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Fire Damage Specialists CA Contractor #1117491 OSHA-10 Certified

Fire Damage Demolition

When fire takes a structure, the demolition that follows is not standard work. Compromised framing, exposed hazardous materials, insurance timelines, and contaminated debris all require a contractor who has been through it before. We have. Including Camp Fire recovery in Paradise and Magalia.

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Not Standard Demolition

Fire Damage Changes Everything About the Job

A fire-damaged structure is not just an old building that needs to come down. The fire has already done damage that makes the demolition more dangerous, more regulated, and more complex. Here is what separates fire damage demolition from every other type of demo work.

Heavier Dump Fees

Fire departments spray enormous amounts of water during suppression. Wood turns to ash, mixes with water, and becomes heavy mud. That added weight drives up dump fees significantly compared to standard demolition debris.

Contaminated Soil & Ash

Ash mixes into the surrounding dirt. Some building departments require that contaminated dirt be scraped and hauled to an approved facility. This adds time, labor, and disposal costs that do not exist on a standard demo job.

Limited Landfill Options

Many landfills will not accept fire-burned debris. Loads have to go to specialty facilities that are often farther away, which adds hauling time and cost. Every load must be tarped with no debris outside the trailer.

Insurance Coordination

In California, homeowners choose their own contractor for fire-burned jobs. It is not about the lowest bid. We work with insurance adjusters, submit and adjust bids, and send letters to agents on your behalf to move your claim forward.

10 to 40% Higher Cost

Between the heavier debris, specialty disposal, tarping requirements, and extra labor for foundation preservation, fire damage demolition runs 10 to 40% more than a normal house demo of the same size.

Foundation Preservation

The most common thing to save is the concrete foundation. Leaving it intact while we demolish above it skips new permits, new engineering, and repouring. It takes more time to demolish carefully, but it shortens your path back to move-in.

Real Experience

Camp Fire Recovery.
Paradise & Magalia.

The 2018 Camp Fire destroyed over 18,000 structures across Paradise and the surrounding ridge communities. Our crew was on the ground in the recovery effort. The job involved a ton of downed trees and a manufactured house that had burned to the ground. Everyone had to wear hazmat suits and earned higher wages due to the conditions. We demolished the structure and hauled everything to Neal Road Landfill.

Since then, we have completed roughly 30 fire demolition projects ranging from mobile homes to garages to entire houses, including work in Berry Creek and upcoming projects in Gerber. That hands-on experience shapes how we approach every fire damage job. We understand the structural unpredictability, the hazmat complexities, and the emotional weight of clearing a property after a loss.

Paradise
Camp Fire recovery demolition
Magalia
Fire-damaged house demolition
Berry Creek
Fire demolition projects
Gerber
Upcoming fire recovery work
Demo Patrol crew demolishing a fire-damaged home in Magalia after the Camp Fire

Our Process

How We Handle Fire Damage Demolition

Fire damage demolition follows a more rigorous process than standard structural demolition. Every step accounts for the additional hazards, regulatory requirements, and insurance documentation that fire-damaged properties demand.

01

Onsite Assessment & Insurance Coordination

We walk the property with you and your adjuster if needed. Evaluate structural integrity, identify hazmat concerns, assess equipment access. Written scope-of-work and itemized estimate formatted for insurance submission.

02

Hazmat Survey & Abatement

Certified asbestos survey on any pre-1980 structure. Fire can make previously non-friable materials dangerous. If the survey comes back positive, licensed abatement contractors handle removal before we touch the structure.

03

Permitting & Notifications

Demolition permit through the local building department. NESHAP notification through the air quality management district. We prepare and submit all paperwork. Nothing falls through the cracks.

04

Utility Disconnection

Gas, electric, water, and sewer disconnected and capped. Fire-damaged utility connections can be compromised in ways that are not visible, so we verify disconnection before any equipment enters the site.

05

Structural Demolition

Excavators with grapple attachments methodically dismantle the fire-damaged structure. Our operators read the building as they work. Adjusting approach based on how the fire affected different sections. Dust and erosion control throughout.

06

Debris Removal & Site Clearing

Fire debris sorted on site. Contaminated materials separated from recyclable metals and concrete. Ash and contaminated soil removed. Over 70% of materials recycled. Every load documented with dump receipts and weight tickets.

07

Foundation Work

Full foundation removal or preservation depending on your rebuild plans. If you are rebuilding in the same square footage and footprint, we carefully demolish around the foundation to keep it intact. A preserved foundation skips new permits, new engineering, and repouring.

08

Grading & Build-Ready Prep

Engineered fill, compaction in lifts, finish grading for proper drainage. Your lot is left build-ready for new construction. No additional site work needed before your builder breaks ground.

09

Drone Photography

Every once in a while, customers want to sell the property right after demolition. We take drone shots of the cleared lot so they can market the property with clean, professional aerial photos.

Insurance Claims

We Work With
Your Insurance

Fire damage demolition almost always runs through an insurance claim. We work with adjusters, go back and forth submitting bids, and handle the documentation process so you do not have to. In California, homeowners get to choose which contractor they want for fire-burned jobs. It is not about the cheapest bid. You choose whoever you trust the most.

Bid Submission & Adjustment

We submit bids to your insurance company, adjust pricing as needed through the back-and-forth process, and send letters to insurance agents on your behalf to keep the claim moving forward.

Progress Documentation

Photos at every stage of the project. Before, during, and after. Timestamped and organized for your claim file.

Dump Receipts & Weight Tickets

Every load of debris documented with facility receipts and weight tickets. Full chain of custody on hazardous materials.

Advocacy for Homeowners

We have seen insurance companies miss critical damage. One of our Folsom customers had a fire-burned house where insurance did not mark it as a total loss because the subfloor was hidden under debris and a collapsed, waterlogged roof. We charged the customer to remove a section of floor to expose the subfloor and joists. Insurance then approved reimbursement for those items on the rebuild, and the customer decided to do a full tear down.

Preserve Your Foundation, Skip the Repour

The most common thing to save on a fire demolition job is the concrete foundation. Leaving it intact while we demolish the structure above skips new permits, new engineering, and repouring. It takes more time to demolish carefully around the foundation, but it shortens your path back to move-in. This works best when you plan to rebuild in the same square footage and footprint.

Why Choose Us

Fire Damage Demolition Requires a Specialist

Not every demolition contractor has experience with fire-damaged structures. The hazards, the regulations, and the insurance process are fundamentally different. Here is what we bring to every fire damage project.

Camp Fire Experience

We worked Camp Fire recovery in Paradise and Magalia. Demolishing fire-damaged homes and clearing lots for rebuilding. That experience is in every fire damage project we take on.

CA Contractor #1117491

Licensed California demolition contractor with full liability and workers' compensation coverage. OSHA-10 Certified. Every crew member trained on demolition safety and hazmat protocols.

Insurance-Ready Documentation

Itemized estimates, progress photos, dump receipts, weight tickets, and hazmat reports. Formatted for insurance claim submission. We coordinate directly with your adjuster.

Hazmat Management

We coordinate certified asbestos surveys, licensed abatement, lead assessment, and contaminated soil handling. Full compliance with NESHAP, AQMD, and Cal/OSHA requirements.

Own Equipment Fleet

Excavators, skid steers, dump trucks, and roll-off containers. Our crew runs every project from start to finish. One company, one point of contact from estimate to clean lot.

70%+ Recycling Rate

Even on fire-damaged structures, we recycle over 70% of materials on most jobs. Metals, concrete, and clean wood separated on site. Every load tracked with facility receipts.

5.0 Google Rating 117 5-Star Reviews Northern California

Full-Service

Related Demolition Services

Fire damage demolition is often part of a larger project. We handle every phase. From structural demolition to cleanup to site restoration.

Residential Demolition

Complete house and residential structure demolition with proper permitting and debris removal.

Learn More

Demolition Cleanup & Debris Removal

Post-demolition cleanup, debris hauling, and site preparation.

Learn More

Property Restoration

Grading, compaction, and site prep after demolition for new construction.

Learn More

Common Questions

Fire Damage Demolition FAQs

Fire damage demolition typically costs 10 to 40% more than a standard house demolition of the same size. The premium comes from heavier dump fees (fire debris soaks up water and turns to heavy mud and ash), specialty disposal (many landfills will not accept fire-burned debris), tarping requirements, and the extra labor involved in preserving foundations when the homeowner plans to rebuild. We provide a written, itemized quote after an onsite assessment so you know exactly what you are paying for.
In most cases, yes. Homeowners insurance typically covers demolition and debris removal after a fire loss under the dwelling coverage or additional structures coverage of your policy. In California, homeowners get to choose which contractor they want for fire-burned jobs. It is not about the cheapest bid. You choose whoever you trust the most. We work directly with insurance adjusters, submit bids, adjust pricing as needed, and send letters to insurance agents on your behalf. We provide everything they need: itemized estimates, progress photos, dump receipts, and hazmat reports. File your claim before scheduling demolition so the adjuster can inspect the property first. Which carrier you have does not change anything on our end. We work with all of them, and you never need us to sit on a preferred vendor list to hire us.
The demolition itself takes one to two days for a typical residential structure. The full timeline from first call to clean lot is usually three to five weeks, depending on permit turnaround, hazmat survey results, and insurance coordination. If asbestos abatement is required, that adds one to two weeks. We maintain a four-week lead time and schedule around your insurance timeline.
Pre-1980 homes that have been through a fire present a unique asbestos concern. Materials that were previously non-friable. Like vinyl floor tile, transite siding, or pipe insulation. Can become friable after fire exposure, meaning they release fibers into the air. California law requires a certified asbestos survey before demolition regardless of fire damage. If the survey comes back positive, licensed abatement happens before we begin structural demolition. We coordinate the entire process.
Fire debris requires careful handling. Many landfills will not accept fire-burned debris, so loads have to go to specialty disposal facilities. All loads must be tarped with no debris outside the trailer. Ash, charred materials, and contaminated soils are sorted and disposed of at approved sites. Recyclable metals are separated. Concrete goes to crushing facilities. Every load is documented with dump receipts and weight tickets. If the fire involved hazardous materials, those are handled through licensed hazardous waste transporters.
Yes. Partial demolition on fire-damaged structures is common when only a section of the building was compromised. We work with structural engineers to determine the safe demolition boundary, shore up remaining sections, and protect the intact portion during removal. This is more complex than a full teardown but can save significant rebuilding costs if the foundation and structural members on the undamaged side are still sound.
Yes. A demolition permit is required through your local building department regardless of fire damage. For fire-damaged structures, you also need a NESHAP notification through your local air quality management district and a certified asbestos survey. We handle all permitting and compliance end-to-end. Every approval submitted, tracked, and delivered to you in writing.
Fire damage demolition is 10 to 40% more expensive than a normal house demo for several reasons. Fire departments spray enormous amounts of water during suppression, which turns wood to ash and creates heavy, muddy debris that costs more to haul and dump. Ash mixes into the dirt, and some building departments require that dirt to be scraped and disposed of at approved facilities. Many landfills will not accept fire-burned debris, so loads have to go to specialty disposal sites. All loads must be tarped with no debris outside the trailer. On top of that, we often need to demolish carefully around the foundation to preserve it for rebuilding, which takes more time and precision. We have completed roughly 30 fire demolition projects including Camp Fire recovery in Paradise and Magalia.

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Fire Damage? We Handle the Demolition.

Licensed demolition contractor with Camp Fire recovery experience. Hazmat coordination, insurance documentation, and complete site clearing. Free estimate.

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