Top 4 Hidden Costs of House Demolition and Rebuilding

If you have ever dreamed of owning your own home, at some point you are bound to have asked yourself: should I buy and renovate an existing home, or demolish and rebuild one instead?

There are no easy answers to this question, and the conclusion will vary from one person to another. However, there are ways to help you decide which path you will take faster. You could do extra research into the process so that you can gauge the fees and overall cost to demolish a house.

With that said, hidden costs are some of the biggest turn-offs in any service. Here are the top four hidden costs that you may encounter in house demolition.

Disconnection Fees

Before the house demolition formally begins, you will need to get in touch with your power company to disconnect electricity and gas. You may also need to contact them again to have it reconnected at a later date. 

These services do not come for free and they will also take more time out of the overall demolition process. It is an important part of any demolition, not just so you can preserve the connections but also for the safety of everyone involved.

Overhead Power Lines

If overhead power lines are what gives your property electricity, then your demolition crew and rebuilders may need to move any low-hanging lines aside and get a temporary power pole. This is so that they can start construction safely. You may also need to consider installing a new permanent power pole for your new home.

Existing Solar Panels

Any solar panels that you have on your property need to be removed and reinstalled. This can be a difficult process if your solar panels are more than ten years old, with a good feed-in tariff that you are hesitant to lose. 

Your demolition and rebuilding crew may be able to devise a workaround for this, called a “replacement of the cable.” This means that they will take your existing meter and move it to a temporary power pole. The meter and account will remain in your name and they will be moved back to the house and property when everything is ready. 

Additional Piers

When budgeting for the cost to demolish a house, you may need to consider getting additional piers. This is because the soil on the lot may be disturbed and displaced throughout the demolition process. As a result, you need to put down more piers to reach solid ground. The extra distance covered is required for a strong foundation, which is crucial in any construction process.

Having Second Thoughts?

Hidden fees are present in almost all complex and niche services. It is understandable if you are still having second thoughts now that you know that the cost to demolish a house is not as simple as it looks. However, consider the costs that you also save by doing a knockdown and rebuild.

For example, if you are rebuilding in an area with high value, then the value of your land will continue to increase over the years. In addition, you will have little to no maintenance costs because everything in your property is new.

Conclusion

This will never be an easy decision, especially because demolition takes a lot of time, money, and effort. However, know that you will not have to make this decision alone. There are plenty of demolition experts who are willing to extend a helping hand. All you have to do is find the right team for your particular needs.
Bellaluca Demolition is a team of demolition professionals based in Perth, WA. We have had extensive experience providing a wide variety of demolition services and other services adjacent to the process. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help!