Demolition and Selective Demolition in Boulder County

An estimated 1,084 structures were destroyed in the Marshall Fire of December 2021, and the clearing that followed taught Boulder County what demolition demands: safe methods, careful sorting of debris, protection of neighbors and a close eye on the permits. Demolition is the first step of redevelopment and the first place a project can go wrong, because what comes down determines what the site can support.

We perform complete structural demolition, selective interior demolition, concrete and asphalt removal, utility disconnection coordination, abatement coordination and site clearing. A demolition job is controlled destruction. It requires an engineered sequence, knowledge of what the building contains, protection for adjacent property and a plan for every ton of material that leaves the site.

Demolition is often part of a larger program run by public agencies, developers or property owners. We coordinate it with mass grading and the new foundation work so the site does not sit open between steps.

Steps from survey to clean pad

We begin with a pre-demolition survey: structure, hazardous materials, utilities, adjacent property and access. Utilities are located and disconnected with the providers, and the site is fenced and signed. Regulated materials are abated by licensed specialists before any heavy work begins. Structural demolition then proceeds in an engineered sequence, from the top down or by sections, with water suppression to keep dust under control.

Debris is sorted as it comes down. Concrete and asphalt can be crushed for base material where permitted, steel goes to recyclers, and clean wood and other recoverable items are separated from true waste. Foundations, slabs and footings are removed or left as the new design requires, and the site is backfilled, compacted and graded to a stable surface the next contractor can use.

Controlling what falls, flies and settles

Demolition hazards include falling material, structural instability, hidden voids, energized lines and airborne dust. We plan exclusion zones, use mechanical methods whenever possible, keep spotters on foot and daily inspections of the structure as it changes. Hazardous materials work follows its own procedures with air monitoring and clearance testing.

Neighbors are protected by fences, screens, dust control and vibration limits where nearby buildings or equipment are sensitive. Haul routes and hours are coordinated with the town. In a place like Louisville, where 553 homes were destroyed and 45 damaged in the Marshall Fire and more than 21,000 residents were evacuated, communities are well aware of the cost of loss, and we treat debris, dust and traffic with that in mind.

Fire recovery and the shape of rebuilding

The Marshall Fire burned about 6,026 acres, caused more than $2 billion in damage and destroyed structures including a hotel and at least one shopping center. In Superior alone, 398 structures were destroyed, 393 residential, four commercial and one public, and owners of destroyed property may apply for exceptions to the energy code and sprinkler requirements, plus the wildland urban interface code for Sagamore residents. For rebuilding in Superior, that makes demolition and clearance a first step on a long permitting road.

Fire is not the only reason for demolition in the region. Redevelopment, outdated buildings and failed structures all lead to clearing. The Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland was reported destroyed by fire on October 9, 2025, according to one encyclopedia entry, so details should be confirmed locally. Fire-damaged sites need special care, since debris may be contaminated and structures may be unstable.

Permits, notifications and disposal

Demolition needs a permit from the local building department, and many jurisdictions require utility disconnect letters, an asbestos survey and notification, a dust control plan and a traffic plan before they issue it. State and federal asbestos rules apply to most commercial buildings. We prepare the package, track each approval and keep the documents on site for inspectors.

Disposal records matter. We keep weight tickets, recycling reports and hazardous waste manifests, because owners and lenders may ask for them and because they prove the material went where it should. Where a site is also subject to floodplain or stormwater rules, we coordinate the erosion controls with stormwater and drainage requirements before the first wall comes down.

What decides the demolition price

Building size, construction type, hazardous materials, access and haul distance set the base. Heavy concrete and steel cost more to take apart, and the salvage and recycling value of the material can reduce the net. Abatement can be the largest single cost, which is why a survey comes first and why we recommend sampling before an owner commits to a number.

Site conditions add to the cost: tight neighbors, limited staging, utilities that cross the site and basements or tanks that have to be removed. We price these items with assumptions and unit prices, so an unexpected tank or buried slab has a known cost. A clean price, with an exclusion list that makes sense, helps the owner compare bids honestly.

From cleared site to new construction

Demolition rarely ends a project. It hands the site to the next trade, which is often renovation and adaptive reuse work on the part of the building that stays, or new foundations on the part that does not. We coordinate that handoff so the cleared surface matches what the next crew needs.

Where a developer wants a fully cleared parcel, we plan the work with the retail center or other new building in mind, including the depth to which old foundations should be removed and the compaction of the backfill beneath the new building pad.

Send us the building address and the plan

Tell us what is on the site, what the new use will be and when the next contractor needs the pad, and we will plan the demolition with a schedule and a price.

Questions Owners Ask

What happens before demolition starts?

We survey the building for hazardous materials, locate and disconnect utilities, obtain the permit and set up fencing and dust control. Abatement by licensed specialists comes first. Only then does structural demolition begin. This sequence protects workers and neighbors and prevents regulatory problems later.

Can the debris be recycled?

Much of it can. Concrete and asphalt can be crushed for reuse as base where permitted, and steel and some other metals go to recyclers. We sort at the source and keep records, so the owner knows what was diverted and what went to disposal.

How do you protect neighboring buildings?

With a combination of fencing, dust suppression, controlled demolition methods, monitoring and sometimes shoring. If neighbors have sensitive equipment, we agree on vibration limits and track them. Haul routes and work hours are coordinated with the town and the neighbors.

What if we find an underground tank or buried slab?

We stop, document the find and bring it to you and the engineer, then follow the regulatory path for the item. Unit prices in the bid for tank removal or extra concrete keep the response quick. A pre-demolition site review reduces the chance of a surprise.

Can you clear a fire-damaged site?

Yes, with care. Fire-damaged structures can be unstable, and debris can be contaminated. We assess before entering, plan the sequence, control dust and handle regulated material by the proper channels. Rebuilding in affected towns can also involve code exceptions, so we coordinate with the permitting plan.

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