Renovating an old house, doing demolition this way can actually save a lot of money!

Saving money on renovation must be done skillfully; it can’t come at the expense of quality, or it becomes meaningless. This kind of saving money is something everyone can do without needing to be taught.

Cost-saving in demolition projects is definitely possible, but only if you understand the market prices; otherwise, trying to be clever could backfire and cost you more.

For example, if your demolition and renovation company charges $10,000, which includes the cost of directly hauling away the debris afterward, you could choose to do it yourself if you find it too expensive. If you hire a demolition team directly, bypassing the renovation company, you can save some money. However, there’s a prerequisite: you need to know the market prices for demolition. Second, you must supervise the work yourself.

Otherwise, you’ll face an awkward situation where the renovation company calculates profit on the entire project, not on each individual trade. Some companies might lower demolition costs to a few thousand dollars, then compensate by charging more on other parts of the project. If the homeowner doesn’t understand this and thinks everything is expensive, they might do it themselves, ending up spending around $15,000—more than what the renovation company would have charged. It’s a waste of effort, nerves, and money.

When the renovation company inspects the demolition, they might find it substandard or overdone, which could increase repair costs, ultimately making the effort not worth it.

Of course, renovation companies prefer to have you do this costly part yourself. Therefore, you must understand the demolition market prices before making this decision. You can find a demolition team in advance to discuss the project on-site and get a sense of the high and low prices. This way, when negotiating with the renovation company, you won’t be in the dark. This can help you save some money while worrying less. Another important point is that you need plenty of time; otherwise, the risks during demolition are high.

Although demolition looks like rough work, it actually carries significant risks. You need to consider neighbors upstairs and downstairs, ensure no damage to load-bearing structures or pipes. It’s best to hire an experienced demolition team. Never assume that cheap labor from the informal market is safe—if an accident occurs, you might not even find the workers afterward, and you’ll have to bear the consequences yourself.

Low price, good work, and plenty of time are the fundamental prerequisites for saving money on old house demolition.