Demolition looks like the simple part of a project and rarely is. Utilities have to be dead and capped before anything swings. Concrete comes out differently depending on whether it is reinforced. And whatever comes down has to go somewhere, which is most of what you are actually paying for. We handle the whole sequence on residential and light commercial work across McAllen and the Valley, and we leave the lot ready for whatever goes on it next.
What's Included
Most demolition jobs are some mix of:
- Structure demolition — houses, mobile homes, sheds, barns and small commercial buildings taken down and removed.
- Slab & concrete removal — breaking out driveways, patios, foundations and rebar-reinforced slabs.
- Interior & selective demo — stripping a building back to the studs when the shell is staying.
- Pool removal — partial or full pool demolition, backfilled and compacted.
- Debris haul-off — concrete, wood, roofing and mixed debris loaded and hauled to the right facility.
- Site cleanup & rough grade — the lot leveled and swept so the next trade can work.
Our Process
1. Walk the job
We look at what is coming down, what has to stay standing, where the machine can reach, and what is buried.
2. Utilities and clearances
Electric, gas and water get disconnected and capped, and the locate ticket gets filed before anything starts.
3. Written quote
Firm scope and price, with haul-off and tipping fees stated as their own line instead of buried in a lump sum.
4. Demo and haul
The structure comes down in a controlled sequence, loads go out, and the lot gets a rough grade before we leave.
Why It Pays to Get This Right
Most of a demolition bill is not the demolition. It is the hauling. A small house can generate thirty or more loads of mixed debris, and mixed debris costs more per ton at the gate than clean concrete does. Separating the concrete out on site is what keeps the number down, and it is the first thing a cheap bid quietly skips.
The other half is what gets left behind. A slab broken up and buried in place is still there when the next contractor digs footings. Old septic tanks, buried drums and forgotten foundations turn up on Valley lots regularly, and they turn up at the worst possible moment. Anything we find underground gets shown to you and priced before it moves, not after.
Demolition FAQ
How much does it cost to demolish a house in the RGV?
It depends most on square footage and what the walls are made of. A small frame house runs in the low thousands; block and concrete construction runs higher, because it takes longer to break and weighs more to haul. We come look for free and put a firm written number on paper, with haul-off called out separately so you can see what you are paying for.
Do I need a permit to demolish a building?
Usually yes, inside city limits. McAllen and the other Valley cities issue demolition permits, and the utilities generally have to be disconnected and signed off before one is approved. We will tell you what your address needs, but the permit is pulled in the property owner's name. This is not legal advice, and the city is the final word.
What about asbestos?
On anything other than a single-family house, Texas requires an asbestos survey before demolition starts. That is a licensed consultant's job, not ours, and it has to happen before a machine touches the building. On an older house it is worth doing anyway. We would rather flag it up front than find it halfway through.
Can you leave the concrete on site instead of hauling it?
Sometimes, and it can save real money. Clean concrete broken small enough can often be buried as fill or crushed and reused as base under a new pad. Whether that works depends on what is going on the lot next and what the engineer will accept. If it fits your job, we will tell you at the estimate.