Find out if your concrete project can make the cut with our benefits and budgeting guide.
Concrete is lauded for its near-permanent qualities in construction and flooring applications across residential, commercial, and industrial projects. But what happens when you need to modify or *gasp* remove it from your home or business?
Whether you’re looking to reshape or remove a section, concrete demolition experts are usually the best answer. For something so lasting as concrete, you might imagine that this is a difficult task, and one best left to the pros.
What those professional services will charge, however, to properly assess your project and safely remove the offending concrete without damaging the rest of your buildings or outdoor spaces can vary. Let’s take a closer look at concrete demolition costs and what’s involved in the process as a whole.
Why concrete demolition takes skill (watch out for cowboys)
When it comes to demolition, what comes to mind for many people is a ragtag, caution to the wind approach to removal of offending items, structures, and slabs. After all, you want that back patio removed, so why does it matter how carefully the job is done?
Watch out for cowboys when it comes to concrete demolition. Safety and equipment are critical when it comes to properly removing concrete, whether inside or outside your home or business. And keep clean up in mind too. The more haphazard the demolition, the more likely the crew is to make a mess that’s harder to clean up or damage nearby items.
What you need to look for instead when considering concrete demolition is experience. Demolition takes more than a jackhammer (although that could certainly be part of the equation). Cutting, coring, and removal should be done with several factors in mind including crew safety, clean up, and equipment needed. Rather than letting just anyone hack away at your slab, you’ll want a professional team that can crush, break, and core with precision.
What affects the price of concrete demolition jobs in Perth?
As you price out your demo job, you’ll find that the costs might vary a bit from pro to pro. That’s because there are a number of factors that go into calculating the costs for the work. A professional service will consider the amount of equipment they need, the number of people needed to safely and effectively operate that equipment, and compare that to a set of criteria specific to your job. Here are just a few.
Type
Are you having a wall removed? Tearing up a floor inside your home? Redoing your garage? Where and what type of demolition work is needed will directly affect the cost. This dictates the equipment needed as well as the manpower that will be required for both demo and cleanup.
Size
How large of an area is being demolished? Better yet – how much total concrete is there that has to be removed? That small patio might not seem like much, but if the concrete was poured on thickly, there could be more to the job than literally meets the eye. As a general rule, the more concrete that has to come out, the more costly the overall job will be.
Keep in mind that the size can also affect disposal including the bins needed to properly collect debris and the fees for discarding them properly.
Equipment
Precision tools require precise use. A professional concrete demolition service will be able to decide which tools are needed for the job when they provide you with an estimate. More equipment can mean higher fees since they require transport, operation, and manpower to get the job done right. For example, removing a patio might require much less precise equipment than tearing up a concrete slab inside a structure.
Breaking it down: The cost of concrete demolition in Perth
With these considerations in mind, you can imagine that there will be a wide range of fees. This is also where you need to watch out for too-good-to-be-true services that charge minimal fees. These fly by night companies might not have the experience needed to do a clean, precise, professional job.
On average, you can expect to pay between $30-50 per square metre for concrete demolition. This mainly applies to outdoor applications like removing patios or driveways. Typically, these costs also include the fees for removal and recycling the debris. The table below goes into a bit more detail when it comes to concrete demolition cost.
| Service | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Concrete Removal – Outdoor | $30-50 per square metre |
| Concrete Removal – Indoor | $50-70 per square metre |
| Concrete Cutting | $20-50 per linear metre |
Charging based on the size of the area is often the most straightforward way to estimate a concrete demo job. However, you may find that for some projects or services, such as concrete cutting, prices can take the form of hourly rates. If you go this route, you will want to have the provider give you an estimate for how long they expect the job to take so that the overall cost does not inflate beyond your expectations. The cost can range from $40 to $100 per hour, with the average hourly rate at $70.
Interested in concrete cutting? Learn more here: What Is the Cost of Concrete Cutting and Removal Services?
Key questions to ask before you start demo
While cost is a key factor, you’ll want to make sure you have a few other details ironed out before anyone takes a swipe at your slab. Here are some questions you’ll want to ask as you get your estimates and narrow down your service of choice.
- Do you take care of all waste disposal?
- Does your estimate include the costs of recycling the debris?
- Are all of your workers licensed and insured?
- How long will a project of my size take to complete?
- How many years of experience do you have?
- What equipment do you expect to need to use for my job?
- Do I need to be home while the work is being completed?
- What measures do you take to minimize dust for indoor projects?
- Do you have customer references you can share with me?
Making sure your concrete demo budget makes the cut
A concrete demolition project is no small feat. These structures are built to last for decades, and making the decision to tear them down (or up) doesn’t come lightly. Neither should your choice of a professional demolition team. Make sure you choose someone that has years of experience and the right equipment and insurance for the job. Safety should be paramount above all else. Then, you can get an estimate specific to your project and make your decision.
When it comes to concrete demolition cost, no one is more affordable or transparent than Kwikcut. Our team is honest when it comes to sharing exactly what your project will require and how much you can expect to pay for a job well done. With over a decade of experience, we know what has to go into a job – from the equipment to the clean up and everything in between.
Kwikcut has served Perth and broader Western Australia with pride, and there’s no job too big or too small for our team of professionals. Get started with a free estimate and finish with a customer satisfaction guarantee. Call us on 08 9408 6096 to get started today.