In this garage demolition cost guide we explore how much it costs to demolish a garage and other factors to consider.
How much does garage demolition cost?
Sometimes a garage needs to be demolished because it is unsafe or no longer serves its purpose.
If you want to rebuild an old building or transform a dusty, unused garage into a new feature or extension of your garden, garage demolition is a great option and starts at around £2,000.
For instance, the typical price range for demolishing a small, single garage is between £2,000 and £5,000. The average cost to demolish a larger triple garage, however, is closer to £5,000. We’ll go over all the cost factors in a moment so you can get an idea of your required budget.
As we’ve already mentioned, the size of the garage will be the main determinant of how much it will cost to demolish it. According to size, the cost ranges and average prices for a garage demolition are shown in the table below. If you’re unsure, it’s worth measuring up so you can give your contractor precise measurements from which to quote.
Factors That Influence Your Garage Demolition Costs
Size
Sizing is an important factor because, in addition to labor hours, a contractor needs to know the garage’s dimensions in order to determine what kind of equipment they will need.
The typical method for manually demolishing garages is to start with the roof and work downward from there. The price to demolish a garage will rise in direct proportion to the size of the building because a larger garage might need a wrecking ball or more powerful equipment.
Before they can give you a precise price quote, a contractor will probably inquire about a number of other factors relating to the demolition of your garage.
The height of your garage is the additional sizing factor. Two-story buildings must be demolished, which will inevitably take longer and cost more money than a standalone lean-to garage or a single-height garage.
Location
Your budget may also be impacted by how close your garage demolition is to the contractor you’ve chosen. A demolition team will raise their price if they have to make additional travel arrangements, plan multiple trips to dispose of waste, or pay for parking, skip permits, or congestion zone fees. When you first request a quote, we enquire about your location to better match your needs with nearby contractors.
Waste Disposal
The old garage needs to be moved after the job is finished. If you hire a demolition service, they will inform you if it is or is not included. You can anticipate paying about £600 to £1,000 for each truckload of waste if you’re in charge of cleanup.
Accessibility
Garage demolition cost can also be affected based on how accessible the garages are. The properties that are hard to get to or that have connections to main utilities are more complicated than garage demolitions at properties that are simple to get to and that don’t have any plumbing or electrical wiring.
Before the demolition can start, both factors will require preparation work, such as:
- Requesting the services of a qualified contractor to terminate and disconnect utility services.
- If access is restricted, organizing alternative earthmoving equipment.
- Changing from a top-down demolition to a fully manual demolition if lorries or other large vehicles cannot access the site.
If your contractor needs access through a side return or cannot complete the demolition without widening pathways or other entrance points, you might occasionally need to communicate with the owners of neighbouring properties.
Structure Type
It takes longer to demolish garages that are attached to another building, typically your home. To ensure that the demolition does not compromise the structural integrity of connected buildings, the contractor will need to carry out a careful demolition with additional repairs to external walls and supports.
Materials Used
Materials used to construct the garage must also be taken into account because brick-built garages are heavier and require more money to transport and dispose of their waste than wooden-frame or block-built garages. If the materials are salvageable and can be reclaimed or reused, there may be opportunities for cost savings. A contractor may arrange the sale to a salvage yard for you, or you could keep the bricks to sell later. A demolition expert will enquire about the garage’s foundations and any potential for hazardous materials like asbestos.
Demolishing a Garage With a Concrete Slab Foundation
Concrete slabs can be removed, but it will take a little more effort physically. Before removing the foundation, your contractor will typically need to break the concrete into smaller pieces. Depending on the size and thickness of the concrete, this process will take more time, cost more to dispose of the waste, and require different equipment.
Demolishing a Garage With Asbestos
In the past, asbestos was fairly common, but it is now recognized as a hazardous material and is not allowed in any building project. Asbestos is frequently found in the corrugated roof panels of garages constructed before the 1990s, and it may also be found in the insulation, paneling, and guttering. To find out which materials are in the structure and in which areas of your garage building, you should arrange an assessment and site survey if you are unsure whether there is asbestos inside your garage.
If you don’t have any records identifying the materials in the garage and your property was built before 1999, you’ll need to schedule an asbestos survey before you can start demolishing it. To remove, handle, and dispose of asbestos, contractors must adhere to strict procedures, and the survey will cost extra. Some demolition teams are certified and licensed specifically to handle asbestos removal such as the team at RLR Demolitions.
The cost of removing asbestos would generally be added to the quotation as well.
Garage demolition cost by material
As lightly touched on above, the initial materials used to build the garage did have an impact on the final price. Typically, it is simpler to bring down a wooden garage than a solid concrete one. Due to the ease with which certain materials, like concrete and metal, can be recycled, this will also help them decide where to bring the waste once the project is complete.
Metal
The majority of metal garages are detached structures that were constructed independently of the house. The houses are usually simple to knock down but a little more difficult to disassemble. Depending on the size of the garage, it will cost between £1,500 and £3,000 to destroy a metal detached garage.
Wood
The cost of demolition increases slightly if your garage is made of straight wood because it is typically more difficult to tear down. This may cost slightly less than metal if you combine a wooden frame with drywall that is mostly flat. A garage made entirely of wood will cost between £3,000 to £5,000 to tear down, whereas one with a wooden frame and drywall will cost between £1,500 and £3,000 to do so.
Concrete
Although concrete garages are frequently among the most difficult to demolish, the material is simple to discard. This usually evens out the cost of demolition, bringing it down to £2,500 to £4,500.
Additional considerations that affect the cost of demolishing a garage
Before you decide to move forward or establish a fixed budget, there are additional factors to take into account in addition to the garage demolition cost.
- Security: If your garage has an internal door connecting it to your home, you may need to install security locks, replace the internal door with an exterior entrance, or both.
- Planning permission: Although it depends on the size of the outbuilding, your property’s location, and whether the demolition will alter the exterior of your home, the majority of garage demolitions don’t need planning permission.
- Groundwork: Depending on your plans, your garage’s demolition will probably leave a bare patch of ground that needs landscaping or ground preparation. Once the demolition is complete, additional groundwork will be needed for concrete slab foundations.
- Demolition accreditations: Experienced demolition teams who are members of a recognized trade association, such as the CHAS, typically charge more than less-skilled teams. Nevertheless, this affiliation guarantees that your contractor will adhere to strict standards and possess the necessary training for the demolition procedures they provide.
An experienced demolition contractor can help you navigate these considerations and suggest the best course of action.
Understanding a Garage Demolition Quotation
Following completion of your quote request, you will receive up to four quotes from authorized demolition service providers in your neighborhood. The format and level of detail you give your contractor to quote from will both affect the quotes themselves. To compare two sets of pricing information similarly and select the best demotion professional for your project, you must understand what your quotation means.
- The quote might include extra fees like skip hire or parking permits. If one is not offered, you should request one so that you can keep track of any additional expenses that weren’t included in the final price.
- The chargeable labor hours for most garage demolitions range from one to two full days of work. This is sometimes expressed in terms of days or hours, multiplied by the quantity of tradespeople present. You can request an estimate of how many days of work will be necessary and how many people will be working if your quote includes a day rate (typically between £200 to £500 depending on experience). This will allow you to determine the final cost.
- Disposal of waste can be fairly expensive, especially if there is a lot of it or if it contains hazardous materials like asbestos. You might need to plan skip rental, waste disposal, and transport separately from the demolition if a contractor doesn’t include it in their estimate for the job.
Ask for clarification if any part of your garage demolition quote is unclear before moving forward so you’ll know exactly how much it will cost to demolish the garage and what other services you’ll need to arrange. Find out more about typical building and demolition costs, waste disposal costs, and wall demolition costs if your garage demolition also requires the removal of a wall.
You can also get in touch with our team at RLR Demolition who are experts in all types of garage demolition. We have over 25+ years experience service across multiple industries. We will also provide you with a no-obligation quote based on your custom requirements. Click here to request a free garage demolition quote today!