Building Demolition Cost Guide - How Much It Costs to Tear Down Various Structures

If you have a structure you want torn down, you're likely curious how much it will cost to get it done.

When it comes time to tear down a building, the first question most people ask is, 'How much is this going to cost?'

We understand that getting the best price for your building demolition is of the utmost importance to you, and we want to help ensure you get that.

This guide will go over the average costs for the most popular types of building demolition:

• Commercial Building Demolition
• Mobile Home Demolition
• House Demolition
• Barn Demolition
• Garage Demolition
• Shed Demolition 

Building demolition costs vary based on a number of factors, including the type and size of the structure, the building materials being removed, where the building is located, whether or not hazardous materials are present, and who you hire.

Commercial Building Demolition Average Cost

The national average for commercial demolition is roughly $4-$8 per square foot, including debris disposal.

With that being said, however, this average square footage cost goes down as the square footage of the project goes up.

So, the larger the commercial building being demolished, the less you will likely pay per square foot for the demolition.

Below are real-life examples of what others have paid for their commercial building demolition project.

 

As you can see, size and location of the commercial building are the two biggest factors affecting cost.

For example, a customer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana had a 4,500 sq ft commercial building demolished for $18,000, while a customer in La Habra Heights, California had a 4,500 sq ft commercial building demolished for $26,000.

The customer in La Habra Heights paid significantly more for the same size commercial demolition because waste disposal fees and the cost of living in La Habra Heights (203.5/100) are much higher than those in Baton Rouge (90.4/100). 

Other factors that affect commercial demolition cost include:

• Building materials used.
• Whether or not hazardous materials are present.
• Debris cleanup and disposal efforts.
• Who you hire.

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Keep reading about commercial demolition:

• Insider Tips for a Successful Commercial Demolition Project
• Commercial Demolition FAQs: Your Biggest Questions Answered

Mobile Home Demolition Average Cost

The national average cost to tear down a mobile home and is $3.50-$5 per square foot, including debris disposal.

With the average single-wide trailer measuring 15 ft wide x 72 ft long, the average cost to demolish a single-wide mobile home is $3,000-$5,000.

A double-wide trailer demolition will cost closer to $7,000 or more in some cases.

Below is a list of real-life examples of what others have paid for their mobile home demolition.

 

As you can see, the price for mobile home demolition is highly dependent on the location and size of the mobile home.

For example, a customer in New York paid $33,000 to demolish a single-wide trailer and one medium shed, while a customer in Michigan paid $4,500 to demolish a single-wide trailer and two medium sheds.

The customer in New York paid $28,500 more than the customer in Michigan, and had less work done.

This huge difference in price is due to the high waste disposal fees and the overall cost of living in New York compared to Michigan.

In addition to location and size, there are other major cost factors that come into play when estimating the cost of a mobile home demolition, like what's inside the home, whether or not hazardous materials are present, and who you hire.

To ensure you choose the right contractor for your mobile home demolition project and don't overpay, we recommend getting quotes from at least three different contractors.

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Learn more about mobile home demolition:

• What Factors Affect the Cost of Mobile Home Removal?
• How to Remove Your Mobile Home and How Much It Costs
• 10 of the Biggest Mobile Home Questions Answered
• What Needs to Be Done Before Demolishing or Removing a Mobile Home

House Demolition Average Cost

Traditional house demolition has a price tag of $4,000-$14,000 on average, including debris disposal.

This average price varies so drastically because, just like any type of demolition, there are several factors that come into play.

Common Factors Affecting House Demolition Costs:

• Size of the home
• Materials used to build the home
• Location and accessibility of the home
• Demolition method used
• Contractor you hire

The table below gives you an idea of what real house demolition costs across the country look like, how they vary, and why.

 

As the table shows, house demolition costs fluctuate the most due to location of the home and size of the home.

For example, these examples show 1,300 sq ft homes fluctuating from as low as $4,200 in Lenoir, North Carolina to as high as $10,000 in Livonia, Michigan.

This shows the effect location has on price, and it's no surprise that the size of the home will affect cost as well.

For example, in Cleveland, one customer paid $8,500 for a 1,140 sq ft home demolition while another paid $6,000 to demolish a fire-damaged 910 sq ft home.

As you can see, the bigger your home, the more you will likely have to pay to have it demolished.

If you're interested in deconstructing your home in order to salvage as much useable material as possible, you can expect to pay 2-3x more than traditional demolition.

Deconstruction is significantly more expensive up front, but when done right, you can often recoup much of your costs by reusing or selling your salvaged materials.

To find out how much your specific house demolition will cost, reach out to multiple contractors in your area.

 

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Keep reading about house demolition costs:

• 3 Simple Tips to Lower the Cost of Demolishing a House
• Breakdown of the House Demolition Process
• How Much Does Demolition Cost per Square Foot?
• Should I Demolish and Rebuild or Renovate My House?

Barn Demolition Average Cost

On average, the price of barn demolition is $1,500-$10,000, including debris disposal.

However, prices can reach as high as $25,000 depending on the barn's size, the location and accessibility of the barn, and the contractor you work with.

Below are some real-life examples of what others have paid for barn demolition.

 

Deconstruction is another popular option for barn demolition because it allows you to salvage useable, and often highly valuable, barn wood.

Old growth timbers commonly used to build old barns are very valuable and should definitely be saved to be sold or reused in furniture or as home accents, like shelving or beams on the ceiling.

Reach out to multiple barn demolition contractors in your area to get a better idea of how much your barn demolition project will cost.

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Learn more about barn demolition:

• 3 Ways to Handle an Old Barn
• Don't Hire Just Anyone to Demo Your Barn
• It Pays to Have Your Barn Demolished

Garage Demolition Average Cost

Garage demolition costs $1,000-$3,000 on average, including debris disposal.

However, the cost to tear down a garage varies depending on...

• The size of the garage.
• Where the garage is located.
• If the garage is attached or detached.
• Materials used to build the garage.
• Whether or not the garage has a foundation.
• Existing utilities in the garage.
• Overall condition of the garage.
• Whether or not there is asbestos or lead paint present.

The table below gives you an idea of what real garage demolition costs across the country look like, how they vary, and why.

 

As the above examples show, location is one of the biggest factors impacting the cost of garage demolition.

For example, in Flushing, New York, a single-car garage demolition and concrete slab removal cost $10,000, while a single-car demolition and concrete slab removal in Hastings, Michigan cost $2,000.

This is due to the high cost of living and waste disposal fees in Flushing, New York (182.7/100) compared to Hastings, MI (83.5/100).

To get a better understanding of how much your garage demolition will cost, reach out to multiple contractors to get quotes for your specific project.

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Find out more about garage demolition:

• What Affects the Cost of Garage Demolition?
• Can I Tear Down My Old Garage and Build a New One?
• Tear Down That Garage! Benefits of Removal, How It's Done, and How Much It Cost

Shed Demolition Average Cost

Shed demolition is relatively inexpensive, costing $500-$2,000 on average, including debris disposal.

Several factors influence the total cost of shed demolition, including:

• The size and location of the shed.
• The materials used to build the shed.
• Whether the demolition is done using heavy machinery or by hand.
• Whether or not the shed has a concrete foundation that needs to be removed
• Who you hire.

In the table below, you can see what real-life customers have paid for their shed demolition.

 

As the table above reflects, the location and size of your shed will have a big impact on your shed demolition cost, as well as the contents of the shed.

For example, in New London, Connecticut, a customer paid $2,850 to demolish and haul away an 80 sq ft shed that was full of contents.

In Paramus, New Jersey, a customer paid $800 to demolish and haul away an 80 sq ft shed that was empty.

While location plays a big factor in cost due to the cost of living and varying waste disposal fees, the cost of living in Paramus is higher than that of New London.

This is an example of how the amount and type of debris being disposed of can affect the total cost of shed demolition.

To find out exactly how much your shed demolition project will cost, we recommend contacting at least three different contractors to compare quotes, availability, and customer service.

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Find shed demolition contractors in your area

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Learn more about shed removal:

• What to Do with Your Old Backyard Storage Shed: Remove, Renovate, or Rebuild?
• Demo 1-2-3: How to Remove Your Shed