Garage Demolition Cost

Planning to remove an old or unused garage but unsure what it might cost or where to begin?

In this guide we break down everything you need to know about garage demolition costs, including labour and disposal fees, potential extra charges, and what's involved in the removal process. You'll also find practical tips on getting a fair price and hiring a reliable contractor for the job.

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Prefer to learn more first? Read on for our full breakdown of garage demolition costs and what to expect.

How Much Does Garage Demolition Cost?

The average cost to demolish a garage in the UK ranges from £1,000 to £3,000. This price typically includes labour, equipment hire, and waste removal, though the exact total depends on the size, materials, and accessibility of your garage.

Demolishing or removing a garage is often done to free up garden space, prepare for an extension, or bring more light into your home. Most projects take around 1 to 2 days to complete, but this can increase for larger garages, those attached to another structure, or where thick foundations need breaking up and removing.

Labour usually makes up a large part of the cost, with contractors charging between £100 and £200 per day depending on their experience and location. Rates are generally higher in London and the South East.

Other factors that can affect the overall price include:

• Garage Materials — Concrete and brick garages cost more to remove than timber or steel structures.
• Size and Type — Double or attached garages take longer and require more labour.
• Ease of Access — Limited access can increase waste disposal and equipment costs.

In the next sections, we'll look at what's involved in the demolition process, how to find the right contractor, and what additional costs to plan for.

Garage Demolition Prices

There are several demolition costs, depending on the project. Below is a table showing various demolition jobs and the prices that you can expect for these jobs:

Garage Demolition Cost Calculator

Additional Garage Demolition Costs

When it comes to demolishing a garage, there are some additional costs that may be involved with this type of work. Demolishing a garage will provide a lot of extra space on your property, so this would be a great time to get some other jobs done.

Below is a list of the additional things that you may need to budget for with this type of work:

Skip Hire

In some cases, you may need to hire a skip for the removal of all of the waste from the demolition job. You can expect to pay around £200 to £400 to hire a skip for this work.

The price for the skip will depend on the size of the skip needed and the length of time you need to hire it.

Asbestos Removal

Some old garages may contain asbestos and will need to be handled carefully when demolished to avoid contaminating your land with harmful substances. The cost of asbestos removal is around £2,500, and an asbestos survey is £200.

Landscaping

When you get your garage demolished, you may need to get some gardening work done to help improve the appearance of the outdoor space. This is because there will be a big gap where the garage once stood, and this area will likely look quite untidy.

Landscaping costs around £200 to £600. The price you pay will depend on the level of work that is needed, and your location in the UK.

Install a Fence

When demolishing your garage, you may want to add some additional things to your garden space, such as a fence. Fencing can help to increase the privacy in your garden and can add to the security of your garden.

The average cost of installing a new fence in your garden is around £550 to £1,500. The cost will depend on the size of the fence, the materials used, and your location in the UK.

Install a Garden Wall

If a garden fence isn't for you, then you may want to install a garden wall instead. Similar to a garden fence, a garden wall can increase the privacy and security of your property.

The overall cost of installing a new garden wall will depend on the size of the wall and the materials used. You can usually expect to pay roughly £450 to £1,200 for this type of work.

Garden Waste Removal

If you are removing some parts of your garden along with your garage demolition, then you may need to think about garden waste removal.

If you do need this service, anticipate garden waste removal costs of around £50 to £300. The average cost for this will depend on the amount of waste that needs to be removed and the location of your property.

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Labour Cost to Demolish a Garage & Timescales

If you want to demolish a garage at your property, then you may be interested in finding out more about the labour costs for this type of work. The labour costs for a garage demolition will make up most of the quote.

So, how much does it cost to demolish a garage in labour costs?

You can expect the labour costs to be around £100 to £200 per person, per day. The price you pay will depend on their level of skills and expertise.

The demolition will be completed by at least two contractors, so, in total, you can expect to pay around £200 to £800 in labour costs for the entire job.

A garage demolition will usually take around 1 to 2 days to complete. In some cases, it may take longer to complete. For example, if the garage is attached to a structure or has a thick concrete base, this could result in increased timescales.

You will usually be charged per day for the work, so the longer the job takes to complete, the more you will pay in labour costs.

If you live in London, you can expect the labour costs to be higher. This is because labour costs across the board tend to be higher in London than in other areas of the UK.

Factors That Impact Garage Demolition Costs

Several things may affect the overall cost of getting your garage demolished. Below is a list of the things that might impact the overall cost of this work:

Size of Garage

The size of the garage will affect the overall cost of the job. The larger the garage, the longer it will take to demolish. The longer the job takes, the more you can expect to pay in labour costs, resulting in higher costs for the overall job.

Type of Garage

The type of garage can also affect the overall cost of the job. For example, a double garage will cost more to demolish than a single garage. Also, the material your garage is built from will have an impact, with prefab concrete and brick garages being more difficult to demolish than wooden or steel garages.

If your garage is attached to your house, the demolition is a more complex and delicate project. It is not just a demolition job but also a construction one. Once the garage is removed, it will leave an exposed wall on your main property. This wall must be professionally "made good," which involves weatherproofing, insulating, and finishing it with new brickwork or render to match your home and protect it from the elements. This additional work will be a major part of the overall cost.

Foundations and Floor Slab

The cost of the demolition will also be affected by the final state you want the area left in. If you want to build on the space later you may want to leave the foundations and concrete floor in place, but if you want to convert the newly freed space into a garden, you'll need to remove the foundations and slab as well.

Many standard quotes only cover demolishing the structure "to the slab," as breaking up and removing the concrete base is a significant, separate job. This requires heavy-duty equipment, like a pneumatic breaker, and adds substantially to the labour time and waste disposal costs, as concrete is very heavy.

Ease of Site Access

A contractor will factor in how close they can park a skip to the structure. If the garage is at the bottom of a terraced garden with no rear access, all the rubble must be moved by wheelbarrow through the property. This is far more labour-intensive than a garage on a driveway and will be reflected in a higher overall cost.

Location of Property

The location of your property will also impact the cost of the job. If you are based in or around the London area, you can expect the labour costs to be higher than for people who are based in the North or other parts of the UK.

What's Involved in Garage Demolition?

If you are planning on getting your garage removed, you may be wondering about how to demolish a garage. Below, we will go over what's involved with demolishing a garage.

• All the services will be cut from the garage, including the electricity and anything else that runs into the garage.
• The contractors will create a boundary around the garage for health and safety reasons.
• Any hazardous materials such as asbestos will be removed before the demolition.
• The contractors will remove the doors, windows, linings, and any external or internal timber.
• The lead flashing and any tiling on the roof will then be removed.
• The contractors will then remove the structural joints.
• The walls will be demolished, and any salvageable material will be saved for reuse.
• Finally, the contractors will break up the foundations, all of the debris, and anything else left over.
• Once the job is complete, the contractors will then remove all of the materials, waste, and everything else from the site.

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Building Regulations & Planning Permission for Garage Demolitions

When planning your project, it's important to understand that planning permission and building regulations are two separate things. Planning permission deals with whether you're allowed to do the work, while building regulations cover how the work is done safely.

Planning Permission

If your garage measures under 50 cubic metres on the outside, you won't need planning permission at all. Anything larger is classed as permitted development, but you will still need to apply to your local planning authority so they can approve the demolition method.

However, there are some important exceptions:

• Your home is a listed building, as the listing may also cover the garage which needs listed building consent.
• You are in a conservation area and the garage measures 115 cubic metres or more.

If you are in any doubt about the status of your property, it's always best to get in touch with your local authority for some advice on where you stand.

Building Regulations

Demolition falls under the Building Act 1984 rather than Building Regulations. Unless the garage is under 50 cubic metres, written notice must be given to your local building control department before work can start. This is a key reason why you should only hire qualified contractors with good industry knowledge.

Your contractor must ensure they adhere to all relevant regulations, which include:

• Party Wall etc. Act 1996 — This is crucial. If your garage is attached to a neighbour's property (a semi-detached garage) or built very close to the boundary line, you as the owner must give your neighbour written notice of 2 months to a year before work starts.
• Asbestos Removal — Garages built before the year 2000 often contain asbestos in the roof panels or walls. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require that anyone removing it is trained to handle asbestos safely, but a licensed contractor is only needed for higher-risk materials such as sprayed coatings or insulating board, not for garage roof sheets.
• Safe Disconnection of Utilities — Any electricity, gas, or water supplies running to the garage must be professionally and safely disconnected before the demolition starts (gas must be disconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer).
• Structural Safety — The work must not endanger the structural stability of any nearby buildings, including your own house or your neighbour's property.
• Waste Disposal — If you arrange waste disposal yourself, you have a legal "duty of care" to ensure all demolition waste is disposed of by registered waste carriers or you could face a fine. Any demolition waste that your contractor produces should be handled by them and they should be able to provide you with a waste transfer note as proof.

Types of Garage Demolition

There are various types of garages that you may want to have demolished. Here, we will go over the different types of garages and the various types of garage demolitions.

Brick Built Garages

Brick garages are the most common style of garage in the UK. These garages tend to be quite expensive to build in the first place and can be quite difficult to demolish when compared to other types of garages.

This means brick garages can take longer to demolish than other garages, such as timber or metal garages. On average, it will usually take roughly 1 to 2 days to complete a brick garage demolition.

Timber Garages

Timber garages are one of the most common types of garages that need demolishing. This is because they require a lot of maintenance, and many people overlook them.

This type of garage can be prone to damage in certain types of weather or if they aren't maintained properly. This can result in mould, rot, or other problems. This is often why people prefer demolishing wooden garages and replacing them with brick garages.

Concrete Garages

Prefabricated concrete garages are common across the UK. They are extremely hard-wearing and durable, which also makes them more difficult to remove. They tend to have the longest lifespan of any other type of garage. Most concrete garages have an average lifespan of around 40 to 50 years.

With this in mind, these garages are not demolished very often. The only real situation when you may need to have a concrete garage demolished is if you don't make use of the garage or if you want to use that space for something else.

Concrete garages are the most difficult type of garage to demolish and usually take much longer to completely demolish than other garage types. They will also usually have higher garage demolition prices.

Steel Garages

Steel garages tend to be quite cheap to build. These garages don't provide much protection from the elements and weather, and they can sometimes be quite flimsy. It is not very common for this type of garage to be demolished since they are quite easy to just take down.

Steel garages are easy to remove, and you can easily move them to a new area if needed. If you plan on hiring professionals to remove your steel garage for you, it will usually only take a few hours to complete.

Checklist: Hiring Contractors for Garage Demolition

There are a few things you might have to consider when hiring a contractor to demolish your garage for you. Below is a list of some of the main things that you should consider when finding the right contractor for the job:

• Does the contractor provide any guarantees with the demolition work?
• How much does the work cost to complete? Ask for a breakdown of the costs involved, so you know you are paying a good price for each part of the job.
• Does the contractor have experience in demolishing your type of garage?
• How much experience does the contractor have in demolishing garages?
• Will the contractor fix any issues that may arise?
• Do you need to hire any additional contractors for different parts of the work?
• Do you need to provide anything for them to complete the job?
• How long will the demolition job take to complete?
• Can the contractor provide any photographs of their previous work?
• Will the contractors take care of the waste removal for you?
• Search for 'garage demolition near me' online to find reputable local companies to carry out the work.

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