The dump next door is finally mine

[NUTTSGT]

I know you mentioned the house was remodeled years ago. Does it have drywall or plaster/lath ?

If it is plaster and lath, you might want to invest in a pike pole to pull all those ceilings and walls. It'll help make quick work of a ceiling. Either "Google" pike pole or stop your local FD and ask them about pike poles.

 

[Cobra5150]

After seeing the pics I would want to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
1. Pull anything of value as you've already said; old radiators, wiring, plumbing fancy woodwork/trim, siding if it doesn't take too long to strip. I wouldn't waste time salvaging flooring especially since it's urine/feces soaked.
2. Rent/hire backhoe and knock the sucker down. Stack materials as best as possible in dumpsters.
3.Chimney and any other masonry products get used to fill the basement.
4. Remove that tree that's about to fall then plant a good hedge to help block the future garage from passing traffic.

If you're set on doing as much yourself I like looking into the smaller dumpster idea. The area is definitely pleasant looking at can't wait to see your build. I'm sure you've made all the neighbors happy too.
What's the history of your house. It is very distinctive looking (love it). I can see a garage done in a style to match the house.

 

[JDMopar]

The Google pics help a bunch! That would be a blast to tear down. When you start, call the power company, and ask them to cut the service to the house down off of the pole by the driveway. Also ask them if they will cut the tree down out in front of the house, so they never have to trim it again. Those are high voltage power lines running thru the top of the tree, and the reason the tree is all wopsided is because of the way they have had to trim it over the years. If you present it to them as they will be saving money by not having to trim it again, they may do it for free. I would do the tear down in 3rds. Back part of the house first. I'd get all the siding off, bust the chimney down from the inside, and cut and notch first floor studs so the house will fall towards the back. Get a bull rope or cable and hook around all of it, and put a pulley on the big tree out back. Run the cable thru that, to the back of the truck. Lock the hubs, put it in 4L and head towards the street! BOOM! Then clean the mess up on the ground. Then I'd tear the front room off and dispose of it. Then do the remainder of the house like the back part, by pulling it down away from your house. With all the siding, gutters, wiring and pipes, and the AC units, and maybe window frames...you may get enough scrap $$ to pay for one dumpster. Have good pre job briefings with your helpers, so everyone knows and understands the plan of each day. Make sure everyone on site is where you can see them when things start to bite the dust. Make it an adventure instead of a chore...and it will be a lot of fun!

 

[Voi]

I was quoted $375 for a 30 yard dumpster with a 5 ton maximum, $49/ton for every ton over 5. I was figuring probably 4 or 5 dumpsters. If I am able to burn a fair amount I may be able to get by with less.

I just demoed two adjacent properties. One was a 1950's 10' x 45' mobile home and the one next door was a 20' x 34' single story 2x4 built cabin built on pylons (no foundation). Cabin was very minimalistic with little interior walls.

We sorted out every bit of metal siding (and trailer frame) etc. for scrap, removed every window, appliance, etc. for Habitat and hauled most of non-treated wood to a burn pile.

Between my pickup and an dump truck we made dozens of trips to Habitat, Good Will, burn piles, etc.

Still, we used three, 30 yard dumpsters and had an excavator crushing everything down to make it as compact as possible. Honestly I wish I had gotten a fourth as I think the project would have gone quicker.

I don't know the weights of the full dumpsters but the driver said that they all seemed incredibly heavy due to the excavator crushing everything down.

If we had been in a hurry we could have filled five dumpsters no problem.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lassen Forge]

That house reminds me of one of those youth projects I was involved in (as a kid) where we'd get hired to do "home restorations" and put an assisted living (eg low income) family in it. Taught me how to lath and plaster, and then wiring, before the project suddenly ended (probably massive OSHA violations going on there!) I still remember one guy cutting 4x8 sheet asbestos for backwalls behind furnaces and stoves, with a wet bandanna wrapped around his moutn and lungs "to keep the dust out". If you could find a team of kid exploiters like that and it were the early 70's, you'd have it made.

The up side is you will get a *lot* of recoverable materials you really won't want to get rid of - when you decide to put a forge in your new shop, you'll be glad you saved all that brick (fire and red) from the chimney and the asbestos sheet from the backsplashes (and maybe the burners from a panelray wall heater)... hardwood flooring (which is probably repairable even tho the sills are shot), old switches (I am looking for pushbutton switches, BTW, as I beef them up and use them for my shop), etc... I would get a shed from Lowes to store recovered materials in (or maybe even a seatrain/flexivan/container)... but that's me.

The downside? You are going to be so burned out and pissed off in a couple years as you nickle-and-dime this place apart, having that hulk next door to your really pretty house (and drawing ire from both the neighbors and your town alderman for creating an eyesore and a nuisance), then realize you still have a huge mess to clean up, and a basement hole to fill (or not - I'm thinking service pit for your service bay), and *then* building the new shop/garage/MiL/studio rental complex there... Add to this the unthinkable - the house is 1/2 way down, some kid goes "exploring" and gets hurt or killed - on your property... no thank you.

OK. What I would do is take down the masonry work (top down), recover the formerly common but now "hazardous" materials (asbestos, etc.), and cool antique fixtures (washroom sink and 4" Cast Iron plumbing? For a shop? Stellar!) for future use. Then call the demo guys in, and in a weekend it's gone and done and ready for your NEW shop.

Yeah, you're looking at 5-10 grand... but that's an extra year and a half you'll get to build (and use) your shop, rather than looking at the snowy, deteriorating hazard of a house next door.

 

[RossABQ]

....
We ... removed every window, appliance, etc. for Habitat ....

I've talked to the Habitat folks here several times about nice used stuff I wanted to donate. Every time they ask if it's brand new or used? When I tell them it's a lightly used (say) $500 Moen faucet set, they say No Thanks. Nothing but brand new. Makes no sense to me.

 

[Voi]

I've talked to the Habitat folks here several times about nice used stuff I wanted to donate. Every time they ask if it's brand new or used? When I tell them it's a lightly used (say) $500 Moen faucet set, they say No Thanks. Nothing but brand new. Makes no sense to me.

I've heard different locations operate quite different from one another. I showed up with a bunch of stuff for them. On the bottom of the pile was a bunch of mobile home window screens and storm windows. They were all quite mangled and/or covered with wasp nest gunk. I had planned to see what the scrapper would take. They saw them and took them saying they'd clean them up and scrap what didn't sell in 30 days.

 

[skcj213]

After seeing the pics I would want to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
1. Pull anything of value as you've already said; old radiators, wiring, plumbing fancy woodwork/trim, siding if it doesn't take too long to strip. I wouldn't waste time salvaging flooring especially since it's urine/feces soaked.
2. Rent/hire backhoe and knock the sucker down. Stack materials as best as possible in dumpsters.
3.Chimney and any other masonry products get used to fill the basement.
4. Remove that tree that's about to fall then plant a good hedge to help block the future garage from passing traffic.

If you're set on doing as much yourself I like looking into the smaller dumpster idea. The area is definitely pleasant looking at can't wait to see your build. I'm sure you've made all the neighbors happy too.
What's the history of your house. It is very distinctive looking (love it). I can see a garage done in a style to match the house.

My house is a brick Italianate. It was built in 1867 by a doctor who had been an assistant surgeon in the union army during the civil war. We bought it also from a local doctor who had saved it from demo. When we bought it had all new mechanicals, electric and plumbing. All of the hard work has been done. It has 12 foot ceilings and is 3000 sq ft.

 

[AMCguy]

skcj213, You have a beautiful home.

You are in a most enviable position. Perhaps that is why some people here, are so bold as to suggest that you are not "working smart". It's not hard to read between the lines of what they type. I think they are jealous.

I personally do everything myself. The more I do myself, the more money I save. The more money I save, the less I have to work. The less I have to work, the more time I have to do things myself. It's a win, win, win situation.

DIYing is a joy that can be realized by anyone. There is no greater reward for me, than a cold beer (or two) at the end of a hard days work. I'm not paying anyone to take that privilege from me.

I love what you are doing.

 

[familytruckster]

When rebuilding my house, I found that besides metal duct-work, plumbing and wiring, I was not able to recycle anything. You will not even want to bother the cast iron septic, once you break it apart you will want to get that **** (literally) out of the house and in a dumpster super fast.

It takes way to long to demolish if you try to save or reuse woodwork, including wood floors and even nice old trim-work, You will find it gets tore up too bad to be of value anyways.

Last piece of advice is to have 2 30 yard dumpsters dropped off and hire a couple of laborers to gut the house. Believe me, I wish I did, and I will never gut a house again by myself. You wont believe the nastiness and dead things buried in the walls and above the ceiling. It will be a grand or two very well spent.

 

[ishiboo]

I've talked to the Habitat folks here several times about nice used stuff I wanted to donate. Every time they ask if it's brand new or used? When I tell them it's a lightly used (say) $500 Moen faucet set, they say No Thanks. Nothing but brand new. Makes no sense to me.

Do you not have a Habitat Restore near by?

Habitat only buys new stuff.

Habitat Restore re-sells used stuff, and would be more than happy to take any ************* faucet you throw at them.

 

[skcj213]

Well.......just made the first unexpected discovery. The front portion of the house looks to be brick. Not brick veneer, but sold brick. The back has been added on and is sick built as is the closed in front porch.

 

[theoldwizard1]

2. Rent/hire backhoe and knock the sucker down. Stack materials as best as possible in dumpsters.

Knocking it down will NOT facilitate stacking material for fewest number of dumpsters. Peeling shingles, removing roof boards, removing doors and as many non-structural walls as possible is the only way to go.

3.Chimney and any other masonry products get used to fill the basement.

Many cities specify "clean" fill dirt. Some even say the basement walls/foundation must be removed.

 

[skcj213]

I plan on doing at least a partial deconstruction, the interior as mentioned. Shingles and siding will be removed. A few of the doors are very nice and I am going to try to sell them. Some of the interior demo will be done this winter.

I don't believe the city has any ordinances concerning fill. The guy that have me the $8000 quote to demo was planning to collapse the basement walls and then fill.

 

[BigWil]

I definitely agree with your plan of doing things in stages. The key will be to do a complete cleanup at the end of every stage. Not cleaning everything up will make it a lot tougher in the long run...it's very easy to get on a roll demoing, and keep going. That just makes cleanup that much more difficult later. At some point, you will find it difficult to work because of the debris. As soon as that happens, you need to clean.

Personally, I now use a reciprocating saw for the majority of demo, including removing drywall in squares. It's a little more work up front, but a heck of a lot easier for cleanup later.

See if you can get the dumpster placed close to the house, with both a first and second story window directly above it. Put up a plywood ramp, so you don't have to throw it too far, and there is no gap between the house and the dumpster. Remove the windows, and throw everything out from there. Shovels and 45 gallon garbage cans are your friends for the interior demo.

I've gutted more than one house, just haven't done a complete demo.

Personally, I'd rather buy an all terrain boom lift than a backhoe. It will take a little more time than knocking it all down, but it will give you an easier method to fully knock it down, especially the brick, and get it into the dumpsters (or dump trailer).

 

[Blue]

You are in a most enviable position. Perhaps that is why some people here, are so bold as to suggest that you are not "working smart". It's not hard to read between the lines of what they type. I think they are jealous.

I'd wager that the folks who are advocating for hiring someone, rather than DIY, are doing so due to their experience, rather than jealousy.....

 

[rande]

Put as much as you can into cans that our weekly pickup will take. Carpeting. Lath. Plaster. Toilets. Sinks. Our city will pick up water heater and old appliances.
....

Around here we have a limit of how much we can put out each week. Sometimes I ask the neighbor if I can put something in their trash if they aren't using their weekly allotment. Maybe your neighbors will let you put extra items in their trash if they have room.

 

[skcj213]

AMCguy,
Thanks for the words of support. I have made up my mind, I am going to do this myself. If I see that it is going to take too long or that I am in over my head I can still hire someone to finish it up. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Those who would just pay to make it go away have valid points and I am sure are speaking from experience. And I can appreciate that. To each there own.

Personally, I make a good salary. A good portion of it goes in the bank for retirement. We drive nice cars, not new, but nice. I work hard keeping them clean and maintaining them myself. My family also goes on a nice vacation every year. We are able to do that because I do a lot of things myself rather than paying someone to do it for me.

For me DIY is a means to an end, to have nice things and a nice retirement.

Thanks all for all of the great tips, keep them coming. In return I'll share my lessons learned as I get this thing done.

 

[finn]

I'd wager that the folks who are advocating for hiring someone, rather than DIY, are doing so due to their experience, rather than jealousy.....

I second this statement. I started demo by myself, but frankly I'm not a spring chicken, and some of the demo work on an old structure is downright dangerous to do without help. I also started with the goal to salvage anything potentially usable, but ended up almost drowning in rubbish before I saw the light and became somewhat ruthless in throwing it in the dump truck for a trip to the transfer station.

It still sounds like the op is seriously underestimating the amount of work involved in removing a structure as large as this project seems to be.

Those of you advocating salvaging major quantities of material: how much time does it take to remove an average of, say 8 nails from a 100 year old 2X4 and where do you store several hundred mostly unusable boards?

What is the realistic time and logistics involved to salvage cast iron sewer pipe that will bring $.06 / lb at the scrapyard?

Interesting doors and ornamentation, ok. The rest goes straight in the dumpster if your goal is a newly constructed shop in your lifetime.

 

[8mpg]

Im in for the entertainment value...

Over the last year and a half, I gutted and remodeled a 1700sqft house. The demo was much much more time consuming and expensive than I thought. We used a 40yd dumpster and 2 12 yard dumpsters. This is an interior gut only with no exterior stuff being thrown away. The 40yd dumpster cost me $900 which was originally quoted for $400. We ended up putting the drywall in nicely and stacking nicely. The damn dumpster weighed 10 tons and there was a 5 ton limit. We have $1500 in dumpster costs for just the inside. You are talking about manually moving 50,000lbs. Back breaking, tiring work.

The demo took my father, father in law, fiance and I 2 months off an on around work schedules. It was HORRIBLE. $8k would be a blessing for tear down and haul off. A 12k dump trailer would cost $250/load here. I dont make that much money but you will bypass $8k in your labor guaranteed.

 

[G McKay]

simple way to dispose of house, begin remodeling it, and accidentaly leave a heater on over night near the gallons of thinner you stored for redoing the floor

 

[ddawg16]

Contact a production company....maybe they want to use it for a movie? As in, something that gets blown up?

 

[ozyborn]

Gut the salvageable materials out of it. Then start taking it down bit by bit. Why looky hear, a burn pit. Night time campfires and a nice supply of wood. Got rid of 2 old garages that way.

 

[goldmach1]

Based on the dumpster prices in your area, the $8,000 price seems to high. Can you get more estimates? If you do all of the permit, utility disconnect etc. work, you should be able to get it done for much less. Demolition work is very dusty, dirty work that can be very harmful to your health. I operate a large excavator with an enclosed cab and would still use water to minimize the dust, when knocking it down and loading containers.

 

[skcj213]

I got a second quote for$6500 to $7000. This guy estimated dumping fees of $2000 to $2500. As recommended by others I am also looking into buying a dump trailer as well as using smaller dumpsters, like an 8 yard that's dumps weekly,to minimize dumping fees.

 

[Justanoldguy]

Hard to believe this thread is still going.
I thought everything had been said by day one. lol

 

[captmoto]

Have you looked into salvage companies? They may come and take it down for free or may even pay you for the material.

 

[skcj213]

Unfortunately, I am not aware of any salvage companies nearby. I will look to see what I can find.

 

[tadder52]

Start taking pictures of what is in the structure now that you want to sell. That way you don't have to wait for it to sell and/or move it multiple times saving a little work. Start at the top and go to work.

The smaller dumpster idea sounds like a great idea. Good luck!

 

[sublime68charger]

did you get any Pic's of it this weekend?

Ive looked at the google view's of the outside just wondering the shape of thing's inside.

thanks for keeping it updated.

good luck with it. maybe use the bricks to fill in the basement? just a thought.

 

[skcj213]

Start taking pictures of what is in the structure now that you want to sell. That way you don't have to wait for it to sell and/or move it multiple times saving a little work. Start at the top and go to work.

The smaller dumpster idea sounds like a great idea. Good luck!

We took some pics of the radiators and what woodwork we thought may be marketable over the weekend.

If I can find a good used dump trailer that is looking to be more and more of the best idea. I can fill the trailer at my own pace and not have to worry about getting it full by the next dump. After the project is done I can resell the trailer for what I have in it.

I called the landfill this morning. It costs $50/ton to dump C&D waste and the landfill is only about 5 miles away. A 30 yard dumpster is $395 with a 5 ton max ($79 per ton) and $50/ton over 5. The 30 yard will likely not be at 5 tons when dumped, the disposal company said I would have to fill it with concrete to get 5 tons, so the cost per ton will be even higher. The negative is that a dump trailer is obviously much smaller than a 30 yard dumpster and will require more trips to the landfill.

Based on comments from one of the excavators I would need about six 30 yard dumpsters, that's $2370 for disposal. I can dump about 45 tons of stuff using a dump trailer and still be a little money ahead (ignoring the license, title and fees associated with the trailer and my gas to pull it back and forth). Assuming I hit volume limits before weight I would have to make 20 trips using a dump trailer.

 

[skcj213]

did you get any Pic's of it this weekend?

Ive looked at the google view's of the outside just wondering the shape of thing's inside.

thanks for keeping it updated.

good luck with it. maybe use the bricks to fill in the basement? just a thought.

I may be able to find a use for at least some of the bricks in landscaping projects. We are wanting to put in a large patio between our house and the location of the new garage once the lot is clear.

I have a few pics of the inside of the house. I'll try to post this evening.

 

[CNGsaves]

OP . . . that's a good price on 30 yard roll off at $395 for 5 tons. Make sure there are no other HIDDEN charges like mileage/fuel surcharge, haul fee, drop fee, late day fee, etc. (big waste companies are notorious for sticking in these hidden charges). Generally they let you keep box 10 days, then charge you more per day. Recently I got quote for $390 for just 20 yard roll off for 3 tons and 10 days.

Dump trailer might be ideal if you can find one affordably priced, and you don't mind driving your truck to dump (risk of flat tires / damage / etc). Call landfill to see if they have different rates for dual-axle trailer etc, or other crazy surcharges so you know exactly what your costs will be. During winter when roofing crews can't work, you might be able to RENT their dump trailer?

 

[skcj213]

OP . . . that's a good price on 30 yard roll off at $395 for 5 tons. Make sure there are no other HIDDEN charges like mileage/fuel surcharge, haul fee, drop fee, late day fee, etc. (big waste companies are notorious for sticking in these hidden charges). Generally they let you keep box 10 days, then charge you more per day. Recently I got quote for $390 for just 20 yard roll off for 3 tons and 10 days.

Dump trailer might be ideal if you can find one affordably priced, and you don't mind driving your truck to dump (risk of flat tires / damage / etc). Call landfill to see if they have different rates for dual-axle trailer etc, or other crazy surcharges so you know exactly what your costs will be. During winter when roofing crews can't work, you might be able to RENT their dump trailer?

The disposal companies I have gotten quotes from are small, local operations. I specifically asked the guy that quote $395 how long I could keep the dumpster between dumps. He said in the winter he could let it go as long as 3 weeks but in the summer, when demand is higher he would like to dump it at least once every 2 weeks.

I checked CL for a dump trailer and didn't find many used ones nearby. A new 6' x 12' is between $4000 and $5000. I figure I should be able to get a used one for a little over $3000 and should be able to resell it for the same as what I buy it for, maybe a little more if I get a good deal.

 

[Frank Dukes]

yeesh. if your buying a 3k trailer to do this job.. $6500 all in sounds like a steal. regardless of getting that money back reselling it. 3k wrapped up in a trailer plus 2k in dump fees and your time. but hey more power to ya.

 

[BigWil]

I would say that with your own trailer, you have more time. I'd only throw out the stuff that you can't get rid of on your own.

Stack the lumber in a different area, and burn it. If you have any fireplaces, that would be the first option. Second option is to make an outdoor pit...I'd stay away from barrels because you would have to cut each piece if you need it gone. A bigger fire pit that would take 4x8 plywood and full length 2x4s would be the way to go. It would save you that much more on dump fees.

If you don't want to burn it yourself, post the wood on Craigslist...some guy with a garage wood stove will pick it up...I know at least a couple of guys in my area besides myself that would.

 

[skcj213]

I don't plan on sending the lumber to the landfill. If it is reusable as a building material I would like to use it for the garage that will eventually stand in this spot. I may also list it on CL, at first for sale and then maybe for free if I don't have any buyers. Even if I give it for free it is saving me $50/ton in dumping fees and just putting less in the landfill.

 

[Piece-it Pete]

I saw one home dis-assembler (the whole green thing) who made a 'de-nailer', it was a nailgun with a tube/pipe that fit over the nail, hitting the trigger pushed a rod inside the tube which forced the nail out. It was fast, pe-chew pe-chew pe-chew.

Pete

 

[LB-1911]

I saw one home dis-assembler (the whole green thing) who made a 'de-nailer', it was a nailgun with a tube/pipe that fit over the nail, hitting the trigger pushed a rod inside the tube which forced the nail out. It was fast, pe-chew pe-chew pe-chew.

Pete

Nail Kicker denailer model V20

 

[skcj213]

Now that there is pretty dog gone cool!