Quick answer: DemoPrep handles full residential house demolition across Greater Montréal and the West Island — permits, utility disconnections, asbestos testing and safe abatement, the teardown itself, foundation removal, and certified haul-away. A typical Montréal house teardown runs roughly $18,000–$45,000+ depending on size, access, foundation and hazardous materials, plus the city demolition permit. RBQ #5826-5448-01. Get a free quote.
Full-house demolition, handled end to end
Tearing down a whole house is a different job from gutting a room. It pulls in the city, your utility providers, hazardous-material rules, heavy equipment and a great deal of certified disposal — and a mistake at any step gets expensive fast. We manage the entire teardown under one roof so you are not chasing five different trades:
- Permits & paperwork — we help secure the Montréal demolition permit and meet your borough’s requirements.
- Utility disconnections — coordinated shutoff of gas, electricity, water and sewer before any demolition begins.
- Asbestos & hazmat — mandatory testing on pre-1990 homes, then safe, contained abatement (see our asbestos removal service).
- The teardown — mechanical or selective demolition, sized to the lot and the access.
- Foundation & slab removal — including basement walls and footings where required.
- Haul-away & certified disposal — sorted and weighed, with material diversion where possible.
- Left rebuild-ready — the lot graded and cleared so your next build starts clean.
What a house demolition costs in Montréal
Whole-home demolition is quoted per project, not per square foot — but to help you budget, these are the ranges we typically see in the Montréal area (guides, not flat rates; every teardown is quoted after a site visit):
- Single-storey / bungalow (about 1,200 sq ft): roughly $18,000–$26,000.
- Two-storey home (2,000+ sq ft): roughly $25,000–$45,000+.
- City demolition permit: about $3,200 for a main dwelling (an accessory building is far less).
What moves the number: lot access for equipment, foundation depth, asbestos or other hazardous materials, heritage status and disposal volume. Detached garages, additions and pools are priced on top.
Permits, heritage rules & timeline
Almost every house teardown in Montréal needs a demolition permit, and many boroughs require a special review when a building is over 50 years old or sits on a heritage lot. We handle the application and the borough back-and-forth. Once permits and disconnections are in place, the physical teardown of a typical house takes only a few days — the overall timeline is usually driven by the permit stage, not the demolition.
Done safely, by an RBQ-licensed crew
Pre-1990 homes almost always contain asbestos somewhere — pipe wrap, vermiculite, flooring, drywall compound. Québec law (CNESST) requires testing before demolition, and we remove anything found under full containment with negative-air machines, HEPA filtration, and MSA Advantage 3200 full-face respirators with P100 Flexi-Filters. DemoPrep is fully licensed (RBQ #5826-5448-01) and insured — one partner from teardown straight through to site prep for your rebuild.
Partial demolition and deconstruction
Not every project is a full tear-down. Partial demolition — removing an addition, a garage, or part of a structure while keeping the rest standing — costs less than a whole-house demolition but takes more careful planning to protect what stays. Deconstruction is the slower, salvage-focused alternative: crews disassemble the structure to recover reusable materials, which can offset disposal costs and keep waste out of the landfill. We advise which approach fits your project and budget during the free assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to demolish my house in Montréal?
Yes — a demolition permit is required for a main dwelling, and homes over 50 years old or on heritage lots often need an additional borough review. We handle the application for you.
Do you test for asbestos before demolition?
Yes. On any pre-1990 home, asbestos testing is required before demolition, and we abate anything found under safe containment.
Do you remove the foundation too?
Yes — we remove the foundation, slab and footings where the project calls for it, and leave the lot graded and rebuild-ready.
Planning a teardown? Get a free, no-pressure quote from a licensed Montréal demolition contractor. Contact DemoPrep — RBQ #5826-5448-01.