Professional soft strip specialists
Soft Strip Demolition in London & the South East
Soft strip demolition is the controlled removal of a building's non-structural elements, such as ceilings, partitions, floor coverings, fixtures, fittings and redundant mechanical and electrical services, while the structural frame stays in place. It prepares a building for refurbishment, fit-out or full demolition, and separates materials for recycling before the structure is touched.
- Structure left intactOld fit-outs cleared without harm
- Back to a clean shellReady for fit-out or demolition
- Segregated for recycling95%+ diversion target · transfer notes
- From £15–£40 per m²Fixed price after a free survey
Planning a soft strip ahead of a refurbishment or demolition? We survey the building, agree the scope and give you a fixed-price quotation. We respond to every enquiry within 24 hours.
Request a Free Site SurveyWhen is a soft strip needed?
When Do You Need a Soft Strip?
A soft strip is usually the first physical stage of a project. Taking out everything that is not structural exposes the frame for inspection, separates materials while they are still clean, and gives the next contractor a safe, empty building to start from. Typical situations include:
- Refurbishing a commercial building, where the old fit-out has to come out before the new design goes in.
- Changing tenants in offices, shops and hospitality premises, when the outgoing fit-out must be removed back to shell.
- Preparing for full demolition. Stripping first recovers metals, timber and other materials, making the structural demolition cleaner and cheaper to dispose of.
- Clearing redundant services, from old ductwork and cable trays to plant, after the services have been isolated.
- Converting or renovating residential property, from a single flat to a whole building, where kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and partitions are coming out.
Every project is assessed individually, so the scope, access and safety requirements are agreed before work begins.
Before a soft strip begins, the building normally needs a refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey to the HSE's HSG264 guidance. The survey is usually arranged by the client, or we can coordinate it. Any licensed asbestos removal is priced separately.
What's included
What's Included in a Soft Strip
The scope is always agreed with you, but a soft strip usually covers four groups of work.
Ceilings & Floors
Suspended ceiling grids and tiles, raised access floors, carpets, vinyl and screeds where specified, taken out and separated by material.
Partitions & Joinery
Stud and glazed partitions, doors, frames, built-in furniture, counters and shop-fit joinery.
M&E & Services
Redundant ductwork, cable trays, lighting, pipework, sanitaryware and plant, removed once the services have been safely isolated by the appropriate trades.
Fixtures, Fittings & Waste
Everything else that is not part of the structure, cleared and segregated as it comes out, with the waste removed under duty of care and the area left clean for the next stage.
The difference
Soft Strip or Structural Demolition: What's the Difference?
The two are often confused, and many projects need both. The difference comes down to what is removed and what stays.
| Item | Soft strip | Structural demolition |
|---|---|---|
| What is removed | Non-structural elements: ceilings, partitions, floors, fixtures, services | Load-bearing elements, or the whole building |
| The structure | Stays in place | Removed in whole or in part |
| Typical purpose | Refurbishment, fit-out or preparation for demolition | Clearing the site for redevelopment |
| Working methods | Mainly hand tools and compact equipment, working floor by floor | Machinery, in a planned demolition sequence |
| Waste | Mixed streams separated at source: metals, timber, plasterboard, general | Mostly heavy inert material such as brick and concrete |
Soft strip compared with structural demolition
What is removed
- Soft strip
- Non-structural elements: ceilings, partitions, floors, fixtures, services
- Structural demolition
- Load-bearing elements, or the whole building
The structure
- Soft strip
- Stays in place
- Structural demolition
- Removed in whole or in part
Typical purpose
- Soft strip
- Refurbishment, fit-out or preparation for demolition
- Structural demolition
- Clearing the site for redevelopment
Working methods
- Soft strip
- Mainly hand tools and compact equipment, working floor by floor
- Structural demolition
- Machinery, in a planned demolition sequence
Waste
- Soft strip
- Mixed streams separated at source: metals, timber, plasterboard, general
- Structural demolition
- Mostly heavy inert material such as brick and concrete
When a building is being replaced, a soft strip comes first and structural demolition follows. Stripping first means the valuable and recyclable materials are recovered cleanly rather than lost in a pile of rubble.
Buildings we strip
Buildings We Strip
The principle is the same in every building: remove what is not structural, keep what is, and separate everything for recycling. The detail changes with the type of building.
- OfficesPartitions, suspended ceilings, raised floors and redundant M&E, taken back to a clean shell for the next fit-out.
- Retail unitsShopfits, counters, fixtures and flooring cleared ready for a new tenant.
- Commercial kitchensKitchen lines, extraction canopies and associated services removed once gas, water and electrics have been isolated.
- Hotels and hospitalityBedrooms, bathrooms and back-of-house areas stripped floor by floor.
- M&E strip outsRedundant ductwork, cable trays, pipework and plant cleared from ceiling voids and plant rooms.
- Warehouses and industrial buildingsRacking, mezzanines, offices and services cleared down to the slab.
- Residential propertyKitchens, bathrooms, flooring and partitions stripped from flats and houses ahead of renovation.
How it works
Our Soft Strip Process
Site survey & assessment
We visit, discuss your requirements and agree exactly what is being removed and what stays, before preparing a fixed-price quotation.
Planning & RAMS
We plan access, sequencing and waste routes and prepare risk assessments and method statements under CDM 2015.
Controlled soft strip
CSCS-carded operatives remove the agreed elements in a logical order, typically ceilings and services first, then partitions, joinery and floor finishes, keeping materials separated.
Clearance & handover
Waste is removed with full paperwork, final checks are completed and the building is handed back as a clean shell, ready for the next stage.
From the first visit to handover, you are kept informed about the scope, programme and progress. We work to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.
Ready to get started?
Planning a Soft Strip Out Project?
Whether you are preparing a commercial building for refurbishment or taking a property back to its frame, speak to our team and get a fixed-price quotation.
Free site survey · Fixed price after survey · Segregated waste with full paperwork
Why choose us
Why Choose Us for Your Soft Strip
Experienced, carded teams
CSCS and CCDO-trained operatives, with the right equipment chosen for each building.
Safety-focused planning
CDM 2015 compliant RAMS and site-specific planning on every job, however small.
Responsible waste clearance
Segregation at source and full duty of care paperwork from a registered waste carrier, targeting 95%+ landfill diversion.
One contractor, start to finish
Soft strip, enabling works and clearance are carried out in-house, followed by demolition if the project needs it.
We hold £10m public liability and employers' liability insurance, and the business is owner-run, with Harry John Hudson directly involved in projects.
Client testimonials
What Our Clients Say About Our Work
Google reviews
4.9/5
45+ reviews
Feedback from clients on demolition, strip out and site preparation projects.
“The Strip and Clear guys sorted our soft strip out in Surrey. Came in, stripped the office back to shell, took all the waste away and left it tidy. No messing about. Would use them again.”
James TCommercial Soft Strip “Used Strip & Clear for the demo and site clearance on a job in London. Lads turned up on time, cracked on with the strip and knock down, and got the site cleared properly with the transfer notes sorted. No drama. Good crew.”
Dave M, Site ManagerDemolition & Site Clearance “Strip & Clear Services Ltd handled the dig out and groundworks for us on a site in Kent. Professional team, clear communication and the ground was prepared exactly as agreed. Happy to recommend.”
Sarah Collins, Apex DevelopmentsDig Out & Groundworks
Cost
How Much Does a Soft Strip Cost?
Soft strip out typically costs £15–£40 per m². Small jobs start from around £1,500, and typical commercial strip outs range from £5,000 to £25,000 or more. Where a project sits in that range depends on the floor area, how densely the space is fitted out, how much M&E is being removed, access, restricted working hours and the type of waste. A light strip of ceilings and carpets costs far less than a full strip with M&E, raised floors and partitions.
| Project | Approximate size | Guide price | Typically includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small residential soft strip | 2-bed flat | £1,800 – £3,500 | Kitchen, bathroom, flooring, partitions |
| Retail unit strip out | 200–400 m² | £4,000 – £12,000 | Shop fitting, fixtures, flooring |
| Office soft strip | 500–1,000 m² | £8,000 – £22,000 | Ceilings, partitions, flooring, some M&E |
Soft strip guide prices
Small residential soft strip
- Approximate size
- 2-bed flat
- Guide price
- £1,800 – £3,500
- Typically includes
- Kitchen, bathroom, flooring, partitions
Retail unit strip out
- Approximate size
- 200–400 m²
- Guide price
- £4,000 – £12,000
- Typically includes
- Shop fitting, fixtures, flooring
Office soft strip
- Approximate size
- 500–1,000 m²
- Guide price
- £8,000 – £22,000
- Typically includes
- Ceilings, partitions, flooring, some M&E
These are 2026 guide prices for London and Surrey, excluding VAT. Your fixed price is confirmed after a free site survey, and our price guide covers every service in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Soft Strip FAQs
Why do soft strip prices vary so much per square metre?
Is a soft strip the same as demolition?
Do you remove mechanical and electrical services?
How long does a soft strip take?
What happens to the waste from a soft strip?
Do I need an asbestos survey before a soft strip?
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.
Get your free quote
Get a Quote for Your Soft Strip
Whether it is a single retail unit, an office floor or a whole building, tell us about it and attach floor plans or photos. We'll arrange a free survey and a fixed-price quotation.
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.