House demolition · Broward County
House demolition in Broward County
Many Broward teardowns are mid-century houses. That age brings the problems: asbestos in floor tile and ceiling texture, old septic tanks, and utilities nobody has looked at in decades.
The teardown itself is the short part of the job. The longer part is coordination: the asbestos survey, written disconnects from FPL and the water utility, a capped sewer lateral or an abandoned septic tank, and the demolition permit from the city. In most Broward cities a house cannot come down until those pieces are in place, so we start them in parallel.
Knockdown-rebuild lots add a second goal. Your builder and engineer care about what is left in the ground: old footings, buried debris, a septic tank, a slab poured over a filled pool. We remove what the scope says, to the depth it says, and record what we found so the next foundation is designed for real conditions.
Neighbors are close on most Broward lots. We protect fences, driveways and landscaping that stay, control dust with water, and keep trucks off the swale where the city requires it. Tell us the address and whether you are rebuilding, and we will price the teardown to match.
Order of work
- Walk the lot and confirm what stays: trees, fences, driveway, slab.
- Arrange the asbestos survey with an independent licensed consultant.
- Request disconnects and plan the sewer cap or septic abandonment.
- Call Sunshine 811 for underground locates.
- Submit the demolition permit to the city’s building department.
- Demolish, separate debris, and remove footings to the agreed depth.
- Backfill, grade and leave the lot ready for the builder or the sale.
Where it goes wrong
What usually goes wrong, and how we control it
Asbestos in mid-century houses
Vinyl floor tile, mastic, popcorn ceilings, cement siding and pipe wrap from that era can contain asbestos. An independent licensed consultant tests before demolition, and anything regulated goes to a licensed abatement firm first.
Septic tanks and sewer laterals
Some Broward neighborhoods are still on septic. A tank left in the ground can undermine a new foundation, so abandonment or removal is handled by a licensed septic contractor under permit, and the sewer lateral is capped by a licensed plumber.
A missing disconnect letter
The permit usually waits on written proof that power, water and gas are off. A missing letter holds a teardown more often than the demolition does, which is why the requests go in first.
Damage next door
A falling wall, a truck turning on a narrow street, or dust over a neighbor’s pool all become disputes. We photograph neighboring conditions before work starts and sequence the house to come down inward.
The limits
Septic abandonment, sewer capping, utility disconnects and abatement are licensed work by others, and we coordinate them. Removing trees may need a separate permit. We do not assume a lot is clean below grade until it has been opened.
Questions
About house demolition
What has to happen before a house can be demolished in Broward?
In general: an asbestos survey, utility disconnects, a sewer cap or septic plan, underground locates, and a demolition permit from the city. Requirements differ by city, so confirm them with that building department; we assemble the package.
Do I need to be there on demolition day?
No. We need access, the permit, and your decision on what stays. Most owners walk the lot with us at the start and again at turnover.
Will the slab and footings come out?
If the scope says so. Builders on knockdown-rebuild lots usually want everything out, while a lot being sold may only need the house removed and the site graded. The depth is written into the price.
What does a demolition cost?
Every job is quoted from a site visit, or from photos and drawings when that is enough to see the scope. The number depends on what the building is made of, its size and height, what the asbestos survey finds, which utilities must be disconnected, access for equipment, how close the neighbors are, what stays and what goes, and where the debris is hauled. We do not publish prices, because two jobs that look alike rarely are.
What size of job will you take on?
Any size. We quote one interior wall, a shed, a pool or a slab, and we quote a full building, including selective and structural demolition. Tell us what is there and what has to remain, and we will price the scope as described.
Is Romco Builders licensed?
Yes. Romco Builders is a licensed Florida general contractor, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. Work that needs its own license, such as asbestos abatement, electrical disconnects or tree removal, is done by firms that hold that license, and we coordinate them under one schedule.
How a job runs
Six steps, in this order
Send the address and the scope
Call, or use the quote form with photos or drawings. Tell us what has to go and what has to stay.
We walk the site
We look at the structure, the utilities, access for equipment and trucks, and what sits next door.
Written scope and quote
The quote names what is removed, what is protected, what is hauled away, and what depends on survey results.
Surveys, permit and disconnects
Asbestos survey where required, utility disconnects, and the demolition permit from your city's building department.
Demolition and haul-off
Work follows the agreed sequence. Debris is hauled to permitted disposal facilities, with the load records kept.
Final inspection
The building department closes the permit. You get a clear site, or the shell you asked for.
House demolition across Broward, including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Davie, Sunrise, Deerfield Beach, Miramar, and every other Broward city.
Other demolition
Any type of demolition, including
- Interior demolitionStrip-outs for tenant spaces, condos and homes, with live systems protected.Interior demolition in Broward →
- Selective demolitionWalls, openings, additions and stairs removed from buildings that stay standing.Selective demolition in Broward →
- Commercial demolitionWhole retail, office, warehouse and strip-center buildings, quoted at any size.Commercial demolition in Broward →
- Structural demolitionConcrete and steel frames, slabs and columns, removed in an engineered, shored order.Structural demolition in Broward →
- Concrete and slab removalSlabs, driveways, patios and footings removed, with the ground below accounted for.Concrete and slab removal in Broward →
- Pool removalFull removal or partial fill-in, with what each leaves in the ground stated plainly.Pool removal in Broward →
- Mobile home demolitionMobile and manufactured homes taken down, frame and tie-downs out, lot left clean.Mobile home demolition in Broward →
- Storm damage demolitionStorm-damaged and unsafe structures, recorded for the insurer before anything moves.Storm damage demolition in Broward →
- Site clearingStructures, slabs, pavement and debris cleared, with locates and tree permits flagged.Site clearing in Broward →
- Asbestos survey and abatement coordinationAsbestos surveys and abatement by licensed firms, coordinated before demolition.Asbestos survey and abatement coordination in Broward →
- Garage, shed and carport demolitionGarages, sheds, carports and screen enclosures removed, slab and wiring included.Garage, shed and carport demolition in Broward →
- Something else?We quote any type of demolition, at any size. If yours is not listed, call and describe it.Call (954) 947-4881 →
Any type, any size, anywhere in Broward County
Send the address and what has to go. We will price the work.
Romco Builders is a licensed Florida general contractor, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. One interior wall or a whole building: every job gets a written scope and a quote.