Small multifamily buildings are some of the most common teardowns in South Florida redevelopment. An investor buys an older duplex or a two-story fourplex on a lot zoned for more, clears it, and builds new. The demolition itself is routine. What decides the schedule is everything before it.
What's different
A duplex or apartment building vs. a single-family house
| Item | What changes | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Tenants | Occupied units have to be vacated legally before work starts. | Written notice under the lease or Florida law, and time for people to move. A month-to-month tenancy needs at least 30 days' notice. |
| Utilities | Each unit usually has its own electric meter, and sometimes its own water meter. | A disconnect letter for every meter, not just one. |
| Shared lines | Units often share one sewer lateral, and sometimes a line crosses into a neighboring property. | Find out what's shared before anything gets capped. |
| Asbestos | Four units or fewer are generally exempt from the federal demolition notice. Five or more are not. | For five or more units, an asbestos survey and a notice at least 10 working days before demolition, even if nothing is found. |
| Size | More square footage, more slab, sometimes two stories. | Bigger equipment, more trucks and more time than a house. |
Counties can still require asbestos paperwork for smaller buildings. Check your county's rules.
In order
How a small multifamily demolition usually goes
Vacate the building legally
Follow the lease and Florida's notice rules, and don't cut utilities to push tenants out. Talk to a landlord-tenant attorney if anyone won't leave.
Survey for asbestos
Required for five or more units, and smart for any older building.
Disconnect every service
Electric and water for each unit, gas, sewer cap or septic abandonment, and refrigerant recovery from every AC unit.
Pull the permit
With all the letters, the survey and the asbestos paperwork the county wants.
Demolish, haul and grade
Then close out the permit so the new building permit can move forward.
For investors
Timing it with the new project
Start utilities early
Multiple meters mean multiple requests. Start them as soon as the building is empty, or before if the utilities allow it.
Budget the AC units
Every unit's AC needs refrigerant recovered. In an older fourplex that can be eight or more pieces of equipment.
Don't demo too early
Property is assessed for taxes based on its condition on January 1. Talk to your tax advisor about timing if the lot will sit.
Related
Keep reading
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an asbestos survey to demolish a duplex in Florida?
A duplex is generally exempt from the federal asbestos demolition notice, like a house, as long as it was never used commercially. Counties can still require asbestos paperwork, and a survey is a good idea for older buildings. Buildings with five or more units need a survey and a 10-working-day notice.
How much notice do tenants need before a building is demolished?
It depends on the lease. For a month-to-month tenancy, Florida law requires at least 30 days' written notice before the end of a monthly period. Talk to a landlord-tenant attorney about your situation.
Does each unit need its own utility disconnect?
Each meter does. If every unit has its own electric meter, each one needs to be disconnected and documented for the demolition permit.
How long does it take to demolish a fourplex?
The demolition itself usually takes several days to a couple of weeks depending on size and the slab. The paperwork, especially vacating units and disconnecting several meters, usually takes longer.
This article is general information, not legal advice. It references section 83.57, Florida Statutes, and federal asbestos rules as of 2026. Talk to an attorney about tenant matters.