This is the part of a demolition nobody thinks about until it's holding everything up. You can have the crew booked and the dumpsters ordered, and still not be able to touch the house because one letter hasn't come back. A typical South Florida demolition permit checklist asks for a separate document for almost every line coming into the property. Here's what they are.
The list
What gets disconnected, and the proof the permit needs
| Item | What happens | What the building department usually wants |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | The power company disconnects service and removes the meter and the drop to the house. | A disconnect letter from the electric utility. |
| Natural gas | The gas company shuts off and caps the line, or confirms there's no gas service at the property. | A gas disconnect letter, or a letter stating there's no existing gas service. |
| Propane | If there's a propane tank, the propane company usually owns it and has to remove it or shut it down. | Ask your building department. Either way, the tank has to be handled before demolition. |
| Water | The water utility shuts off service and removes the meter. | A water meter removal letter. |
| Fire sprinkler service | Buildings with sprinklers or standpipes often have a separate fire service line and meter. | A fire service meter removal letter, when the building has one. |
| Sewer | A plumber caps the sewer lateral at the property line so nothing gets into the city's line during or after demolition. | A sewer cap permit with a passed inspection. |
| Septic | The tank is pumped, then removed or filled under a permit, following state rules. | A septic abandonment permit with a passed inspection. |
| AC refrigerant | Federal rules don't allow refrigerant to be vented. A certified technician recovers it from the AC units before they're removed. | Proof of refrigerant recovery, such as a letter from the licensed contractor who did it. |
| Phone, cable and internet | The providers disconnect and remove their lines from the house. | Not always on the checklist, but the lines still have to come down before demolition. |
Every city and county has its own checklist, and some ask for more. Get the current one from your building department before you start.
Easy to miss
The ones people forget
Wells
Older properties sometimes have an irrigation or drinking water well. An unused well has to be plugged properly, which can need its own permit. Ask before the excavator finds it.
Solar panels and batteries
These have to be disconnected and removed safely. If they're leased, the leasing company may need to remove them.
Pool equipment and lighting
Pumps, heaters and pool lights have their own electrical circuits and sometimes gas. They're part of the shutdown.
Shared lines
On tight lots and duplexes, a sewer lateral or water line can serve more than one unit. Find out before anything gets capped.
Accounts in your name
Close or transfer the accounts, and settle final bills, so a disconnect isn't held up over a balance.
Timing
How it usually goes
Start the day you decide to demolish
Utility requests are the longest lead time on most demolition jobs. Don't wait for the contract to be signed to start asking.
Request disconnects and letters
Electric, gas and water each have their own process for removing service for a demolition. Ask each one exactly what letter they'll send, so it matches what your building department asks for.
Cap the sewer or abandon the septic
Pull the plumbing permit, do the work, and pass the inspection.
Recover the refrigerant
A certified technician recovers it and gives you the paperwork.
Submit everything with the permit
Most checklists won't process an application with items missing, so wait until every letter is in.
Who handles it
You can do this yourself, or hand it off
The utilities do the physical disconnects
Only the utility can pull its own meter or remove its own service line.
Someone has to run the paperwork
Requests, follow-ups, plumbing permits, inspections and collecting every letter. That's where the weeks go.
A full-service contractor handles all of it
When we take on a demolition, we request the disconnects, handle the sewer cap or septic abandonment and refrigerant recovery, and submit the letters with the permit, all under one contract.
Related
Keep reading
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What utilities need to be disconnected before demolition?
Electric, natural gas or propane, water (including any separate fire sprinkler service), sewer or septic, and phone and cable lines. AC refrigerant also has to be recovered by a certified technician. The building department usually wants a letter or a passed inspection for each one before it issues the demolition permit.
Who disconnects the utilities before a house is demolished?
Each utility company disconnects its own service and removes its own meter. Someone still has to request each disconnect, collect the letters, and handle the sewer cap or septic abandonment. A full-service demolition contractor usually does all of that.
Do I need to cap the sewer before demolition?
Yes, if the property is on city sewer. A plumber caps the sewer lateral under a permit, and the building department usually wants a passed inspection before issuing the demolition permit. If the property is on septic, the tank is abandoned under its own permit instead.
How long do utility disconnects take before demolition?
It varies by utility and by how busy they are, and it's often the longest wait in the whole process. Start the requests as soon as you decide to demolish, not after the contract is signed.
What happens to the refrigerant in the AC units?
It has to be recovered by a certified technician before the units are removed. Venting refrigerant is not allowed under federal rules, and many demolition permit checklists ask for proof of recovery.
This article is general information. Utility procedures and permit checklists vary by city, county and utility company. Get the current checklist from your building department.