alone explains most of the gap between a cheap and an expensive quote.
- Confirm who pulls the demolition permit and who pays the fee.
- For any pre-1980 building, ask whether the price assumes no asbestos, and what happens to the price if the survey finds it.
- Check that utility disconnection is included, and whether the contractor coordinates with the utility companies or expects you to.
- Ask what the site will look like on the last day: bare dirt at grade, or a hole with a pile of rubble next to it.
- Verify licence, liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage before signing. Demolition carries more risk than most residential trades.
Frequently asked questions
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