Demolition is the shortest phase of a home remodel and the one families remember most: the noise, the dust and the day the bathroom disappears. This page is for homeowners planning bathroom demolition, a kitchen tear-out, old tile removal or a patio slab coming out, and it covers what to decide, what to protect and how to live through it. Removal methods and slab prep are explained on our main tile removal and demolition page. Tenant spaces and strip-outs for builders are on our commercial demolition page. J. Perry & Sons is a licensed Florida general contractor in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade. We take rooms apart from the inside; we don't tear down whole houses.
What Residential Demolition Costs in a South Florida Home
Grouped by the rooms homeowners actually gut, with the same unit rates as our main demolition page.
| Home demo job | What comes out | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Guest shower only | Tile, pan, curb, wall board to studs | $1,250–$2,000 |
| Full bathroom | Tile, tub, vanity, toilet, drywall | $2,750–$4,250 |
| Kitchen or full room gut | Cabinets, counters, flooring, drywall as scoped | $4–$9 per sq ft of floor |
| Tile floors through the house, slab on grade | Tile and thinset, haul-away | $4–$6 per sq ft |
| Marble or thick mud-set floors | Stone and mortar bed | $5.50–$8 per sq ft |
| Old LVP, laminate or wood | Flooring and adhesive or pad | $1.50–$2.50 per sq ft |
| Patio slab or walkway | Saw-cut, break, haul | $8–$16 per sq ft |
Dustless, vacuum-shrouded removal adds $1–$1.50 per sq ft and is the upgrade most families with kids, pets or allergies choose.
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com. Send photos of the rooms to be removed and we'll reply with a range the same day.
Decisions to Make Before Anything Comes Out
Demo only, or demo and rebuild? We do both. When the same company demolishes and rebuilds, there is no argument later about who damaged the plumbing or left the slab uneven. If you hire demo only, ask what condition the slab and walls will be left in.
What stays. Decide what you want saved: a vanity for the garage, appliances for resale, a mirror, cabinet doors for a laundry room. Anything to be kept gets marked before day one, because salvage takes longer than removal.
Walls. Removing a non-structural wall is ordinary demo. A wall carrying the roof or a beam is not; we don't do engineering, but we build to the engineer's drawings and coordinate a licensed engineer when the work needs one.
Older homes. Popcorn ceilings, some old floor tile adhesives and old drywall compound can contain asbestos. In a house built before the 1980s we recommend testing suspect materials first. If anything tests positive, a licensed abatement contractor removes it before our crew starts.
Condo Rules, HOA Limits and Permits
Condo associations care most about noise and hallways. Expect quiet hours for chipping and hammer drills, sometimes a short daily window, plus elevator padding and reservations, our insurance certificate on file and a rule that debris leaves the same day. Some buildings require removal through the service elevator in bins only. We read the rules before we price, because a two-hour noise window turns a one-day job into three.
Single-family HOAs usually regulate dumpster placement, how long it can stay and whether it can sit on the street. Demolition that is part of a remodel is covered under the remodel permit, which we pull. A dumpster on a public street can need a separate right-of-way permit in some cities; we handle that too.
Living at Home During Demolition
Most families stay. We build zip walls with a zippered door, cover floors on the path from the room to the exit, tape off HVAC returns in the work zone and run HEPA extraction on grinders and saws. Hammer drills are loud, so plan to be out during the first day of a tile or shower demo if anyone works from home. If the house has one bathroom, we schedule the shower demo so the new pan and waterproofing follow within days, and we tell you exactly which day the toilet comes out and when it goes back.
Pets do best in a closed room or at a sitter on demo days. We vacuum at the end of each day and leave the house walkable.
Timeline: How Many Days Each Demo Takes
- Before day 1: estimate visit, salvage list, condo approval or permit, asbestos test where needed, dumpster ordered.
- Day 1: protection and containment set up, fixtures and cabinets removed.
- Days 1–2: a shower or a full bathroom is down to studs and slab.
- Days 2–4: tile floors in a 1,500 sq ft home come out with the thinset, and the slab is scraped clean.
- Last day: final vacuum, slab inspection for cracks and low spots, and photos sent to you before the rebuild starts.
Kitchen tear-outs typically take two to three days depending on cabinets, counters and flooring. Condo noise windows can stretch any of these.
Five Demolition Mistakes Homeowners Make
- Not shutting off and capping utilities properly. Water, gas and electrical need to be capped by a licensed trade before demo, not just turned off.
- Skipping containment to save money. Tile dust ends up in the AC system and every closet in the house.
- Forgetting what's under the floor. Old radiant mats, drains and slab cracks show up at demo; leave a small allowance in the budget.
- Demolishing before the new materials are ordered. A gutted bathroom that waits six weeks for tile is a long six weeks.
- Letting the dumpster sit for weeks. HOAs fine for it, and neighbors fill it with their own trash.
What to Prepare and What the Estimate Visit Covers
Empty the cabinets, closets and drawers in the rooms to be removed. Tell us what you want saved, whether you are in a condo or HOA, and when the rebuild materials will arrive.
At the visit we measure, identify floor and wall materials, check what's behind the tile with a tap test or a small opening, locate shutoffs, note anything to be tested for asbestos, and look at the path from the room to the dumpster. The written estimate lists each room, the removal method, containment, haul-away and slab cleanup. Workmanship warranty on every job; materials carry the manufacturer's warranty. Terms are in your written contract.
Residential Demolition by City
Demolition is the first step of most of our remodels, so our city pages for bathroom and kitchen work cover it:
- Bathroom renovation in Boca Raton
- Bathroom renovation in Fort Lauderdale
- Bathroom renovation in Parkland
- Bathroom renovation in Delray Beach
- Kitchen renovation in Weston
- Kitchen renovation in Aventura
- Kitchen renovation in West Palm Beach
Planning guides: Bathroom demolition cost · Dustless tile removal · Tile removal cost per square foot
Read the main tile removal and demolition page for methods, or commercial demolition for tenant spaces and buildings.
Residential Demolition — FAQ
How much does it cost to demo a bathroom? A shower alone runs $1,250–$2,000. A full bathroom with tub, vanity, toilet, tile and drywall runs $2,750–$4,250.
Can I stay home during demolition? Yes. We contain the room with zip walls and HEPA extraction. The first day is loud, so many people work elsewhere that day.
Do you remove asbestos? No. If a suspect material tests positive, a licensed abatement contractor removes it, and our crew continues afterward.
Do I need a permit for demolition? Interior demo that is part of a remodel is covered by the remodel permit, which we pull. Structural changes need engineered drawings.
Can you save my cabinets or vanity? Yes, if you tell us before the start. Salvaged items are removed carefully and set aside.
How do I get an exact price? Call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com with photos of each room. We confirm materials and access on a short visit and send a written estimate, typically within 24–48 hours.
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com. Licensed Florida general contractor CGC1540699. Serving Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.