6 Things You Should Know Before Starting a DIY Demo Project
Updated: May 19
Whether you're remodeling your kitchen, your basement, a bathroom, your whole house, or outbuilds and patios—there's more to demolition than meets the eye.
The best way to ensure a smooth DIY demolition project is to know what to expect.
Our tips will help ensure you're prepared and our experts can help you hands-on.
1. Be prepared for the mess.
Demolition is a messy job and will uncover evidence of pet stains, rodents/insects, and of course, dust and debris—all of this adds up to one dirty job, so be prepared with a dumpster.
Dumpsters are a perfect catchall for any trash and debris you come across during the process.
During times of social distancing, dumpsters are a compatible way to manage a high quantity of debris without needing to come in contact with another person.
If you really want to save money—and help out others and the environment while you’re at it—then consider re-using, repurposing, or selling whenever possible.
Crown molding, wood flooring, and cabinets are excellent examples of things you may no longer want, but someone else may love to take off your hands.
Before the heavy-duty work begins, make a mental note of any standout items you think you’ll want to re-use/re-purpose, donate, or sell.
Same Day Dumpster is committed to carbon offset - so we've decided to plant a tree for every honest 5-star review we get on Google.
2. Plan your attack.
The order in which you perform the demo hugely impacts your productivity, so think through your plan of attack before getting started.
Some aspects of demolition will take longer than others and should be accommodated accordingly. For example, it’s always best to remove any carpeting first. This makes sweeping up nails and dust easier.
Also, because cabinets take a while to build, existing cabinets should be removed early on so the new ones can be measured and assembled.
3. Gather your tools first.
Some tools are just plain invaluable when it comes to demolition, and they should be collected before demolition starts to make things easy.
The fewer trips you have to make to the home improvement store (or the less shipping you have to pay online), the better.
Even more, you’ll want to keep all your tools in one easy-to-access location; and always put them back after using them so you’re never left searching.
Here is a list of some of the most useful tools for a demolition project:
Crowbar
Chisel
Contractor-grade trash bags (home depot)
Good work gloves
Lightweight hammer
Utility knife + replacement blades
Electric drill & bits
Spray bottle (for wallpaper removal)
Bucket (plumbing mishaps)
Broom and dustpan
Shop vac (one with a filter that can suck up drywall dust)
Flat head screwdriver
Protective goggles & masks
4. Be safe.
Demolition isn’t as straightforward as swinging a sledgehammer. There are electrical lines, water lines, load-bearing walls, and other things you will need to be careful to avoid.
Not only can a haphazard demo lead to serious injury, but it can also add up to you paying much more than you bargained for.
The best way to be safe is to have your home's blueprint on hand. That way you'll be able to know where all the important stuff is located and where you need to be extra careful.
5. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Now, with safety in mind (and an idea of what’s behind your walls), don’t hesitate to use a little elbow grease.
The main things you really don’t want to damage plumbing, load-bearing walls, and anything you plan on keeping (e.g. drywall, bathtub, etc.).
6. Ask for help when you need it.
It can be overwhelming to see a mess in several rooms of your house, especially when you're living in-house during the demolition work.
Likewise, it can be a lot of work.
So if you have doubts about your ability to safely do any of the work, hire a professional to help you handle it properly and safely.
Pros can handle the work faster than you could, and they'll handle the cleanup & haul away the mess for you.
Money Saving Tip: Same Day Dumpsters has insured equipment operators, and hiring the same person to do all the work & haul the mess away is a great way to save money.
Discuss safety precautions before anyone gets started, and ensure people follow them throughout the job. We ensure safety is a top priority amongst the crew. In fact, Same Day is the only Dumpster and Demo company is Salt Lake that is backed by the protection of the Google Local Services Guarantee!
