How We Take a Seattle Building Down

Elite Demolition Contractors Seattle removes houses, garages, sheds, concrete, interiors and small commercial buildings in Seattle and the towns around it. Most of the work on a demolition job happens before a machine touches the building, and in Seattle that paperwork is heavier than in most cities. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) wants a salvage assessment for any project that includes demolition, a rat abatement declaration, a site plan that shows the trees and how they will be protected, and a construction stormwater plan. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency wants an asbestos survey and a notice filed at least 10 days before demolition. The side sewer has to be capped under its own permit.

How we work

• See it first. We walk the property, measure the structures and note access, slope, trees, the sewer line and anything that looks like asbestos or old paint.
• Lay out the steps. You get a list of what the job needs, in order: survey, notices, utility shutoffs, permits, and the dates each one takes.
• Price it on paper. The estimate separates tear-down, hauling, foundation and slab removal, and any abatement, so it can be compared with other bids.
• Sort the debris. Wood, metal and concrete go to recycling where they can, and reusable fixtures and lumber are pulled for salvage when the job allows.
• Leave a clean site. Footings out to the depth agreed, the hole backfilled, the lot graded and erosion control left in place.

If a job does not need a demolition permit, such as gutting a kitchen or removing a small shed, we say so and price it that way.