Concrete removal: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What concrete removal is

Concrete removal breaks up and hauls away slabs, walks, patios, steps or footings that are no longer useful or are in the way of new work. It is heavy, noisy and dusty, and the right method depends on the thickness, whether the concrete is reinforced and what sits nearby.

Signs you need it

  • An old slab is cracked, heaved or sunk into pieces and is no longer safe to walk or drive on
  • A patio, walk or drive has to come out to make room for a new build, addition, pool or garage
  • A failed footing, pad or foundation remnant sits in the ground and blocks new digging or grading
  • Water is trapped under a slab that has to be opened so the ground can drain
  • An old driveway or pool deck has become unusable and the area needs to be cleared before it can be resurfaced or replaced
  • A large slab sits right against the house, a pool or a fence, where machine breaking could cause damage

What the pro does

  • Survey the slab, check its thickness and reinforcement, and mark any buried utilities, lines or tanks before cutting or breaking
  • Protect nearby walls, landscaping, underground lines and any structure that could be damaged by vibration
  • Saw cut the slab into manageable sections along straight lines so the breaking goes where it is planned
  • Break the concrete with a jackhammer, a hydraulic breaker or a skid steer attachment, working from one edge
  • Pull out the rebar or wire mesh, sort the steel for recycling, and load the broken concrete into a dumpster or truck
  • Grade the cleared area, fill any voids with compacted material and leave the site ready for the next phase

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Thickness and reinforcement of the slab, since thick or heavily rebarred concrete takes much longer to break
  • The total area or volume to remove, and whether the work is one slab or many pieces across the site
  • Access for machinery and a dumpster, and whether the crew must carry debris through a narrow gate
  • Proximity to the house, pool, fence or buried utilities, which slows the work and requires hand tools in tight spots
  • Disposal rules and the distance to the place the concrete is taken for recycling or disposal
  • Whether the removal needs a permit and the time for the inspection to be scheduled
  • Whether the surface is plain, stamped or set on a base with fill that has to be replaced

What a written quote should spell out

  • The area and thickness of concrete to be removed, and whether reinforcing steel is included
  • The method used, such as saw cutting and breaking, hand tools near structures or a machine breaker
  • Who marks and checks underground utilities before the work starts
  • Dumpster or truck size, haul-off, and where the concrete goes for disposal or recycling
  • Backfill and grading of the excavated area, and the material used to fill it
  • Protection measures for the house, fencing, plants and any surfaces near the work

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Have you marked the buried lines in the work area, and who handles that check?
  • How will you protect the house and nearby structures from vibration?
  • Will you saw cut the edges first to keep the break clean and controlled?
  • What do you do with the rebar and mesh, and is steel recycling included?
  • Who is responsible for the dust control, and how do you keep the spray down while breaking?
  • Is the removal covered by a permit, and who pulls it?
  • How do you backfill and compact the area after the concrete comes out?

Red flags

  • Starts breaking without asking about buried lines, tanks or utility runs in the work area
  • Says protecting the house or the fence is not needed when the work is right next to them
  • Quotes a removal without mentioning how the debris will be hauled or where it goes
  • Leaves the excavation open and unfilled with no plan for compaction and grading
  • Skips the dust and noise plan on a job that will run for days next to occupied homes

What you can do yourself

A homeowner can remove a small, unreinforced walk or a few small patio pieces by hand if they have the right tools and can handle the weight. Call a pro for thick slabs, reinforced concrete, jackhammer work, anything near the house or buried lines, or any removal that needs a permit. Breaking concrete throws off fast pieces and fine silica dust, so wear eye protection, hearing protection and a respirator rated for silica dust.

Licenses and permits

Concrete demolition is commonly done by licensed contractors, and many areas require a permit before removing a structural slab, footing or foundation element. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local building department before work starts, especially for work near the home or underground utilities.

Concrete removal questions

Can I just break up the old patio with a sledgehammer?

A thin, unreinforced walk can sometimes be broken by hand, but most patios and drives are too heavy and too steel-reinforced for that. A sledgehammer also throws debris at high speed, so hire a pro for anything more than a small piece.

What happens to the concrete after it is removed?

Most of it is hauled away to a facility that either disposes of it or crushes it for reuse as base material. Ask the pro where the debris is going, since some facilities accept clean concrete at lower fees than mixed loads.

Will the ground underneath be stable enough to build on?

The soil under an old slab is often compacted or disturbed, so it may need to be checked before anything heavy goes on it. Ask the pro to test the subgrade and fill any voids with compacted material before the next build.

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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