Demolition contractors: costs, notices and what to check
Demolishing a house in the UK typically costs about £80 to £115 per m², or roughly £6,400 to £11,700 for a small house of 80 to 120 m². Compare local demolition contractors, and sort out the asbestos survey, the council notice and planning prior approval before work starts.
- House demolition
- about £80–£115 per m²
- Small house (80–120 m²)
- about £6,400–£11,700
- Notice to the council
- at least 6 weeks before work starts
- Planning prior approval (England)
- decision within 28 days
Demolition suppliers
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Demolition is the planned taking down of all or part of a building, from a garage or extension to a whole house or commercial block, followed by clearing the site. Published 2026 price guides put a house demolition at about £80 to £115 per m², so a small house of 80 to 120 m² typically costs about £6,400 to £11,700. Before any work starts you'll usually need an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey, a notice to the council's building control at least 6 weeks ahead and, in England, a planning prior approval decision.
Types of demolition
Full demolition
The whole building comes down, usually top-down with machines, and the rubble is sorted, recycled and taken away so the site is clear for the next stage.
Priced per job, often worked out per m² of floor area.
Soft strip
Stripping a building back to its structure: fittings, ceilings, partitions, floor coverings and services come out, while the structure stays up. It's done before a refurbishment, or before a full demolition so materials can be separated.
Priced per job or per day.
Partial demolition
Taking down one part of a property, such as a garage, outbuilding or old extension, while protecting the rest of the building and the neighbours.
Priced per job.
What demolition costs
These ranges come from published 2026 UK price guides. Prices vary with size, access, materials and asbestos, and London and the South East can be 15% to 30% higher.
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small house (80–120 m²) | about £6,400–£11,700 | About 3 to 5 days on site at 80–100 m² |
| Medium house (150–200 m²) | about £12,000–£20,000 | About 4 to 8 days |
| Large house (200–250 m²) | about £16,000–£25,000 | About 6 to 12 days |
| Garage (single to triple) | about £1,000–£7,000 | More if the roof contains asbestos |
| Partial demolition for an extension | about £3,000–£8,000 | Depends on what has to stay up |
| Soft strip | about £1,500–£8,000 | Per job |
| Asbestos survey | about £200–£600 | Removal, if needed, is extra |
| Utility disconnection | about £500–£1,500 per utility | Arranged with each supplier |
Check whether each quote includes the asbestos survey and any removal, utility disconnections, the council notice and prior approval, waste removal and site clearance, removing foundations, scaffolding and hoarding, and VAT. A low price that leaves out the slab and the waste can end up costing more.
The rules for demolition
Tell building control first Building Act 1984, s80
You must give the council written notice before demolishing all or part of a building, and you can't start until the council replies with a section 81 notice or 6 weeks have passed, so in practice give notice at least 6 weeks ahead. You must also send a copy to the occupiers of neighbouring buildings and to the gas and electricity suppliers. The main exceptions are internal work in a building that stays occupied, buildings of no more than 1,750 cubic feet (about 50 m³) measured externally, a greenhouse, conservatory, shed or prefabricated garage that forms part of a larger building, and most agricultural buildings. The section 81 notice can set conditions, such as shoring up neighbouring buildings, removing rubbish and disconnecting services.
Planning prior approval England
Demolishing most buildings in England is permitted development, but you must first apply to the council for a decision on whether it needs to approve the demolition method and how the site will be restored. You must put up a site notice for at least 21 days, and you can't start until the council says approval isn't needed, approves it, or 28 days pass without a decision. A listed building needs listed building consent, and demolishing an unlisted building in a conservation area normally needs planning permission. The rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so check with your council.
Asbestos survey before work starts HSE guidance
HSE says the client must give the demolition contractor a refurbishment and demolition survey carried out by a competent surveyor. It's fully intrusive and can mean breaking into walls, floors and ceilings to find hidden asbestos, so it's done before demolition, and any asbestos it finds is normally removed before the building comes down.
A written demolition plan CDM 2015, reg 20
Demolition is construction work under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It must be planned and carried out to prevent danger, or reduce it as far as reasonably practicable, and the arrangements must be written down before work begins. HSE guidance says a competent engineer should review the method, and the plan should set exclusion and debris zones so that, if anything collapses, the debris stays inside them.
Neighbours and shared walls Party Wall etc. Act 1996
If you're demolishing and rebuilding a party wall, you must give the neighbour notice at least 2 months before the work, and at least 1 month before digging within 3 metres (or, for deeper foundations, 6 metres) of their building. The council doesn't enforce the Act, but a neighbour can go to court to stop the work.
Demolition waste Waste carrier registration
In England and Wales, anyone who carries construction or demolition waste, even waste they produced themselves, needs an upper tier waste carrier registration. Raybee checks waste suppliers' registrations against the official public register every month.
What to check before you hire
- Waste carrier registration. Check the contractor's registration number on the Environment Agency's public register, or look for the verified badge on their Raybee profile.
- Insurance. Ask for public liability and employers' liability certificates, and check the cover suits the size of the job and how close the neighbours are.
- Operatives' cards. Ask whether the team holds CCDO cards, the demolition industry's competence card scheme.
- A written method. Ask for the demolition plan or method statement, including the sequence, exclusion zones, dust and noise control and how utilities will be disconnected.
- Who handles the paperwork. Agree who will commission the asbestos survey, give the section 80 notice, apply for prior approval and serve any party wall notices.
- Waste and recycling. Ask where the waste is going, what share is recycled, and for waste transfer notes.
For householders
A small standalone shed, greenhouse or garage of no more than 1,750 cubic feet (about 50 m³) doesn't need a section 80 notice, and nor does a greenhouse, conservatory, shed or prefabricated garage that's attached to the house. Older garages and outbuildings can have asbestos cement roofs, so get them checked before anyone starts breaking them up. For a whole house, budget for the survey, notices, disconnections and waste on top of the demolition itself, and let your neighbours know the dates.
Questions to ask a demolition contractor
- Is your upper tier waste carrier registration in date, and what's the number?
- Does your price include the asbestos survey, any asbestos removal and the foundations?
- Will you give the council notice and apply for prior approval, or should I?
- Can I see your method statement and exclusion zones before you start?
- Do your operatives hold CCDO cards?
- How long will you be on site, and what hours will you work?
- How will you control dust, noise and vibration for the neighbours?
- Can you send your insurance certificates?
Prices in this guide are typical ranges from suppliers' published price lists and cost guides. They change and vary by area, so always confirm the price with the supplier before you book. Rules, fees and tax rates are checked against official sources.
Demolition questions
How much does it cost to demolish a house in the UK?
Published 2026 price guides put a house demolition at about £80 to £115 per m². A small house of 80 to 120 m² typically costs about £6,400 to £11,700, a medium house of 150 to 200 m² about £12,000 to £20,000, and a large house of 200 to 250 m² about £16,000 to £25,000. Asbestos removal, utility disconnections and waste can add to this.
How much does it cost to knock down a garage?
Price guides put garage demolition at about £1,000 to £7,000, from a single to a triple garage. Older garages can have asbestos cement roofs, which need checking and safe removal before demolition.
Do I need to tell the council before demolishing a building?
Usually, yes. Under section 80 of the Building Act 1984 you must give the council written notice, and you can't start until it replies or 6 weeks have passed, so give at least 6 weeks' notice. Exceptions include internal work in an occupied building, buildings of no more than 1,750 cubic feet (about 50 m³), most agricultural buildings, and a greenhouse, conservatory, shed or prefabricated garage that forms part of a larger building.
Do I need planning permission to demolish a house?
In England, demolishing most buildings is permitted development, but you must apply to the council for prior approval first and wait for its decision, or for 28 days to pass. Listed buildings need listed building consent, and demolishing an unlisted building in a conservation area normally needs planning permission.
Do I need an asbestos survey before demolition?
Yes. HSE says the client must give the demolition contractor a refurbishment and demolition survey by a competent surveyor before work starts. It's fully intrusive, so it can find asbestos hidden inside the structure. Price guides put a survey at about £200 to £600.
What is soft strip demolition?
Soft strip means stripping a building back to its structure by removing fittings, ceilings, partitions, floor coverings and services, while the structure stays up. It's done before a refurbishment, or before a full demolition so materials can be separated and recycled. Price guides put it at about £1,500 to £8,000.
How long does it take to demolish a house?
Typically about 4 to 8 days on site. A house of 80 to 100 m² can take 3 to 5 days, and one of 200 to 250 m² up to 12 days. That doesn't include the 6-week notice period or the planning prior approval decision.
Does demolition need a written plan?
Yes. Regulation 20 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 says demolition must be planned and carried out to prevent danger, and the arrangements must be recorded in writing before the work begins.
Do I need a party wall agreement to demolish a house?
If the work involves demolishing and rebuilding a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 requires notice to the neighbour at least 2 months before the work. Digging near a neighbour's foundations can also need 1 month's notice.
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