Concrete removal: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering concrete removal

Concrete removal is mostly about control, meaning cutting clean lines, protecting what is nearby and finding the buried lines before the breaker touches them. Customers remember the crew that left the yard clean and the site safe.

What customers ask

  • How do you keep the vibration from cracking my house or my neighbor's wall?
  • Will you find the underground lines before you start breaking?
  • Can you remove the slab without damaging the landscaping or the fence?
  • What do you do with the rebar, and do you recycle the concrete?
  • How long will the work take, and how loud and dusty will it be?
  • Who pulls the permit, and when does the inspection happen?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask what sits under and next to the slab, including tanks, drains, electrical lines and footings, because those change the method and the timeline.
  • On site, mark the boundaries of the removal with paint, check for buried utilities, and note the thickness and reinforcement by drilling a test hole.
  • In the quote, state the method, the haul-off plan, the disposal destination and the backfill plan, so the customer sees the whole job.
  • Walk the customer through the dust and noise plan, such as water spray, working hours and protected walkways.
  • Propose saw cutting first on any slab that has to stay intact nearby, and show how the cut lines will be laid out.
  • Leave a clean site with the excavation filled, compacted and graded, and photograph it before you leave.

What to put on your profile

  • Before and after photos showing the cleared area, the protection measures and the final grade
  • Equipment you run, such as saw cutters, hydraulic breakers and skid steer attachments
  • Types of removal you take on, such as patios, drives, pool decks, footings and foundation elements
  • Your service area and whether you haul and recycle the concrete in-house or subcontract it

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a grading and fill check after the first rainy season to confirm the backfilled area is settling evenly
  • Suggest a subgrade test before the next build on the cleared ground, explained as protection for their new work
  • Mention the next phase, such as a new patio or drive, only as information once the site is ready

Licenses and permits

Concrete demolition is commonly done under a contractor license in many areas, and removing a structural element usually needs a permit. Confirm what applies where you work with your state or local licensing agency and local building department, and keep your insurance and any utility locate requirements current.

Questions

What do I do when I hit an unexpected line during the break?

Stop all work in that area, call the utility owner and the customer, and do not continue until the line is confirmed and protected. Document the stop with photos and a note so the schedule and cost change are on record.

Should I offer to keep the rebar or the broken pieces for the customer?

Ask the customer first and note the decision in writing, because some customers want the steel or fill for other jobs. Be clear about what happens to the material if they do not want it.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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