Did you know that a house can last indefinitely if constructed properly and maintained? Simply maintaining the roof, siding, gutters, and foundation can help keep a house in tip top shape.
If a house is neglected over time, it can become beyond repair. The only solution for these old houses is deconstruction, as they can become unfit for human habitation.
A+ Enterprises is a licensed & insured demolition contractor that provides demolition services to the greater Scranton/Wilkes-Barre areas in Pennsylvania.
Guide To Demolishing A House
While the process of demolishing a house sounds simple and straightforward, it is not. There are many variables that must be taken into account such as nearby structures, asbestos, etc. In addition, the operator of the machine must be extremely skilled to have complete control over the machine to demolish the structure.
Some things we don’t go over in this guide are the acquisition of permits, utility disconnects, and asbestos testing.
This guide is for informational purposes only and is not recommended that anybody follow this advice.
House Removal Steps
- Assess the property for nearby structures & hazardous materials
- Calculate the amount of dumpsters needed & the right sized excavator for the job
- Begin demolishing the structure
- Grind up debris & separate recyclable materials
- Load up dumpsters & clean up all debris
- Remove the house foundation
- Backfill the foundation & final grading
Assess The Property & Order Dumpsters
The first step in demolishing any type of structure is to assess the property. You must take note of any nearby structures, overhead lines, and any other access restrictions. In addition, take note of the size & height of the property.
By taking all of these variables into consideration, you will be able to select the right-sized machine & game plan to continue with the deconstruction project.
Next, you will need to calculate the correct amount of dumpsters needed to load with the deconstruction debris. Most houses range between 4-8 40 cubic yard dumpsters depending on the size of the house and the contents inside them. It is important to find a reliable dumpster company that will work with your schedule to ensure the dumpsters are being swapped out consistently.
The Removal Process Begins!
Now that everything is calculated & ordered, it is time to begin demolishing the structure. Have one employee use a hose to spray down the area you will be working. Make sure the employee is wearing a hard hat and is standing a safe distance away. The water is essential for dust control.
Begin tearing into the house with the excavator, taking small bites at the structure. This will help the house stay structurally sound, instead of collapsing onto itself. As you continue to tear into the house, keep in mind the way the house leans and moves and adjust your process accordingly.
There is a certain amount of faith the operator needs to have in his abilities & control over the excavator. The operator needs to be confident and have complete control over every aspect of the machine. One wrong move and the entire deconstruction can go haywire.
Load Up & Remove Debris
Now that the house is demolished & on the ground, there is a giant pile of debris left. There will be sections of roofing, long boards, etc still intact. It is imperative that you spend time crushing all this debris up with the machine before it is loaded into dumpsters.
It is easy to crush the debris up! Simply grab it with the bucket & thumb, and crush it until the debris breaks into smaller pieces. Drop it to the side and repeat.
Once all the debris is reduced in volume, it is time to load up dumpsters. Take your time with this and be sure not to damage the dumpster with your excavator. Load the dumpsters scoop by scoop with the debris until a small pile is left that you cannot grab with the large excavator bucket.
Have 2 laborers clean up this small pile and load it into the last dumpster full of debris.
Foundation Removal & Backfill
Depending on the type of house you are demolishing and the area where you are located, there are multiple options for the foundation removal & backfill. Some houses don’t have a foundation and sit on a concrete slab, while others have a deep foundation into the ground.
In addition, certain areas allow you to use broken up parts of the foundation as backfill as long as no other structure will be built on this site. Other areas require all of the foundation material to be hauled away & disposed of.
As a rule of thumb, our deconstruction company always entirely removes the foundation & backfills the area with clean fill. For budget-conscious customers, we will reuse the foundation as fill but warn the customer of the downsides of doing this.
Hire A Professional Deconstruction Contractor
Does this sound like way too much work to handle yourself? As you can see, demolishing a structure has many more parts to it than simply knocking it down.
If you are located in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area and are seeking a deconstruction contractor, give A+ Enterprises a call! We provide all facets of removal services including house removal.
Other Deconstruction services we provide include:
- Garage Removal
- Shed Removal
- Mobile Home Removal
- Interior Removal
- House Gut Services
- Driveway Removal
- Pool Removal
- Concrete Removal
- House Removal
- Porch/Deck Removal
- And more!
Request a Free House Removal Estimate
Call us today! 570-373-9996
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Sal was great to work with. I was so stressed about a large deck in the back of my house that was collapsing. Sal came right over and gave me a very fair price and two days later the job was done. And a really good job. He even hauled away a piece of junk for me at the last minute. I highly recommend this company and plan to use them again as the need arises
Pam cortese
April 10, 2019Fast service, excellent price. Picked up on the same morning that we called. Will definately recommend and call again. Sal was very professional. Guys who showed up at our home were professional as well. We prefer to use local companies and this is one we expect to keep on our list.
T Seidel
July 8, 2019I got a 100% accurate estimate from the owner and he dispatched a crew to clean out my house the next day (!). The guys were professional and very nice and personable, making a tough situation much easier to handle. Moreover, they worked until the job was done way over my expectations. This company has the best prices in our area and they are complete pros. I would recommend them to anyone...don't hesitate and call A+ first! They will be my first call in the future! Added 3/1/2020: So 18 months later I had to clean out a 2nd floor apartment and 3rd floor attic. This attic was stuffed floor to ceiling with junk and the apartment full of furniture. Sal had a crew there within 24 hrs of my call and cleaned it out in ONE DAY! They even swept up and went through with garbage cans to completely clean the house. I value good service and A+ always delivers...I recommend them to my friends and family and have now used them 3 times. Each time the price is far less than I expected and the work is way better than I'd expect. If you have a job that you're afraid to deal with...call them!!!!! It is the best call you'll ever make! They have always come through for me. Thank you!!!!
Daryl Williams
March 2, 2020 -
Hard working guys got the job done in one day. I recently bought a foreclose property and have A+ Enterprises help do the clean up. Its a 3 bedroom house full of junk, and everything was gone at the end of the day. Image a house hoarders live in, 3 bedrooms, each with bed, dressers, night stand, TV and many other trash, you do not want to be in the room more than 1 minute. Kitchen full of dirty dishes, appliances and dining table with chairs. At the end of the day, whatever not bolted down was gone, including most of the nasty carpet. I will definitely use their service again. Great service and the hard working people.
Calvin L
April 7, 2021I would highly recommend this company. Very respectful employees. Worked efficiently, were conscientious and very careful. Fairly priced and made this cleanup of 50 years worth of “things” easy.
Kathleen Doyle
October 10, 2020Can’t thank the guy we spoke to enough! He was wonderful to us! We were in a last minute crunch to get rid of stuff and he worked with us and even went way out of his way to accommodate our needs! He truly has great customer support and was beyond generous! Can’t thank this awesome company enough! It meant a lot to us!! We highly recommend!
Kaitlyn Szorady
July 11, 2020 -
I had called them to remove an old couch.. not only did the accommodate at a reasonable rate, they had it removed within hours!! Called 2-3 different places, tied prices w 2, however the customer service was phenomenal!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! Thank you so much again!!
Jennifer Mieczkowski
January 22, 2021Great company! They were able to come quickly on short notice. Excellent pricing. We added a bit from our initial quote and the cost changed very reasonably. Communication was quick, clear, and professional. Definitely recommend!!
Kelly Stevens
January 3, 2021This is an excellent company to deal with. I highly recommend! They were punctual, friendly and communicative throughout the entire process. From the first call, to the estimate, to the contract details, to start day/time, to what to expect day of and clean up day. It is very hard to find this level of customer service anymore! We hired them to tear down an old cinderblock/wood garage. It was right on the property line and didn’t have much room for error. A+ took the garage down no problem and did a great job with haul away and cleanup. You can tell they know their stuff. Sal always returned calls and emails. We got a fair price and a job well done! I definitely recommend and would work with them again if the need ever arises.
Alura B
April 14, 2021 -
The price was amazing and the workers were professional. They completed the job within a short period of time and I’m having them come back for more work. Thanks A plus
Maurice Oates
May 22, 2020Hired A Plus Enterprises last year to remove some old pool equipment, old yard equipment, and old furniture from my house. There timing, professionalism, and reasonable pricing was overwhelmingly amazing. Great job and look forward to hiring you again!
Ryan Croughn
May 4, 2020They cleaned out my grandmas house today in under 6 hours. And we had a lot of stuff! Friendly guys and great work!! Definitely recommend.
Grace Baker
July 25, 2020 -
Sal really helped us out. We needed some junk removed right away and he got there within a couple of hours, was very professional and polite and did not charge an arm and a leg. He has a customer for life in us now!
Margaret Esopi
December 24, 2018I never leave reviews but Sal (I think his name is) was great. Both times we used them they showed up the next day on time and did a fast and efficient job. Personable and reliable. Highly recommend.
Carissa Dewey
May 5, 2019Called for estimate for tv removal, good price came that morning I called, Sal is great, will use again.
Debbie Rumensky
March 15, 2020
