Most of the trouble on a demolition package comes from things nobody wrote down. Who pulls the permit. Whether the footings come out. Who pays when the asbestos survey comes back positive. How level the pad is when the excavator leaves. We're a licensed general contractor that does demolition, so we write our bids the way we'd want to receive them. This is the checklist.
Before you sign
The paperwork a demo sub should hand you
| Item | What to look for | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| State license number on the bid | Florida requires a contractor's license number on every bid, proposal and contract. Look it up at myfloridalicense.com and make sure it's active and belongs to the company on the bid. | If the sub isn't properly licensed, or is working under someone else's license, the permit, the insurance and your own license can all end up exposed. |
| Certificate of insurance | General liability, auto and workers' compensation, issued to the same legal name as the bid. Ask for your company and the owner to be listed as additional insureds if your contract requires it. | Demolition is a high-risk trade. When something goes wrong next door or on site, you want the sub's policy to respond first, not yours. |
| A written scope with exclusions | Exactly what comes down and comes out, what stays, and what's excluded. More on this below. | Change orders on demo jobs almost always come from scope that was assumed instead of written. |
| A safety plan and engineering survey | OSHA requires a competent person to complete an engineering survey of the structure before demolition starts. Ask how the sub handles it, along with fall protection, utility verification and exclusion zones. | It's the sub's responsibility, but an incident on your project is still your problem. |
| Schedule and crew plan | Mobilization date, duration, crew size, equipment and haul plan, and what they need from you to stay on schedule. | Demo sets the pace for every trade after it. |
Scope
What a clear demolition scope spells out
A good scope answers these questions in writing, so nobody has to answer them in the field:
What comes out
Buildings, slabs, foundations and footings (and how deep), pools, driveways, walks, fences, trees and stumps, septic tanks, and anything underground that's known.
What stays and gets protected
Adjacent structures, trees on a preservation plan, sidewalks and curbs in the right-of-way, utilities that stay live, and anything the owner is keeping.
Who handles the utilities
Who requests the disconnects, who caps the sewer or abandons the septic, and who pays the utility company fees.
Asbestos and other regulated materials
Who orders the survey, who files the notice when one is required, and whether abatement is in the price or an allowance.
Clear exclusions
Unknown underground structures, contaminated soil, abatement beyond the survey, and permit or impact fees should be named, not left to argue about later.
Condition at handoff
Rough grade, compaction, broom-clean for interiors, debris-free, and holes filled. Write down the condition your next trade needs.
How it fits your schedule
From bid to handoff
Site walk before pricing
A real demo price comes from walking the site: construction type, access, overhead lines, neighbors, what's underground and what has to stay.
Agree who pulls the permit
Depending on the jurisdiction and the project, the demolition permit may be pulled by the demo contractor or under your master permit. Settle it in the subcontract so nobody waits on the other.
Utilities and paperwork
Disconnect letters, sewer cap or septic abandonment, the property survey, pest control and any tree permits. These take longer than the demolition itself, so they start first.
Asbestos lead time
When a notice is required, it has to be filed at least 10 working days before demolition starts. Build that into the schedule from day one.
Demolition and hauling
Dust control, traffic and haul routes, protection of neighbors and right-of-way, and daily cleanup.
Handoff
Site photos, disposal and recycling tickets, the final inspection on the demo permit, and a site in the condition the scope promised.
Red flags
Signs a demo sub will cost you later
Paperwork
- No license number on the bid, or a number that belongs to a different company
- An insurance certificate in a different name than the bid
- A one-line scope: "Demo house and haul away"
Price
- A number far below the others with no exclusions listed. Something is missing.
- Disposal or utility work quietly left out
- A big deposit before permits are issued
On the job
- No disposal tickets when you ask where the debris went
- "We'll figure out the asbestos when we get there"
- A different crew or company showing up than the one you hired
Working with us
What we bring to your project
A licensed GC doing your demo
We hold a Florida Certified General Contractor license (CGC1541479), so we think about what you're building next, not just what's coming down.
Commercial interior experience
Our team has handled interior demolition on large commercial business parks, including asbestos floor tile removal and phased work around occupied space.
Paperwork you can hand to the owner
License and insurance up front, a written scope with exclusions, disposal tickets and photos at handoff.
Related
Keep reading
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What insurance should a demolition subcontractor carry?
At a minimum, general liability, commercial auto and workers' compensation, all issued to the same legal name as the bid. Your subcontract sets the limits and whether your company and the owner must be listed as additional insureds.
Who pulls the demolition permit, the GC or the demolition sub?
It depends on the jurisdiction and the project. On some jobs the demolition contractor pulls its own permit; on others the work falls under the GC's permit. Decide it in the subcontract before bidding so nobody is waiting on the other.
Do you provide disposal and recycling tickets?
Yes. We provide disposal and recycling records for the debris we haul, along with site photos at handoff, so you have documentation for the owner, the lender or a green building requirement.
Can you work as a subcontractor under our general contract?
Yes. We work for general contractors, developers and property owners on residential, commercial and interior demolition across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach.
Who handles asbestos on a commercial demolition?
Commercial buildings need an asbestos survey, and a notice filed at least 10 working days before demolition. We coordinate the licensed survey and notice, and the scope should say whether any abatement is included or carried as an allowance.
This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Insurance limits, permit responsibility and contract terms depend on your project, your subcontract and the jurisdiction.