Leaning sheds, detached garages past saving, rotted decks and the footings left behind after something came down years ago. We tear them out, sort and haul the debris, and leave a clean, graded lot ready for what you're building next.
Demolition Services in Boise for Small Structures
A lot of demolition work in the valley isn't a building coming down in a cloud of dust. It's an old single-car garage behind a North End bungalow that's in the way of an ADU. It's a pole barn on a Star acreage that the snow finally cracked. It's a deck that's gone soft, or a shed nobody has opened since the last owner moved out.
That's the kind of demolition project we take on. We work in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Star, Kuna, Middleton and Caldwell, where we're based.
What We Tear Down
Sheds, outbuildings and carports
Wood and metal sheds, lean-tos, old chicken coops, carports and small barns. Most come down and get loaded in a day. Before we come, empty out anything you want to keep. Old paint, fuel and other chemicals stored inside can't go out with the building debris, so take them to a household hazardous waste drop-off first.
Detached garages and shops
Detached garages often have a slab, a footing, and power run out from the house, so they take more planning than a shed. We look at how close the garage sits to fences, the property line and the house, and where the power line runs underground. If the slab is in decent shape, ask your builder whether it can stay as a pad for the next building.
Decks and porches
Raised decks, covered porches and the concrete piers under them. If the ledger was bolted to the house, we take it off carefully so the siding can be patched. Plan on having that spot patched soon after, since it's open to weather. Hot tubs, deck lighting and outlets need to be disconnected by an electrician before we start.
Old foundations and pools
Footings, stem walls and slabs left from a building that's long gone, plus old in-ground pools that need to be broken up, filled and compacted so the yard can be used again. Cities often have rules for how a pool is closed, such as breaking through the bottom so water can drain and placing fill in layers. Ask before the job is scheduled, because those rules change how much material has to come out and how much has to come in.
Bigger buildings
For a house, a commercial building or anything multi-story, give us a call and walk us through the scope. We'll tell you plainly what we can take on. Larger buildings bring more steps, like longer permit reviews, more utility disconnects and protecting buildings next door, and some of that work fits a dedicated demolition contractor better. We can often still help with the site work after the building is gone, like pulling footings, backfilling and grading.
Before Anything Comes Down
Every structure with utilities has to be cut off at the source first. That means asking Idaho Power to disconnect the electric service, Intermountain Gas to shut off and cap the gas line, and your water provider or a plumber to cap the water. Power run to a shop from the house panel needs an electrician to disconnect it. These requests can take a while, so they're usually the first call you make.
We also call Digline (811) at least two business days before we dig out footings or slabs, as Idaho law requires. Digline only marks public utility lines. Private lines like a sprinkler main, a buried feed to a shop, a gas line to a grill or low voltage wire to yard lights aren't marked, so point out anything you know about.
Demolition Permits and Asbestos Rules
Most cities in the Treasure Valley issue demolition permits, and Boise, Meridian and Nampa usually want one for a garage or any building that had utilities. Small sheds sometimes don't need one. In the county, the permit comes from the county building department. The permit office will often ask for proof that the utilities are disconnected.
Older buildings may contain asbestos in siding, roofing, flooring or pipe wrap. Idaho and EPA rules generally require an asbestos inspection before many structures can be demolished. If the inspection finds asbestos, a certified abatement company removes it before we start. We don't handle asbestos ourselves.
Sorting and Hauling the Debris
Demolition debris is cheaper to get rid of when it's kept apart. We separate as we go:
- Concrete from slabs and footings goes to a recycler when it's clean. See concrete breaking and hauling.
- Metal like roofing, framing and siding goes to scrap.
- Wood and mixed building material goes to the landfill.
If you want to salvage doors, windows, lumber or metal roofing, pull it before demo day or tell us and we'll set it aside. For cleanup that isn't tied to a structure, see our debris removal page.
Leaving a Lot You Can Build On
Pulling a footing leaves a trench, and taking out a pool leaves a big hole. We backfill those in layers and compact them so the ground doesn't settle under your next slab. Then we rough grade the area so water drains away. If you're building on the spot, our site preparation and compaction work can pick up right where the demolition leaves off.
What Affects the Cost of Demolition
- Size of the structure and what it's built from
- Whether there's a slab, footing or basement
- Access for equipment and trucks
- Disposal fees for each type of material
- Permits, inspections and any asbestos testing
Most demolition is priced from a site visit, where we check the path to the street, look for a slab or footing, and find a spot to load trucks without crossing your septic tank or a soft lawn.
Why Hire Ultimate Excavation LLC
Demolition happens close to fences, trees and neighbors, so care matters as much as the machine. Our reviews call us knowledgeable, respectful and budget friendly, with real respect for their property. We're an Idaho registered contractor (RCE-65836) with a 5.0 rating on Google. Call (208) 697-2429 or request a free estimate.
