FAQs
Demolition & Strip Out FAQs
Before hiring a demolition contractor, check that they will survey the site and give a fixed price, hold proper insurance and accreditations, plan the work under CDM 2015, confirm asbestos surveys, permissions and service disconnections, and remove waste through a registered carrier with transfer notes. The answers below cover each of these.
Quotes and Pricing
The questions are grouped by stage, from getting a quote to the work itself and what happens to the waste. If your question isn't here, call 020 8914 7838.
How do I get a quote?
Call us or send an enquiry with the site postcode, the type of building and what needs doing. Attach floor plans, drawings or photos if you have them. We arrange a free site survey and then send a fixed-price quotation.
Is the site survey free?
Yes. Site surveys are free and there is no obligation to go ahead.
How much does demolition or a soft strip cost?
As a guide, demolition typically costs £30–£150 per m² and a soft strip £15–£40 per m², based on 2026 London and Surrey rates. Access, materials, asbestos and waste volumes make the biggest difference. Our price guide covers every service.
Do your prices include VAT?
No. Our guide prices exclude VAT.
Is the quotation fixed?
Yes. After the site survey you receive a fixed price for the agreed scope of work, with inclusions and exclusions set out.
How quickly will you reply?
We respond to every enquiry within 24 hours.
Before Work Starts
Do I need an asbestos survey?
For most soft strip and demolition work, yes. A refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey to the HSE's HSG264 guidance is normally required before intrusive work starts. It is usually arranged by the client, or we can coordinate it. Any licensed asbestos removal is priced separately.
Do I need permission to demolish a building?
Often, yes. Many demolitions need prior approval from the local planning authority, the council usually needs notice under section 80 of the Building Act 1984, and conservation areas and listed buildings have extra controls. Our demolition page explains each step, and we confirm what applies at the survey.
Do I need planning permission for a soft strip?
Usually not, because a soft strip removes non-structural elements and leaves the building standing. Listed buildings are the main exception, where internal works can need listed building consent.
Who disconnects the gas, electricity and water?
We arrange isolation and disconnection as part of the job. The work itself is carried out by the relevant utility providers or appropriately qualified trades. On larger projects this forms part of our enabling works.
Do I need to serve party wall notices?
If the work affects a wall shared with a neighbour, or involves excavating close to neighbouring foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply. Notices are served by the building owner, often through a party wall surveyor. GOV.UK's party wall guidance explains the process.
How soon can you start?
Once the survey is done and the scope is agreed, local projects can often mobilise within a few days, subject to permits and programme.
During the Works
Do you work to CDM 2015?
Yes. Demolition and strip-out work is construction work under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. We prepare risk assessments and method statements for every job. The regulations also place duties on the client, and we can talk you through what they mean for your project.
Can you work outside normal hours?
Yes, where a site needs it, for example to avoid disrupting an occupied building or to meet local restrictions. Weekend, night and other out-of-hours working is priced at a premium, so it is agreed and costed in the quotation.
How do you keep disruption to neighbours down?
Access, deliveries and waste collections are planned in advance. Dust and noise are controlled during the works, and adjoining buildings are protected where needed. On tight residential and city-centre sites, this planning is as important as the work itself.
How long does a demolition or soft strip take?
It depends on the size of the building, how much is being removed, access and any working-hour restrictions. A small flat strip out and a multi-storey office are very different jobs, so we give you a programme with the quotation once we have seen the site.
Can you provide plant and operators?
Yes. We provide plant with experienced operators, from mini diggers to 3–8 tonne excavators and larger machines. If your own team just needs a machine and operator, our machine contracting service covers that too.
Do you install temporary works?
Yes. Our team installs temporary works such as propping and support to adjoining structures, to the approved temporary works design for the site.
Waste and Recycling
What happens to the waste?
Waste is segregated as it comes out of the building (metals, timber, plasterboard, hardcore and general waste), so as much as possible can be recycled. We target 95%+ of waste diverted from landfill. Our waste clearance page explains the process in detail.
Will I get waste transfer notes?
Yes, for every load. They are your record that the waste was handed to a registered carrier and taken to an appropriate facility, and they should be kept for at least two years.
Can you take hazardous waste or asbestos?
Hazardous waste and asbestos cannot be mixed with general construction waste. They need separate arrangements and are priced separately, and asbestos removal must be carried out by a suitably licensed contractor where required.
Do you supply skips?
We arrange skips and grab lorries to suit the volume of waste and the access on your site, priced per load or by the tonne.
About Us and Coverage
Are you insured?
Yes. We hold £10m public liability insurance and employers' liability insurance. Certificates are available with your quotation.
What accreditations do you hold?
We are CHAS (SSIP) and Constructionline accredited, an Environment Agency registered waste carrier, and our operatives are CSCS and CCDO trained. You can read more about our team and accreditations.
Which areas do you cover?
All of Greater London, plus Kent, Surrey, Sussex and mainland Hampshire. The Isle of Wight is not included. See the areas we cover for the main towns in each county.
Do you work for homeowners as well as businesses?
Yes. We demolish houses, garages and outbuildings and strip out flats and houses for private clients. Our waste clearance service, however, is for trade and commercial sites only.
Can you strip out commercial kitchens and hotels?
Yes. We strip out commercial kitchens, including kitchen lines, extraction and services after isolation, and hotels and hospitality premises floor by floor. See our soft strip page.
Still have questions about your project?
Request a free quote
Tell Us About Your Project
Complete the short form below and our team will contact you to discuss your demolition or site preparation requirements.
Still have a question?
Still Have a Question?
If you cannot find the answer here, ask us directly or send us your project details. We reply to every enquiry within 24 hours.
020 8914 7838Speak directly to our team · Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00
- Safety-first, CDM 2015 compliant
- 24-hour quote response
- Fixed price after a free site survey
Prefer email? Send details or large drawings to hello@stripandclearservices.co.uk.