Interior demolition and tear-out in Charlotte
Interior demolition removes the parts of a house that a remodel will replace: cabinets, counters, fixtures, flooring, tile, drywall, non-structural walls and old decks. Done well, it takes out only what should come out and leaves the rest of the house undamaged and ready for the new work.
Haul-away is part of the job. The debris leaves with us, so you are not left with a pile in the driveway and a weekend of trips to the landfill.
Selective demolition: taking out only what should go
Most demolition inside a house is selective. The kitchen comes out, but the hallway tile next to it stays. The wall comes down, but the ceiling it meets stays flat. That takes more care than a sledgehammer suggests.
- Protect floors, doorways and rooms that stay before anything is removed.
- Shut off and cap water, gas and power to the area first.
- Cut drywall and tile at clean lines so the patch later is small.
- Save anything worth reusing, such as trim, doors or cabinets for the garage.
- Contain the dust with plastic sheeting and keep the work area closed off.
Taking out a wall
Opening a kitchen to the living room is one of the most common reasons to take out a wall. The first question is whether the wall carries load from the floor or roof above. A non-structural wall can simply come out. A load-bearing one can still go, but the load has to be carried by a new beam, with temporary support while the work is done.
Walls also carry wiring, plumbing and sometimes ductwork, which have to be rerouted. Taking out a load-bearing wall changes the structure, so it needs a building permit in North Carolina.
Check for hazards before demolition
Older houses can hide materials that should not be broken up without testing. Paint from before 1978 may contain lead. Some older vinyl floor tiles, adhesives, pipe wrap and textured ceilings can contain asbestos.
If your house is older, test suspect materials before demolition starts. If a test comes back positive, the removal goes to an abatement specialist before the rest of the tear-out continues.
Demolition with the rebuild in mind
Because we do the rebuild too, we demolish knowing what goes in next. That affects small things that add up: where to cut the drywall so the new cabinets cover the seam, which subfloor to keep, and what to leave in place to hold the shape of a room.
Demolition also tells you what you are building on. Water damage, old wiring and soft subfloor show up when the finishes come off, and finding them at this stage is far cheaper than finding them after the new work is in.
Old decks, sheds and outdoor structures
We also remove old decks and small outdoor structures, often as the first step in building a new one. A deck that is coming down still has a ledger bolted to the house, and that attachment point needs checking for rot once the old ledger is off.
What we do not take on
Knocking down a whole house or a commercial building is a different trade, with heavy machinery, utility disconnections and its own permits. If your job is that size, call and we will talk through whether it fits. Interior demolition and tear-out for remodels is our day-to-day work.
What moves the price of demolition
Demolition is priced at a free estimate, and the number is confirmed before any work starts. It depends on:
- How much is coming out, and how heavy it is: tile and plaster weigh far more than drywall.
- How much protection the rest of the house needs.
- Whether walls are load-bearing and need temporary support.
- The volume of debris to haul away.
- Testing or abatement, if older materials are involved.
