Demolition Contractors in Edmonds, WA

Edmonds is one of the oldest towns in the region, and demolition contractors working here follow one of its most detailed handouts. The city was incorporated as a village of 600 acres on August 14, 1890, and today counts 42,853 residents. Downtown sits in a valley known as the bowl, with views of Puget Sound and the Olympics, and hillside neighborhoods around it were built out as suburban subdivisions in the mid-to-late 20th century.

When you need a permit

The city's B22 Demolition handout says a permit is required to demolish most structures. The exception is a one-story residential accessory structure of up to 200 square feet used as a shed or playhouse, as long as it is not in an environmentally sensitive or landslide hazard area. A larger garage, any house and anything in a mapped hazard area needs a permit.

Sewer and water, the Edmonds way

• Sewer is cut and capped at the property line with a twist plug, and the stub is marked with a 2x4 stake. The handout says a concrete patch is not permitted, and the cap needs inspection approval.
• Water is disconnected at the meter, and a hose spigot with an atmospheric vacuum breaker is installed so there is water on site for dust control.
• Utility locations for water, sewer, storm, power, gas and communications, plus cut and cap points, go on the site plan.

Inspections are scheduled through MyBuildingPermit.com at least 24 hours ahead, and three of them, erosion control, sewer cap and water disconnect, must pass before demolition starts.

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Asbestos, salvage and bonding

The application asks for the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency notification number. The agency requires an AHERA asbestos survey and a 10-day wait after the notification is filed. Edmonds also applies material management to demolitions over 750 square feet or $75,000 in valuation: separate containers for recyclable and non-recyclable materials, a salvage assessment signed by the owner as an affidavit with the application, and a waste diversion report at completion. A bond is generally required for full residential or commercial demolition, but it is waived if a building permit is applied for at the same time.

Planning around the bowl and the water

Edmonds' official elevation is 66 feet, but the city climbs steeply from the waterfront, and streams flow southeast into Lake Ballinger. The ferry terminal at the west end of Main Street and the narrow streets of the bowl make staging and hauling something to plan carefully. We pick haul times that avoid ferry traffic and keep the street clear of debris, which the handout also requires. Larger redevelopment is coming too: the 53-acre former Unocal oil terminal at Point Edwards, closed in 1991, has long been sought for redevelopment.

Edmonds services

• House teardowns and foundation removal
• Garages and outbuildings over the 200-square-foot exemption
• Concrete and retaining wall removal
• Interior demolition
• Pool and hot tub removal

Call (425) 598-0539 to talk through your project.