Construction guys, demo-ing a garage?

[speeder]

I have a friend who needs an old, run-down 3-car garage removed from the face of the earth, (or at least from behind the apt. building he owns).

I've done a little demo work in my youth, it can be a lot of fun. It is not real immediately obvious to me how to dispose of this garage when I look at it, besides the lazy man's option which would be some sticks of TNT and a bobcat.

We have a United Rental in town that will rent just about anything to anyone, up to and including heavy equipment. I have visions of renting a bulldozer w/ a hardtop and pulling a fastpat/renegade anarchist deal on some other MF'ers I don't like while I have it, but that is probably just dreaming.

Anyone? Call-out to Bob's flat six?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

You lookin' for volunteers to come over with 8-pound sledgehammers or what? If so, sure. I'm up for it. Why not?

Has he procured the proper permits yet? City of L.A. is a royal PITA about that kind of stuff.

[turbo6bar]

If you're trying to elevate testosterone levels, rent a mini trackhoe with thumb attachment. You can rip the place to shreds and place debris directly inside the dumpster.

[rouxroux]

turbo6bar has the right idea. I removed a garage from our old house, and after swinging sledges, almost burning up my sawzall and getting a 6" nail through my boot then loading it all up in an open-bed trailer to take to the landfill myself, the trackhoe directly in the dumpster is the wise man's choice!

(Plus the scale of the demolition with a trackhoe actually make YOU feel like YOU're in controll).

[VincentVega]

You should be able to take it apart in reverse order it came together. Take off the sheathing, knock out the joists and then disect the walls. Or, rent a backhoe and have at it.

[URY914]

From the top down if you are doing yourself.
Don't bite off more than you can chew.

What is it made off? Wood, brick, straw?

[juanbenae]

be careful if this is a business venture. some dumps and landfills will look long and hard at demo leavins from a structure. lead paint and other hazardous stuff can get them real squeamish about taking stuff. look into the dumps you plan on using before you show up with a truck full. have you noticed what a dump cost these days? i drive two cities over to use a dump, its like 50% cheaper!

talk to the local public agency telling them this building is "only in your mind" at this time. this or else they will want permit fees, and possibly some abatement testing to call your junk "clean enough to be thrown out".

get a tetanus shot, good hard hat, some gloves, & good luck

Get demo permit. Get electrical, gas, plumbing service cut off upstream of building.

Get a helper. Back an open top 40 yard dumpster up to the garage. Sawzall the roof sheathing into bite size pieces and toss. Saw off the soffit downstream of the bird's mouth and kick it down. break the rafters loose from the ridge rafter. Roof is down.

Sawzall the walls straight down in 5/6' wide sections. Rack and pack. Repeat all the way around the building.

Probably take 2 or 3 dumpsters depending on how well you pack. Two guys, two hard days.

[Dantilla]

Just call the fire department a little... bit... too... late. Oops!

[speeder]

Thanks! I'll post pictures of the structure if it looks like this is really going to happen. How much do you guys figure a job like that is worth?

[Eric 951]

Originally posted by Dantilla
Just call the fire department a little... bit... too... late. Oops!

Actually, depending upon where you are located, some FDs will do a controlled burn of a structure as training for their crews. We had the local VFD burn down a house on our property in this manner.

[turbo6bar]

Originally posted by speeder
Thanks! I'll post pictures of the structure if it looks like this is really going to happen. How much do you guys figure a job like that is worth?

$2000 + hauling/dumpster and equipment rental fees is my WAG.

[URY914]

Originally posted by speeder
How much do you guys figure a job like that is worth?

You want to know how much it will cost and all you've told us is that it is a three car garage.

OK, here's my estimate, somewhere between $0.00 and infinity.

Labor est x 2 + permit cost + mech/elect cost + dumpster cost = $xxx.xx * .50 profit +20% contingency = total job cost

[MikeSid]

I've done this only twice and both were smaller than 3 car, but the program is the same, provided you have adequate space.

If there is sufficient room next to one of the "sides" of the garage, you can sawzall out the "ends" to eliminate sheer strength of the building. At that point you can basically push it over and cut it up. You'll need adjacent space equivalent to the wall height + eave overhang.

You'll eat blades going through asphalt roofing and the roofing pieces will be heavy - but all the work will be on the ground as opposed to 8-15 feet above ground.

This was less than a full day job with 1 and 1.5 car garages for 4 guys by hand. But for a large 3 car, a small skidsteer loader or mini trackhoe is the best option, and makes it a one man show.

And +1 for MW about calling for a utility locate if there is even the slightest question about what's in the area.

[Dantilla]

A cousin of mine rented a boom truck to move a garage off of his father-in-law's property. Cut the roof into two halves, and all four walls were pulled apart from each other and loaded onto the truck. He got a garage for the cost of renting a truck.

Is yours in good enough shape to give it away to somebody else?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally posted by turbo6bar
$2000 + hauling/dumpster and equipment rental fees is my WAG.

Until you find asbestos or something in it. . .

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by turbo6bar
If you're trying to elevate testosterone levels, rent a mini trackhoe with thumb attachment. You can rip the place to shreds and place debris directly inside the dumpster.

This is key...the first barn I took down I angle cut all the support beams in the direction I wanted it to fall and pulled it over. I didn't take any pics or video for fear of ending up on AFHV!

While it was fun, the real labor was removing the debris, which was a royal PITA.

Second time I rented a trackhoe with thumb attachment...cut the time by 80% and I didn't lay a hand on a board!

Cost...it's a hoot, you should pay him!

[vash]

demo is fun. getting rid of the spoils? that part will suck. i would rent debris boxes, and go to town. chainsaws, sawsalls, and sledgehammers. pack neatly. i would also hire some daylabor, legally. i have helped out twice, and most "friends" run out of steam, once they figure out the word "fun" is used very loosely. (unless all of your friends are typeA, control freak, competitive types).

[azasadny]

I demo'ed my old garage with thick, leather gloves, hat and safety glasses, Porter Cable reciprocating saw with "Fire and Rescue" blades, crow bar, 4lb sledge hammer, 20yd dumpster and some beer. Save the beer for after the work is done. I started by removing the roof, then walls and filled the dumpster as I went. Be careful!