Replies

1. 
   TGW8 | Jan 13, 2003 03:15pm | #1

   In southern Indiana, it costs me $2-3000, depending on type on construction, type of foundation, amount of trash inside/outside, if there is a shed in the backyard....

   This includes taking the house down, removing the foundation, hauling it away, dump fees, cleaning the lot up ready for construction.

   Hope that helps.

   TGW

1. 
   BWS | Jan 13, 2003 11:48pm | #2

   In Buffalo we would charge you around $4000.00 I assume you mean the foundation is staying and what do you mean by unsanitary. If that is the case the way to do it is to use an excavator with a grapple and take the second story off and then work on the first story but trying to leave the floor system. Then cut with a chain saw the floor into sections and then lift them out with the machine. I hope this helps we just did one last year and it worked great.

                                                                                                Jay

                                                                                      Buffalo Waste Services Inc.

2. 
   fdampier5 | Jan 14, 2003 01:55am | #3

   a wonderfull tool for this application is the use of rough terrain telescopic material handlers (LIKE LULL)    stab the forks into a wall, lift, and drop.. repeat untill pieces are small enough to fit into dumpster. drop into dumpster and use the boom's down pressure to smash flat the debris..  One short afternoon's work on my house!  (oh I did use a scoop shovel to put the debris into the dumpster  that was too small to pick up with the forks).  That was the first time I used muscle power, although I guess you could use a skid steer for the last bit if you had one handy...

2. 
   NPitz | Jan 14, 2003 03:29am | #4

   Thanks for the responses, guys... I think in my neck of the woods it will be a little more costly, though. What I mean by unsanitary is full of animal feces. I have no interest in trying to save anything other than the foundation. I have less than no interest in exposing myself or anyone else to this stuff. It's a run-down house on a beautiful lot in an area with no buildable lots. I'm not the only person smart enough to figure out its value, but I may be the only person who plans to put back a house that suits the lot and the neighborhood.

   
   

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   Edited 1/13/2003 8:48:16 PM ET by Nick Pitz

1. 
   stonefever | Jan 14, 2003 04:32am | #5

   From your description, it sounds as if you would ultimately be further ahead to pull the foundation also.  The planning and construction of the final project will proceed with less distractions and compromises.  Those cost, over and over again.

1. 
   FrankB89 | Jan 14, 2003 04:48am | #6

   ...pull the foundation also...

   I agree.  Especially if it's an older house, it may lack reinforcement,  may have been poured in small batches leaving a lot of cold joints,  minimal footings,  lack of, or inadequate anchor bolts...

   I've worked on enough older houses with less than code-compliant, or just plain inadequate foundations that I'd be reluctant to try to salvage one to build a new structure on, unless it had some overwhelming historical significance.

   Actually, the last foundation I tried to save was under a shop I was helping my neighbor rebuild.  In the process of tearing down the old building with his tractor, one whole section of a stemwall slid sideways and tipped over.

   Another thing that's often done out here in the wild west is to invite the local fire department to do a "practice burn."  They burn it down, and you scrape up the ashes and plumbing and foundation and haul it off.  Cheap, fun and you're contributing to the training of your local FD.

   Jules Quaver for President   2004

   Edited 1/13/2003 8:53:07 PM ET by Notchman

1. 
   NPitz | Jan 14, 2003 07:02am | #7

   I appreciate the input... but burning is not an option, the house is in a built up neighborhood and is only appx. 30' from its neighbors. I am planning on saving the foundation at this point, if the foundation proves to be failing then the project becomes impractical due to budget constraints.

   In a perfect world we could rebuild from scratch, but I have no real concerns at this point about my mason and I being able to rehabilitate the foundation at a cost that will probably be 1/5 of what it would cost to build a new one. As long as it is fundamentally sound, no problem.